Girls' weekend- London- Hotel- Spa recommendations

[contrarianaquarian]

hi everyone,
my 40th birthday is in a few weeks and my best friend in America has announced that she can come to see me in London for a weekend visit to celebrate! I haven't spent quality time w/ her for ages... we're both now busy (read: worn out) full-time mums... Recommendations PLEASE!! I'm envisaging a hotel stay in a lovely neighbourhood like Notting Hill, perhapswhere we can have spa treatments and go to lovely shops and restaurants (and stroll arm in arm and laugh and catch up... where the birds will be singing and our hair will be perfect! please excuse mecan you tell i'm absolutely giddy at the possiblities?)

Your post made me laugh! How about stay at a hotel near Covent Garden for shops and book yourself a spa day at The Sanctuary?

The resident birds are mainly pigeons unfortunately, but there are also lots of hairdressers!

Agree spa hotels in london cost stupid money. better to stay somewhere a bit bucket and treat yourself to lots of spas, afternoon tea at the Ritz and supper at the Oxo tower (or similar) if you are going to be out and about having fun then who cares about the hotel? Hope you have fun.

A day at the Sanctuary in Covent Garden, then book a separate hotel, that way not too expensive.

Enjoy.

I'd say go for either one of these:

One Aldwych. The servce is amazing, tip top. They have a very cool lobby bar which serves amazing cocktails. There's also a swimming pool and cinema and it's right in the middle of Covent Garden. No idea if there's a spa though.

Or The Haymarket, right off Haymarket. Very glamorous. Downstairs bar with swimming pool and twinkling ceiling. 2 minutes from Leicester Square. Smiley young staff, really friendly. Great rooms.

I'd really recommend either of those. They're not cheap but London hotels aren't tbh. And if you want a special occasion hotel either of those (or The Soho but I haven't stayed there, Tripadvisor reviews are good though) will fit the bill.

The Sanctuary is overpriced. I would seriously stay somewhere cheap like a Premier Inn, you can stay central somewhere like Upper Street where you will be surrounded by bars and good places to eat. Its £89 a night and you will spend all night giggling and chatting anyway so, save your money there.

If you do stay in Islington this is my favourite bar 69colebrookerow.com/ Dont make too many plans though, once you get parked down with a cocktail it will be hard to move again!!

The three best hotel Spas in London are: the Mandarin Oriental, the Renaissance Court Hotel (it's a Marriott, maybe you have points to redeem?) and the Dorchester. All VERY VERY expensive and absolutely wonderful.