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London always seems to have something new to offer. Due to Covid-19 it has been a few years since we last travelled to the capital. With trains running direct from the North East down the East Coast line, London remains easily accessible. Rather than visit the usual tourist hot spots we decided to visit some new attractions and eat at restaurants that will not leave a hole in your pocket. Here are a few ideas to whet your appetite for your next trip.
Shrek’s adventure
This is one attraction that will appeal to any fan of Shrek. You might think that this is one just for the younger members of the family, admittedly children will enjoy it but I noticed a lot of adults enjoying the experience too. I would suggest visiting the attraction on a rainy day as you are undercover all the time if it is a sunny day the idea of spending a couple of hours in dark corridors and rooms might not be too appealing.
As you might expect your “journey” starts with a photo opportunity, though if you want one with Shrek, you have to wait until you get to the very end of the attraction.
I would describe it as a mix of Disney and pantomime. From sitting in the London Tour Bus which takes you on a 4D ride over London you meet the landlord of the Poison Apple Pub, get lost in the Mirror Maze (don’t worry, they magically find the door to let you out), visit the Muffin Man’s House, have a chat with Princess Fiona and end up having a Shrek Meet and Greet.
There are plenty of opportunities for youngsters to interact with the characters – and of course you end up in the gift shop before seeing daylight again. As I overheard one of the children describe it as “Shrek cellent” it was a statement I could not have put any better.
Honest Burgers
The restaurant chain might not be familiar in the North East though they are heading slowly north. You would never know that they are part of a chain as each restaurant looks like an individual restaurant. With branches dotted across the capital, you are never far off one of their restaurants.
The Smashed Burger is their main seller at the moment. I was expecting London prices but was surprised to discover that the price with a side was £8.50. With being smashed into the grill for extra flavour, my burger was cooked through but stayed juicy. They served a limited menu of burgers with service at the table being very quick – we were in and out within an hour of arriving. Disappointingly they do not serve desserts though I was highly impressed with their tasty, succulent and filling burgers.
ABBA Voyage
“Is it really them?” asked the lady sat next to me. Such is the lifelike appearance of the four members of Abba at the ABBA Arena in Stratford that you too might be asking the same question. The holograms or ABBAtars as they liked to be called do look like the four members of ABBA .
There is a live ten-piece band situated at one side of the stage though your eyes never leave centre stage. It does feel like you are watching ABBA back in 1979, the last time they played in London. All the big hits are performed including tracks off their album released last year. The group though do not appear on stage for all of the time – the backing singers performed most of Does Your Mother Know whilst their performance at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest is projected onto the huge circular video walls.
Everyone gets out of their seats for Dancing Queen, the penultimate song of the night before the “concert” ends with The Winner Takes It All. There is an even bigger surprise at the very end of the show though I will not spoil it for you.
There are matinée performances on various days with an evening show starting at 7.45pm. Getting there from central London takes about forty minutes on the tube, you have to get off at Stratford station then change to the DLR and it is one stop to Pudding Lane Station – the arena is directly opposite. You cannot get lost changing from the tube to the DLR – just follow your fellow passengers who will be probably wearing their best ABBA outfits!
Middle Eight Hotel
Conveniently situated at Holborn, two stops on the Piccadilly line from Kings Cross stands this elegant new hotel which describes itself as one of the best luxury hotels in Covent Garden. I would have to agree with that such was our experience. The bedrooms are a harmonious blend of beautiful designs with state-of-the-art amenities. The rooms start with the entry level Cosy Pad which has all you need for a short stay in London – apart from sleeping you will not be spending too much time in your room though you might like the complimentary mini-bar containing soft drinks.
If you really want to push the boat out, you could always stay in one of the suites such as the Bay which came with an indoor garden! There was also a comfortable living area along with a 50-inch television, a dressing area, a massive bedroom and a well-equipped bathroom. There was no window as such with any natural light coming from the roof light. It felt like having your own private residence in London.
The on-site Sycamore restaurant comes with a ceiling decorated with sycamore leaves that seem to be forever autumnal in colour. The Italian-themed restaurant serves handmade pizzas, juicy steaks and pasta dishes. The head chef hails from Northern Italy where the Italian tone continues at the bar with the best wines from Piedmont, Lombardi and Tuscany. Our meal of steak and fries was superb.
English breakfast is cooked to order with a continental option offered too – the croissants were some of the best I have tasted.
Downstairs in the basement, the hotel has its own music venue QT where Leo Green and his band are currently performing. The saxophonist has worked with everyone from Jack Savoretti to Paul McCartney. Expect jazzed-up versions of songs from The Police, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Toto amongst others. I found the show to be top-class and highly entertaining with a consummate performance from Leo and his band which included two excellent female vocalists who have either performed in West End musicals or sung on many a big dance track.
We would eagerly return to Middle Eight again – the only disappointment was having to leave.
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