Hidden Treasure: Bermondsey Square Hotel

You could easily be mistaken for thinking that London's finest hotels are all situated central to the city. You're so wrong. I'll admit that I'm guilty of this assumption too. However, I recently discovered a gem of a hotel, south of the river.

Bermondsey Square hotel is nestled away in one of the most unlikely places; a short drive from Peckham and 15 minutes away from Elephant and Castle. It's situated in a fairly recent renovation where luxury apartments and amenities have been developed to put Bermondsey back on the map.

Bermondsey Street has been called "cool and funky" by Time Out Magazine and Vogue considers it a new destination for South London's most stylish shoppers. The hotel is central to this and has all the qualities of London's most coveted boutique establishments. Till now, I hadn't imagined that the Soho Sanctum could be rivaled in it's rock n' roll edge, but Bermondsey Square is very much on par.

The hotel has 79 rooms in total designed by David Gabriel. Four of which are loft rooms, all with spacious terraces and it's own 8 person Swedish hot tub.

Loft Room Lily Hot Tub

The décor is truly a pleasure; warm, inviting, with a subtle seductiveness about it. The rooms are so chic, that you could easily wake up feeling like you're in an exclusive studio apartment in New York. Having said this, the view from the loft rooms are brilliant and won't leave you feeling disappointed. From the quaint corner shops of old to the architecture of the new look Bermondsey, it's a great view, looking out over London's spectacular skyline.

The loft room that I stayed in was aptly named 'Lilly'. Inside you'll experience a lush cream and white interior. Far from clinical, the soft layers of whites, creams and the hint of golden brown had a classic feel. Yet the Apple Mac TV, ipod deck and 'crystal' studded bed head achieved a contemporary finish. The space was plentiful and I loved the bathroom; the Hans Grohe drench shower did well to ease the aches and stress of the week away.

Loft Room Lily

Aside from the rooms, there's Alfie's Kitchen - the hotel's bar and restaurant that serves delicious English cuisine. I opted for rib eye steak with horseradish mash and honey coated carrots. That was followed by an indulgent chocolate pudding and vanilla ice cream. Divine! The average three course meal costs £33 and it's definitely worth a visit.

There's also hotel beauty treatment rooms where you can be buffed, massage and preened. The menu features the Immaculate Manicure that Harper's Bazaar magazine voted a number one treatment for luxurious, long lasting, chip resistant results.

Bermondsey Square is a must-stay and I can confidently proclaim it as South London's leading hotel. Room rates start from £109.

Alfie’s Bar and Kitchen

The Bermondsey Square Hotel
Bermondsey Square
Tower Bridge Road
London SE1 3UN

Tel: 0870 111 2525
Web: www.bermondseysquarehotel.co.uk

Hidden Treasure: Montagu Place Hotel

I've always loved the intimacy of townhouse hotels, there's something warm and inviting about them. Montagu Place is no exception to that, except it offers more. Located on a quiet strip of Marylebone and around 10 minutes from Baker Street station, it's not a renowned hotel, and that adds to its private appeal.

With 16 cleverly designed bedrooms, you'll find a modern take on classic décor and experience a foretaste of luxury without the expensive price tag. A swanky room (one of the best at hotel) costs £260 per night.

For that price, you'll get an good size room with an executive feel. The colour scheme of soft oatmeal, golden browns and dark chocolate is rich and relaxing whilst the space is complete with all technology essentials. There's Wi-fi connection, a DVD player with a vast selection of films available to borrow at reception, completely free. As a big fan of interior design, I fully appreciated the gorgeous damask curtains, the contemporary fabric bedhead and the velour bed covers.

Swanky Bathroom

In the bathroom, I was pleasantly surprised to see more luxury by way of Molton Brown spa products, a large standalone bath and a walk in power shower. But for me, the best part of the layout, was the twin sinks - such a good idea!

Elsewhere, the hotel continues with its classic meets modern feel. The lounge featured black and white artwork, wooden sculptures and again, rich fabrics throughout. The dining area is cosy in its simplicity, and despite only serving continental breakfast, I felt quite at home sipping on a tea and enjoying a croissant with a complimentary copy of vogue magazine.

What's very good about Montagu Place is the balance between homely appeal and boutique chic. The facilities are ideal for both businessman and family alike. It's not the place to go if you're a stickler for a turndown service, but having said this, the little extras like the DVD collection and a copy of vogue with your coffee do make up for that. You'll love this hotel, if you prefer to simply kick off your shoes and feel right at home.

Lounge Area

Montagu Place
2 Montagu Place
London
W1H 2ER

Tel: 020 7467 2777
Web: www.montagu-place.co.uk
For reservations email stay@montagu-place.co.uk

Hidden Treasure: Frankie and Lola

The global recession may have tightened its grip, but this hasn't stopped savvy shoppers from
purchasing designer accessories and luxury clothing. The secret is in the exchange; it seems that the concept of becoming a seller of fashion as well as a buyer is a crucial part of surviving the credit crunch. Selling your pre-loved items to pay for lust-haves of the present is proving an intelligent way to shop without breaking the budget.

If you're familiar with London swap shops like The Exchange in Belgravia and Bang Bang, then you'll be excited to know that there's a new dress agency in town. Frankie and Lola is located in Crystal Palace and stocks a treasure trove of brands and labels, available for a stitch of the original retail price. Similarly to The Exchange, the shop doubles as a dress agency, selling nearly new clothes - all in excellent condition and completely desirable. Sales are split 50/50 between the shop and the seller.

So if you're looking for a return on previous fashion investments, the girls at Frankie and Lola can visit you at home to help sort and collect items for re-sale in the shop. They call it wardrobe cleansing. Your pieces are priced at an agreed sum and placed on display for 6 weeks, if after this time your clothes haven't sold, they can be returned to you or sold at a further reduced price. They also drop off any unsuitable garments to a charity of your choice - handy!

The shop itself is both a bargain hunter's haven and a label lovers dream. The advantage of it's quiet SE19 location is that the boutique can offer a more relaxed setting to browse brands like Misonni, Prada and Jaegar than it's central London counterparts. However, what makes Frankie and Lola stand out above the rest is the additional service of personal styling. Owners Francesca Franesi and Gail Rickard have a keen fashion eye and their previous experience as stylists enable them to show you how to look your best with the bargains on offer. A visit to Frankie and Lola is the smarter way to shop.

The personal styling service and wardrobe cleansing are available by appointment.

Frankie and Lola
16 Westow Street,
London, SE19 3AH
Tel: 020 8771 7719
Web: www.frankieandlola.co.uk

Hidden Treasure: Beauty for less at LCBT

It's not everyday that we can treat ourselves to luxuriously priced beauty treatments, especially nearing the end of the month when we're watching our bank balances. Thankfully, you won't need spend a fortune on facials and pedicures if you visit the London College of Beauty Therapy (LCBT). I recently discovered that inside the college, you can book yourself in for top of the range treatments at a fraction of the expected cost. The college salon is one of London's best kept secrets!

How much would you expect to pay for a top notch manicure? £45 - 65? Well at LCBT, the price for a luxury 1 hour long manicure is a mere £13.50. A pedicure is surprisingly the same price and facials start from only £20. This is so handy for the Summer months when skin should be glowing and toes need to look fabulous. Aside from the popular beauty treatments, there are massage therapies and targeted body treatments available to pamper and relax you; such as the highly sought-after Vacuum Suction treatment, which is considered the ultimate detox for the body.

Top quality treatments at ridiculously low prices? I simply couldn't keep this secret to myself, it would be selfish to do so. Book your treatments and start saving!

London College of Beauty Therapy
47 Great Marlborough Street,
London W1F 7JP

Tel: 020 7208 1302
Email: salon@lcbt.co.uk
Web: www.lcbt.co.uk

Hidden Treasure: Seven Dials, Covent Garden

I must tell you about a hidden village in London that is the perfect location for a day of shopping and beauty treats. Having visited there just today, I simply have to spread the word. It's true that I've been to Covent Gardens on many occasions but I have to confess (somewhat embarrassingly) that I've never walked further than the plaza or the markets, until now.

Unbeknown to me, there's a fantastic area in Covent Garden brimming with fabulous boutique fashion and urban day spas; Seven Dials is just a 5 minute walk from the tube and once there, you're surrounded by a wealth of unique retailers; some niche, some vintage, as well as those instantly recognisable.

Just turn left onto Neals Gardens and you'll successfully avoid the crowds and discover a community of retailers and spas just waiting for you to pop in. Far more personal than the high street but yet housing all the key high street shops that I love, Seven Dials also plays host to boutiques and venues with a strong celebrity following.

Kiera Knightly adores the fashion and accessory pieces at Koh Samui, Kelly Brooke is known to visit the professional makeup artists at Rouge and Paris Hilton last stayed in London via the Covent Garden Hotel, situated in the heart of the village.

Covent Garden Hotel

Name dropping aside, there really is enough on offer to win you away from the tourist mania and sheer gridlock of Oxford Street. One look inside shops like Miss La La's Boudoir, Jelly Pong Pong and the vintage clothing specialists Mint, and you'll be saying 'where have you been all my life!'

Mint, Vintage Clothing Boutique

After some very satisfying window shopping, I booked into the urban day spa at Organic Pharmacy to have a pedicure and a facial. I left with my skin feeling so soft and a spring in my step, having decided that from now on Seven Dials will happily be my no. 1 shopping zone of choice.

Later I met with a friend to visit London Fashion Weekend's press evening and I beamed with excitement as I told her what a fabulous day I've had. She turned to me and said "Yes darling, I've been going there for years". Needless to say, I wasn't surprised, after all she is a well versed fashion buyer who knows about all things trendy first!

Seven Dials
Covent Garden, Londn W2
www.sevendials.co.uk

Hidden Treasure: Luella's Boudoir, Wimbledon

Tucked away in Wimbledon village is a boutique that any London bride should have the pleasure of visiting. Luella's Boudoir is a one stop wedding shop, selling everything but the bridal gown.

As you step into the surroundings you immediately get a warm and cosy feeling, as if walking into your best friend's bedroom but with a hint of vintage glamour that makes it all the more inviting. From bridal shoes and lingerie, to beautiful hair pieces and jewellery, it's all there.


Another fantastic feature of Luella's Boudoir is a section of the shop dedicated to helping brides source reputable and recommended services. The boutique owner Rachel Attwell was inspired to launch the planning concept having experienced a lack of such facilities during her own wedding preparations. Hair and makeup artists, photographers, chauffeurs and other wedding contacts are all listed in a handy directory of tried and tested of services, yours for the picking.

I'm just disappointed that I hadn't discovered this gem of a boutique when I was planning for my big day!

Luella's Boudoir
33 Church Road
Wimbledon Village,
London, SW19 5DQ

Telphone: +44(020) 8879 7744
Website: http://www.luellasboudoir.co.uk/