top five London restaurants near the Goring

Guard leaving the Wellington Barracks (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Rebecca Recommends, one of our valued travel partners, has shared some of her favorite London restaurants. Each is in the vicinity of The Goring, one of my favorite boutique hotels anywhere. In this case, "anywhere" happens to be around the block from Buckingham Palace. The hotel has a Royal warrant, hosted the Middleton family the night before The Wedding, and possesses one of the most delightful managing directors you'll ever find anywhere.

1. Thomas Cubitt Gastro Pub — a British menu focusing on seasonal produce. Her favorite: Trecorras Farm kid goat with hickory smoked belly and white asparagus, followed by orange almond cake.

2. Daylesford Organic — an all-day cafe/deli for seasonal organic plates and salads

3. The Wolseley — Rebecca's favorite is the veal Holstein and chicken soup with dumplings.

4. Park Chinois — dim sum lunches and dinner in the Club Chinois with cabaret entertainment

5. The Goring — at the hotel's own Michelin-starred restaurant, you can order a perfectly roasted rib of beef, carved and served at your table from a silver trolly

If you should be interested in Indian cuisine, here are Rebecca's recommended restaurants near the Goring — Gymkhana, Amaya, Quilon, Tamarind, Benares, Saloos, Cinnamon Club, Chutney Mary, and Rasoi.

... and a word about the Changing of the Guard (pictured above). Most visitors to London make their way to Buckingham Palace and stand in the midst of thousands of other tourists to catch a glimpse of the pomp and ceremony. Ask me how you can watch from within the Wellington Barracks (where the Guard lives), hear the entire concert before their short march down to the Palace with literally no one between you and the Guard. 

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

why London? | top five reasons

changing of the Guards (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

The United Kingdom is a bargain. While the Pound Sterling was down to $1.37 last week, I just checked the exchange rates again, and the the pound is now down to $1.29. Just because something is a bargain is not a reason to buy it, but London is a most fabulous destination for a your summer vacation.

Here is my list of the top five reasons to visit London this summer.

1) comfortable weather... southern Europe is hot and humid, so unless you really enjoy a lot of summer heat, I encourage my clients to consider northern Europe. Consider places like northern France (Paris, Normandy, Brittany), Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and the British Isles (England, Scotland, and Ireland).

2) the English speak English... though with a touch of British accent. Some travelers are uncomfortable going to a country where English is not the primary language, but that's not even an issue in the British Isles.

3) the pomp and glamour of the royals...  No one can put on a parade quite like they do in England, and one of the top attractions in London is the daily Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Crowds gather in front of the palace well in advance of the daily parade, but if you're in the know, you can avoid the crowds and come face to face with the new Guard before it marches out of the Wellington Barracks to replace the old Guard at the Palace. Ask me how you can have private access to the parade grounds above.

4) gardens and parks... Nobody does gardens quite like the British, and it's wonderful to get out of the city to tour some of England's most beautiful gardens. We can get you hard-to-get tickets to Prince Charles' gardens at Highgrove, his personal country estate in the Cotswolds — and there are lots of other opportunities for garden lovers to indulge this summer.

5) history and culture... London has so many great museums from the British Museum to the Tower of London to the Churchill War Room (where we can get you behind the plexiglass so you can sit in Churchill's chair from which he led his War Cabinet).

London's luxury hotels are all on sale this summer and available with Virtuoso amenities that will save you hundreds of dollars during a typical stay. Ask me about my favorites!

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

The Goring | a royal treat in London

The Goring Hotel has been owned and operated by the Goring family for more than a century, and this was my choice for our one night in London at the end of our two week trip through Scotland. I wanted a hotel that was small, elegant, with a lot of local British flavor, and we have been delighted with our all-too-short stay at The Goring. This is the only hotel with a Royal Warrant for hospitality and has served as a royal guesthouse for royalty visiting Buckingham Palace, literally around the corner.

We were upgraded to a Belgravia Suite (#54), a full one bedroom suite whose marble entrance hall leads into a living room to the left, a bedroom straight ahead, and a bathroom to the right. The bedroom is decorated with maroon padded silk wall coverings, rewoven with an historic design from The Gainsborough Silk Company. The room is illuminated with the natural light coming through a triple window facing Beeston Place. The bed faces an armoire on the opposite wall with a concealed flat screen television and closet space.

Our sitting room has two large Colonial windows looking out onto Beeston Place. It is furnished with two creme colored sofas facing each other over a coffee table and an armoire/desk that features convenient power outlets and a concealed flat screen. Walls are painted an attractive shade of blue-green, and the maroon colored accent pillows and lampshades create design continuity with the bedroom.

The white marble bathroom has a large soaking tub, large step-in rain shower, and a large single vanity with ample shelf space on which two guests can store their toiletries.

We were also able to inspect a Delightful King room (facing Beeston Place). The Delightful King room is somewhat compact with a single vanity and a shower in the bathtub. One wall of the bedroom is covered with Gainsborough silk. We were not able to view a Splendid Room (of which there are two) or Most Splendid Room (of which there is just one), but these are the rooms that most guests at The Goring will want to book; their large bay windows overlook the large private garden that is the hotel's backyard — a beautiful green space in the heart of the city.

We also toured the Royal Suite. This 2BR Suite is on the top floor of the hotel and overlooks the Garden. It offers everything the most discriminating guest could possibly want, even if that guest is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, on the night before her wedding.

The Goring is the perfect choice for guests who desire a boutique hotel with an authentic sense of place. The century old Edwardian architecture has been preserved in the hotel's thorough renovation — along with some "imperfections" (i.e., some slight "nicks" in the original painted woodwork) that are part of the hotel's charm. This is part of the authenticity of the Goring — just as the small air bubbles in blown crystal are evidence that it's not machine-made glass.

The Dining Room has just received its first Michelin star, and the nearby Nova development (scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016) will provide the neighborhood with upscale shopping, restaurants, and residential units.

exclusive access to Europe's attractions

"Chateau Versailles Galerie des Glaces" by Photo: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles looks just like the picture above (if you could visit without the crowds). Having time alone in the chateau would hint at the elegant lifestyle of Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. Space and sunlight, gleaming mirrors and soaring ceilings, and tall windows looking out over manicured gardens all speak to the unparalleled luxury enjoyed by the 18th century French aristocracy.

But this isn't how most tourists experience Versailles. For a sense of the more typical visitor experience, click here. How different when you're in a hallway crammed shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists casually dressed in shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers with cameras around their necks. Not the travel experience that many luxury clients desire.

What's the alternative to the thundering herds? If you're looking for an experience you'll always cherish (granting you bragging rights for the rest of your life), we can arrange exclusive access to many Europe's most popular tourist attractions such as Versailles, the Sistine Chapel, the Louvre, and Buckingham Palace. Our Virtuoso tour companies and on-sites can provide the treasured memories you're looking for. Just drop us an email if you'd like to explore the possibilities.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Festival Package

51 Buckingham Gate has announced a special package including tickets to the Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace on July 12. Tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the inclusive rates start at 375£ per person + VAT. Here are the inclusions:

• Two nights in a King's Junior Suite with breakfast
• Two tickets to the Coronation Festival, 10 am - 4 pm, 12JUL
• Two tickets to the Coronation Festival Gala, 5:30-9:30 pm, 12JUL
• Three-course commemorative menu for two at Bistro 51

The Coronation Festival celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation. The event will be hosted in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The Coronation Gala will feature performers from across the Commonwealth with Buckingham Palace acting as the back-drop to the music and dance performances.

The special three-course menu is inspired by the menu at the 1947 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and can be enjoyed by guests at the hotel's Bistro 51 from 8JUL-14JUL.

Located literally down the block from Buckingham Palace, 51 Buckingham Gate is a London hotel ideally situated for guests who wish to participate in this historic festival. Guests who book through a Virtuoso travel consultant will receive:

• Daily English breakfast for two
• Complimentary one-way airport transfer (for 3+ night stays)
• Tickets to the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace
• Afternoon tea for two
• Complimentary internet
• Complimentary upgrade subject to availability

Coronation Festival (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

a fun London tour

During my recent trip to London, I had the opportunity to meet Robert Welch, the managing director of Small Car Big City Ltd and sample the services of his London tour company. The company has a fleet of classic Mini Coopers, with very knowledgeable driver/guides who literally scoot you around the city. The cars are small, low to the ground, with a very tight turning radius. This comes to good advantage maneuvering through tight London traffic.

Robert was extremely knowledgeable, and I enjoyed his commentary as he chauffeured me from one hotel site inspection to the next. As he drove up The Mall towards Buckingham Palace, Robert shared an interesting factoid. The word "mall" (now referring to an enclosed shopping area) gets its origin from a game similar to croquet called pall-mall — players hit the ball (pall) with a mallet (mall). The Pall Mall cigarette brand also derives its name from from this game.

Want to plan a bespoke tour of London? Contact Small Car Big City via their website or through your travel consultant.

London tour (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .