Eat in. Eat out. Eat away

Olive December 2007

Home for Christmas
Let someone else do all the hard work this year by checking into one of these British hotels for Christmas Words ALI ALDERMAN, NATALIE MILLMAN

BARGAIN CHIC in LONDON
£59 per night

The Hoxton takes its name from its hip London location, Hoxton EC2. Here the world’s media, music and art congregate in its bars, restaurants and galleries, which are buzzing right up until Christmas.

Make the most of the late-night shopping in London, then check into a hotel with contemporary design and state-of-the art technology, but at great prices: over Christmas double rooms at the Hoxton start form £59 per night. There’s also a special Christmas Day lunch, £55, in the Grille restaurant including Champagne, gravadlax, sea bass and British Bronze turkey. If you’re still in the city ofr New Year’s Eve, there’s a party night at The Hoxton with dinner, cocktails and DJ’s till late.

Other highlights include spectacular fireworks display fired from the London Eye (visitlondon.com) and the Lord Mayor’s Parade (londonparade.com) on New Year’s Day.
Now the biggest event of its kind in the world, the parade has more than 10,000 performers and over half a million spectators, (020 7550 1000; hoxtonhotels.com)

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Sydney Aldridge, head chef of the Hoxton Grille: ‘You can’t come to London without visiting foodie Mecca Borough Market (boroughmarket.org.uk) for all sorts of Christmas treats, particularly the cakes and pastries. Afterwards try the Anchor & Hope (020 7928 9898) near Waterloo for some superb seasonal British dishes. For great cocktails I’d head for Terminus at the Great Eastern Hotel (020 7618 5000: London.greateastern.hyatt.com). It’s within walking distance of The Hoxton and there always a vibrant crown there who know how to celebrate the festive season.