London travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Ibis London Excel is a great 2-star hotel! Only 10 minutes drive from London City airport and central London. The hotel is ideal for business stays as well as holiday visits.

Ibis London Docklands Excel offers excellent value accommodation, overlooking the Royal Victoria Dock.

The hotel offers 278 comfortable bedrooms at competitive prices, air cooling system, tea /coffee facilities and  telephone.

All of the en suite rooms have TVs with pay-per-view movies. Internet access is available at an additional cost.

The hotel has its own restaurant ‘The Cafe and a full range of services available around the clock.

Tennis courts are located 2 km away, as well as a golf course 6 km away.

The hotel is two minutes from Clapham South Tube station with easy access to the city, West End and Wimbledon. The hotel is just over 4 miles from the very tourist heart of London and the West End.

All 20 rooms provide comfortable en-suite facilities, delivering quality and economy. All children under 5 years stay free of charge when using existing bedding.

All rooms are en suite and some have CD and DVD players. Wireless Internet Hotspot is available in the hotel rooms and charges are applicable.

A well equipped meeting room is also available.
Guide Price: rooms from: GBP55.00.

The Sunborn Yacht Hotel offers an amazing waterfront in the historic Royal Victoria Dock, London. With the spectacular views, lovely atmosphere and unmatched services the hotel will makes your vacation a memorable experience. The Yacht assures wedding parties, conference delegates and first class restaurant and bar, creating a perfect hotel with true 5 star standards. The hotel offers over 100 luxury suites, decorated in an elegant style, with modern accents. Suites are approx 30 sq. m and have two royal yacht suites with private sauna and separate bedroom and living area. Room’s amenities including: a safe, air-conditioning, coffee and tea maker, IDD telephone, hair dryer, satellite TV, Wi Fi wireless internet, a mini bar, iron/ironing board, and bathrobes.
Other services include parking, money exchange, chauffer service, banking facilities, beauty salon, and a florist.  Official site: http://www.sunbornhotels.com/

Inamo is a modern eatery that allows diners to change their atmosphere, order food & drinks, book a cab and play games all with a few swift touches of their table top. Plus the food is really good! The place is a pioneering Oriental fusion restaurant and bar where the control of the dining experience is placed firmly in your hands.

The core of Inamo is their interactive ordering system. Diners place orders from an illustrated food and drinks menu projected on to their table surface. You’ll set the mood, discover the local neighborhood, and even order a taxi home. Their dedicated and friendly staff are always on hand to help with whatever you need.

The restaurant is located in 134-136 Wardour Street, Soho, London. Looking over the menu at Inamo is one of the country’s finest Oriental fusion chefs. Alexander Ziverts brings world-class experience and finesse to Inamo. With his spontaneous talent in the kitchen, and strong passion for food Alex oversees a menu that combines traditional Asian influences and flavours to create dishes that are original but more importantly tasty!

Their cuisine is an exciting fusion of ideas and flavours from around Asia – you will find influences from Japanese, Thai and Chinese cooking that combine to create many really fantastic dishes!

Just next to the hi-tech restaurant is sited the 65 seat basement bar and, social space with a strong personality and a great place in which to relax or post dinner – in fact if you want you can eat in the bar area, their full menu is available albeit without the interactive ordering system.

The bar is also the perfect place for post work drinks or a little refreshment whenever you’re in Soho.

The London National Gallery displays one of the finest and most comprehensive Collections of European painting. These paintings belong to the society and entrance to see them is free.

The Gallery was founded in 1824, but the site in Trafalgar Square was chosen for its central location in 1838.

The building has been extended and improved through the years,most remarkable in 1991, when the Sainsbury Wing was opened.

 

It includes many famous works,such as Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

 

All major traditions of Western European painting are represented from the artists of late medieval and Renaissance Italy to the French impressionists.

This plan will help you to explore the collection. You may wish to start by finding one of the famous paintings .You can also plan your route using the ArtStart touch-screen guides,which are available.

 The Haymarket Hotel is situated on a small street of Haymarket, in the heart of London, next to the Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. The Haymarket is an intimate, boutique hotel and is a member of design hotels. The hotel’s unique design was designed by John Nash, the architect who developed most of Regency London, including Buckingham Palace and others.

All 50 guest rooms are individually designed with antique furniture and all of them offers high-speed wireless access and DVD/CD players. The roomy bathrooms are designed in granite, glass and oak, with double basins, a separate shower and an oversize bathtub, as well as large flat-screen TVs.

Hotels amenities:Spectacular 18-metre swimming pool, fully equiped gym with: cardio-vascular machines and treatment room for massage and beauty therapies, conservatory, drawing room, library, shooting gallery, nightclub and restaurant serving modern English and Italian cuisine.

The London Frieze Art Fair was full with richly stocked booths, exhibitions, opening parties and other festivities.

The fair itself, with 152 participants continues its quest to meet all art needs. At front rows are the art dealers and their booths, which presented an enormous range of products and anti-product, including an art performance or three.

Visitors to the fair, can sit around ”Sirkus”, a dark noisy, utterly conincing rendition of an Icelandic bar.

At Francesca Kaufman visitors enter through a small door by Dutch artist van der Stokker. Framed in a cartoonish wall, the drawings proclaims the slogan ” No Reason, No Goals” !

The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2008, in England is now open to the public. The spectacular structure – designed and engineered in collaboration with Arup.The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion is one of the most anticipated events in the international design calendar.

The architect, who is Frank Gehry express his opinion: ‘The Pavilion is designed as a wooden timber structure that acts as an urban street running from the park to the existing Gallery. The Pavilion is much like an amphitheatre, designed to serve as a place for live events, music, performance, discussion and debate.”

When the visitors walk through the Pavilion they have access to terraced seating on both sides of the urban street. In addition to the terraced seating there are two elevated seating pods, which are accessed around the perimeter of the Pavilion. These pods serve as visual markers enclosing the street and can be used as stages, private viewing platforms and dining areas.’

Julia Peyton-Jones, Director, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co-Director said: ‘It is an exciting moment for London. Frank Gehry’s visionary Pavilion is remarkable and will be a landmark for the city this summer.’

The Pavilion project is the architect’s first built structure in England.

The Pavilion is a fully accessible public space in the Royal Park of Kensington Gardens, London attracting up to 250,000 visitors every summer and is accompanied by an ambitious programme of public talks and events.

Durley House is located at Sloane Street in Chelsea and Knightsbridge. The house is just stroll away from Hyde Park, Harrods and King’s Road. Durley House has 11 suites rooms, each one very stylished, elegantly furnished with antiques and provides a soothing atmosphere right in the heart of vibrant London.

When you step into this beautiful house, you actually believe that you were walking into the hallway of private residence. At the first floor you will find out warmth of the glowing fireplace. Just next to it is the reception area and an attractive cosy sitting room.

When you go upstairs you will get into another world- eleven fully-furnished suites. Each of them has been individually designed. This house is perfect spot for such a travellers, which are not staying in London for more than a week.

Casten Holler is visual spectacle of watching people sliding and ‘inner spectacle’ experienced by the sliders themselves, the state of simultaneous delight and anxity that you enter as you descend. Höller has installed six smaller slides in other galleries and museums, but the cavernous space of the Turbine Hall offers a unique setting in which to extend his vision.

Turbine Hall is a hall in Tate Modern museum located in London. Turbine Hall was created in the year 2000 to display the national collection of international modern art. This forms part which is the national collection of British art since 1500 and international modern art. Tate Modern is dedicated museum of modern art.

Carsten Höller is a slide is a sculpture that you can travel inside. The slides are one of the building’s means of transporting people, equivalent to the escalators, elevators or stairs. Slides deliver people quickly, safely and elegantly to their destinations, they’re inexpensive to construct and energy-efficient. They’re also a device for experiencing an emotional state.

Hotel Metropolitan in London is a new kind of a hotel, very light and pompous.The hotel is located at the Hyde Park Corner end of Park Line, overlooking Hyde Park, with walking distance of Piccadilly, Knightsbridge and the West End.

In the Metropolitan Hotel there’re 150-room space, WiFi and as well as a Met Bar. This is among the city’s most popular members clubs, open to hotel resident, where martins are sipped to cool tunes spun by top-of-the-game Djs.

There is also a COMO Shambhala Urban Escape offering a gym, steam room, reflexology, aromatherapy, shiatsu massage and jet-lag therapies. Yoga mats are supplied in room, and teachers available on request. For a Michelin-starred culinary experience, Nobu, the hotel restaurant co-owned by Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert de Niro, offers innovative Japanese cuisine with an upbeat New York-style atmosphere. There are five event spaces accommodating groups from 10 to 80. Service, for which this hotel is known, includes a concierge who knows exactly what’s going on in town as well as room butlers.

In the guestrooms, coffee and cream colours prevail with the occasional splash of plum. Reddish, wood furnishings and those featuring were made especially for the hotel by United Designers’ manufacturing facility in Ashford, Kent. Hobbs chose pieces of antique Asian furnishings to complement the look. Cushions, blinds, curtains and carpets are all crafted out of pure, natural materials. Possibly the most select room to enjoy is the penthouse that is surrounded by a discreet Japanese rock garden.

Enjoy..!

Coinciding with the 5th Anniversary of the brand, CK ( Checkland Kindleysides ) created the first Sony Ericsson store in London. The concept combines simple architectural lines with curvaceous, organic forms to create an environment that allows their products to be conveyed with absolute clarity. Spanning the entire length of the store is the ‘infinity’ bar; a sculpted demonstration and service area filled with their entire range of handsets. All phone displayed are live and connected, willing the consumer to test, try and immerse themselves with their offer. Providing a striking burst of color against this pure backdrop, the color changing fascia echoes the Sony Ericsson’s brand palette and changes in sequence with lighting used in the store .
‘We are extremely pleased to be opening our first store which will offer a new Sony Ericsson retail experience, with all the benefits of a regular mobile phone store. Consumers will be able to come in, try products in a relaxed state-of-the-art-space experiencing the very best of the brand and then purchase or upgrate their phones as they would a regular store’ – Salvatore D’ angelo, Head Of Globul Retail, Sony Ericsson.

The Royal Academy of Arts in London, which had been founded in 1768, was at the very center of Victorian art in Britain. Its annual Exhibition of the Work of Living Artists (known from the 1870s simply as the Summer Exhibition) was not only the premier showcase for new artwork and a principal means of bringing together artist, purchaser and art dealer, but was both an important part of the upper-class social calendar and a popular attraction, open to everybody who could afford the shilling entrance fee. The Royal Academy was, and remains, a self-governing and self-funded private body. Its exclusiveness and innate conservatism attracted criticism throughout the century, but its constitution and practices remained virtually unchanged into the 20th century and formed the background to the success of the vast majority of the well-known artists of the per.
The famous for the summer exhibition and for the many major loan exhibitions, acclaimed both in Britain and overseas. But exhibitions include everything from recent fashion and photography retrospectives to much broader collections of post-18th century art, and immaculately researched explorations of historical cultures.

These exhibitions attract more than a million people each year – the most famous in recent years was “Monet in the 20th century”. It is also notable, however, for its headline grabbing showcases, including 1999’s epic Monet retrospective – which attracted over 800,000 visitors, making it the most successful impressionist exhibition in the world, and Britain’s biggest art-event ever – and the controversial 1997 Sensation exhibition which featured young British artists. The works on display cover the entire spectrum of art the world, from John Soane’s architecture to the Russian Amazons of the avant-garde. Admission: varies with exhibitions. Manet, Boudin and other artists of the 1860s and 1870s to the Royal Academy. Where previously pictures of the sea had focused on the romance of stormy weather, or on picturesque coastal landscapes, the Impressionists were interested in the ordinary intersections of sky, sea and sand. For a group of artists so fascinated by colour and movement, the sea off France’s northern coast offered endless possibilities, and many of these paintings are simply studies of light flickering off the sea and sand. Others depict Parisian tourists enjoying themselves, or the work of local fishermen finding a simple beauty in everyday routine.
The Summer Exhibition is a lot of fun. Anybody can submit work to the selection panel which gives the exhibition a glorious element of surprise. Relative unknowns get the chance to see their work in the hallowed halls of Burlington House alongside works by famous artists and members of the RA. Pieces are hung in close proximity to cram in as many as possible so they appear to jostle for coveted space on the prestigious walls.
Painter, born in Cork, Co Cork, S Ireland. He trained at the Cork School of Art and at the school of the Royal Academy in London. He was also known as an illustrator of books for Tennyson and Dickens. His sketches of contemporaries in Fraser’s Magazine (1830–8) were published in 1874 and 1883.

Van Gogh’s unapologetic fluorescent greens, dragged mercilessly back and forth with a palette knife, with contrasting, staccato stabs of vermilion, cadmium and peach in the background, and the alternating brush stroke patterns of leaves, grass and trees drawn with a possessed paintbrush, point to a new order in a room already brimming over with innovators. The other masterpieces possess some sense of a boundary, whereas the Van Gogh, dated 1888, which is almost impossible to believe it is so modern, heads off alone into uncharted waters. One would expect nothing less of Van Gogh.
The Academy has received many gifts and bequests of objects and money. Many of these gifts were used to establish Trust Funds to support the work of the Royal Academy Schools by providing “Premiums” to students displaying excellence in various artistic genre. The rapid changes that pulsed through 20th century art have left some of the older prize funds looking somewhat anachronistic. But efforts are still made to award each prize to a student producing work that bears a relation to the intentions of the original benefactor.

Hot air balloon festivals are held annually throughout the year and give a chance for balloonist to participate in balloon races and display their balloons during evening balloon glows, and for the public to participate in the spectacle of many balloons gathered in one spot and to learn about the sport. Albuquerque’s International Balloon Fiesta is the largest hot air balloon festival in the world and includes over 700 balloons representing many states and 22 countries.

The London Balloon Festival, founded in 1983, has flown from Harris Park for 25 consecutive years and has featured Hot Air Balloons from around the world that, “fill the sky with colour”. In addition to twice daily Hot Air Balloon launches, the Festival’s combination of day and night time entertainment, full amusement park midway, combined with an extensive selection of food and fun, creates “London’s Family Festival of Excitement”.

The Festival has become a true region-wide activity. Visitors fill lodging and dining facilities within a 40-mile radius, there is a waiting list for balloonists wishing to attend and entertainment groups vie for inclusion. The success of this Festival is attributed to the Chamber’s emphasis on producing a family-oriented event with something for everyone. The Father’s Day Weekend date has become the weekend for weddings, reunions, engagements, and birthday and anniversary celebrations.

In addition to the balloon launches and rides, the festival features various other attractions including a full amusement park midway, concerts, laser shows, and a night glow. Specially shaped balloons are also popular, some so unique that it is surprising that they can fly. Most festivals also include non-balloon related events, such as concerts, fireworks, crafts shows, and car shows. Musical acts featured at the 2007 festival include Canadian artists Sloan and Mobile, as well as London band Bobnoxious.

Valencia
All eyes will be on Valencia later this year when the Spanish city hosts the coveted America’s Cup, the world’s biggest and most prestigious yachting event. Valencia is the first city in Europe to stage the race, despite the event’s long history. Already a popular short break destination with savvy travellers, Valencia benefits from a great location a short hop from the resorts on the Costa Blanca and is well served by no-frills airlines. But it is a charming city in its own right, home to the original paella, and it offers an exciting mixture of old and new, with cutting edge modern architecture and traditional baroque barrios. Check out the futuristic looking Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (the City of Arts and Sciences) designed by local architect Santiago Calatrava, featuring Europe’s largest state-of-the-art marine park, complete with a 30m- (98ft-) long shark tunnel, a dolphinarium, huge fish tanks, a colony of Humboldt’s penguins, and a very surreal underwater restaurant . The harbour area, Europe’s largest urban regeneration project, will be at the centre of the action during the Cup.
Beijing
As the rest of the world awakens to the tourism potential of the Chinese giant, interest in the country is growing and visitor numbers to China have rocketed. But while Shanghai and Hong Kong have traditionally stolen the limelight, it is Beijing which is set to draw the crowds in the next few years.
The capital has been undergoing a breathtaking urban makeover since being named host city for the 2008 Olympics and the buzz is almost palpable. The city’s facelift has spawned some amazing buildings, not least the Olympic venues themselves, and particularly the National Stadium, or Bird’s Nest, designed by Herzog & de Meuron at a cost of over US$400 million. The Water Cube (aka National Aquatic Centre), Paul Andreu’s new egg-shaped National Opera House and the huge new Norman Foster-designed terminal at Beijing Capital Airport will also dazzle visitors.
Old-time favourites such as Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, or the Temple of Heaven are being given a makeover too. The city’s infrastructure has been improved, thousands of trees and shrubs have even been planted to brighten up streets and squares, new hotels are opening every week (most recently Westin, Ritz-Carlton and InterContinental), and more direct flights than ever now serve the Chinese capital. Beijing is most definitely one of Asia’s most exciting cities.

Oman
Travellers to the Middle East seeking an alternative to Dubai are increasingly heading for Oman, which offers stunning unspoilt scenery (think deserts, tranquil oases, rugged mountains and peaceful beaches) and rich cultural heritage, with friendly locals and year-round sunshine thrown in for good measure. Scuba-diving, sailing, dolphin and whale watching are all popular activities here, but it is adventure travel which draws intrepid visitors. So if you fancy spending the night under the stars on a desert safari or sailing along the coast on an old-fashioned dhow, this might be just the destination for you
Virginia, USA
2007 marks America’s 400th anniversary, or the settling of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, in 1607. The entire state will be celebrating this turning point in history this year, with events including the sailing of a newly commissioned replica Godspeed from Chesapeake Bay up the James River, recreating parts of the original route sailed by the first settlers; a World of 1607 Exhibition; the America’s Anniversary Weekend in May; and a host of other celebrations throughout the year
London
London is one of the most popular destinations in the world, and 2007 promises to be yet another exciting year for visitors. The new O2 (formerly known as the Millennium Dome) will be opening in July and is touted as the most technically advanced music, sport and entertainment venue in the UK. The iconic new Wembley Stadium is also reopening later this year: it will be home to the England football team and can seat a whooping 90,000 spectators. The Grand Départ of the Tour de France, held for the first time ever in the capital, is set to draw the crowds in the summer, and so is the blockbuster Tutankhamun exhibition, featuring over 130 of the great pharaoh’s magnificent treasures, later on in the year. Meanwhile train travellers can look forward to the unveiling of the brand new St Pancras Eurostar terminal in November. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link will cut the journey time to Paris down to 2 hours 20 minutes.

Bulgaria and Romania
These two countries in Eastern Europe will be joining the EU in 2007. Served by an increasing number of no-frills airlines from Western Europe, Bulgaria and Romania are popular with second home owners and ideal for those looking for a more off-the-beaten-path kind of holiday. Boasting 16 UNESCO World Heritage sites between them, as well as unique wildlife, fascinating folklore and up-and-coming ski and seaside resorts, Bulgaria and Romania offer fantastic value year round. Little wonder they are growing in popularity

Liverpool
Liverpool will spend 2007 celebrating its 800th anniversary before taking on its role as European Capital of Culture in 2008, so there will be lots going on in the city by the River Mersey. A four-day extravaganza of pageantry and street entertainment will take place in late August this year to celebrate the granting of the city’s first charter in 1207. Over 300 events are planned, including plenty on the city’s best-known export – Beatlemania. Coincidentally, the famous Cavern Club on Mathew Street, where The Beatles first made their name, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. And a brand new Hard Day’s Night Hotel
Turkey
Turkey has been a popular destination with Brits on package holidays for years, but it is redefining its image and reinventing itself as a hip destination, with new trendy hotels attracting young moneyed travellers. The five-star Hillside Su in Antalya created a bit of a stir when it opened in 2004 , as did the Adam & Eve, also in Antalya, last year. On the other hand, the new easyJet London-Istanbul route, launched in summer 2006, now puts this vibrant, fascinating city within reach of budget travellers attracted to Istanbul’s rich past and culture