5 Days in London and Mayfair

5 days in London and Mayfair is the perfect way to reset from your busy life without having to prepare for a multi-week, multi-city extended vacation. I highly recommend this type of quick & focused mini getaway for people either short on vacation time or who enjoy bite sized vacations.

I flew Business class on British Airways to London, and it was just spectacular. There was tons of storage space, exceptionally comfortable seats, and Champagne to sip as I settled in for the journey.

The flight was as enjoyable as could be and with such comfortable travel, I arrived in London fresh as a daisy, ready to enjoy the 5 days in London and Mayfair to the fullest.

Walking around Mayfair was fantastic. It is a very beautiful area that has been home to many celebrities and famous people, including Audrey Hepburn. We were hosted at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House on Park Lane in Mayfair, a gorgeous and perfectly located hotel. The rooms were very large, making the hotel a great option for families. The afternoon tea we had there was also divine.

On our tour days we soaked in as much English culture as we could.

Our activities included a fabulous Mini Cooper tour of the city. We climbed into two 1951 vintage Minis, which I must admit, even at my petite stature, it was a bit of a challenge climbing in and out of those tiny vehicles! It was so much fun exploring the city in the Mini Coopers. So many people stopped to take photos and videos of us as we zipped around – it was adorable!

I also cannot recommend the Royal Victoria and Albert Museum enough.

It was fascinating and full of beautiful and unique art, including the ultimate recycled materials piece made entirely out of silverware. We also did a private tour of the British Museum – I truly could have spent all day there, it was that captivating.

One additional highlight was experiencing a behind-the-scenes private tour of the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. As it turns out, the guards actually get ready and changed for the changing at another location about a 3-minute walk from the Palace. There is even a museum on site at the second location that was quite fun to see.

Our second hotel was the London EDITION in SoHo. The hotel is a gorgeous, 5-star dream with everything we could ever hope for from a quintessentially British luxury escape.

The SoHo area was charming as could be and a joy to wander.

Classic British pubs, fish and chips restaurants, and wine & spirit shops with beautiful brick and wood facades were around every corner.

At the end of our 5 days in London, it was back to Heathrow airport to catch our British Airways flight home. Once again, the flight was so comfortable that I slept nearly through the landing!

The last thought I will leave you with is this: instead of putting off your vacation until you can do a full 2- or 3-week trip with multiple destinations and full schedules, consider a single city escape on a shorter timeline. It is just as fulfilling, immensely enjoyable, and entirely accessible. Exploring a new location and taking a week to reset is always a good idea and 5 days is plenty of time to get away.

Until next time, London!

-Susanne Hamer