London in Spring

Blossom, bright skies and a brilliant line-up of events

There’s an upshot to living with quite a bit of rain. At the first glimmer of spring, the joy of a Londoner is unparalleled. We become unrecognisable, bursting into spontaneous song, exchanging pleasantries with the ducks on the Serpentine and even making eye contact on the Underground. There is no city in the world quite like London in March, April and May and it would be an outrage for you to miss out on all it has to offer. 

Big John’s big recommendations

For those of you who know Big John, our Head Concierge, the change in season makes him almost insensible with delight. New theatre productions, exhibitions and events, particularly the kind that sell out, are what stirs his soul.

Here are his top suggestions for spring: 

If you have trouble determining the difference between your Versace and your Valentino, the smash-hit film-turned-musical of The Devil Wears Prada is here to judge you for it until 18th October. Oscar-winning Rami Malek has the worst Mother’s Day of his life (should have just taken her to The Goring for afternoon tea) in a new adaptation of the hair-raising Sophoclean tragedy, Oedipus (booking until 29th March), while The Years, a raw examination of womanhood, has been deluged with praise (booking until 19th April).

In the mood for intrigue? Witness for the Prosecution is an explosive Agatha Christie court-room drama (booking until 27th September) but if rom-coms are more your thing, Marvel stars Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell go head-to-head as Beatrice and Benedick in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (booking until 5th April). ABBA Voyage has audiences returning again and again to see the world’s favourite Swedish band perform as holograms, while SIX is a hysterical musical retelling of Henry VIII’s six wives. Think Tudor Spice Girls (booking until 30th November). 

The V&A bows down to the might of supermodel Naomi Campbell with a look back on her celebrated career, Naomi: In Fashion (booking until 6th April), while its hotly-anticipated new exhibition, Cartier, opens on 12th April. Relive a decade of change at Tate Britain with The 80s: Photographing Britain (booking until 5th May) or explore the nature of perfectionism in Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur at the Wallace Collection (28th March to 26th October). 

And for those with historical leanings, visit the Tower of London to watch the famous Ceremony of Keys which has been taking place every evening at 9.30pm for the past 700 years. 

There’s more…

You look hungry. Show your mother what a good job she did by booking in with us for an utterly sensational afternoon tea of scones, cakes and a glass of Champagne this Mothering Sunday – and need you even be reminded that The Dining Room is one of the city’s smartest spots for all those who love to read a menu by the light of a Michelin Star?

In other news, we’ll be hosting some DJ nights on Thursdays in The Goring Cocktail Bar for all those unable to move on from the 80s and 90s, while Easter at The Goring promises to be more delightful than the Easter bunny (though repeatedly asked) has yet been able to articulate…

Nothing is too much trouble for Big John and our concierge team. To plan your personal itinerary ahead of your stay, please call us on +44 (0)20 7396 9000 or email [email protected].