Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of country-house weekends and shooting-
party picnic hampers, cunningly packaged
for aspiring middle-class punters.
Not only are the high-ceilinged halls
superbly outfitted, with marble counters,
mahogany shelving, sparkling glass cases,
and richly tiled walls, the food displays
themselves are artful as still lifes. Cuts of
Scotch beef, Dutch veal, and streaky
bacon in the butcher section have been
trimmed with almost surgical precision.
The dairy department offers raw-milk
cheeses, high-fat butters, and a number of
other products that Americans can't get at
home. Increasingly Harrods has developed
its own store brands—stacks of hand-
somely packaged jams, cookies, and con-
fectionery and tins of tea, perfect for
souvenirs. Even if you don't buy anything
(and at these prices, you'll be calculating
every purchase), it's a visual experience
not to be missed. If you're feeling peck-
ish—or simply overwhelmed by the opu-
lence and profusion—take advantage of
the counters around the halls where you
can sit down and enjoy small servings of
sushi, oysters, charcuterie, tapas, pizza, or
pastries.
Strung up with white lights at night, like
a Pearly Queen, Harrods is a blaring tourist
magnet, no question about it. And it's no
longer an official royal provisioner—not
since owner Mohamed Al Fayed's public
denunciation of the royal family, following
the death of his son Dodi alongside Prin-
cess Diana. Service is coolly professional,
and because the place is generally
thronged (must pick up those souvenirs
before getting on the plane!), it can take
ages to get served; it's not a place you just
dash into to pick up a quick nibble. But add
the entertainment value of shopping here
The food displays and the setting are equally
lavish at Harrods in Knightsbridge.
into the price of these comestibles, and its
value for money.
87-135 Brompton Rd. (
&
44/20/7730
1234;
www.harrods.com).
(
Heathrow (24km/15 miles) or Gatwick
(40km/25 miles).
L
$$$
22 Jermyn St.,
22 Jermyn St.,
St. James (
&
800/682-7808
in the U.S., or
44/20/7734-2353; www.22jermyn.com).
$$
Vicarage Private Hotel,
10 Vicarage
Gate, South Kensington (
&
44/20/7229-
4030;
www.londonvicaragehotel.com).
