When in Covent Garden…

Covent Garden is a place close to my heart – one of my first jobs in London was walking distance from it, so many a lunch times were spent there.

And while is has all the tradition, it also has modern and luxurious options. Visiting London? A Covent Garden hotel is the perfect base to explore the area and the capital.

Theatres? It’s got it. Walking distance to many city landmarks? Check. Many restaurants, catering for all tastes and budgets? You bet!

What about cocktails? Covent Garden is a lovely place to go for drinks and some foods after work. Many places have great happy offers on drinks!

We picked the new SushiSamba, there for just a year, with a beautiful decor to match their flamboyant cuisine.

It is located at the top of the old market, with views that allow you to take in the historical surrounds of the market.

Because you are in the heart of theatreland, most restaurants will offer a fixed price menu at a pre-show time, usually until 6:30. And that was the case there too, for my surprise.

For £28 per person you get 3 courses to taste their menu – it’s great for an express lunch too, which gives you the chance to sample their Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian fusion cuisine.

I had ceviche, salmon sushi and a delightful banana cake for desert. Move to the bar after dinner, for some cocktails amongst their lush rainforest decor.

In lovely surroundings, taste cocktails, nibble on some great food and let the conversation flow. And that’s not just at this place – options are aplenty!

The atmosphere in Covent Garden is fantastic, and there are so many bars, clubs, restaurants, performances and shops to keep you amused for days, to suit all tastes and budgets.

Sip some tea with delicious macaroons at Ladurèe; grab a pint at the famous Punch & Judy pub; have some martinis at Dirty Martini, head off for some dinner at The Ivy, soak up the atmosphere of the piazza watching the street performances.

The possibilities are endless. Lucky you of you’re staying in the area.

And you can shop to your hearts content – from well know brands to small independent retailers and market stalls, you’re sure to find gifts for everyone you need to buy.

Worth noting that the festive season around Covent harden is magical. At the moment they have an autumnal display but the Christmas decor is already making its way into the pavilion – Apple Market already has the beautiful giant baubles, mistletoes and disco balls being set!

Covent Garden has so much to offer – even after 17 years in London, at every visit, I discover a new corner.

This post was created in collaboration with Hotels.com. The spending money was gifted by Hotels.com, but all views are my own.

Chambers_: Food, fun and adventure in east London

Food and an fun? Yes, please! 

The Gingerline has a new dining adventure in east London: Chambers_ where you are taken through the multiverse exploring different flavours and sometimes working for your dinner. 

Think art, performance, problem solving, a little bit of competition, story-telling, all sprinkled with yummy food and a whole lot of fun taking place in the multiverse – multiple rooms where a different, often outrageous reality awaits, together with a different dish. 

The whole experience is dead secretive, so I won’t be able to drill down to detail: you’ll have to trust me – or take a look at their previous adventures to have a little taster of what’s to come.

A few hours before you start, you get a message with instructions on how to get to their secret HQ in Hoxton. And the menu is also a secret, unveiled as you explore it on the day. 

You get a welcome drink, the 5 courses during your exploration. They also have an extensive drinks menu, some of which can be taken on the journey. 

Overall, I found the food really good – it is developed by Flavourlogy, and I was pleasantly surprised at the tastes presented, and how good they are catering for dietary needs. 

Drinks are affordable (their house wine is less than £20 a bottle) and there are some interesting cocktails (from £8) on the menu, such as the Cartographer’s Courage and the Transportal, which can be ordered in multiple portions to carry through your little trip.

The experience itself last about 2 hour and is delightful: the cast is really lovely and the journey is interactive: we were part of the story being told. 

At the end, you have the chance to spend sometime at a very Instagrammable bar, where drinks, from a different menu, are plenty. 

Tickets cost from £60 per person, they started at the end of August and there are only a few dates available for mid and late October, which were released due to the crazy demand. You can book on their website.

Be quick, they do sell out – their reputation precedes them and I can confirm they live up to it! You don’t want to be locked out of the multiverse, do you?

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains a PR sample as this experience was GIFTED, with no obligation to post. This review, however, is based on my experience and reflects my honest opinion.