Caitlin Barr

Planning a getaway to Santa Cruz, California? You’re in for a treat. This coastal gem is known for its laid-back atmosphere, breathtaking natural beauty, and its status as a world-famous surf spot. Whether you’re eager to soak in the oceanfront vibes or excited to hike the nearby redwood forests, Santa Cruz offers a wide range of outdoor adventures. And, when it comes to finding the perfect place to recharge after a busy day exploring, Airbnb has you covered with a ton of options that perfectly capture the unique character of this incredible area. From contemporary beachfront bungalows to cute cottages and historic casitas, there’s something for every traveler’s taste and preference. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this list a refresh and added some gorgeous places including a spacious family home near the boardwalk and a harborside hideaway with a hot tub.  The best Airbnbs in Santa Cruz, at a glance:  👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best for family trips: The spacious boardwalk hideaway 🌊 Best for beach access: The beach front retreat 🚲 Best for biking: The antique chic casita ❤️ Best for couples: The mermaid cottage with a hot tub Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more info

If there’s one word for Houston, it’s big. Big city, big personality, and a food scene that could easily keep you busy for the entire trip. As the fourth-largest city in the US and one of the country’s most ethnically diverse metropolitan areas, Houston is a brilliant place to eat your way around the world without leaving city limits. There’s plenty to do between meals, too. Houston is packed with museums, galleries, green spaces and shops, from the sprawling Galleria to the leafy trails around Buffalo Bayou. Whether you’re here for the food, the culture, the nightlife or simply a change of scenery, you won’t be short of things to fill your days. So, we’ve rounded up some of the best Airbnbs in Houston, Texas, from cosy hideaways for two to seriously fun houses made for groups. Updated September 2026: We’ve revamped this list, and added lots of new places including a perfectly pink megahouse for the girlies and an artist's library with a private pool.  The best Airbnbs in Houston, at a glance:  🌆 Best for skyline views: The Downtown beauty 💕 Best for couples: The new-build bungalow 🏊 Best for poolside lounging: The pool house 🛍️ Best for shopping trips: The Galleria hideout Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts, and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines

Long before Aspen became a runway for the paparazzi, the global elite were quietly retreating to Sun Valley, Idaho. Known as America’s first destination ski resort, this ruggedly beautiful pocket of the Wood River Valley remains the ultimate sanctuary. The local accommodation scene is dominated by spectacular, architecturally significant private homes. Forget crowded resort lobbies; the modern luxury traveler is booking sprawling, glass-fronted estates in Ketchum, exclusive trailside chalets in Warm Springs, and secluded riverfront lodges that offer total privacy. We’ve scoured the high-end inventory to curate the ultimate guide to the best Airbnbs in Sun Valley, Idaho. Ready to escape the crowds? Here’s where to book. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this list a refresh, and added several new spots including a treetop penthouse and a cozy ski lodge.  The best Airbnbs in Sun Valley, at a glance:  ⛰️ Best for mountain views: The slopeview ski-haven 🚲 Best for biking: The treetop penthouse 👨‍👩‍👦 Best for families: The Wood River oasis ⛳ Best for golfing: The Elkhorn elite retreat Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we’ve based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines

If Destin is the loud, flashy sibling of the Emerald Coast, Fort Walton Beach is the chilled-out cousin who knows all the best local spots. It’s where the locals go to escape the bumper-to-bumper traffic of Highway 98, swapping crowded mega-resorts for powdered-sugar sand and a vibe that feels distinctively “Old Florida”. But don’t let the laid-back atmosphere fool you: the rental game here is strong. You can sleep in a tiny home overlooking the ocean, hide away in an original 1960s cottage, or stay in a resort so decked-out with waterfalls and lazy rivers that your kids might actually forget to ask for their iPads. We’ve trawled through the listings to find the stays that offer serious character and killer views, so here are the best Airbnbs in Fort Walton Beach. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this list a refresh, and added a perfectly designed tiny home and a sprawling retreat with a pool.  The best Airbnbs in Fort Walton Beach, at a glance:  👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻 Best for couples: The modern beachfront condo 🌊 Best for ocean views: The Gulf-front couple’s condo 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best for family fun: The resort condo with a lazy river 🏊 Best for a pool day: The mid-century bayfront home Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we’ve based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These li

Louisville is a city packed with charm, history and plenty to keep you busy. Best known as the home of the Kentucky Derby, it’s also got the legendary Bourbon Trail, buzzy restaurants and a thriving arts and music scene. And while the hotel scene has its heavy hitters, there’s something extra fun about staying in an Airbnb here. From downtown lofts to historic homes and creative cottages, these stays offer a chance to experience Louisville’s neighborhoods like a local, with plenty of character thrown in. Here are some of the best Airbnbs in Louisville for a memorable stay. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this list a refresh, and added a Kentucky-themed two-bedroom house and a quirky artist's treetop cottage.  The best Airbnbs in Louisville, at a glance:  🎨 Best for creative escapes: The arty treehouse 🌸 Best for romantic stays: The floral fantasy cottage 🍸 Best for bar-hopping: The Colonel’s clubhouse 🎬 Best for family movie nights: The ranch home Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Don’t sleep on Kansas City. Straddling Missouri and Kansas, the city packs plenty into both sides of the state line, from the galleries, markets and legendary jazz joints of Missouri to the leafy neighbourhoods and low-key local spots across the Kansas side. Then there’s the food: Kansas City barbecue is reason enough to arrive hungry. With so much ground to cover, where you stay can make all the difference. We’ve rounded up the best Airbnbs in Kansas City, from sprawling farmhouse escapes and quirky historic homes to rooftop retreats and cool city apartments. Whether you’re planning a big group trip, a romantic weekend or just want somewhere memorable to crash after a day of exploring, there’s a stay here to suit. Updated September 2026: We’ve updated this listing with new tips for a perfect KC stay, and added a frankly fantastic bungalow with a tiki bar, sauna and pool.  The best Airbnbs in Kansas City, at a glance:  🌳 Best for a country escape: The boho farmhouse 🎨 Best for creative types: The architectural wonder 🏙️ Best for big city views: The sky-high apartment 🎱 Best for keeping the gang entertained: The rockabilly house Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Philadelphia has no shortage of things to do: great restaurants, brilliant bars and breweries, and a huge amount of history to soak up. It’s the City of Brotherly Love, home of the cheesesteak, and boasts no end of excellent hotels. But when you want to vacation like a Philly-local, look no further than the city's coolest Airbnbs.  We've picked out some of the best across neighborhoods including Old City, Rittenhouse, Fishtown and South Philly, with options for couples, families and big groups. Think historic details, quirky interiors, outdoor space and, crucially, locations that make it easy to get out and explore. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this list a refresh, with added tips and a gorgeous new loft in an old shoe polish factory.  The best Airbnbs in Philadelphia, at a glance:  👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best for families: The comfy townhouse ❤️ Best for couples: The speakeasy suite 🏛️ Best for history buffs: The historic firehouse apartment 🍺 Best for exploring the beer scene: The artist’s flat Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Dallas may be famous for cowboys, barbecue and its larger-than-life reputation, but there’s plenty more to get stuck into here. Spend the day hopping between brilliant restaurants, bars and shops, find some green space when you need a breather, then head out for a night on the town. And after all that? You’ll need somewhere good to crash. Luckily, Dallas has an Airbnb for pretty much every kind of trip, whether you’re after a central base for exploring, a sprawling house with a pool for a group, a cosy B&B or something a little more out there. Yes, there’s an Airstream in the mix. Here are the best Airbnbs in Dallas. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this list a refresh, and added a fun mega-game house for the whole family and a swanky mid-century property with its own saloon bar.  The best Airbnbs in Dallas, at a glance:  👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best for big groups: The all-out game house 🌿 Best for getting out of the city: The charming cabin 🎷 Best for a fun night in: The mid-century saloon house 🏊 Best for a pool day: The high-style home Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we’ve based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Hawaii is the kind of place where you can spend the morning swimming in the Pacific, the afternoon driving past lava fields and the evening watching the sun disappear behind the mountains. Across the islands, there are black-sand beaches, lush rainforest, coffee farms, waterfalls and volcanoes, with plenty of small towns and local spots to explore in between. Basically, there’s a lot more to do here than sit on a beach, although we certainly wouldn’t discourage that. And the Airbnbs are just as varied. You can sleep in a bamboo treehouse, wake up on a working farm, stay beside a volcano or settle into a clifftop house with the ocean below. We’ve rounded up some of our favourites, from gloriously simple cabins to bigger homes with pools and hot tubs, all with a little more personality than your average hotel room. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this page a refresh, and added four new properties including a Kona farm cabin and a Honoliʻi cliffside house. The best Airbnbs in Hawaii, at a glance:  ❤️ Best for romantic honeymoon stays: The peaceful treehouse in Volcano 🌲 Best for fancy forest relaxation: The luxury A-frame cabin ✨ Best for eco glamping and stargazing: The glamping dome in Naalehu 🚣‍♀️ Best for active water sports and river views: The charming riverside cottage Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on top reviews, hosts, and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. The

Atlanta does a pretty good job of giving you a bit of everything: brilliant food, galleries and museums, leafy parks, a huge events calendar and plenty of neighborhoods worth getting lost in. You could easily fill a long weekend here without running out of things to do, whether it’s your first visit or you’ve been coming back for years. And when you’re ready to call it a day, there’s more choice than your standard hotel room. Atlanta’s cabins and tiny homes range from treehouses and woodland hideaways to quirky little stays right in the city, many with private gardens, fire pits and plenty of character. We’ve rounded up the best of them, so all that’s left is to pick your favourite, which, admittedly, might be the hardest part. Updated September 2026: We’ve given this page a refresh, and added a new tiny cabin with a dreamy loft in East Atlanta. The best Airbnb cabins in Atlanta, at a glance:  ❤️ Best for couples: The treetop escape with a hot tub 🎉 Best for large group gatherings: The fairytale cabin with a pool 🏙️ Best for urban walkability and location: The magical central cabin 🌲 Best for waterfront relaxation: The lakeside hideaway Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on top reviews, hosts, and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

St. Barts knows how to do a holiday. Spend the morning hiking through the hills to Colombier Beach, the afternoon swimming in clear turquoise water, then swap your walking shoes for something a little more cocktail-friendly at a beach club in St Jean. The tiny French Caribbean island may have a reputation for being eye-wateringly expensive, but it’s also packed with gorgeous places to stay, from tucked-away hillside hideouts to big villas made for bringing the whole gang. We’ve rounded up the best Airbnbs in St Barts, so all that’s left to decide is whether you want a private pool, a sea view, or both. Updated in September 2026: We’ve given this page an update, with several brand new stays including an ocean-view bungalow for two and a poolside studio in Gustavia.  The best Airbnbs in St. Barts, at a glance:  🥳 Best for luxury group milestone stays: The Gouverneur hillside villa ❤️ Best for romantic couples & views: The ocean-view bungalow for two 🍹 Best for walkability & nightlife access: The Gustavia poolside studio Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Florida is a pretty easy place to book a holiday, but choosing where to stay is a different matter. There are beach houses, enormous villas, cabins tucked into the woods, treehouses, boats and some even whackier options, too. So, rather than trawling through hundreds of listings yourself, we’ve picked out some of the best Airbnbs across the state, from Miami and St Augustine to the Florida Keys and beyond. There’s something here for most kinds of trip, whether you want a log cabin by the river, a big villa near Disney World for a group, or a sailboat anchored in Biscayne Bay. We’ve focused on places with something worth travelling for, whether that’s a great view, a brilliant location or simply the fact that you can tell your friends you stayed in a shipping container in Gainesville. The best Airbnbs in Florida, at a glance: 🌴 Best for luxury resort living: The luxe condo with resort amenities 🏰 Best for large family groups: The adult playground with a bowling alley 🌊 Best for unique ocean escapes: The unique tiny home on the water 🌲 Best for budget nature getaways: The log cabin in Fort White Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities, and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affi

Ever wondered what it would be like to actually walk around inside Minecraft? Well, you’re about to find out. Chessington World of Adventures has announced that the world’s first Minecraft-themed hotel will open in 2027, alongside its huge new Minecraft World. For the uninitiated, Minecraft is a wildly popular video game where players build, explore and generally try not to get eaten by monsters, all inside a world made almost entirely of blocks. Now, Merlin Entertainments and Minecraft developer Mojang Studios are turning that blocky universe into an actual place you can visit. And, rather impressively, you’ll be able to sleep there too. The Minecraft World Hotel will have 69 rooms across four floors, including 20 premium and 49 standard rooms. The design will draw on the game’s various environments, or ‘biomes’, with blocky trees and animals at check-in, mine tunnel corridors and lifts inspired by Nether Portals. The bedrooms will be packed with the familiar blocks, objects, creatures and textures that Minecraft fans will recognise, while everyone else can simply enjoy the novelty of staying somewhere that looks like it was built by someone with a serious commitment to square-shaped architecture. Image credit: Stripe CommunicationsRendering of Minecraft hotel There’ll also be an underwater-inspired restaurant based on Minecraft’s ocean biomes, plus a bar themed around the Woodland Mansion, where guests can raise a glass of brightly coloured ‘potions’. No actual potion-mak

Britain has no shortage of art galleries, but which ones deserved a spot on our latest ‘best of’ list? Time Out recently published a guide to our favourite art galleries in the UK for 2026, and the list is a pretty varied bunch. Top was The Lowry in Salford, home to the world’s biggest public collection of LS Lowry works, while the rest of the list featured the likes of Hastings Contemporary, Tate St Ives, and Jupiter Artland. Coming in at number two was Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge. Yes, this is an art gallery – but it’s also an opportunity to poke around someone’s very lovely old house. It was once the home of curator and collector Jim Ede and his wife Helen, who lived there from 1957 to 1973 and donated the home and collection to the University of Cambridge. Ede had previously worked as a curator at the Tate, where he became friends with artists including Ben Nicholson and David Jones. Over the years he built up a collection of works by Nicholson, Alfred Wallis, Christopher Wood and Joan Miró, alongside sculptures by Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Constantin Brâncuși, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. When he created Kettle’s Yard, he wanted it to be somewhere people could actually live with art, rather than experience it in the more formal atmosphere of a museum. Photograph: Paul AllittKettle’s Yard, Cambridge At Kettle’s Yard paintings and arty objects sit alongside rugs, bookcases and furniture, with the house itself forming part of the experience. It was nominated for the list

Londoners, we have another bridge problem. Waterloo Bridge could be forced to close within the next three to four years if urgent repairs aren’t carried out, according to a council funding document obtained by Bloomberg. An inspection apparently found water damage and cracks measuring up to 2mm, and Westminster City Council is now asking for £6 million to get the work done. If those repairs aren’t completed by the end of the 2029-30 financial year, Bloomberg reckons things could get rather more dramatic: the bridge could be subject to weight restrictions, or potentially shut altogether. What’s wrong with Waterloo Bridge? In short: it’s getting on a bit. The current Waterloo Bridge opened in 1945 and these days has more than 25,000 vehicles rattling across it every day, alongside thousands of pedestrians and cyclists. The latest inspection found water damage and cracking, which all needs to be dealt with before it become a bigger problem. Waterloo isn’t alone among ailing London bridges. A few have been having something of a collective wobble lately, with Hammersmith Bridge famously closed to cars, restrictions introduced on Albert Bridge, and weight limits imposed on Vauxhall Bridge. What happens if Waterloo Bridge actually closes? Let’s hope we don’t get that far. Waterloo is one of the capital’s most useful Thames crossings, linking the South Bank with the Strand and Covent Garden. Cars, buses, taxis and bikes, as well as pedestrians, use it every day, so shutting it would

By this point it’s basically a London rite of passage: sprinting across Euston station’s concourse because your platform appeared on the departure board mere minutes before your train was due to leave. But now we have good news: things at one of the city’s major travel hubs are set to get a little less chaotic. The government has announced a £50 million package of upgrades for London Euston, to be delivered over the next three years. The first £11 million will go towards more seating, improved waiting areas and refurbished toilets. And while that sounds like the best part of a whole new station is on the way, this is mostly about improving the existing Euston while the much bigger HS2 and regeneration plans continue to take shape. So what are the changes? Platforms Let’s start with the bit that causes the most Euston-related panic: the platforms. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has confirmed that the station’s much-maligned habit of revealing platforms at the last minute will be phased out within the next year. At the moment, passengers can spend ages waiting in the main concourse with no idea where their train will depart from, only for a platform number to suddenly flash up on the board. Cue hundreds of people charging towards the same ticket barriers. Euston has already been experimenting with different boarding arrangements, including earlier boarding on Avanti West Coast services and continuous boarding on London Northwestern Railway trains. Concourse Some improvemen

If you’re planning a stay in the capital, you’ve got a lot of choice when it comes to luxury. From Claridges to The Standard, 1 Hotel Mayfair to The Berkeley, there are frankly loads of five-star hotels and we’ve written about the best of them here. But one posh place has made this year’s World's 50 Best longlist, coming in at number 56. Rosewood Hotel on High Holborn made the ranking and landed in 56th place next to legendary spots like LA’s Beverly Hills Hotel (aka The Hotel California, from the song), La Réserve Paris and the Hoshinoya in Tokyo, which made it to our worldwide list of excellent hotels. Gleneagles in Scotland was the only other UK hotel to get a mention on the longlist. The Rosewood London is really quite fancy indeed, and it’s also the biggest five-star hotel in central London, with 308 rooms and 44 suites.  Photograph: Jack Hardy/ Rosewood LondonBedroom at the Rosewood London   It’s got several dining spots, including The Pie Room, which our London local expert Sonya Barber raved about when she visited: ‘These beautiful creations arrive like shiny pastry crowns, stuffed with braised beef steak, chicken and wild mushroom or Lincolnshire poacher cheese and potato. So comforting, elevated and totally delicious.’ And it might even embroider your initials into your pillowcase, as Sonya discovered. Either way, it's a prime spot if you want friendly doormen, a bamboo spa and an afternoon tea menu inspired by the works of Claude Monet. Check out the full longlis

Nearly two decades after the Olympic crowds descended on Stratford, the area’s enormous post-games transformation is finally edging towards the finish line. Plans have been submitted for the last phase of development at Stratford Cross, with around 2,000 new homes, a new public park and more shops proposed for the east London neighbourhood. The proposals, submitted to the London Borough of Newham, would mark the final phase of Stratford Cross, the large-scale development between Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Westfield Stratford City. If approved, the new neighbourhood would also bring improved walking and cycling routes connecting Stratford station with the Olympic Park and surrounding areas. The 2,000 homes would include a mix of affordable and market-rate housing, alongside student accommodation and co-living homes. The proposals also include ground-floor retail space and new public areas. It’s another major milestone for an area that has changed dramatically since 2012. Stratford Cross has developed into a hub for business, education and culture, with the Turing Building sitting alongside the East Bank cultural quarter.  The plans are part of the wider Impact Partnership Joint Venture between Lendlease and The Crown Estate, which is aiming to deliver a range of developments across the UK, including up to 9,000 homes in its first phase. If the latest plans get the green light, construction is expected to begin in 2028, with the final phase taking around three years to co

One thing the UK really excels at (alongside pubs, moaning and rain) is castles. From Corfe Castle in Dorset all the way up to Stirling Castle in Scotland, we’ve got heaps of them, and many have been turned into tourist hotspots with gift shops, cafes and ten-minute long introductory videos that we feel duty-bound to sit through every single time.  Some castles are simply too ruined to open to the public, though, and for a while, Haverfordwest Castle in southwest Wales was part of that group. But, thanks to a huge cash injection, plans to rejuvenate the twelfth century Pembrokeshire stronghold have been announced. First recorded in 1188, the castle was ordered to be destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in the 1600s before being repurposed as a prison during the eighteenth century. Since then the site has consisted of parts of its original inner keep, as well as the shell of the inner ward and several towers. The £17.7m redevelopment plan involves a new cafe serving locally sources snacks and drinks, an outdoor event space with 500 seats, and a ‘fun, immersive and interactive exhibition space’. The wider castle site will also host a refurbished Haverfordwest Museum in the Governor's House.  It’s being funded by the UK Government, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Welsh Government Transforming Towns fund, with match funding from Pembrokeshire County Council.  The site remains closed while restoration work takes place, with a a prospective opening date in 2028. Check out our guide to

The UK is full of beauty spots which have become chock-a-block thanks to TikTok. Durdle Door in Dorset is a favourite thanks to its picturesque shape and photo opportunities, while ruined church St Dunstan in the East in London is often overrun by influencers.  South Wales’ Brombil Reservoir, nicknamed the ‘blue lagoon’, sits in a valley on Margam mountain and went viral on TikTok during the pandemic. It’s accessible via a steep 900m slope and has become a popular spot for a wide range of activities including wild swimming and camping.  But its owners aren’t happy, and have banned anyone from accessing the site near Neath Port Talbot unless they're willing to pay a £2 ‘conservation fee’ and refrain from swimming, biking, filming and camping. The managers of Leisure Estate Investments Ltd, who bought the site for £20k in 2024, have erected barriers and warned prospective visitors that they ‘reserve the right to initiate legal proceedings against any individual or organisation acting without prior written consent’. They say it’s because it costs a lot to protect the reservoir and prevent flooding, but trespassers have already removed the barriers and it seems that the crowds haven’t been deterred. Eventually, the owners want to open the site up for ‘community health and well-being’, but for now it seems like visitors will either have to forgo their blue lagoon Instagram carousels, or risk getting slapped by the cold hand of the law.  Craving a nature fix? An incredible 2,300-mi

Shopping can be an exhausting experience, especially when you find yourself on Oxford Street, navigating through hoards of tourists. Collapsing with a coffee and cake as post-retail therapy is often needed, and John Lewis has always done us nicely with its cafe and restaurant offerings. But if you’re after something a little more special post-shop, you’re in luck. John Lewis is stepping up its game with its brand new in-store restaurant concept, and the first site has just launched at its Oxford Street store. Known as Platter, it will replace restaurants at 32 of the brand’s locations by the end of 2027, including Bluewater, Chichester and Reading where the new eateries have also just opened to the public.  Platter on Oxford Street is now one of the largest restaurants in the area, with space for 300 guests. It boasts an open kitchen serving hand-stretched pizza, a deli, a dessert parlour, a bar overlooking the shop’s foyer, as well as fifty outdoor covers on its fifth-floor terrace. Basically, you can now buy an airfryer and then eat a margherita with panoramic views without leaving the building, which sounds like my idea of a very nice day out.  The new spot also has its own roastery, where customers can drink fancy coffee and buy bags of exclusive single-origin Arabica beans, and a pop-up site called The Residency, which will rotate different offerings. At the moment, it’s hosting London patisserie The Eclectic Collection. Each of the new restaurants will vary according to

Hampstead Heath has some serious standing as a wellbeing haven, with three separate ponds open for pretty chilly dips. In the summer, queues regularly snake around the water’s edge as Londoners desperate for a bracing swim flock to the north London spot. Now, that hype might just be about to balloon as a prospective new sauna and plunge pool complex is in discussion. Planning applications have been submitted by Sauna and Soul for two timber saunas and three cold plunge baths near the car park at Kenwood House, the seventeenth century stately home near the Heath’s North Wood.  The plans would involve making temporary alterations to the Grade II-listed former dairy buildings, which were built in 1794, so that an electrical current can be routed through them. Working with English Heritage, who own Kenwood House and keep it open for free for the public, Sauna and Soul is seeking to establish the site for an initial period of 12 months. The complex, which would include two bell tents for changing, a willow screening, a reception hut and an outdoor shower, would be run on a bookings basis with a maximum capacity of 16 people. It’ll operate during the same hours as Kenwood House, and Sauna and Soul has stated that it will be electrically heated and no music or alcohol will be allowed. It’s hoped that these considerations will limit the impact to the Heath, Kenwood House, and local residents and visitors.  If approved, the new hotspot is slated to open by the end of January 2027.  It

If you live in London and love bakeries, you’re guaranteed to be able to find a good spot on almost any high street. Many big names have made their name in the capital, including Pret a Manger and Gail’s, and now have locations all across the nation. Now, Bread Ahead, founded in Borough Market in 2013, is following suit and opening a new bakery just outside the Big Smoke in Harpenden. The new initiative will involve an owner-operator model (meaning that long-standing members of the team can transition into ownership roles with shares), and Bread Ahead has stated that it has designed the new venture to celebrate people who have put ‘time, talent and commitment’ into the business, and nurture experienced owners with ‘genuine roots in their local communities.’ Photograph: ShutterstockDoughnuts from Bread Ahead in Borough, London Harpenden High Street will host the independent bakery in a 2,500sq ft space which will also house an all-day dining location. A baking school will be opening on the first floor and offering classes from January 2027, and the main space will be holding children’s activity sessions during the October half term.  Punters will be able to buy Bread Ahead's signature bread, pastries and beloved doughnuts, as well as tucking into brunch and lunch.  The Harpenden hub will be the independent bakery’s eighth UK location, joining London branches in King's Cross, South Kensington and Wembley. Bread Ahead also has bakeries in Dubai, the US, Saudi Arabia, Thailand

After a false start last October, the DLR’s new and improved trains are now back in service in east London. The long-awaited trains were supposed to finally enter service in autumn 2025, but, after one of the three introduced in the rollout failed to stop correctly in the rain at Canning Town station, all new stock was removed from the tracks for more testing after just a month.  Now, after rigorous braking trials, the first of the DLR’s new trains reappeared on the Woolwich Arsenal to Stratford International branch on Monday September 7. There are a total of 54 trains in the new fleet, and they’re going to be rolled out gradually. Once all of them are in operation, they’ll increase capacity on the line by 50 percent. They feature air conditioning, power points for charging phones, and a walk-through design rather than having doors between carriages.  Photograph: Tom PageInside the new DLR train carriages Apart from October's mishap delaying proceedings, new stock was held up by a contractor entering administration, halting the building of new sidings in Beckton. Trains had to be stored in Spain where they were built. In the meantime, DLR service has been affected by weekend and evening cuts which have tanked Transport for London's revenue, but the shiny new locomotives are now ready to go.  Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘This is an exciting day for east and south London, as the first new state-of-the-art DLR train enters service. ‘These modern new trains are fantastic