There are plenty of reasons to head to London for Olympics craziness, including multitudinous July and August events:
- Meltdown music festival, featuring Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser, Hercules & Love Affair and Antony (who curated this year’s line-up)
- TATE Modern’s Damien Hirst exhibition complete with floating embalmed sharks and live butterflies
- Buckingham Palace’s “Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration” exhibition of the monarchy’s eye-popping diamond-studded treasures
- Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball on September 8th at the Twickenham Stadium. Need we say more?
The folks at Hilton are offering us queer folks another reason to make the trip with a special package specifically for LGBT travelers.
The chain’s “Stay Hilton. Go Out” promotion, which includes double HHonors points, free high-speed Internet access, late checkout when available and a discount rate.
London boasts a dozen participating Hilton properties, including The Waldorf Hilton, Hilton London Green Park Hotel and Hilton London Olympia Hotel.
I stayed at the latter during July’s WorldPride week. Situated on the West End’s tony Kensington Street, a short walk to the beautifully designed Westfield shopping center/district, the underrated Holland Park – home to live peacocks! – and Earl’s Court and Shepherd’s Bush tube stations. While not as chic as some other Hiltons in the city per se, it’s a good alternative for those avoiding the boozy clamor of gay Soho and its bar and club scene, or those planning to attend an Olympia Exhibition Centre event or conference.
Another plus to the property is close proximity to a hidden yet quite lovely gastropub, The Scarsdale.
Thanks to our friends at Hilton
