Twinkling lights, fabulous shops, stunning shows – there’s much to love about London at this time of year. The capital can, at first, seem a hard and grey place when the clocks go back, but it certainly starts to show a cheerier face in the run-up to Christmas, with festive displays in Mayfair shopfronts, bustling markets popping up in Hyde Park and on Southbank, and all manner of fun entertainment to enliven the cold winter evenings. It’s no wonder that for many locals, December shows the city at its best and brightest.

So, whether you’re after a spot of retail therapy in Knightsbridge or some sightseeing in the West End, here are the top places for a magical Christmas stay.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park 

Knightsbridge

Best for: Wow-factor dining

Pride of place in the heart of Knightsbridge, directly opposite Harvey Nichols, this is perfectly placed for Christmas shopping. Inside, the lobby of this towering Edwardian building is a spectacle in itself, all marble walls, magnificent open fireplaces, an entire wall of deep purple and rust-red hydrangeas and gaily suited concierges. Bedrooms are similarly spectacular; ours – a presidential suite – was gargantuan with a whopping living room, flat-screen television dominating one wall and a wall of windows looking out on to Hyde Park on the other. There was a modern freestanding oval bathtub, the firm bed was big enough for four and the minibar was an entire cabinet – loose-leaf teas, delicious chocolate pralines, every spirit thinkable… Even the desk was stocked with thoughtful touches such as Tipp-Ex, fresh rubbers and staplers, plus there was a shelf of curated novels by Julian Barnes and John Le Carré. 

We unwound in the basement spa, complete with warm whirlpool, large lap pool for lengths (with fireplace) and well-equipped gym. Treatments are beautifully curated; we completed a ‘yin and yang’ questionnaire, then the masseuse tailored the Aromatherapy Associates oils to our mood (ours contained lemongrass, cardamom and coriander). The hands-down highlight, though, is the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Dishes are woven with historic meaning (Meat Fruit, a chicken liver parfait wrapped in mandarin jelly and fashioned to look like a mandarin orange, is one of the most famous), and service is beyond impeccable (we, a party of three, had three waiters and a sommelier tending to us). Ask for the table next to the glass wall looking into the kitchen – no sign of Heston, sadly, but watching the chefs at work is more like watching a beautifully synchronised orchestra than a busy Saturday night restaurant. 

Stella loves: Watching the spit-roasted pineapples slathered with caramel twirl on the rotisserie in Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, and seeing preparation for Tipsy Cake, one of the finest puddings we’ve tasted.  

Out and about: No need to take a Tube or cab from here. To one side is Hyde Park, great for morning runs or ‘Boris bike’ rides. Horseriding can also be booked in the park (hydeparkstables.com). Knightsbridge has every designer shop you could want, plus iconic department stores Harvey Nichols and Harrods, alongside high-street favourites such as Zara. Check the hotel website for a list of additional experiences, from a tour of London’s markets and food halls to a private tour of the British Museum (britishmuseum.org). The V&A is within walking distance, too – catch the end of the Alice: Curious and Curiouser exhibition, which runs until December 31 (vam.ac.uk). 

How to do it: Rooms from £892 a night. Special offer with the new Travel Again package starts from £520 a night; for more information call 020 7325 2000 or visit mandarinoriental.com. Read the full expert review here