Knightsbridge

The gorgeous pool and serene rooftop garden are incredibly compelling, but it’s the powerful treatments using clean, nontoxic skin-care brands Oskia London and Bamford that keep luring us back. The aestheticians are gentle yet thorough as they steam, exfoliate, and pamper skin with acupressure, eye-contour massage (the depuffing effects are magic), and cold stone therapy to rejuvenate tired skin. The spa itself is a delightful mix of earth tones, flickering candlelight, and soothing vibes.

The Harrods Ice Cream Parlour came to life in the summer of 2011, serving up traditional gelato treats from Morelli's—an Italian ice cream specialist since 1907—plus Harrods’ modern twists. Highlights include the Banoffee Basket—caramel, banana, and cream—as well as plenty of cookie-and-ice-cream combos. The setting is, in true Harrods style, pretty over-the-top, with a mix of Art Deco, pastel colors, and sundae-glass chandeliers. Once the little ones have had their sugar fix, take them over to the toy section for a complete and indulgent Harrods kids experience.

This is one of our favorite grown-up hotels in London. It is decorated beautifully in subdued tones and offers pretty wonderful services, many of which are geared toward families (on-call babysitters, goody bags, video games). On sunny days, the rooftop pool is the best spot to take in everything on offer: hula hoop classes, alfresco lunch, and twice-daily kids' swim hours. Beyond than the now-famous breakfast spread, there's no lack of dining and boozing options thanks to the Blue Bar, Koffmann's bistro, and the luxe Caramel Room.

Fancy, high-tech sex toys, beautiful apothecary items, lingerie, and general erotica (there's a small but mighty selection of dirty books) is all on offer at this tasteful shop. The lingerie runs the gamut from tame (Stella McCartney, Paloma Casile) to risqué (the house line of intimates is pretty heavy on the latex), and includes a good range of bridal.

Shopping the Harvey Nichols flagship is one of life's great pleasures as it's often quiet and crowdless. Beyond having the most well-curated selection of contemporary lines in London and a shoe department that is never disappointing, the seasonal sales are legendary. As if that weren't enough to make you want to move in forever, there are also salons, spas, and the Fifth Floor—a sort of high-end cafeteria with great food and cocktails.

Feathers is the kind of well-respected, family-run institution, that even after 40 years, still manages to stay on the cutting edge. The brand assortment isn't as deep as other boutiques of its caliber, which is precisely what makes it so easy to shop—the stuff that does make the cut (Paula Cademartori accessories, Mawi jewelry, Sacai Luck separates) is all exceptional. Their recently launched online shop is the next best thing to an in-person visit.

The considerable permanent collection at the V&A has been scrupulously curated over the course of almost 200 years—and spans thousands—to fit the museum's design and fashion slant. The visiting exhibit program is just as exciting (like the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibit). With its Victorian flourishes, the actual space that contains the 140-plus galleries is one giant piece of art in and of itself.

Harrods’ food halls are a gourmand's dream. Unbelievably fresh produce, the best fishmonger in London, and almost any obscure ingredient can be found in this maze of delights (with a price tag to match). Alongside all of the gorgeous meats, nuts, breads, prepared foods, and anything else you could imagine are all of the food stalls where you can stop for anything from the finest Belgian chocolate to a NYC deli-style sandwich. Heaven.

From copper pots to the best selection of electric kettles (an English staple), you'll find pretty much every essential for outfitting a kitchen here. It's the big stuff, and the small stuff, including a variety of French presses, the best ovens, and great salt and pepper shakers.

You can't go wrong with this bastion of hotel excellence, particularly if you're willing to spring for the big-name price tag. The spa, as you'd expect, is exceptional, but it's the restaurants that stand out. Anything named after Daniel Boulud is going to impress your palate, and Bar Boulud (which now serves brunch) is no exception. Because you can also head downstairs for Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, of Fat Duck fame, you might be hard-pressed to find a reason to leave the hotel at all. (It's worth noting that the Mandarin is closed for renovations until 2019.)