A wander down Marylebone High Street will take you past wonderful stores such as the Edwardian bookshop Daunt Books, French fashion for children at Bonpoint, beautiful homeware at Designers Guild, and top restaurants such as the Providores & Tapa Room, and Fischer’s. Nearby Chiltern Street has fine Victorian buildings and a range of boutiques.
A seven-minute walk away from the hotel is Madame Tussauds, with its collection of waxworks of famous stars. Frenchwoman Madame Tussaud brought her wax exhibition to the UK in 1802, with her grandsons continuing her legacy by building a permanent site on Marylebone Road in 1884, where it still draws the crowds today.
Strolling around the neighbourhood will take you past streets lined with Georgian houses such as those found along parts of Baker Street, the road that inspired writer Sir Arthur.
Conan Doyle to reside his fictional detective Sherlock Holmes at number 221B – the number doesn’t actually exist but the Sherlock Holmes Museum, located at number 239, campaigned to have it as its own and has recreated the detective’s Victorian rooms in the Baker Street townhouse.
Built in 1901, Wigmore Hall is Marylebone’s renowned concert hall that features a wide repertoire of music and has an incredible Arts and Crafts cupola over the stage.
Montagu Square, eight minutes’ walk from the hotel, was built between 1810 and 1815. Number 34 was once the home of three of the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix – though not at the same time. Paul McCartney worked on the song Eleanor Rigby there, and later John Lennon and Yoko Ono shot the infamous naked self-portrait Two Virgins in the bedroom.
Georgian Manchester Square is home to the delightful Wallace Collection art gallery set in the mansion of Hertford House. Manchester Square has a private garden in the middle, of which London has many – they are only open to residents but the public can visit during Open Garden Squares weekend in June.
To find out more about this fascinating area, The Landmark London can organise walking tours with a knowledgeable and entertaining guide.