All this and a pillow expert as well

Jun 9 2007 By The Journal

London's heritage is within a stone's throw of the stylish four-star Victoria Park Plaza hotel. Tamzin Lewis checked in for a weekend break in the heart of the West End.

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Confession time. I admit to being one of those bizarre people who will stop outside a building with a little round blue plaque and actually read what it says. In London there are quite a lot of them and perhaps my interest in heritage roundels indicates that I still feel like a tourist whenever I visit the capital.

Breakfasting at the ultra-modern Victoria Park Plaza hotel, one of the little blue beacons caught my eye on terraced Gillingham Street opposite the glass fronted dining room. So naturally I went to check it out, dragging my husband along, and discovered it was a good one. The great novelist and short story writer Joseph Conrad had lived in one of these little brick houses during his time in London.

Of course, this was long before the arrival of the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, and I'm not saying I was so distracted by the lure of the plaque that I couldn't finish my breakfast. The hotel offers a top-class choice of Continental and cooked breakfasts in the relaxed jB's restaurant. The restaurant also serves excellent brasserie-style evening meals with a fine wine list to match. Perfect if you want to take the easy and quick option before going to a West End show.

The Victoria Park Plaza is about a two-minute walk from Victoria rail and tube station, in the heart of London's theatreland. It is less than a minute from the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where the hit musical Wicked's run has been extended until March 2008.

Wicked comes from Broadway and tells the back story of The Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West, asking the question: "Are people born wicked or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?"

The Victoria Park Plaza is Wicked's official partner hotel and if you are bewitched by the show, you could try one of the hotel's Wicked cocktails in the glass-atrium-topped bar. You get a free cocktail if you have dinner at the hotel before going to see the show.

The hotel is a short walk from Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Tate Britain, and I discovered it is an easy and quick bus journey to Trafalgar Square.

With many of London's attractions within easy reach, it would be tempting to use the hotel simply as somewhere to sleep, but it is just as tempting to spend time in the top floor executive studio, to which we have been upgraded after an incredibly warm welcome by the hotel's staff upon arrival.

Victoria Park Plaza is five years old and the four-star hotel is bang up to date. The executive studio (one of 12) is gorgeous and the description "apartment" might be fairer. It has a double and single bedroom, bathroom and toilet room in addition to a chrome kitchen-diner and living area with broadband.

Being at the top of the building made for incredible views across London, particularly I found from the bathroom. It's all done out in the most tastefully modern style with plenty of brown and cream, and contemporary art flourishes, which are apparent throughout the hotel. (You've got to check out the jeans-clad stick-people sculptures in the foyer. Whether they are a comment on the Wicker Man or on size zero models, I'm not certain).

Back in the stylish studio, the Plaza had provided everything we could possibly want, including a pillow menu. This comes in handy not just for those who like to snack on pillows, but also those who want to choose natural down, synthetic anti-allergic or luxury magic pillows. I would usually go for a bit of luxury magic myself, but the pillows already on the bed were just fine, so I didn't feel the need to bring in the expert. But it was nice to know such a person was on hand in case of a stiff neck.

If you did happen to have a stiff neck, there is a new treatment area of the hotel's fitness suite offering a range of therapies, manicures, pedicures and recovery packages. I chose a Dermalogica Facial, although I hated the bit where the therapist looks at your pores with a magnifying glass.

The facial was a lovely experience of creams, masks, hot towels and chit chat about Latvia, the masseur's home country, which I had visited not so long ago.

• The Victoria Park Plaza is in 239 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London. Contact: 020 7769 9800, www.victoriaparkplaza.com

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Sarah Mullaney gets spooked in the London Dungeon

I lived in London for five years when I worked at the Mail on Sunday, but moved back to the North-East when the novelty of the 24-hour party capital had worn off.

I hadn't been back to the big smoke for at least a year as I've been having some fantastic holidays along the North-East coast, but the time came for me to jump on the GNER train to visit some old friends.

Arriving at King's Cross station at rush hour the tube seemed my easiest option to get to west London. It seemed this journey would be anything but easy, the tube station was crammed.

I was staying at Hotel 55, which was just a few minutes' from North Ealing tube station. The hotel was really stylish and nicely decorated but, being a converted house, the rooms were small.

Still that didn't really bother me as I put my glad rags on and headed into Ealing to meet a friend for a night out.

I got back to the hotel in the early hours and crashed on a fantastic orthopaedic mattress which gave an excellent night's sleep.

Waking up with a bit of a groggy head, I headed down for a continental breakfast. Coffee and croissants in the sunny conservatory is a nice way to start the day, but be warned it really doesn't fix a hangover like a big greasy breakfast would!

I headed into town with my friend Belinda for a bit of shopping and a spot of lunch. We got the tube to Bank and got very lost, but stumbled upon a fantastic old English pub on the riverside.

Belinda has always wanted to go to the London Dungeon - I remember someone telling me that Most Haunted's Derek Acorah had visited the dungeons and had made contact with a lot of spirits taking residence down there. This was one of many reasons why I didn't want to go - but she somehow talked me into it.

It was great, though there was a two-hour wait to buy tickets. I strongly advise buying the tickets on the internet - you still have to queue but not for half as long.

Being a nervous, jumpy person, I really wasn't looking forward to it at all. It was very dark, smelly and really eerie. As you entered you were divided into groups of 20 and we were guided through the different rooms. There was a different actor in every room and they got into character telling us about the plague, crime and punishment, and they took every opportunity to jump out on us and make us scream. They made it really interesting, but I wouldn't advise taking any children under seven as they would have nightmares for weeks, I know I did and I'm 27.

There was a boat ride that turned into a rollercoaster, but as I had my eyes shut the whole time, I couldn't tell you much about it. I really enjoyed looking around Sweeney Todd's shop, the demon barber of Fleet Street, and the crimes of Jack the Ripper made me shiver.

One more word of advice about the Dungeon, stand at the back of your group, otherwise you will be picked by the actors to try out the torture chamber.

We left the Dungeon with lots to talk about as we headed towards Covent Garden to meet some friends for dinner. We went to Boulevard Brasserie on Wellington Street. The food and service were both outstanding and it was great to catch up with everybody.

Travel facts

The London Dungeon's opening times vary according to season, see www.thedungeons.com  for full details. Current prices are £17.95 for an adult and £13.95 for a child.

Hotel 55 Rooms from £37.50 per person based on two people sharing a double room, breakfast included, 55 Hanger Lane, Ealing, London, W5 3HL, www.Hotel-55-London.co.uk

Boulevard Brasserie, 40 Wellington Street, Covent Garden. For reservations call (020) 7240 2992