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
Sunshine, and London Living is Easy
The Langham family wake up to discover the sunshine streaming through the windows of their suite, and passers-by on their way to work embracing the warmth of the sun in their shades and shirtsleeves. London sparkles, whether in the heat of summer, or on a crisp bright winter’s day. So, anxious to make the most of the weather, the Langhams, with kids in tow, grab a quick breakfast and head out to explore the city.
First stop is a bus ride up Oxford Street to Hyde Park on the top deck of a red London bus (take number 159 to Marble Arch or 94 to Bayswater Road). Once at the park, they saunter past the rollerbladers and horseriders and make their way to the Serpentine – a lake at the centre of the park. The Langhams grab a drink from The Dell café and hire a small rowing boat for a trip out onto the lake to get away from the crowds. Then it’s off to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in adjoining Kensington Gardens, where a huge pirate ship, a beach and tepees provide ample opportunity for the kids to let off steam and charge about.
A spot of rowing has given the kids a taste for messing about on the river, so the family hails a cab to Chicheley Street in Waterloo where they can pick up a London Duck Tour. This takes place in a World War II amphibious vehicle, which first takes them for a 45-minute land tour around Westminster and Piccadilly – and then takes to the water for a 30-minute jaunt across the Thames for a closer look at the Houses of Parliament.
After a session in this James Bond-style vehicle, it’s time for lunch. St James’s Park is a short walk away across the river and Parliament Square. The Langhams drop in at the Inn on the Park with its grass roof to order a family picnic to eat by the bandstand (concerts from May to August) or, if it’s cold, in the restaurant itself. The picnic comes complete with woolly rug, a pie and a bottle of something for mum and dad. After lunch, it’s time to throw bread out for the residents of Duck Island in the lake (into which Pongo and Perdita drag their owners in 101 Dalmatians) and to watch the pelicans being fed at 3pm.
More animals are on the cards when the Langhams jump in a cab to London Zoo in Regent’s Park. The Gorilla Kingdom is a playground for our furry relatives, complete with a pole for the children to climb and get a good view. Once back down again, they can explore the reptile house and find their way into the Birds & Bees exhibition, where they might ask their parents some awkward questions …
It’s getting late now, but it seems a shame to go indoors. A slow walk through the park leads past Dairy Ices, where it’s ice creams all round, and towards the Open Air Theatre, where family-friendly plays are performed from May to August. The kids choose one of Shakespeare’s comedies, played out as night falls over a sun-warmed London. In the interval they make a dash for the fairy-light-strewn Garden Café beside the scented Rose Garden. After the show, they hail a cab for the five-minute ride back to the hotel, where the whole family quickly falls into a deep slumber after all that fresh air and sunshine.
Hyde Park & The Serpentine, Rangers Lodge, Hyde Park, London W2 2UH
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7298 2100
Website: www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde_park/about.cfm
By tube: Hyde Park Corner/Knightsbridge
Princess Diana Memorial Playground, Kensington Gardens, London W8
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7298 2141
Website: www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington_gardens/diana_playground.cfm
By tube: High Street Kensington
London Duck Tours, Chicheley Street, London SE1 7PJ
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7928 3132
Website: www.londonducktours.co.uk/faqs.htm
By tube: Waterloo
St James’s Park, London SW1A 2BJ
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7930 1793
Website: www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/st_james_park/
By tube: St James’s Park
Inn on the Park, St James’s Park, London SW1A 2BJ
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7451 9999
Website: www.innthepark.com/
By tube: St James’s Park/Charing Cross
Located in St James’s Park on the north-east side of the lake, a few minutes’ walk from Trafalgar Square.
The taxi drop-off point is by the ICA on The Mall.
London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7722 3333
Website: www.zsl.org
By tube: Camden Town
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4NR
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7935 5756
Website: www.openairtheatre.org
By tube: Baker Street
