Could this be London’s best kept secret? Find out all about a hidden winter garden on the rooftop of one of London’s best hotels alongside the other places and things we’re loving this week.
We’re deep in cosy mode, enjoying a festive winter wonderland and luxe, enveloping spa weekends. Bookmark this list for a better December.
BOOK THIS The Dorchester Rooftop
For ‘wow’ views this Christmas, head to The Dorchester Rooftop’s igloos as the space transforms into a cosy festive wonderland, inspired by the Frost Fairs that were held on the frozen River Thames between the 17th and 19th centuries. In partnership with LVMH, enjoy three elegant Winter Globes for pod-style dining seating four to ten people, with culinary delights including ‘Lobster Stockings’, vacherin fondue, Alpine salad, smoked trout with warm potato salad, venison wellington, and a chestnut-mandarin baked Alaska (flamed tableside) to name a few. A weather-proof setting with champagne on tap, your own music system, indoor heating, and mesmerising views across the capital, primarily of the lights shining from nearby Winter Wonderland.
USE THIS MatchesFashion rental
Hire out the most luscious of looks from MatchesFashion with an expertly curated selection of clothing and accessories by the in-house buying team. We’re talking gowns galore and plenty of party wear from contemporary labels such as Aje, Cecilie Bahnsen, Emilia Wickstead, Kika Vargas, Self Portrait and Taller Marmo, the options are almost limitless. Joining the rental revolution for the festive season, the service is powered by Hurr and based at the brand’s Mayfair townhouse, 5 Carlos Place, until 23 December. Try on in-store, rent same-day, and reserve for the Christmas calendar. With different loaning periods to choose from, ranging from four days to 20 – or for future events – MatchesFashion enables partygoers a curated festive wardrobe in just one trip to the boutique. So, whether you’ve got a festive white-wedding, an office Christmas party, or some other kind of holiday-hoopla penciled in, your festive-inspired wardrobe is waiting.
TREAT YOURSELF TO THIS The Spa At Carden
If thermals, or even some sort of thermal experience is all you have on your mind right now, we suggest a trip to The Spa at Carden who are turning up the cosy with winter-warming spa experiences. Exclusive to the festive season, embrace the chilly weather with indoor and outdoor thermal experiences including multiple hot tubs, heated pods, a panoramic sauna, a thermal vitality pool, as well as luxurious spa rituals and packages. Switch up your morning commute for a morning spa, or spend the night with a hibernation-staycation as you wander the vineyards that create the hotel’s Carden Reserve, and wake up to a Morning Garden spa experience.
TAKE THESE Seed Probiotics
Festive indulgence means we need to take care of ourselves just that little bit more. We’re talking about gut health. Finding a probiotic that works for you can take some trial and error, so we’ve done the hard work for you. Seed offers a monthly subscription on its DS-01 Daily Synbiotic (meaning your probiotic + prebiotic). DS-01 is formulated with 24 select strains for systemic benefits including digestive health, skin health, heart health, gut barrier integrity, micronutrient synthesis, and gut immune function. A monthly subscription (so you don’t have to worry about topping up when you’re finished) comes with a sustainable green glass jar that is refilled each month with compostable packaging. Added benefit? They also include a travel jar.
STAY HERE L'Alpaga Megève
L’Alpaga takes the best of traditional chalet style and gives it a cool, modern overhaul. For the ski-loving Citizen Femme readers, this property is right on the nose; this is traditional chalet style with a cool, modern overhaul. Made up from a cluster of chalet buildings, L’Alpaga sits in an idyllic setting on the edge of Megève with wonderful views to the Mont-Blanc. Ideal for couples with rooms offering private terraces or balconies, to groups and families who can spread out in the suites (for 2-7) and chalets (for 6-14), with kitchens. Designer fireplaces, oversized vases of luxurious flowers and sink-into sofas and armchairs throughout, alongside beach-club-esque fire torches, faux-fur draped chairs and a Fifties-inspired bistro, your stay will be extra-special. Where best to relax after days-long skiing? Head to Spa de l’Alpaga with an indoor swimming pool featuring fountains, massage jets and bubble couch, or step outside into the snow and enjoy the Scandinavian heated bath. There is also an outdoor Sauna within the garden facing the Mont Blanc. While the hotel isn’t in the centre of town, its the perfect balance of calm and cool, with an on-call shuttle service taking you to the centre in minutes.
