Prince and Princess
The little extra treat for the little ones. Located in the heart of London, just a few moments away from London’s largest toy store and The London Zoo in Regent’s Park, The Langham, London is certainly a kingdom for every child.
From £419 per room per night.
Contact our Concierge to plan your
stay with us. Call 020 7636 1000 or
email lon.info@langhamhotels.com
Retail Therapy for the Junior Langhams
Master Langham and his sister Miss Langham awake from slumber in their suite and realise, with considerable excitement, that their pocket money is burning a London-shaped hole in their wallets. Not surprising, considering that the department stores of Oxford Street and Soho are a parental credit card’s throw away from the Langham.
Having dragged their parents out of bed demanding a day of shopping, the family sets off in a cab to the grand old lady of British shops, Harrods. Here, the siblings wander through the eight food halls, contributing to the 100 tonnes of chocolate sold by the store each year, and sampling some of the 250 varieties of cheese at Bar Fromage. Afterwards, it’s up to the Pet Department, where it used to be possible to buy chickens, sheep and other livestock. Even more exotic, Gertie the baby elephant was purchased here as a gift for US President Ronald Reagan from Albanian King Zog. These days puppies, kittens and guinea pigs reside here. The kids admire the tropical fish, and consider buying a diamond-studded collar for their cat back home, and a doggy-size four-poster bed for their pampered pooch.
Finally, they abandon their parents in the Green Man pub in the basement for a lunchtime drink and a traditional British pie, and make their way up to the Toy Department on the fourth floor. Here huge dolls houses, a ride-on Formula 1 Ferrari, magic tricks and model railways vie for their attention. They stop at Planet Harrods to order a cornet from the Ice Cream Galaxy, to glance at the films playing on the big screens, and to discuss the important business of where to shop next.
As often with siblings, Master and Miss Langham just can’t agree on the retail therapy that’s needed. So, having picked up their parents, they decide to go their separate ways.
They share a taxi to Carnaby Street, and Master Langham (who knows nothing of the street’s Swinging Sixties heritage oh-so long ago) heads off to explore the trendy boutiques in the area selling sportswear and sneakers. He tries on shoes at Slammin Kicks and listens to some records at hip-hop store Deal Real, where up-and-coming bands play every Friday. He stumbles across The Great Frog, which created the jewellery for the Harry Potter films, where he decides to buy a ring for his sister. In creative mood, he also makes a stop at Lazy Oaf to invest in a DIY Plimsoles pack – white sneakers and a range of felt tip pens ready to be transformed into works of art. Finally he stops at The Walk In Back Rub for a reviving 10-minute foot massage for himself and dad.
Meanwhile, Miss Langham prepares to do battle with the crowds in Topshop at Oxford Circus – a wonderland of clothes, handbags, jewellery beloved of fashionistas and teenage girls alike. She has her nails buffed at the in-store nail bar, and makes use of the Style Advisor Service to ensure she gets her look just right, finally settling on a Kate Moss dress and a pair of shiny new shoes (Topshop sells 35,000 pairs every week).
On her way to meet her brother, Miss Langham walks down Argyll Street and over into Carnaby Street where she pops into fashionable spot Leon for a chocolate brownie with mum, before being distracted by Buffy’s Beads, where she stocks up on gemstones and freshwater pearls to make a necklace for her best friend back home. She also stops off at B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful – a boudoir dripping with make-up, where she can’t resist a carved wooden pot full of glitter and a bottle of Dirty face scrub for her darling brother.
The siblings and their parents are reunited at Hamley’s on Regent Street – a seven floor extravaganza of toys and games. Master Langham is busy trying out the latest computer games, Miss Langham is eyeing up the art materials and dressing up outfits on the second floor. And dad was last seen playing with the cars and Scalextric on the third …
Harrods. 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7730 1234
Website: http://www.harrods.com/
By tube: Knightsbridge
Slammin Kicks, 4 Marlborough Court, London W1
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7439 0180
Website: http://www.slamminkicks.com/
By tube: Oxford Circus
Deal Real, 3 Marlborough Court, London W1F 7EF
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7287 7245
Website: http://www.dealreal.co.uk/
By tube: Oxford Circus
The Great Frog, 10 Ganton Street, London W1
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7439 9357
Website: http://www.greatfrog.co.uk/
By tube: Oxford Circus
Lazy Oaf, Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, London W1B 5PW
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7287 2060
Website: http://www.lazyoaf.com/
By tube: Oxford Circus
The Walk In Back Rub, Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, London W1B 5PW
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7436 9875
Website: http://www.walkinbackrub.co.uk/
By tube: Oxford Circus
Topshop, 216 Oxford Street, London W1D 1LA
Website: http://www.topshop.com/
By tube: Oxford Circus
Leon, 36 Gt. Marlborough Street, London W1F 7JE
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7437 5280
Website: http://www.leonrestaurants.co.uk/
By tube: Oxford Circus
Buffy’s Beads, Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, London W1B 5PW
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7494 2323
Website: http://www.buffysbeads.com/
By tube: Oxford Circus
B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful, 39 Carnaby Street, London W1
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7287 5492
Website: http://www.bnevertoobusytobebeautiful.com/
By tube: Oxford Circus
Hamley’s, 188-196 Regent Street, London W1B 5BT
Telephone: 0800 2802 444
Website: www.myhamleys.com/experience
Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus
