The Level: Food and festivities in the heart of London

My grandparents took me to London for the first time for my 10th birthday. My birthday is in July, but they saved the trip for December so we could go at Christmastime.

I remember huge illuminated stars stretching down the street outside Hamleys, getting my photo taken outside the theatre before we went in to watch The Sound Of Music and choosing a snow globe that I still have today, Big Ben at its centre.

Christmas has always been my favourite time of year, and if my busy December diary allows it, I always try and get down to London in the run-up. My boyfriend Aidan and I are in Inverness and while our airport isn’t the biggest, the flights to London are frequent and cheap if booked in advance.

On our most recent trip, we found what I think will be our new go-to hotel – and I couldn’t help but think how ideal it would be for a festive jaunt down south.

Melia White House is located by Regent’s Park, beside the exclusive Marylebone district. It’s grand from the outside and that is only amplified as you enter into the art deco reception.

The hotel offers guests the opportunity to upgrade to The Level – giving you access to private spaces, exclusive benefits and personalised service – which we did. Last time we stayed in London we chose cheap rather than cheerful when booking a hotel, so this was beyond a treat.

Our Level Premium Room was large but cosy with a huge bed at its centre, warm lighting, funky artwork, burnt orange soft furnishings and a modern tiled bathroom – separated from the rest of the room by cool frosted glass. Level access meant we had comfy robes and slippers, a turndown service every evening and even a pillow menu.

If you are a foodie, upgrading to The Level is worth it just for the food available in the lounge without even considering the other perks.

Our mornings started with one of the most luxurious buffets either of us had ever seen, with everything from fresh smoothies and pastries to an omelette station and eggs done every way possible.

Beyond breakfast, the lounge is home to snacks, afternoon teas, tapas and cocktail evenings. Essentially, you can get a bite to eat and a tipple at any time of day.

Aidan and I are big planners – we don’t do just relaxing. But we have discovered London is the perfect place for us to do nothing and something at the same time. I reckon it’s one of the best areas in the UK to just walk, and while not every street you walk down will be beautiful, you can bet there will be something different on every one.

The location of Melia White House suited our “nothing and something” days very well. We stayed for three nights, choosing a couple of different districts each day and heading for them without making any more real plans beyond that. We explored Regent’s Park which was really lovely, strolled through Notting Hill – which I imagine would go all out with Christmas decorations – and pretended we were fancy in South Kensington.

If you were heading down in December, or even late November to get a head-start on the festivities you would be perfectly placed. We walked to Oxford Street for some light shopping in 25 minutes with ease, but there are also tube and bus stops right outside the hotel.

We also walked to and from the West End for an evening of theatre. It felt like we were never more than a half hour walk or tube from Melia White House, no matter how far we ventured. This meant we could pop back whenever we needed to for a rest – or a nibble in the Level Lounge.

So if you are heading down to London this festive season to admire the huge illuminated stars stretching down the streets, watch a show on the West End or select a snow globe, I recommend Melia White House as a base.

The famous Norway spruce at Trafalgar Square.

P.S. It is possibly one of the most famous Christmas trees in the world. The tree in Trafalgar Square is an annual gift from Norway for Britain’s help during the Second World War. London has been receiving the tree from Oslo since 1947 and is typically a 50-year-old Norway Spruce.

Factfile

Room prices at Melia White House start from £187 and access to The Level starts from £254, both on a B&B basis. For more information and booking, head to melia.com