London's best shopping haunts - International Traveller Magazine

It’s a tough job but someone had to max out their credit card to find the best shopping in London…

One of the shopping capitals of the world, home to the most famous retail brand in the world, Harrod’s, the world really is your oyster, smothered in caviar if you wish, in London.

Harrod’s

87-135 Brompton Rd, Knightsbridge SW1
Underground: Knightsbridge

Probably the greatest brand in retail in the world, a wonder around Harrod’s can be ‘just another department store’ until you reach the food hall.
Perhaps better categorised under the ‘food experiences’ strolling through the food hall is a mouth-watering visual and sensory assault.
Have a spot of lunch at one of the many restaurants before entering the chocolate hall, otherwise your waist line could take some punishment.

Harvey Nicholls

109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1
Underground: Knightsbridge

Just up the road from Harrod’s, ‘Harvey Nicks’ was made famous by the buffoonery of the girls in Ab Fab.
But as for shopping experiences, it is preferred to its better-known neighbour. The range and selection is top notch.

Jermyn St

Jermyn St
Underground: Piccadilly Circus

Pronounced German, this is the elite shirt makers and tailors of repute street. Pick up the latest styles for women and men.
While you are there, take a gander at the Piccadilly Arcade which has specialty shoemakers, jewellers and other one off artisan finds of exquisite (read expensive) quality.

Camden Markets

Camden High St, NW1
Underground: Camden Town

The great market of London, the Camden markets are in fact four markets in one, the largest being the Stables markets.
They are far less crowded during the week, but that means you lose on the better half of the experience – the ‘cosmopolitan’ London crowd who descend on the markets every weekend, plus the hordes of tourist who make it the fourth most visited sight in London.
Go on an empty stomach, the eating is good. Make an effort to arrive along Regents Canal for a very underrated London experience.
Afterwards stroll up to Primrose Hill for a great view over London and some more refined dining.

Hamleys

188-196 Regent St, W1
Underground: Oxford Circus

A real life toy emporium, this is the ultimate in the world’s toy shops.
Across 8 floors of giddy inducing kiddy fun, if you have any gifts to buy for under 18s, use that as an excuse to entertain your inner child for a fulfilling afternoon.

Penhaligons

Eight stores in various locations across London.

Scent makers serving the world for 137 years plus, enjoy an olfactory workout trying to find the right scent for you from their entire range of 34 perfumes, made from exotic ingredients like hand squeezed Bergamot.

Old Spitafields Market

16 Horner St, Spitafields E1
Underground: Shoreditch High St / Aldgate East

Less touristy and crowded than the more well known markets, Camden, Brick and Borough, Spitafields has carved out a niche with fashion plus the usual nick naks, trinket stalls and food.
It’s covered which makes a rainy day visit possible.
Make it an afternoon activity and then move onto a night in funky Shoreditch.

Selfridge’s

400 Oxford St, W1
Underground: Bond St

A more wallet friendly department store (vs Harvey Nicks and Harrod’s) on Oxford St Selfridge’s range starts at reasonably prices .
You will find everything from the conservative to ultra high fashion.
The food hall doesn’t quite rival Harrod’s but drop into Selfridges when needing some sustenance for one of the best kept London secrets – it serves the best salt beef sandwich in London, Europe, Northern Hemisphere, the World.

Portobello Road Markets

Portobello Road, Notting Hill , W11
Underground: Notting Hill Gate

The world’s largest antique market and has food and fashion, too!

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

East End Thrift Store

1A Assemblage Passage, Whitechapel E1
Underground: Whitechapel

East End Thrift Store is a little vintage beauty selling fur coats, leather jackets etc. from as little as £10.
Plus there’s plenty of other cute boutiques down this way to check out.

More Shopping Streets and Markets:

Borough Market

More market fun

Brick Lane Market

And crazy hipster market fun

Kings Rd Chelsea

So not in the ultra posh stratosphere of Knightsbridge but where the Chelsea wealthy go to pick up a few nick narks. Great for a day strolling amount the seriously beautiful and wealthy and occasional ‘celeb’.

Bond St Mayfair

High end designers from around the world would’t be caught dead not on Bond St. (Remember Mayfair was the most expensive real-estate in Monopoly for good reason).

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

London’s best shopping haunts