Our Stay at The Four Seasons Canary Wharf : A different Side of London

When we planned our 3 months in Europe, we decided that we would both start and end our trip in London.  Because there was such a long period of time between our stays, I didn’t worry about making reservations before we left home in June.  I figured we would play it by ear and pick a place to stay as our trip was drawing closer to it’s end.  After living as nomads for three months we decided to stay in a bit of a quieter spot in London upon our return in August and enjoy a few days at the .  We wanted a different experience than we had in June, and this was a great spot with FANTASTIC views of the city.

It was so nice to land back in London and know we were going to a .  Upon our arrival we were greeted with fun treats for the kids from their sweet shop in the lobby and then headed upstairs to find more welcome gifts.  Even the room keys made for cute keepsakes with the double decker red buses on them.

I can tell it was the end of the trip as I look through my pictures, because I never took a picture of the room, so I found this one on the internet that is exactly what our room looked like.  The rooms and bathrooms were nothing fancy, but this is a business hotel that caters to accountants and lawyers staying for a few days here and there while attending meetings, so I was not expecting much more than a comfy bed, clean room and the usual fantastic Four Seasons service, and on those accounts, it delivered.

If you are thinking about booking a room at the , I highly recommend paying the extra for a room with a view.  It sits right on the edge of the water over looking the city with tremendous views.  It was also fascinating to watch the water level of the Thames rise and fall with the tides.  It is AMAZING to see what a difference there is between low and high tide!

Ashley couldn’t get enough of watching the boats go by.

Sunsets and foggy nights were pretty amazing too…

While some may consider Canary Wharf to be too far away, we found it to be incredibly convenient to get around.  There is a beautiful tube station just down the street.

Buses stop regularly in the round about just outside the hotel, and the picks up right at the hotel as well.

That was the most fun for us.  Our last night we spent taking a ride on to view all the beautiful buildings of London at twilight.  It was gorgeous!

Canary Wharf is home to one of two financial centers in London and is located in the Eastern part of the city.  It is home to modern skyscrapers and familiar names like KPMG, Wells Fargo, Met Life etc.  It is also home to a fabulous mall, tons of restaurants and lots of arts and events.  It is not uncommon to see scenes like this around lunch time and at happy hour.  The place is crawling with young professionals.

Because its home to so many big businesses, Canary Wharf is also busy after hours and the restaurants get lively.

We found TACOS on one of our last nights in town at and I just couldn’t wait until we got back home to Southern California to eat some.  Mexican food was definitely sorely missed in our months abroad!

If you happen to be a James Bond fan, then you’ll love this little piece of trivia about the .  The hotel pool was used in 2012’s Skyfall.  You can swim in the same pool as 007.  That makes for a great vacation memory!  Definitely watch the movie before you stay..or even better, rent it while you’re there! 😉  The pool is part of the Virgin Active Health Club, a very upscale club offering every amenity and classes of every kind.  The club sits just across a walkway from the hotel and as a Four Seasons guest, you have access to all of the great things the club offers.  Be advised that if you are traveling with children, family swimming times are limited, so be sure to check with the hotel for hours when you can take the kiddos for a dip.

The was a perfect place to end our amazing journey through Europe.  I highly recommend a family stay next time you are in town.

Looking for more help planning a trip to London?  Check out these posts:

Things to do in London: Visit Borough Market

Visiting Notting Hill

Afternoon Tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace

Take a Spin on the London Eye

Tips for Using Public Transportation in London

Primrose Hill: Home of Paddington Bear

What it’s like to rent a vacation flat in London

How to Stay Connected While Traveling in Europe

A Walking Tour of London

Happy Travels!

Tammy