India Lawrence

Even after a couple of vintage years for new music, 2025 has been special. Sure, we didn’t get a clear-cut ‘song of the summer’, but artists have been instead putting out defining works in a longer format. The past 12 (well, 11) months have featured all manner of extraordinary album releases.  Belted-to-the-rafters country pop, plunderphonic majesty, ecstatic dance music, intimate electronic world-building, history-collapsing art rock, triumphant hip-hop… these are just a few of the sounds and styles that have been executed marvellously in 2025. Here are the year’s finest 25 albums, chosen by Time Out editors and contributors.

It’s easy to leave planning New Year’s Eve to the very last minute – often you get so tangled up in the tinsel-decked glories of Christmas that you forget there's another big bash, just a week later. But New Year's Eve is the kind of night that you forget at your peril. Attempt to wing it and you might well end up stuck at home with a glass of flat prosecco in front of Jools Holland’s Hootenanny, because all London's best clubs and parties book out weeks or months in advance.  But fear not, we're here to make sure you give 2025 a seriously good send-off. Here's our list of London best NYE bashes for ringing in 2026, from never-ending club nights to LGBTQ+- friendly celebrations. Assemble your crew, book your tickets, plan the perfect ‘fit and prepare to say a big fat goodbye to the year gone by. London’s best NYE parties at a glance 🎆 Best for views of the fireworks: New Year’s Eve at Sky Garden 🦖 Best for a one-of-a-kind party: NYE at the Natural History Museum 🍴 Best for midnight snacks: New Year's Eve at Aram, Somerset House  🏳️‍🌈  Best for LGBTQ+: Horse Meat Disco at Village Underground 🌟 Best for glitz and glamour: New Year's Eve at W London RECOMMENDED: Find things to do in London on New Year’s Day.

Let’s be honest, with all the pressure that gets put on New Year’s Eve, often it ends up as a disappointment. You’re lying if you say you haven’t spent at least one countdown with your head over a toilet after getting too razzed before midnight, or the night is spent jostling with what feels like everyone in London to get into an average club night. This year, spare yourself the pain and save the hardest partying for New Year’s Day instead.  New Year’s Day raves have taken off over the last few years. They tend to last longer than the events of the night before and there aren’t the same enormous NYE crowds to battle with. Of course, celebrations on Jan 1 needn’t be instead of NYE revelries – soldier through your hangover and combine the two to create one big 48-hour blowout.  The capital’s venues are ready to welcome you with open arms for the first rager of 2026, with all manner of day and night parties to check out. Because who says the fun needs to stop as soon as the countdown’s over? Here are London’s best New Year’s Day parties.   RECOMMENDED: Find New Year’s Eve parties in London.

As the new year approaches, we’ve got festival season 2026 on our minds. And we can’t wait.  By the time summer rolls around, Londoners will be absolutley spoilt for choice. With something taking place almost every weekend throughout the warmer months, you can forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days; simply hop on the tube and before you know it you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over.  The future of events in Brockwell Park was thrown up in the air in 2025, but you’ll be glad to know that the south London park’s usual lineup of events – which includes Cross The Tracks, Wide Awake and Field Day – will all return in 2026.  And the line-up announcements for next year’s events are already coming in thick fast, with huge acts like Tyler, The Creator, Lewis Capaldi, Lorde, Lily Allen, Blood Orange and Deftones all set to take to London stages next summer. Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – and see what takes your fancy. RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

January might seem like miles away right now – you’ve still got a full season of ice skating, festive markets, and panto-watching to get through. But what is ostensibly to most depressing month of the year will creep up on you before you know it.  However, it isn’t all bad. For one thing, it’s the ideal time to discover London on a budget and without the crowds, while many of city’s very best theatre and musicals, restaurants and bars – ranked definitively by Time Out's crew of expert local editors – offer discounted tickets and cheap meal deals to entice you out of the house during the coldest and darkest days of the year. Believe it or not, but January can also a time for celebration, too. London will once again be playing host to plenty of Burns Night ceilidhs, haggis suppers and poetry readings commemorating Scotland’s most famous poet, plus dinners and parades in celebration of the Lunar New Year, which falls nice and early in 2025, on January 29. If you’re someone who likes to commit to a month of sobriety or a punishing new exercise regime at the start of the New Year, London definitely has your back too. The city is home to countless excellent sports clubs and fitness classes, plus dozens of glorious parks and spectacular walking routes, and there’s arguably nowhere that better caters for the sober and sober-curious. Of course, if you’d rather just settle in by an open fire at one of the city’s cosiest pubs instead, then there’s absolutely no judgement from us! Howeve

You’re probably not even thinking about February right now. There’s still an entire Christmas party season, followed by the inevitable January hibernation to get through. But February will be coming on the horizon sooner than you think, so why not get ahead and start planning now? February’s social calendar is surprisingly busy, with a bunch of important dates packed into its short four weeks including Valentine’s Day, London Fashion Week and LGBTQ+ History Month. It’s also half-term, again. But fear not, there’s plenty to entertain the kids in London this Feb.  And there’s plenty more on besides all that. Seize your chance to have some fun this February, with our guide to the best things happening in London over the month. London’s best things to do in February at a glance: 🛏️Best for art lovers: Tracey Emin, Tate Modern 🎭Best for thespians: Dracula, Noel Coward Theatre  🪄Best for magicians: Abracadabra!, Somerset House 🏉Best for sports fans: Six Nations, various RECOMMENDED:🎨 The best art exhibitions opening in London this February 🎭 The best theatre shows opening in London this February🍽️ The best new London restaurants opening this February🎤 The best gigs happening in London in February😂 The best comedy show to see in London this February

It’s December, and that can only mean one thing in the dance world: it’s Nutcracker season.  On top of not one, not two, but three productions featuring Clara, the Sugarplum Fairy and co, there’s a new hip hop take on A Christmas Carol by ZooNation, and Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes is back.   Here’s the best dance in London this December.  India is in charge of dance listings at Time Out. She was first shoved into a leotard and ballet shoes aged four, and has loved it ever since. Nowadays India prefers contemporary (or dancing in a sweaty club) to ballet, but still has a soft spot for the odd grand jeté every now and again. India has been reviewing dance in London since joining Time Out in 2022.  MORE STAGE: Dance classes in London Best theatre shows this yearBest theatre shows this monthBest comedy shows this month

Urgently in need of some cool pressie inspo for your nearest and dearest? Don’t worry about it! Our London gift guide is here, and it features loads of lovely pressies to suit just about any Londoner you can imagine.  From nifty gadgets to stylish accessories, covetable homeware to kids’ gifts, our editors have got every base covered, including plenty of sustainable options and handmade bits from some of London’s coolest indie brands and makers.  Need even more present inspiration? Check out our roundup of London’s best Christmas hampers for 2025. Time Out’s 2025 Christmas Gift Guide at a glance 🏰 Best for tech nerds: Nothing headphones 💷 Best for foodies: Allday Goods knife 🔬 Best for style queens: Peachy Den scarf and mitten set 🎡 Best for cool blokes: Percival martini cap 🎨 Best for youngsters: Ty Beanie Bouncers RECOMMENDED: More Christmas fun in London. 

It’s been another stellar year for music in 2025, packed full of belters, breakouts and hook-laden earworms.  Lorde returned to her angsty roots, Pulp dropped their first album since, and Bad Bunny reigned supreme on the streamers. We were blessed with new music from pop heavyweights Lady Gaga, Lily Allen and Robyn. In a plot twist, Rosalía dropped a classical album packed with religious references, and Turnstile made hardcore mainstream. Breakout stars CMAT, Addison Rae and Jim Legxacy proved that they are here to stay. Here Time Out editors and contributors have hand-picked the tracks they’ve had on repeat this year. These are the 40 best songs of 2025.  RECOMMENDED: The 25 best albums of 2025. 

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. RECOMMENDED: 🎧 The best albums of 2025 (so far)🎥 The best movies of 2025 (so far)📺 The best TV of 2025 (so far)

When it comes to art and exhibitions, London has it all. From the niche spaces, to the avant garde galleries, and the massive crowd-pleasing museums, our city is packed with shows that will perplex, challenge, inspire, educate and leave you feeling awestruck.  The problem is... there’s absolutely tons to see. Too much, you could say. Lucky for you, Time Out exists. For decades, our experts have been visiting and reviewing all the sculpture, painting, performance, photography, history, fashion and other types of exhibitions on offer. You name it, we’ve (probably, most likely) seen it. If you’re wondering what’s actually worth your time, start here. Check out the best museum exhibitions and art in London right now, and be sure to come back weekly for the latest picks. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Best photography exhibitions in LondonBest free exhibitions in London

There are an array of hotels in Dublin to suit all types of tastes and budgets. But Dublin is, quite simply, a very expensive city, up there with the likes of London and Paris, and staying here can cost a pretty penny. But don’t worry – if you know where to look, you’ll find plenty of digs for under €200 a night.  We’ve picked our favourite cheap hotels in Dublin which are on the lower end of the scale but a step up from budget hostels – and still within a short distance to the city’s top things to do, as well its best restaurants. From the oldest hotel in Dublin to modern city-centre spots, here are our favourite budget hotels in the city.  RECOMMENDED: 🏠 The best Airbnbs in Dublin🏨 The best hotels in Dublin How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. We have reviewed some of the hotels featured below, but we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 📍 Find more places to stay at our ultimate guide to hotels in Dublin

This one is not for the faint-hearted. The Cause is going all out for 2026, bringing in the new year with a massive 16-hour day into night party. They have assembled what can only be described as the Avengers of party starters for this shindig, with takeovers from Gottwood, Bugged Out!, Origins, picnic records and more. The bash will take place across at least seven dancefloors, with more maybe to be announced. Big headliners include Francesco Del Garda, Young Marco, Helena Hauff, Lukas Wigflex, Factory Floor, Spray and Special Request. Don’t forget to pack a Snickers. 

Floating Points will be on the decks all night long at FOLD this NYE, warming up the club before its bumper 24-hour Unfold sesh on New Year’s Day. FP will dig into his deep collection to take clubbers on a sonic journey, playing everything from disco, to garage, to techno. Skip the Jools Holland and lose yourself in here instead. 

Since launching in 2019, Cross the Tracks has firmly made its name for itself as London’s go-to festival for funk, jazz, RnB and hip hop heads. Its groove-heavy curation leads to a laid-back and open-arms atmosphere, which means you’ll find all sorts of people of having a boogie at the one-dayer.  When is Cross the Tracks 2026? Cross the Tracks is taking place in its usual slot on Sunday May 24, in Brockwell Park. How much are tickets? Next year’s ticket prices haven’t been revealed yet, but in 2025 General Admission started at £54.50 + booking fee, while VIP tickets were from £89 + booking fee. What’s the Cross the Tracks 2026 line up? Little Simz is leading the line up for 2026, joined by the likes of Joy Crookes, KOKOROKO, Obongjayar, DON WEST and WAR.  Find more London music festivals here!

Two acclaimed choreographers who you might expect to work together – the remarkable ballet creator Crystal Pite alongside commercial dancer and Taylor Swift collaborator Kameron N Saunders – have come together to create Body and Soul with ENB, which recieves its UK and world premiere at Sadlers Wells. Pite’s Body and Soul (Part 1) explores bereavement, featuring two dancers in funereal black suits and white shirts. Meanwhile Saunders presents a new work in three parts that looks at the quest to find our authentic self under crushing societal scrutiny, inspired by his own experiences.

You can’t swing a pair of pointe shoes in London at Christmas without hitting a production of The Nutcracker. So it’s nice to see that there’s finally a new festive dance show on the block (one that isn’t by Matthew Bourne, anyway).  Hip hop honchos ZooNation are taking on the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, this winter. However, at the beginning we are told that writer/director/choreographer Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe’s version is absolutely not going to be the tale you recognise, with Tiny Tim et al. Instead, the recorded opening narration explains that Ebony Scrooge is about a ruthless fashion mogul (there’s certainly a bit of Miranda Priestly in there), hellbent on completing her monochrome fashion show in time for Christmas Day. It’s also spelled out that this is a story of belonging and finding your roots, which is perhaps a bit unnecessary – we all know the moral of A Christmas Carol.  Ebony Scrooge offers up a fun and inventive cast of characters, and I’m sure people will have their favourites. There are the mischievous content editors Tren and Dee (see what they did there?) with iPhones in hand; Scrooge’s sweet niece Freddie, always dressed in pink; and the kind natured Bob who just wants to put colour in Scrooge’s strictly black and white designs, played by a wonderfully fluid Malachi Welch. Leah Hill is a fabulous Scrooge, vogueing onto the stage in a pair of sparkling killer platforms over a house beat. Marley (that’s Janet Marley in this version) is quite te

Are you looking for something fuzzy to warm your heart this Christmastime? Then boy does the National Theatre have the show for you.  Katy Rudd’s seamless production is adapted by playwright Kendall Feaver from the Noel Streatfeild children’s novel of the same name. It follows the story of the three Fossil sisters: Pauline (Nina Cassells), Petrova (Sienna Arif-Knights) and Posy (Scarlett Monahan) who are adopted by the eccentric explorer and palaeontologist Great Uncle Matthew, aka Gum (Justin Salinger). After Gum goes missing on one of his many, many expeditions, the girls are looked after by his steadfastly loyal niece Sylvia, aka Garnie (Anoushka Lucas) and the matronly Miss Guthridge, aka Nana, played by the charming Lesley Nicol with a drawling West Country accent.  Set in the 1930s, the five women live in a tumbledown house filled with fossils on the Cromwell Road in Chelsea, until they realise they are desperately running out of money and assemble a motley crew of lodgers to take up rooms. There’s the stern but kind-hearted English professor Doctor Jakes (Pandora Colin), glamorous dance teacher Theo Dane (Nadine Higgin), and the bumbling car repair man Jai Saran (Raj Bajaj). After being booted out of every state school in the area, the girls are enrolled in the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, where luckily Dane is the teacher. Here they discover their passions for acting, ballet and er… being a mechanic. The whole plot is basically implausible – espec

It’s the location that clinched it for me at the Grafton, because staying here, you are quite literally right in the middle of the action. On the corner of Drury Street and Stephen Street, this modern hotel is in the perfect position to stumble straight home after a night on the Guinness (followed by the swift consumption of a spice bag) in town. I was still licking the salt and spices from my fingertips when I rolled into bed feeling sufficiently fed and watered. Fear not though, because despite its proximity to the hubbub, the room is well soundproofed. You can easily escape the hordes of stag dos, after work drinkers and tourists in the tranquility of your room. Plus, you can watch them all below while you sip a cup of tea, swaddled in a fluffy white robe. Regal stuff.  Why stay at the Grafton? First opening in 2019, the Grafton re-emerged from the chrysalis of lockdown in 2021 with a full makeover. The vibe they are going for is very much art deco glam, with a side of Studio 54. In the lobby, glittery pillars have been dressed up like disco balls, while gold accents can be found in furniture and fittings all over the digs. It has an aura of old-school glamour that occasionally verges on the gaudy (personally, I wasn’t a fan of the rooms’ blue and gold carpets). But overall the atmosphere is lively, welcoming and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The bright lobby could easily serve as an all-day hangout or decent place to get a bit of work done – there were often people l

Field Day tried to get back to its roots in 2025 when it up sticks from its more corporate-feeling Victoria Park set up and went to Brockwell Park. It will return to south London in May, so get it locked in the diary. On the line-up for 2026 is a dependable selection of DJs and producers, with the biggest names including Andy C, Floating Points, Honey Dijon and Joy Orbison. They’ll be joined by Anish Kumar, Interplanetary Criminal, KI/KI, sim0ne, Eliza Rose, Horse Meat Disco and others for a day of non-stop dancing.   

There was a time when being into Wes Anderson made you a proponent of quirky indie cinema. These days, liking his stuff doesn’t make you a cinephile with niche interests, or really even particularly cool. Now firmly in the mainstream, some of Anderson’s recent films are so stylised as to feel like parodies of his own work. And yet, the universe he has created is still just as wonderful as it has ever been. At the Design Museum’s massive exhibition dedicated to the director there is the chance to step into this ever-so-charming and colourful world – if you’re a fan of Anderson’s films, you are going to love it.  Through more than 700 costumes, props, handwritten notes, scripts, storyboards, behind-the-scenes photographs, and more, Wes Anderson: The Archives travels through each of the director’s 12 feature films in chronological order.  Entering the exhibition, the words ‘No Crying’ are stamped above the doorway of a crimson-painted room (all the paint swatches were approved by Anderson himself). Visitors are then greeted with a wall of BTS polaroids, which includes a shirtless Bill Murrary flexing his biceps on the set of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and close ups of a young Jason Schwartzmann. A series of Anderson’s notebooks are laid out showing his ridiculously neat and boxy handwriting. Of course he writes like that.  The Archives shows visitors just how much detail has been poured into each of Anderson’s films: this is the crux of the whole display. We learn about

Sadlers Wells launches its inaugural dance film festival, Dance Digital, in 2026. Held in the Lilian Baylis studio, the three day event will be packed with film screenings, talks, VR/XR installations, networking sessions and mentoring opportunities. The line-up of films is still TBA, but it promises to include the UK premiere of a dance feature film. Sadlers Wells is currently on the lookout for submissions to the festival, with awards to be given out for the following categories: best dance on screen; best documentary / behind the scenes; best film by young artists; best social first film; best cinematography; best dance (choreography, performance). Tickets go on sale in January 2026. 

London’s biggest pop festival returns, and this is going to be a biggie. Like every year, next summer Mighty Hoopla is presenting all of London’s gays and theys with a mighty line-up of nostalgic pop acts, disco-leaning dance music and megastars. The 2026 edition will be headlined by the one and only Lily Allen, who will be performing her searing and brutal new album West End Girl on Saturday, May 30. Allen will be joined by Jessie J, JLS, Horse Meat Disco and Agnes. On Sunday, the Scissor Sisters will bring their legendary show to the Brockwell Park stage. They’re joined on the billing by Perrie, Five, Alexandra Burke and Cascada. 

I have always had a soft spot for hotel bars. To some they may seem stuffy, but not to me. With their polished  interiors, sleek seats and lo-fi music, drinking in them always feels classy and sexy. The cocktails are usually good, they’re not too noisy, or trendy, and you can almost  always get a seat. I have also always wanted to go to Los Angeles, but alas, have never managed to make the trip. At Chet’s Bar I got to fulfill my dream of drinking in a slinky LA hotel bar, without leaving London.  The Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush has been home to Chet’s, from Silverlake-hailing chef Kris Yenbamroong, since 2023. Now they’ve opened Chet’s Bar, an offshoot of the vibrant and addictive Thai eatery, in the same building.  The Thai Sour – fragrant and frothy with banana liqueur – is a beach holiday in a glass Sitting on a dusty pink bar stool, I found the room pleasantly dim-lit, with each table kitted out with its own spaceship-looking lamp. There are also marble and chrome accents and wood panelling. Very nice. As for the crowd, it’s sort of what you’d expect from a hotel in west London – fairly middle-aged, and a decent amount of people who look like they could be business travellers. But that doesn’t mean that Chet’s Bar is boring – the trendy people simply haven’t found it yet.  To sip, you can order Chet’s classics, like the Lychee Martini – sweet and girly with a pleasingly green lychee at the bottom; and the Thai Sour – fragrant and frothy, made with Dewars 12 scotch, Thai spiri

If you ride a bike in London, you’ll know that the city could do with a few more cycle routes – it’s not fun having to share a lane with a double-decker bus, a black cab and an angry van driver. So, it’s good news for north London cyclists, Lime bikers and Tadej Pogačar wannabes, because a huge new cycling route has been proposed for the north of the city.  Enfield Council has revealed a plan to create a safe walking and cycling link between Palmers Green and New Southgate. The council has recently concluded a public consultation on the scheme, which would see the introduction of new cycle lanes and traffic-calming measures.  The council wants to use quieter residential streets and traffic control to guide cyclists and walkers between New Southgate, Palmers Green and Arnos Grove stations. The proposed route would run along the boundary of the Fox Lane low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN), connecting to the border of Barnet via a cycle path through Arnos Park while also using existing cycling infrastructure along the A406 North Circular. Busy roads like Alderman Hill, Wilmer Way and Bowes Road would see segregated cycle lanes built, while the rest of the routes would be ‘on-carriageway’, which means a cycle lane would be marked but not segregated from the rest of the traffic. A southbound bus gate is proposed in Palmers Road near Arnos Grove Station, which would block most general traffic while allowing buses, cyclists and vehicles with exemptions to continue. Ashridge Gardens, Cr

Opulent evening gowns by Norman Hartnell, Harris Tweed suits and the wedding dress worn by the Queen Elizabeth II are just some of the things visitors will be able to see at a new exhibition at Buckingham Palace in 2026, as the palace has announced plans to stage the biggest exhibition of the late Queen’s fashion ever displayed.  Marking the centenary of the late Lizzie’s birth, in the new year more than 200 items from the Queen’s wardrobe will be displayed at the palace for the landmark exhibit.  Photograph: Courtesy of Buckingham Palace Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style will comprise garments from all 10 decades of Her Majesty’s life, from off-duty style at Balmoral to regal ball gowns. Also on display will be never-before-seen design sketches, fabric samples and handwritten correspondence, showing how the Queen was dressed behind the scenes.  Highlights on show will include the Queen’s 1947 Norman Hartnell wedding dress, her 1953 coronation gown, a Balmoral tartan kilt, and a 1934 bridesmaid dress worn by the Queen as a child. Clothing by contemporary designers – Erdem, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane – will highlight the Queen’s later wardrobe and her continued influence on the fashion industry. Visitors will get to gawp at a selection of the Queen’s many hats, shoes, accessories and jewellery, while other gems on show will include photographs by Cecil Beaton.  Photograph: © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 / Royal Collection Trust / Paul Bulley Caroli

Whether you reckon self-driving cars are the peak of modernity or a harbinger of a sinister robotic future, there’s one thing we know about them for sure: they’re arriving in London very, very soon. It’s now been revealed which London boroughs will have driverless cars on its streets in 2026, as the first photos of Waymo’s self-driving Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in the capital have just dropped.  Waymo, which operates under Google’s parent firm Alphabet Inc, is currently trialling its vehicles in the Big Smoke before they take their first passengers in the new year. The company posted an image on social media showing one of its self-driving Jaguar I-Pace cars on the Abbey Road zebra crossing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Waymo (@waymo) According to the company’s website, Waymo Drivers ‘never get drunk, tired, or distracted’. The vehicles employ a mix of cameras, radar sensors, and lidar sensors – a 3D scanning system – within its autonomous fleet. This enables the cars to detect overlapping fields of vision in every direction up to 500 metres away, the company claims. The vehicles are intended to operate without any driver, but currently human ‘safety drivers’ remain behind the wheel as the cars are tested in London.  Waymo currently operates in the US and has done since 2020. It’s available in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix.   In a statement, Waymo said: ‘We will soon begin conducting extensive trials of W

A new ranking of the world’s best new luxury hotels has just been revealed, and the top spot is in London.  Luxury Travel Intelligence (LTI), a members-only travel advice site that compares hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and more around the world, has unveiled its global list of the top 15 luxury hotels that opened in 2025. According to LTI, the world’s best hotel in 2025 was the Chancery Rosewood. Opening on September 1 2025, this ultra-luxury Mayfair spot is housed inside the Grade II-listed former US embassy on Grosvenor Square, which makes for some very fancy digs indeed.  Photograph: Chancery Rosewood The west London bolthole is home to eight restaurants and bars, a roof terrace, huge pool and an extremely bougie spa. You’ll find no bog-standard double rooms at the Chancery Rosewood, as all of its abodes are suites, with the smallest room measuring at 53-57 square-metres (which is about the average size for a one bed flat in London). The rooms are not cheap, with the prices starting at an eye-watering £1,280 per night.   The Chancery Rosewood was the only London hotel to make LT’s list for 2025. It beat the likes of &Beyond Suyian Lodge in Kenya, Aman Bangkok and Collegio alla Querce in Florence for the number one spot.  Photograph: Chancery Rosewood Here’s what LTI had to say: ‘Rosewood has enjoyed a remarkable year, unveiling several impressive new properties globally. Three have made this year's list. No luxury hospitality brand has yet achieved this accolade. Th

When thinking of England’s most peaceful places, you might picture a quiet hamlet in the Costwolds, a charming fishing village in Cornwall, or a picture-perfect cobbled town in Yorkshire. Now, a new study has revealed exactly which English locations are officially the most tranquil places to live, and they might not be what you’d expect.  Property company Sell House Fast analysed neighbourhoods all over the country, looking at noise complaints, artificial light exposure, vacant homes, sewage works and greenhouse gas emissions at every local authority in England, giving each district a ‘sensory disturbance’ score out of 10. They used their research to come up with the ranking for the 10 most relaxing regions in England – where you wont be bothered by raucous neighbour’s parties, or have to deal with stinky ongoing sewage works.  According to the study, the most peaceful spot in England is Solihull, near Birmingham. The town in the Midlands scored a low 2.28 out of 10 for sensory disturbances. Solihull residents were almost guaranteed to get a good night’s sleep, as noise complaints were among the lowest in the country at 2.7 per 1,000 people, while only 9.3 percent of land experienced artificial light at night. Photograph: Shutterstock It was good news on the smells front too, as Solihull had excellent air quality. Greenhouse gas emissions were well below the national average at 6.1 kilotons of carbon dioxide equivalent per square-kilometre, and the borough had no ongoing se

It’s huge news for film fans and adrenaline junkies in the UK, because the massive Universal theme park in Bedford is officially a-go. First announced in April this year, the enormous pleasure paradise has just been given planning permission, and is expected to open in 2031.  The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government issued a Special Development Order (SDO) for the park to be constructed in Kempston Hardwick, close to Bedford. The special order allowed the government to bypass standard local planning procedures, however a government spokesperson said the permission was ‘subject to conditions and limitations’.   Within five years, speed demons could be riding on Europe’s tallest rides, as planning documents released in July show a proposal to build rollercoasters that are 115 metres tall. The documents also revealed that the park will have four separate ‘lands’, each with a unique theme, rides, shops and places to eat and drink.  The themes of the attractions have not been officially revealed yet, but the BBC reported that there could be rides based around franchises including James Bond, Paddington and The Lord of the Rings. Another rumour, reported by the Mirror, suggested there could be a Minions-themed attraction too.  The site is also expected to have a 500-room hotel, parking for up to 7,000 cars and spaces for hundreds to arrive every day on coaches. The bosses at Universal have said the park could attract 55,000 visitors per day, and eight mi

There’s going to be all sorts of travel disruption hitting Londoners in the new year. As well as already announced closures along the Northern and Piccadilly lines, another rail shutdown has just entered the chat. There are going to be several weekends of closures on the Brighton Mainline in the first few months of 2026, affecting travel from London to Gatwick Airport. If you’re planning on jetting off for a bit of winter sun (not jealous at all btw), you are probably going to need to plan your travel ahead. Here’s what you need to know.  Which rail routes from London to Gatwick Airport will be affected? The closures will mean there will be no connection between Purley / East Croydon and Gatwick airport. The route between Brighton / Lewes / Hove and Three Bridges will also be affected on dates separate from those affecting trains to Gatwick.  What dates will the line be closed? The Brighton Main Line will be closed between Gatwick Airport and Purley / East Croydon, as well as its branches between Reigate and Redhill and between Redhill and Tonbridge, on these dates: January 10-11 January 17-18 January 24-25 The Brighton Main Line will be closed between Brighton / Lewes / Hove and Three Bridges (not affecting London travel to Gatwick) on these dates: February 1 March 21-22 May 10 How to get to Gatwick during rail closures  Don’t panic, you’ve still got options – however it is going to take a bit longer to get to LGW during the disruption. Rail replacement buses will be i

North London commuters, it’s bad news. From the new year, Southgate station will be closed for entry for more than two months. Passengers will be able to get off at the north London station, but they won’t be able to get on, as TfL is making urgent repairs to one of the station’s escalators.  TfL said the measure had to be taken to ensure the future safety and reliability of the station, and prevent more closures in the future. This means that if you need to access the Piccadilly line from Southgate, you will have to travel to one of the nearby stations. Or even take the bus. Quelle horreur!  RECOMMENDED: The Northern line’s Bank branch will shut early for four months in 2026.The Mildmay line will close for 11 days over Christmas.Baron’s Court station will be partially shut for a year. Which dates will Southgate station be exit only? Southgate will shutter its entrance from January 5 2026 until approximately the middle of March. It’s expected to be closed for around 10 weeks.  How to get to the Piccadilly line and alternative bus routes On the Piccadilly line, the nearest alternative stations on the line are Oakwood and Arnos Grove. Travellers are advised to use local bus services to reach nearby stations. Here are your options: 298 to Arnos Grove or Cockfosters 392 to to Arnos Grove 299 to Cockfosters station 121 to Oakwood and Palmers Green stations W6 to Palmers Green What’s been said about the closures? Richard Jones, TfL’s director of asset performance delivery, said

This year, I’ve reviewed many of London’s fantastic non-art exhibitions. Thematically, they’ve spanned everything from swimming to maps and even soil. You could say I’ve seen it all – I’ve gawped at vintage Speedos, inspected top secret government documents, and admired Wes Anderson’s stop-motion puppets. I’ve got lost in the aisles of the brilliant V&A East Storehouse, and been grossed out by Jordanluca’s pee-soaked jeans at the Barbican.  But one exhibition stood out to me above all in 2025. Marie Antoinette Style at the V&A was my top exhibition for this year.  Featuring 250 objects, including loans from Versailles that have never before been exhibited outside of France, Marie Antoinette Style takes visitors on a journey through the ill-fated queen’s forward-thinking wardrobe, dizzyingly elaborate jewellery, lavish interiors, huge hairstyles and enduring influence on fashion and art today. Photograph: © Victoria and Albert Museum, London More than just a history exhibition though, the display is a moving portrait of a young woman (she was just 14 when she became Queen of France) with unimaginable wealth and exquisite taste. It depicts Antoinette as a proto-celebrity who had her reputation destroyed by the media; I was shocked by the similarities I saw to the modern tabloids. It also explores her lasting impact on pop culture and fashion, with a section filled with fabulous costumes from Sofia Coppola’s film about the teenage queen, and glorious outfits created by Chanel,

Right now, the only train station in the UK that has passenger trains that travel abroad is London’s St Pancras International, which whizzes passengers to the continent via the Eurostar. However, that doesn’t stop a number of British stations being confusingly called ‘international’. Just another one of those quirky British things.  One ‘international’ station just outside of London has just revealed a spectacular £1 million makeover. Harwich International train station in northeast Essex has unveiled a major renovation which took place throughout September 2025. It saw repairs made to the roof, as well as improvements to lighting staircases and station entrance areas. The whole station was also given a fresh coat of paint.  Andrew Goodrum, infrastructure and major projects director at Greater Anglia, which carried out the works, said: ‘These improvements make a significant difference to the overall passenger experience. ‘The station is now brighter, more modern and more welcoming, while our new energy-efficient lighting reduces our carbon footprint.’ Although it doesn’t operate any trains to Europe, Harwich station is technically ‘international’ thanks to its proximity to Harwich International Port, a major cruise and ferry terminal with a number of daily trips to the Netherlands. Harwich International runs regular services to local areas including Harwich Town, Manningtree, and London Liverpool Street.  Soon, St Pancras International might not be the UK’s only truly interna

Cavendish Square Gardens, near Oxford Circus, could soon change dramatically. Built in 1717, the little green haven in London’s West End has been offering respite to harried office workers, shoppers and tourists since it opened to the public in the 1970s.  Now there is a proposal to completely redesign the popular square, and plans are one step closer to becoming reality after Westminster City Council ‘appropriated’ the land for the developers.  Reef Group, the developers behind the project, have promised to spend £3 million improving the gardens. The company wants to almost double the amount of pedestrian footways and install a new ‘moat-like’ water feature, alongside fresh planting and building new entrances to the park along the southwest. There would also be a new major pedestrian crossing linking the square to Holles Street and Oxford Street and a two-metre-high railing to be installed around the gardens as well as 50 additional cycle parking spaces. Image: Reef Group An underground car park currently resides beneath the square, but Reef wants to turn this into a subterranean health facility. This was approved in 2022 and Q Park, which runs the car park, has agreed to surrender a lease that would otherwise run until 2036. The council is currently the freeholder for the majority of the site and has proposed selling the underground space to Reef while retaining the garden, which could raise £42 million for the council.  Image: Reef Group According to a council report,

It’s the saga that keeps on going: the Overground extension to Surrey Canal Road in south London. TfL first announced plans to extend an Overground line to Bermondsey all the way back in 2009. It was finally approved by Lewisham Council in 2022. Then, after years of setbacks, in 2024 property developers said they wanted to drop £17 million on a brand new station next to Millwall Stadium. But with no more news, by the end of 2025 south Londoners had all but given up on their dreams of a new Overground hub. Now, however, there’s been an exciting update.  Plans to build Surrey Canal Road station have actually moved forward, as Lewisham Council has just approved extra funding to construct the Overground terminal.  If it actually goes ahead, Surrey Canal Road will be on the Windrush line, with southern connections to Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace, West Croydon, and northern connections to Shoreditch, Hoxton and Highbury and Islington. It would serve the local area, which includes a new 3,500-home housing development being built around Millwall stadium.  Currently, due to its poor connectivity the development faces a Grampian condition which says that building work must pause once it reaches 600 homes. The further 2,900 homes would be unlocked once a new station is built to serve the area.  So far, TfL has secured £25 million from Renewal Group, which is building the New Bermondsey development and around £1 million from Fosfel Apollo Limited. Lewisham Council has also offered to