Image (c) Andy Higgs, Grown-up Travel Guide

After an intense few months of seemingly non-stop and often long-haul travel our next trip is going to be to more familiar shores – those of the UK, to be precise.

As well as visiting friends and family in the London area we’ll be trying out – and reviewing – two hotels in the Big Smoke.

First up will be a night at the Lancaster London, a hotel I passed by many a time in my younger days and one with a superb location overlooking Hyde Park. With two connecting rooms for the three of us there should be plenty of space and I look forward to taking in the view – if it’s anything like this we’ll be very happy!

With Marble Arch and Oxford Street just up the road and a Tube station round the corner, we’ll be well placed for seeing the sights and hitting the shops too.

We’ll move from the Lancaster to the Rockwell for our last two nights.

I’ve been hearing good things about this affordable boutique hotel so it will be great to finally try it. We’ll be having dinner there too so can give you the low-down on the restaurant facilities.

If we’re lucky with the weather, we may even be able to sit outside in the stylish garden too.

As far as other activities go, you would hardly expect me to miss out on this, would you?

The Rockwell is a perfect base for the Natural History and Science Museums, both of which have new sections we have yet to see so they are on the list.

Furthermore it would be exceptionally rude to visit London and not go to a pub or three, and we’ll be on the hunt for a cracking Indian restaurant or two as well..you’ll hear all about it in the next couple of weeks