It has been 17 years since I visited London, so I was long overdue for a trip to refamiliarise myself with the cosmopolitan English capital. A short 75-minute flight from Dublin and I am figuring out the tubes on the Underground, finding my way into Central London. As I sit on the tube, flashes of the well-recognised red and blue logo of the underground pass me numerous times; it always reminds me of an album cover from the band The Jam.
Some 45 minutes later, one changeover to the Victoria Line and I am walking seven minutes to my hotel right in central London in the picturesque Belgravia neighbourhood. From the bustle of the Victoria district, I turn a corner and the noise dims as I stroll in the glorious sunshine to the Belgravia neighbourhood and to my hotel, the Eccleston Square Hotel. Belgravia is one of London’s most central and prestigious residential areas and is located within the city of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
If you walk 20 minutes you will be at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey is 30 minutes’ walk and Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are close by too. For cafes, a five-minute walk will bring you to Elizabeth Street – I have never seen so many shopfronts with decorative, colourful flower arches. It’s a beautiful area for a coffee or lunch. There is a hidden gem, a Parisian bakery, Poilâne, that only uses flour from France, or there is the locals’ favourite, TomTom Café. One I love, which also had a flower arch entrance, is called the Chestnut Bakery.
Sloane Street, a boutique area popular with Trinny Woodall among others, is also within walking distance, while King’s Road in Chelsea is great for people watching and another 30-minute walk will bring you through Mayfair and on to Oxford Street and the Marble Arch area. As you can tell, you will need good walking shoes and plenty of water to see London on foot.
When I visit any big city, I plan ahead and I like to know how to get to places before I leave my hotel. ChatGPT and Google Maps are a lifesaver for the exact directions anywhere in London – including public transport – and I found my way around easily enough.
The Eccleston Square Hotel is in a great location, essential for any city break. It is also a family-run boutique hotel, and feels so connected with the neighbourhood. The hotel has become one of Europe’s most technologically advanced boutique hotels and is celebrating 15 years in business this year. The Georgian buildings are three-to-five storey terraced houses, dotted along tree-shaded streets. Their entrances are so grand and elegant, with wrought-iron balconies overlooking the secluded and very private Eccleston Square Gardens.
The bedrooms are a good size with high ceilings, electric full-length blackout curtains, which also seem to block out any external noise and there are beautiful L’Occitane products, always a plus in my book. The bed is an electronically adjustable, handcrafted Swedish Hästens massage bed, conducive to an incredible sleep.
I love marble floors in a hotel, especially in the rooms; it feels so luxurious. There are plenty of charging sockets, large white towels that fully wrap around your body (very important), the best power hairdryer I have come across, three different shower head types and a private balcony area overlooking Eccleston Square Gardens. There is not a sound at night time in this area; it’s hard to imagine the lively part of London that is only minutes away.
The breakfast area is compact, with freshly baked croissants, a continental-style breakfast, or a hot breakfast option too all served with tea, coffee and juices. I particularly loved the calming AI screen feature in this room, with an open door overlooking a lake.
The beauty of London is that a short Tube ride and you can be at Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, Kensington or Chelsea – the list is endless and each neighbourhood and area is so different. You could explore London for years and still find a new spot.
Depending on how much time you have, plan out where you want to see or maybe don’t and just hop on the tube and pick a stop and get lost in London. There will always be a tube station close by that links up with all the lines.
An underground ticket tip – don’t purchase a ticket from the machine; tap your card on your phone app at the entrance stalls and you can change however many times you need to, and just tap out at your final station with the same card. In one day of hopping on and off to different places, my travel cost me €13. If you buy tickets each time, it’s more expensive.
The Tower of London River Tour is a unique way to experience the city aboard Silver Raven, the UK’s first fully electric sightseeing boat and it departs from Tower Bridge Quay. The glass-enclosed catamaran glides past London’s iconic landmarks, including the London Eye and Big Ben to Westminster, with a live 45-minute commentary created in partnership with the Historic Royal Palaces and the Tower of London.
Afterwards I take the short journey to Covent Garden, made up of the historic Piazza, the Apple Market and Jubilee Market with live music beside the many cafes. You could wander around here for hours.
Revisiting London will need multiple visits, I fear. Sometimes, a memorable trip can be just across the Irish Sea.
Published in the Irish Daily Mail Weekend Travel section 3/10/2026
Travel Facts
There are multiple daily flights to London from Dublin from €10 one-way; www.ryanair.com and www.aerlingus.com
Rooms at the Eccleston Square Hotel start at €177 per night.
The Tower of London River Tour is €27 pp.
