Ed Cunningham

There’s more to Japanese movies than Kurosawa, Ozu and Miyazaki. That’s not to downplay their contributions to the country’s cinematic history – or cinema in general. All three are potential GOATs. It’s just that there’s much, much more where that exalted triumvirate came from.  Like the trailblazing silent works of Kenji Mizoguchi. Or the off-kilter pop-art crime thrillers of Seijun Suzuki. Or the bizarrely horrifying visions of Takashi Miike. On this list of the greatest Japanese movies of all time, you’ll find them all, alongside, of course, Kurosawa’s epics, Miyazaki’s soulful animations and Ozu’s powerful domestic dramas – oh, and Godzilla too. You’ll trace Japan’s unique filmmaking history, moving from the silent era to its post-war golden age to the 1960s New Wave to the anime explosion of the ’80s, all the way up to the current renaissance spearheaded by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Mamoru Hosoda. It’s a lot to take in. But with expert commentary from Junko Yamazaki – assistant professor of Japanese Media Studies at Princeton, whose focuses include post-war Japanese film music and the jidaigeki (period drama) genre – this cinephile’s bible is as authoritative as it is exhaustive. Consider it your travel guide to one of the world’s most creative movie cultures. RECOMMENDED: 🇰🇷 The greatest Korean films of all time🇫🇷 The 100 best French movies ever made🇯🇵 The best anime movies of all time, ranked🌏 The 50 best foreign films of all-time

Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened in the past year and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene.  June 2025: New additions include fun bistro action at Hello JoJo in Camberwell, sleek Ukranian comfort food at Tatar Bunar, Japanese-Italian fusion at Osteria Angelina in Spitalfields and Parisian wine bar flair at Marjorie's in Soho. They join bawdy British fare at Rake in Highbury, vegan Michelin star goodness at Shoreditch’s Plates, Iberian inventiveness at Tasca in Bethnal Green and The Most Controversial Restaurant in London™, The Yellow Bittern in King’s Cross. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in London. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now to tuck in.

The grand New York City is full of iconic, well-loved landmarks. People flock from all around the globe to spy on classic attractions like the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State, and Central Park all the way to the Yankee Stadium and Birdland. NYC is the hub for all things historical and of cultural importance, so naturally, you'll want to follow the experience to a hotel that matches the vibe. There are a lot of hotels that are considered attractions in themselves. From the architecturally breathtaking to the places that famous people venture to or even ones that were once the site of a historical event. Many are also exceptionally luxurious and considered among the top hotels in the entire country – but even if you're just looking, they're certainly worth a visit. And if you can afford to stay there? They're totally worth it, obviously.  RECOMMENDED: 🗽See our full guide to the best hotels in NYC🏨Check out best hotels with a view in NYC 💘Stay in the most romantic hotels in NYC Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews 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.

If you’re dreaming of finding sand in your shoes after a long day out and queuing too long for ice cream, then you could do a lot worse than venturing out of the city and planning a trip to one of the UK’s seemingly endless coastal towns. This is an island nation, after all, which means it’s packed with rugged cliffs and windswept headlands as well as quaint fishing villages and shoreline surf spots. We might not have the sunkissed weather of our European neighbours, but when it comes to costal charm, the UK ticks a hell of a lot of boxes. Planning a trip to the seaside? Check out our list of the best coastal towns in the country, from Scotland to Cornwall.   Which UK seaside towns get the best weather?  If you’re chasing sunshine, you’re probably going to want to go south. Brighton, Margate, St Ives, Salcombe and Falmouth can clock some serious sun hours in the right season – but we can’t make any promises, so be sure to pack a raincoat to be on the safe side.  Where are the best beaches in the UK? If beach walks and swimming in the sea is what you’re after, look no further than our list of the best beaches in the UK. From the list below, we’d recommend Brighton if you’re more of a pebble person. Head to Nefyn for natural beauty and extreme quiet. Try North Berwick if you want sand between your toes and can stomach chillier waters. And for higher temperatures, head to East Portlemouth beach and stay in Salcombe.  RECOMMENDED:🌊The best outdoor swimmming pools in the UK🏖️T

As the second-largest island in the Med (after Sicily), Sardinia boasts an enormous range of stuff to see, do, eat and drink. From the pristine aquamarine waters and dusty white sands of Costa Smeralda to the buzzing streets of Cagliari, Sardinia appeals to nature lovers, beach bunnies and urban explorers alike. Fittingly, hotels on the island cater to all kinds of visitors. Featuring spas, villas, city centre locations, family-run establishments and swanky five-star resorts – these are the best hotels in Sardinia. Updated August 2024: We've added a contemporary resort that offers immersive views, authentic Sardinian cuisine and a whole host of activities throughout the day and night – including a poolside BBQ on weekends.  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.

London is full of perfect pizza. The finest of fast foods, this delicious staple has been elevated far beyond its humble roots by great Italian restaurants in London, pop-ups, street food vendors and pub residencies, and we know just where to find these world-class wonders, because we’ve been eating our way across London in order to discover the best. Whether it’s delivered in a cardboard box or served in a swish restaurant, excellent pizza is hard to beat. Browse our list of the best pizza places in town and try not to drool on your screen. Recent additions to the Top 20 include some nifty kitchen residencies; Dough Hands at the Spurstowe Arms and Old Nun’s Head, Bing Bong Pizza at You Call The Shots in Hackney, Little Earthquakes at the Railway Tavern in Dalston, Lenny’s Apizza at The Bedford Tavern in Finsbury Park and Short Road Pizza at the William The Fourth in Leyton and Three Colts in Bethnal Green. Try also, Spring Street Pizza in Borough for pizza with a Michelin-starred cheffy touch. RECOMMENDED: The finest fish and chips in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Boutique hotels in NYC have a special place in our hearts - they're not just luxurious with top-notch amenities, they’re bursting with character, offering experiences that few others can match. Seriously, these independent hotels have such unique styles that you'll be planning a full-scale home makeover in your head before check-out. With so many amazing choices, picking the best boutique hotels in NYC is tough. From the Financial District to Williamsburg, these hotels with rich histories and daring designs offer everything from mixology classes and indulgent full-body massages to Parisian-style gardens, rooftop bars, and jaw-dropping views of the city's iconic landmarks.  To help plan your perfect NYC trip, we've done the legwork for you, rounding up our personal favorite boutique hotels in New York City. Because when you're in one of the world's greatest cities, your stay should reflect the unique character and style of the place. As a final note, among some of the editor's old favorites, you'll find some new digs on this list too. Expect a contemporary retreat for the urbanites with "drop dead" views and one of the most iconic luxury stays in Manhattan that money can buy. Welcome to the good life. Updated August 2024: Our list just got even better with this old-money glam, Hotel Giraffe, and the Broadway chic, CIVILIAN Hotel. Take a peek.  RECOMMENDED:🇺🇸 View our full guide to the best hotels in NYC🏊‍♀️ Discover the best NYC hotels with pools🚶‍♂️ Check out the best thi

Barcelona attracts the beach-goers, Seville brings in the honeymooners – but for a Spanish city with real cosmopolitan vibes, there’s nowhere quite like Madrid. With its all-night fiestas, pulsing bars, world-class museums, and stylish stores, the historic capital makes for a great city-break destination all year round. Though, it is especially popular to visit in spring when the city welcomes its eye-catching pink almond blossoms, while July and August tend to really bring the heat. Now you've got whether or not to go heavy on the SPF 50 out of the way, all that's left is to decide is where to stay. Amigos, we've taken care of that for you. Just take a look through our list of the very best Airbnbs in Madrid – We've got one to suit every budget and length of stay.  RECOMMENDED:🏛 Check out the best attractions in Madrid🇪🇸 Discover the best neighbourhoods in Madrid🏨 See our guide to Madrid's best hotels 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 affiliate guidelines.

This year of music has started with a bang. We’ve seen Chappell Roan go country, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco smothering audiences with gushy love songs and Playboi Carti’s rapturous return from the underground. We've even been blessed with the return of Lorde! Alongside these pop heavyweights, we’re witnessing rap superstar Doechii continue her chart domination and the breakthrough of Gen Z artists like 2hollis, Tate McRae and Kai Bosch. What songs are defining 2025? Well, we’ve searched through our playlists and extracted the best songs of the year so far, to give you a mid-year vibe check of where we are currently at. But it doesn’t stop there. Keep your eyes peeled for updates to this list throughout the year as we’re still awaiting albums from Turnstile, Miley Cyrus, Pulp, A$AP Rocky and many more. Georgia curates Time Out’s music section. If she's not blabbering about music on the website, she's doing it in-person (much to the office’s dismay). For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: 🎧 The best albums of 2025 (so far)🎥 The best movies of 2025 (so far)📺 The best TV of 2025 (so far)

All around the world, trains are back and bigger than ever. From the expansion of night train networks to the resurgence of supremely luxurious rail routes, train travel is proving that alternatives to planes and cars aren’t just greener: they’re often much more enjoyable, too.  When making a list of the best rail journeys in the world, it sort of makes sense that Asia features so heavily. After all, this continent is vast. It’s home to such a mind-bogglingly huge range of cultures and landscapes that it simply cannot help but also be home to an enormous selection of fab train journeys.  So, without further ado, here goes: from luxury hotel rooms on wheels to legendary historical routes, these are the seven best train journeys in Asia.  READ MORE: The most incredible road trips in Asia and The most fascinating historical tours in Asia 

Key West is one of those places that is so idyllic it can be hard to believe it’s actually real. Picture the scene: palm trees swaying gently in the breeze, surrounded by crystalline turquoise waters, basking in year-round sunshine - absolute bliss. If that ain’t the good life, we don’t know what is. And there are few better ways to properly indulge in Key West than by renting an Airbnb. The city’s finest Airbnbs range from abodes that are mere steps away from the area’s biggest attractions to those that are perfect for lounging by the beach. We’ve sifted through all of Key West’s Airbnb rental options to find the ones that are totally unmissable: read on to find out more. Updated May 2025: The best hidden gems are often right under our noses, which is why we're leaving no stone unturned. How else would we know about the lighthouse suite or the hibiscus cottage? RECOMMENDED: 🏝Why not stay at one of the best hotels in Key West?Or the best family-friendly hotels in Key West? This guide was recently updated by Travel Writers Shayne Benowitz and Alex Floyd-Douglass. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews 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 

Once upon a time, the only reason to grab a bite at King’s Cross was if you were waiting for your train. But this once-grimy post-industrial area has undergone an enormous regeneration, and these days it’s packed with fine restaurants. Be it the lofty, warehouse-sized joints around Granary Square, the trendy cafés in Coal Drops Yard or the hip little spots around lower Pentonville, and a selection of Cantonese cult classics, there’s something for all tastes (and budgets, high or low). Check out our list of the best. RECOMMENDED: These are the best pubs in King’s Cross. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

A country home amid gargantuan piles of slate, Plas Weunydd sits atop a hill overlooking not just an old industrial town but the vast landscape of Snowdonia National Park. Needless to say, the hotel is all about its location: the location on a map, sure (it’s pretty much at the dead-centre of Snowdonia and surrounded by all manner of outdoorsy activities) but also its topographical location, with views galore.  For my visit to Plas Weunydd, the approach by car saw me wind my way past the hills and valleys of the national park, through old mining town Blaenau Ffestiniog and most of the way up a not-unsteep hill. The hotel is perched near the top, at the same turning as much-hyped adventure attraction Zip World and a mountain-biking course.  Why stay at Plas Weunydd? If you’re in Snowdonia for an adventure or outdoorsy holiday (and this is very much a region famous for that), Plas Weunydd is extraordinarily well-located. Hiking, cycling, mountain biking, zip-wiring and more is almost literally on your doorstep – as previously mentioned, Zip World is across the road – while countless mountains, waterfalls, lakes or rivers in Snowdonia National Park are no more than a half-hour drive away.  The building itself was built in 1870 as the home of John Whitehead Greaves, the founder of nearby Llechwed Quarry. It was turned into a hotel in 2021, and it relaunched in April 2025 following further refurbishment. Plas Weunydd prides itself on being an adventure holiday base, but also for b

Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson are good at this by now. Excellent, in fact. The pair have put together a small chain of top Indian eateries; Islington’s Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown, and the first Tamila in Clapham. Fourth time around with Tamila King’s Cross, the experience is more refined than ever. London’s second Tamila is at the other end of Caledonian Road from the Tamil Prince, and, like the Clapham edition, isn’t a ‘desi pub’ but a curry house for fast, casual dining and with an all-day menu. Without the loveable musk of an ex-pub, the space is much airier and restaurant-y, while the service is sharper and more attentive. Food-over-booze indicators don’t get much more obvious than Tamila’s massive interior window directly into the kitchen.  The dhal flashed all sorts of vegetables across your tongue, while paneer butter masala was creamy and mightily generous Our drinks flew out at an impressive pace. A bold harbinger of the strong, spiced flavours to come, the gunpowder margarita, boasting masala dust for salt and earthy smokiness, was sumptuous. The paloma had grapefruity sweetness but a proper, heaped dash of ginger that lingered powerfully.  Tamila’s dishes verge on the more generous side of ‘small plates’. On platters so spotless and shiny they’re genuinely mirrors, come miraculously un-greasy onion bhajis, each one just more than a mouthful of prickly, salty crackle. Retaining integral crispiness beneath dollops of mint chutney, one gets the impression that th

If you’re a history buff (particularly a pottery history buff), the surroundings of this DoubleTree alone will be enough to have you in awe. The hotel is attached to Etruria Hall, a neo-classical Grade II-listed structure once home to Josiah Wedgwood – renowned industrialist and the founder of Wedgwood, one of the world’s most famous pottery companies.  Etruria Hall is no longer a stately home but an events venue, and since the 1980s it’s been attached to a hotel. In 2020 that hotel opened as a Hilton, specifically of the DoubleTree brand – yet despite being part of an all-conquering global chain, it’s maintained plenty of character. Beyond the obvious (the in-house restaurant is called Josiah), the corridors and rooms come lined with nods to local heritage; bottle oven skylines, Stoke dialect phrases, that sort of stuff.  Stoke-on-Trent’s DoubleTree, therefore, not only occupies a special historical site but makes sure you fully aware just how special it is. But it’s also a comfortable, well-kitted-out place to stay. I stayed in a king guest room that was extraordinarily spacious and flawlessly clean, with a sprawling, comfortable bed, fast wi-fi, effective blackout curtains and a practical bathroom.  The staff couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful, the common areas were bright and welcoming, and there was a very sleek indoor pool and leisure centre. There’s on-site parking, too.  Given the building’s age, some of Stoke’s DoubleTree is understandably rough around the

When Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn opened in 2020 it was the city’s first and only Hilton. Admittedly it didn’t hold that title for long (the DoubleTree in Etruria was rebranded a month or so later) but you get the sense that this was a statement opening. A terracotta titan towering over Hanley, this Hilton Garden Inn cost £20 million and is part of the wider redevelopment of Smithfield – a mixed-use quarter named after the area’s old bottle works. Given it’s getting on for half a decade old, Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn still looks and feels shimmeringly new. Sure, stepping into the lobby feels very much like stepping into any new-ish Hilton, anywhere, but this one is exceptionally well-kempt, making it very much a slick, shiny beacon of modern comfort.  I stayed in a ‘king room’ up on the sixth floor, a tidy and well-proportioned space with plenty of light and a bunch of amenities tidily packed in. The décor was pared back, minimalist(ish) and very much of-this-decade, and the room’s simplicity made it feel bigger. Stoke touches on the walls (images of pottery ovens and so on) reminded you where you were – as did my view, stretching out westwards towards Etruria, Burslem and Shelton. The rest was very much as one might expect of a somewhat new Hilton. The mattress was supple, the pillows and duvet ideally sink-in-able; the shower worked as required, accompanied by fragrant Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries and the flashy touch of an anti-steam mirror. The room was well insulated for so

Down the cavernous halls of Whitehall’s Old War Offices, surrounded by opulent Michelin-starred restaurants and the supremely swish Raffles hotel, lies Kioku Sake Bar – less blindingly flashy, sure, but just as high-calibre. The street-level accompaniment to Kioku’s top-floor, five-star sushi restaurant has the effortless style and homely hideaway calm of a Japanese listening bar, prim décor and lines of hundreds of sake bottles sitting beneath immaculately balanced light. And Kioku’s substance more than matches its style. There are over 140 sakes on offer, each affectionately described, plus a trim list of sake cocktails and a refined menu of innovative, Japanese-infused small plates. The drinks and food are entirely different to those of the upstairs restaurant Kioku By Endo, making the bar very much worth a separate visit.  Order this The Daikon Gibson suspends itself entirely on the front of your tongue, with silky and potent Ginjo sake ‘vermouth’ and tangy pickled daikon combining with clean Roku gin and yuzu tang. Kioku’s cocktails all exude a sense of craft – and this does even more so. Time Out tip Make the most of Kioku’s formidable sake collection and the bar’s in-house sake sommelier to explore the tipple. Discover how the vessel material affects each sake, get a taste of the many, many different styles and regional varieties – and find a new favourite.

Stepping into the atrium of The Conservatorium, it’s immediately obvious that this is a very special hotel indeed. Rich red brickwork meets sharp glass angles, heritage details fit snugly among silky modern luxury; from the fittings and furniture to the architecture, wherever you look something catches your eye. The Conservatorium’s sense of occasion is tied to the building’s history. Many of its cavernous halls date back to 1897, when it was built as a bank. In the 1980s it became a conservatoire, then it was reconfigured into a hotel by starchitect Piero Lissoni in the 2000s. It opened as a founding member of the luxurious Set Collection in 2011. The Conservatorium’s rooms, appropriately for a hotel inhabiting a building of many previous lives, vary massively – yet they share plenty of common ground. Whether one is in the basic ‘deluxe room’ or the three-floor, roof terrace-boasting ‘I Love Amsterdam’ suite, well-proportioned rooms boast plush beds, spacious bathrooms, bountiful storage and thoughtful, refined décor. My room was a ‘royal duplex suite’, with elegant double-height windows looking out onto the humming trams and cafés of Van Baerlestraat. The essentials – bed, space, storage, bathroom, toiletries – were all faultless. Little touches of Dutch-ness (decorative clogs, a Van Gogh coffee table book, Delftware ceramic plates) were unsubtle but still tasteful, restrained. Beyond the room, breakfast (served in the Lounge) was high-calibre and the staff were as helpful

What comes to mind when you think of a treehouse? Woodlice, splinters, cold – yes, probably all those things. But treehouses are also secluded and peaceful, dwellings a few feet up in the air that feel that bit away from the rabble below and closer to nature. And a treehouse, crucially, is all yours.  The treehouses of TreeDwellers in Cornbury, northeast Cotswolds, are treehouses in a spiritual sense. No, they aren’t up trees (nor do they even touch them), but they’re surrounded by them, sitting an impressive height above the forest floor. TreeDwellers takes the idea of a treehouse – as something special, private, embedded in nature – and turns it into a luxurious experience genuinely unlike anything, anywhere else. Pulling up to a TreeDwellers dwelling (a TreeDwelling?) has a supreme sense of occasion. This is the sort of architectural magnificence you thumb through in glossy mags, lustfully dreaming of one day giving it all up for. Handsomely curved tubes are perched atop stilts; inside is all sleek, clean wood and floor-to-ceiling windows, each and every convenience slotted in with impossible neatness. It’s all so stunning that you could easily be satisfied with the design and that alone, left gawping at it for days on end. But these treehouses aren’t just flashy façades: they’re comfortable and practical, too. You check-in with slick door-code entry, the heating is underfloor and toasty on your toes, everything you could possibly need is on a tablet (or on hand from delig

On the face of it, Portobello’s neat, proper Holy Carrot and Dalston’s fire-worshipping feast ACME Fire Cult share little common ground. ACME is roaring and showy, as much a swaggering religion as a restaurant; Carrot is prim as a perfume shop, soft clay surroundings fronting a menu that is plant-forward, ‘root to peel’ and sustainable.  But there’s a clear link between the two – namely Daniel Watkins. The ex-ACME founder is now executive chef at the first permanent home of Holy Carrot (previously known for its supper clubs and Knightsbridge residency), and brings his ‘fire and ferment’ ethos across the capital from one neighbourhood of cool to another.  More than just Holy Carrot’s first proper restaurant, it’s also a Watkins-helmed reboot – and it has plenty of his signature punch. From the off, the pre-starter ‘snacks’ offer a studied but unshowy sort of tastiness. Pillowy insides dramatically burst out of crisp ‘honey’ drenched Jerusalem artichokes; one couldn’t help but mop up the warming chilli ragu with ultralight koji bread. Two cold ‘smalls’ followed suit, both intricately flavoured: each mouthful of the smoked beetroot breathing freshness, each spoonful of the stracciatella with persimmon and bitter leaves with deftly measured amount of creamy tang and gentle crunch. This is innovation of a dependable, not reckless, sort Imprinted upon my memory the most, however, was one of Holy Carrot’s ‘larges’: the crispy celeriac with pickle butter. I know what you’re thinking

The Nobu brand, in a word? Dependable. Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japan-via-USA restaurant empire both draws celebrities and is a celebrity itself, but it’s best regarded for its high-quality dining: nearly 30 years after it opened, Nobu’s Park Lane spot remains one of London’s best places for sushi. These days Nobu isn’t just a restaurant chain but a hotel brand too, with two outposts in London. The Shoreditch one, which opened in 2017, was the first of these – not just London’s first Nobu hotel (since followed by Nobu Portman Square in Marylebone) but the first in all of Europe. The greatest compliment one can pay to this place is that the dependability of the Nobu name transfers seamlessly from restaurant to hotel. This is a sleek and comfortable choice, a beacon of minimalist taste in the midst of Shoreditch’s gaudy pick-me bars and tech-bro co-working spaces. Nobu as a chain is Nippon-by-’Murica, and its hotels are too – Japanese style meets American comfort and convenience. From the front Nobu Shoreditch resembles a Pacific battleship, from the side it’s a hillside Kyoto villa. And inside the hotel offers plenty of that same cultural middle ground: polished black wood, sleek furniture and a tea set in every room, but also huge plasma TVs, delightful staff and an in-house spa.  All aided, of course, by housing a Nobu restaurant, the chain’s third in London. You know exactly the deal here: a spoiled-rich clientele, sure, but also generous portions, attentive service (I did exceptio

If you plonked a point on a map denoting Stuttgart’s absolute centre, I’m fairly certain it’d be directly right on top of the EmiLu. Or it may as well be. Dead opposite the city’s Rathaus (town hall) and a few steps from Königstrasse (Stuttgart’s main shopping street), EmiLu is within easy walking distance of most city-centre sights. Just a couple of years old (it opened in 2022), EmiLu occupies an old mid-century city government building and gets its name by combining the names of its co-owner (Petra Luise Bräutigam) and her daughter (Emilia). A self-professed ‘design hotel’, it boasts 90 ‘unique and special’ rooms that range reasonably in price per night from €85 to €200 (£72 to £170). So, the good: EmiLu, with its focus on individual, tasteful design, is a handsome and neat establishment. The chic reception is kitted out with dark wooden furnishings, while the rooms are airy and uncluttered. Cuboid furniture and crisply-shaped décor work well with bare-material walls; an open shower-room (with a curtain) and a mini-bar cut into the corner wall fit the minimal, trendy vibe. In another positive, my room looked out over the atmospheric street below (with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony) but also boasted exceptional sound insulation – an entire crowd of football fans in the space outside were reduced to noiseless silhouettes. Elsewhere, EmiLu’s staff are delightful, the rooftop space is great for taking in Stuttgart’s skyline and the ‘fitness area’ is remarkably well-eq

Over the years, London has done a fabulous job of finding new uses for its many, many historically fascinating buildings. The Bankside Power Station is now the Tate Modern. Churchill’s Old War Office is a hotel and apartments. County Hall houses restaurants, an aquarium and That Shrek Thing. Another of those retrofits is the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 1820s and was once the Ministry of Defence’s old library. Sitting at an address best known for also housing the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the building has been a hotel for a while – though was spruced up a few years ago with a £75 million revamp.  Admittedly, the words ‘Scotland Yard’ do not exactly scream ‘mega-luxe five-star hotel stay’, but… maybe they could? This 151-room Hyatt is as deeply, thoroughly refined as hotels in this city get.  Each step of a stay at Great Scotland Yard is virtually faultless. The neat rooms are full of light, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies looking out over the turrets, towers and courtyards of the Palace of Whitehall. Full of modestly luxurious conveniences (like Chromecast TVs and fancy Japanese Toto loos), the rooms are also of a satisfyingly comfortable size: neither small and cluttered nor massive and awkwardly empty.  Beyond the rooms, Great Scotland Yard is far from a copy-paste Hyatt. Playing into the history of the building and address, the doors are slathered in a deep and polished police blue. The fo

If you’ve ever spent time in Leeds, you’ll know the Queens Hotel. Quite literally on top of (part of) the Yorkshire city’s train station, it’s an art deco concrete titan and inarguably the city’s most famous hotel. Dating back to the 1930s, the Queens was the first British hotel to have air con and ensuite bathrooms in every room, and over the years it’s welcomed the likes of Cary Grant and Nelson Mandela. While the Queens could easily rest on its historical prestige, in recent years it’s attempted to keep with the times and undergone a vast refurb. A whopping £16 million has been pumped into bringing the place back up to snuff, glamming it up with communal areas, a huge new dining venue and more rooms. How does all that sprucing up actually feel? In short, pretty damn good. The moment you step into the Queens’ lobby, with its endearingly gauche décor and genially raucous ambiance, you get a proper sense of occasion that feels appropriate for somewhere so stacked with history. The Queens might have been hauled into the 21st century, but it embraces its historical glamour – and the refurb certainly hasn’t sucked out any of its soul. The Queens is entirely decked out in stuff that harks back to the art deco 1930s – and what isn’t from the Queens’ original period (or directly linked to it, like the hallways’ historic photographs) is tastefully matched. The Queens balances modern polish and historical character in a caring, detailed sort of way, ensuring all additions – everythin

Glastonbury 2025 is this week. And if you were lucky enough to get your hands on tickets, you’ll likely be packing your bags as we speak. But here’s the question – do you pack wellies or flip flops? A water-proof poncho or sunglasses? An umbrella or factor 50? Here’s what you need to pack for Glastonbury 2025 and all the stuff you definitely can’t bring. This is the UK, so the weather at the end of June could be anything from miserably wet to excruciatingly hot – and this week/end the UK will see both rain and toasty weather. Neither are particularly ideal for an outdoor music festival packed with hundreds of thousands of people, but you can at least be prepared.  With the 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo headlining this year’s event (from June 25 to 29), here’s hoping southwest England stays pleasantly warm and dry for Glastonbury 2025. Now forecasters have a decent idea of what the weather will be saying, here’s the full forecast Worthy Farm this year.  RECOMMENDED:🎤 Time Out’s ultimate guide to Glastonbury 2025. 🎪 The best festivals in the UK.📱 The Glastonbury 2025 app has launched – here are all the new features. The Met Office weather forecast for Glastonbury As it stands, the weather isn’t looking bad for Glasto-goers – in fact, dare we say it, thee weather could be really quite nice. Here’s the day-by-day forecast, according to the Met Office.  Wednesday June 25 ‘Sunny intervals changing to cloudy by nighttime’ says the Met, with highs of 25C and lows of 16C. The

Less than a year after the nu metal group last played London (which was at the O2 last September), Linkin Park are back in the capital this week at none other than Wembley Stadium.  The band responsible for immortal noughties hits like ‘Numb’, ‘In the End’ and ‘Burn It Down’ will perform at London’s biggest stadium on Saturday. The band’s lineup features Mike Shinoda, Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell, Joe Hahn, Colin Brittain and still-somewhat-new vocalist Emily Armstrong. Linkin Park are touring in support of 2024 album From Zero.  Heading to northwest London to see Linkin Park this weekend? Here’s what you need to know about the show, from timings to remaining ticket availability. When are Linkin Park playing London’s Wembley Stadium?  The nu-metallers’ show in London is on Saturday June 28 2025. What time will Linkin Park come on stage? Timings haven’t yet been officially confirmed, but expect the band on stage at around 8.15pm-8.30pm.  Doors are at 5pm, support acts will start at 6pm and Linkin Park will wrap things up by 10.30pm.  Are there any tickets left?  At time of writing, some tickets were left for Linkin Park at Wembley on Ticketmaster. How much do tickets cost? On Ticketmaster, tickets are available from around £79. Find those here.  What’s the full setlist? For an idea of what Linkin Park will play at Wembley, this was the band’s recent setlist in Milan on the same tour (according to Setlist.fm). Somewhere I Belong Crawling Cut the Bridge Lying From You The Emptiness M

Lana Del Rey’s summer 2025 tour of the UK and Ireland is officially underway. The singer-songwriter kicked things off on Monday (June 23) with a show at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, which was her biggest UK show to date. Next up is Glasgow. The ‘Video Games’ and ‘Summertime Sadness’ singer is gearing up for her first Scottish show since 2017, when she also played Glasgow. Back then Del Rey was at the 14,000-capacity OVO Hydro – now she’s at Hampden Park, the Scottish national team’s 50,000-seater home. Off to see Lana Del Rey at Hampden Park on Thursday? Here’s our ultimate guide to the gig, from timings and the seating plan to remaining ticket availability.  When is Lana Del Rey playing Hampden Park? Lana is in Glasgow on Thursday June 26 2025. What time do doors open? Gates open at 5pm.  What time will Lana Del Rey come on stage? It’s notoriously difficult to predict when Lana will come on stage. In Cardiff she started performing at around 8.45pm, so it’d be safe to assume she’ll come on at a similar time in Glasgow. As always, get down early to avoid disappointment. What’s the seating plan?  Here’s the seating plan, according to Ticketmaster. Image: Ticketmaster Who’s supporting Lana Del Rey at Hampden Park? American singer and songwriter Banks is supporting Del Rey in Glasgow. Setlist  For an idea of what Lana Del Rey will play in Glasgow, this was her setlist in Cardiff (according to Setlist.fm)  Stars Fell on Alabama Henry, come on Stand by Your Man (Tammy Wynette

This year’s stadium gig season in London is now in full swing. Following the likes of Sam Fender, Dua Lipa and Beyoncé in playing the capital’s biggest venues are legendary American rockers Guns n ‘Roses, who’re stopping by Wembley this week. Axl Rose, Slash and the band are bringing their ‘Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things’ tour to northwest London on Thursday (June 26). The tour began in South Korea in May and will see the band play dates in Europe and South America before it wraps up in Mexico in November. Heading down to see immortal rock hits like ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’, ‘Paradise City’ and ‘November Rain’ performed live at Wembley this week? Here’s everything you need to know about Guns n’ Roses’ London show, from timings to remaining ticket availability.  When are Guns n’ Roses playing London’s Wembley Stadium? Axl Rose, Slash and co are in northwest London on Thursday June 26 2025.  What time will Guns n' Roses come on stage? The band haven’t announced exactly when they’ll come on stage. However, judging from previous tour stops we’d expect them to kick things off between 7.30pm and 8pm.  Doors open at 4pm, though those with ‘ultimate’, ‘premium early entry’ or ‘early entry’ packages must sign in between 1pm and 3.30pm. Are there any tickets left? At time of writing, tickets are still available for GNR at Wembley, with both general sale and resale options. How much do tickets cost? You can currently get general sale from £78.65, a

Over thousands of years and in every corner of the planet, human beings have built stuff. Places to live, work, sleep, eat, drink, to do anything really – and some of those structures are as beautiful as any natural wonder. From the Pyramids of Giza and the Taj Mahal to the latest winner of RIBA’s ‘building of the year’, the world is packed full of man-made marvels. Last week Time Out published a list of the most beautiful buildings in the world, with travel writer Liv Kelly putting together a list of the planet’s ‘most pleasing, fascinating and impressive’ buildings. The list stretched to 24, featuring stuff ranging from the aforementioned pyramids and Taj Mahal to Paris’ Fondation Louis Vuitton and Barcelona’s Sagrada Famila. Also featuring in the top 24, however, is a building in the UK – and it might not be one you’d expect. Coming in at number 19 was Maggie’s Centre at St James’s Hospital in Leeds. A charity centre for cancer patients, this particular Maggie’s was designed by Thomas Heatherwick – who’s also known for stuff like the London 2012 Olympic cauldron and the revamp of Coal Drop’s Yard in King’s Cross, London. Writing about Maggie’s Centre at St James’, Liv said: ‘Hospitals tend to be uncomfortable places characterised by too-bright strip lighting and unnervingly squeaky surfaces, but not at this Maggie’s Centre. ‘The charity has striven to build personal environments to support cancer sufferers and their families, and this space is comforting and stunning. Enor

Regular users of the DLR, listen up. The automated east London transport network is changing its timetable this summer, with TfL cutting back on services before it introduces the network’s much-anticipated (and much-delayed) new trains.  The changes are temporary and apparently intended to ‘ensure a reliable service can be maintained across the entire DLR network’. TfL says the reduced timetable is designed to coincide with the start of the school summer holidays (when the service is usually quieter) and that it focuses on parts of the network where demand is typically lower.  The DLR’s new trains were announced back in June 2023, with initial designs showing off vehicles with fancy stuff like air-conditioning and USB charging ports. The vehicles – which, compared to the current fleet, are turquoise, more reliable and 10 percent more spacious – were supposed to be in operation back at the end of 2024, then they were delayed indefinitely. TfL now says the first of the DLR’s 54 new trains will begin coming into service this year. Photograph: TfL Here’s what you need to know about the DLR’s new timetable. Beckton to Canning Town/Stratford International – no services (though Tower Gateway to Beckton will run) Stratford and Lewisham – no services in peak hours (6.30am-10am and 4pm-7.30pm). If required, customers should change at Canary Wharf. Services between Canary Wharf and Stratford will run every five minutes in peak times and every six and a half minutes off peak. Bank to

Fashion retailer River Island has announced that it intends to shut dozens of stores across the UK. A major restructure of the chain is set to see 33 shops close.  River Island currently operates 230 stores across the UK and Ireland, employing around 5,500 people. As well as shutting 33 of those shops, the chain has also revealed that 71 more locations are under review, pending negotiations with landlords. The brand has blamed the shift to online shopping and rising operational costs for the closures, with chief executive Ben Lewis saying in a statement that River Island’s store portfolio is ‘no longer aligned to our customers’ needs’. He said: ‘River Island is a much-loved retailer, with a decades-long history on the British high street.’  ‘However, the well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers’ needs. The sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden.’  Exactly which 33 River Island shops are set to close hasn’t yet been revealed. The restructuring plan and subsequent closures will be put to creditors in a vote in August, so then we’ll have a better idea of which locations will close and when. Which Poundland shops are closing? Brand has confirmed that 68 UK stores will shut for good. RECOMMENDED: All the UK high street store closures confirmed for 2025. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free T

Earlier this year a report claimed that London’s public transport had officially become the most expensive in the world. And, well, the numbers seemed to back that up. In March the capital’s tube and train fares rose, with the daily cap for zone 1 travel increasing by 40p and the cap for travelling across zones 1, 2 and 3 hiked to £10.50. If Londoners were hoping for a reprieve for their wallets from tube fare increases next year, this week we bring bad news. The Standard has reported that London mayor Sadiq Khan has been told that the capital’s transport fares should rise every year until the end of the decade.  Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has reportedly told Sir Sadiq not just to increase fares, but to hike them above the rate of inflation. An edict apparently states that TfL should increase prices by the RPI rate of inflation plus one percent in 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.  So, why are fares going up, and why are they increasing by so much? Earlier this month the Chancellor said that TfL will receive nearly £2.2 billion to spend on infrastructure over the next five years. Put plainly, in return for this cash TfL is being told to hike its prices.  Alexander wrote: ‘The funding in this settlement is provided against an assumed scenario that overall TfL fares will rise by the value of RPI+1 for each year of this settlement.’ This is the second year in a row that TfL has been told to increase its prices by the national government. The previous transport secretary Louise

Last weekend Dua Lipa kicked off the UK leg of her Radical Optimism tour in swaggering style with massive shows at London’s Wembley stadium, bringing out Jamiroquai and Charli xcx over two triumphant nights. And this week it’s Liverpool’s turn – the all-conquering pop star is at Anfield Stadium for two shows. Dua Lipa’s current tour is in support of her third studio album Radical Optimism, which was released last year. The tour was announced shortly after her spectacular headlining performance at Glastonbury 2024, and it will see Lipa play only four dates across two UK cities this calendar year. Heading to Anfield to see Dua this week? Here’s everything you need to know about the shows, from timings and a potential setlist to any remaining ticket availability.  When is Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour in Liverpool? Dua’s two shows in the northwest are on Tuesday June 24 and Wednesday June 25 2025. What time will Dua Lipa come on stage?  Doors open at 5pm. While exact timings haven’t yet been confirmed, judging from Dua’s Wembley dates she’s likely to take to the stage at around 8.15pm. The show is expected to wrap up by 10.30pm. Are there any tickets left? Some tickets are still on sale for both shows, though there’s more availability for Wednesday June 25.  How much do tickets cost? At time of writing, remaining tickets for June 24 start from around £65, while June 25 is priced from around £47. You can buy on Ticketmaster here.  What’s the full setlist for the Radical Optimi

London is a marvellous place in sunshine, but even the most die-hard lovers of the capital struggle to resist the call of the sea in balmy summer months. And there is no shortage of beaches near London – here at Time Out we’ve even made a list of all the sandy, rocky and shingly stretches of coast within easy reach of the city. If you’re looking to narrow down your options and visit a tip-top seaside town, consumer advice site Which? has just published a list of the best coastal settlements in the UK – and one of them is pretty near London. To get its list Which? surveyed 5,000 of its members, who fed back on stuff like trip satisfaction and whether they’d recommend a destination to other holidaymakers.  Which?’s list is packed with classic British seaside places, with towns in Devon, Dorset and north Wales all making the cut. Top spot was taken by Bamburgh in Northumberland (for the fourth year in a row, no less), and you can read more about that here. So, what about Which?-acclaimed towns that are near London? The highest-scoring (and nearest) of the lot was Rye. The East Sussex town placed seventh overall and received a ‘destination score’ of 79 percent, with four-star ratings for its food and drink, tourist attractions, scenery, accommodation and value for money. And best of all, Rye is just over an hour from London by train (one hour and six minutes, if you get the fastest trains). If you’re driving, it’ll typically take around two hours. Rye was the highest placed sort-

Exam season is coming to a close, and you know what that means: it’s time for millions of students to choose which universities they’d like to study at. And if you’re a prospective uni student (or parent of one), there is no shortage of university rankings out there to help you decide which educational establishment is the one for you. Last week the Complete University Guide (CUG) published its 2026 edition, which took into account factors like entry standards, spending on academic services, graduate prospects, student-staff ratios and student satisfaction to come up with a ranking of the UK’s major unis. The list’s top spots weren’t too much of a surprise, with Cambridge, Oxford and LSE taking first, second and third, respectively.  If you’re looking for more info on specific subjects, the Complete University Guide offered that, too. So, what about medicine, one of the most prestigious, hard-to-get-on courses in the country? CUG’s medicine table was somewhat similar to its general one, in that its first two spots were taken by Oxbridge. Cambridge University was crowned the UK’s top place to study medicine, with a whopping 100 percent overall score. Second-placed Oxford also received a perfect 100 percent overall score, but Cambridge slightly edged its longtime rival when it came to graduate prospects (scoring 100 percent compared to Oxford’s 99 percent). Cambridge also boasted slightly higher entry standards and quality of research.  Third in the ranking was Imperial College

It’s been nearly a year since Dua Lipa conquered Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage and then swiftly announced a couple of massive shows at London’s Wembley stadium. And now the time for those shows has finally come – this weekend Londoners get to witness Dua’s live spectacle in the flesh. Lipa’s upcoming London shows are part of her Radical Optimism tour, which began in Asia last year and won’t wrap up until the end of 2025. The tour is named after and is in support of Lipa’s third studio album Radical Optimism, which was released in 2024. The London shows will mark the first time Dua has headlined Wembley. Heading to Wembley to see Dua Lipa over the coming days? Here’s your ultimate guide to the shows, from timings and the setlist to any remaining ticket availability.  When is Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour in London? Dua’s in northwest London for two stadium shows on Friday June 20 and Saturday June 21.  What time will Dua Lipa come on stage?  Expect Dua Lipa to come on stage at around 8.15pm. Doors open at 5pm and the gig will wrap up by around 10.30pm. Are there any tickets left? Tickets are still available for both shows, though most are through resale. You can find them on Ticketmaster here. How much do tickets cost? Tickets range widely in price. Last time we checked, the cheaper ones were priced starting from around £75. What’s the full setlist for the Radical Optimism Tour? For an idea of what’s in store for fans on Dua Lipa’s current tour, this was her setlist on a rece