Though my blog will forever and always be my ‘happy place’, I have been dealing with an exceptionally tough year behind the screen. From ongoing surgeries to unexpected losses, 2015 has been as trying as it has been wonderful.
As a silver linings kind of woman, however, I like to focus on the wonderful.
Having enjoyed the Amba Charing Cross so much during my last London staycation, I thought it would be a great idea to book in at the new Amba Marble Arch for a weekend of Christmas shopping, relaxation, and spa treatments.
Nestled straight off of Oxford Street, the new hotel may not have the unique charm of Charing Cross’ iconic architecture but could genuinely not be in a more convenient location for shopping, eating, and entertainment.
That, and the brand’s hyper-digital offering (you may remember me swooning over their complimentary iPads in a previous post) is as seamless and savvy as ever. After a long and festive afternoon through Soho, I returned to my lovely little room to be greeted by a toothbrush (requested by their “Oops, I forgot my…” app as I left) and a surprise assiette of desserts.
The rest of the evening consisted of a dinner catch-up in bed with one of my best friends, a complete clear-out of the Nespresso facilities, and a stream of movies so ridiculously bad I daren’t name them. As far as ‘wonderful’ is concerned, it was the real deal.
After waking up and getting ready for the day (pausing to revel in the heated, steamless bathroom mirrors), we spent the rest of our morning enjoying the gargantuan breakfast selection at The Grill and drinking far too many cups of tea before parting ways.
The final stop on my staycation was fast approaching.
During a recent browse on Red Letter Days I had spotted that my all-time favourite spa (The Spa at Dolphin Square) was offering an insane deal through their pamper day packages and couldn’t quite book it fast enough.
After a short tube ride to Pimlico, I made my way to the spa’s stunning Moroccan-style chambers and spent the next three hours being hammamed, massaged, steamed, and herbal tea-ed to complete tranquility. Very few ‘holiday’ spa experiences have evet come close to Dolphin Square’s.
Staycation of dreams, this one.
