Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Follow the Royal Ceremony of Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace

Follow the Royal Ceremony of Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace -AK

Changing the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace is a part of England’s rich heritage and glorious past. The old regiment of Buckingham Guards is changed with the new regiment of soldiers, every morning at 11:30am. A new group of Royal Guards of Buckingham Palace can be seen overhauling the previous regiment, replacing them at the end of their duty in the Birmingham Palace’s courtyard. These Queen guards are intensively clad in an elegant red jackets and black bear skin uniforms. You can witness the ceremony in all its pomp and show during the morning hours. These guards chronicle the bearing of responsibility, of looking after the great fortresses of Buckingham Palace since the regime of Henry VII in 15th century.

As the ceremony of changing the guards Buckingham Palace commences, the guards mounted on horse backs ride past to the Mall, with the drums beating to announce their royalty. This old regiment returns and stands firm at the side of the Forecourt. The new regiment enters from the Wellington Barracks, and stands in the front of the old regiment. The two regiments present arms to the Captains and salute him with their swords. This spells the formal change of guards. The ceremony is duly followed with the music of trumpets and drums. The Changing of the Guards in February 2010 will take place on 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25 and 27. You can follow the ceremony closely by taking up lodgings near this London attraction. There is a mélange of London luxury hotels as well as budget hotels in this area, largely driven with the spirit to serve and make you comfortable.

The Seven Divisions of the Regiment:

· The Coldstream Guards

· The Scot Guards

· The Irish Guards

· The Welsh Guards

· The Grenadier Guards

· The household Cavalry Regiment

· The Life Guards and The Blue and Royals

These Queen guards have a great History in the field of virtual wars in British army. Role of these guards includes guarding the fortresses of Buckingham Palace and St. James Palace. They also serve to guard the Queen, on special occasions, so you will not be able to see them during that time. You can travel Buckingham Palace through Tubes. Board a tube from these tube stations- Green Park tube, Piccadilly Circus tube, Hyde Park Corner tube, Victoria tube or Lynton Hotel tube.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Luxury Hotels in London to Make Your Trip Memorable

Luxury hotels in London to Make Your Trip Memorable-AK

If you are planning your vacations in the heart of England, then you can look forward to rejuvenating yourself in the soothing ambience of luxury hotels London. There is a train of plush hotels willing to accommodate you with elegance and comfort. They also serve you with the best eateries, refreshments, pools and banquets. These best luxury hotels London can bring a spun and delight to your life. Here is a list of 4 best possible options to spend your vacations at.

The Langham London

Location: Portland Place, Regent Street, West London.

The Langham London is an exquisitely developed Hotel with elegant and classy interiors. Here you get several appendages with exquisite lodging facilities. Revive yourself near the oasis with aesthetically casted surroundings, minibar, dazzling cocktail bar, sauna baths, steam rooms and swimming pools.

Softifel London St James

Location: Waterloo Place, London.

Sofifel London St James presides at the very heart of London. Its structure and interiors elaborate the legacy of English culture and the contemporary French elegance. A commingling of traditions. The quality of services is outstanding. Here you are also served with French Brasserie cuisine, which serves you with the delicacies right from the excellence of Chinese kitchenette. Its standards are evident in its services.

Bagiloni Hotel London

Location: Hyde Park Gate, Kesington, London.

Bagilion Hotel London allows an ethereal view from the windows, where you can see beautiful gardens and palaces. Baglioni is a commingling of English and Italian culture. Its interiors will give a relaxation at being in total ease. It has Brunello Restaurant, which serves you with salubrious Mediterranean meals. Your all needs are taken full care of with spa, swimming pools and wine and a personal butler at your service. Its is believed to be one of the finest 5 star hotels in London.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Windsor Castle - A Glance at the British History


Where: 114 Campden Hill Road, W8 7AR, Kensington, London

Telephone: 020-7766-7304, 08712587330

Timings: Mar to Oct - 9:45 am to 5.45 pm
Nov to Feb- 9.45am to 4:15 pm

Nearest Tube: High Street Kensington, Holland Park , Notting Hill Gate

Entry Cost: £14.80 for adults
£8.50 for children (below 17 years)

The royal Windsor Castle is one of the finest, most elegant and luxurious places of the world. The aristocrat family of England has always been delighted in inhabiting it. From William to Edward III every king and queen has lived in this castle. You can trace out their signs in the marks left by each passing era of these regimes in Europe. The royal building has aesthetically designed interiors, ornamented with international paintings and portraits. Windsor Castle still continues to be guarded by the royal soldiers, whom you can witness marching in the morning hours. You will find gardens surrounding the castle as a huge source of beauty, which actually carries an ambience of the golden history that England beholds. You will be driven on a horse pulled regal carriage, through this garden. You can have a thrilling overview of this castle from the top of the royal tower. You can also explore Queen Mary’s Doll House Collection, St George’s Chapel and State Apartments. The sightseeing of Windsor castle comes as a special treat to the history and nature connoisseurs. After a long tiring day of fun and exhaustion, you can refresh yourself with a modest meal at Windsor Castle pub, with burgers, steaks, and veggie cooks. You should make “Visit Kensington castle” a must entry in your things to do list, while you are in London.

Windsor Castle has an immensely drawn structure, supported with a well developed transport networking. Many tube stations and railway stations are available to make commutation easy for the people, filling in from all around the world to see this magnificent place. You can also visit other places near by Windsor Castle through these tubes. Visit- Dina princess of Wales playground, Linley Sambourne house, Kensington roof gardens or Notting Hills all of which fall within 15 minutes of walk. You can find accommodations easily, as Kensington London hotels are easy to find and most comfortable to lodge in. You will easily get access to hotels from cheap to luxurious at Kensington, depending upon what you are looking for.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The Royalty Talks Through Kensington Palace

 The Royalty Talks Through Kensington Palace

Where: Kensington High Street

Timings: Summers - 10 am to 6 pm

Winters - 10 am to 5 pm

Ticket: Adult - £ 12.30

Child - £ 6.15

Student - £ 10.75

Senior - £ 10.75

Family - £ 34.00

Under 5yrs - Free

Kensington Palace is an imperial residence resting in Kensington Gardens in London. Serving as a proud residence of the Royal British Family since the 17th century, the palace is presently the official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Prince Harry and his cousin Zara Phillips also reside in the palace.

The splendid State apartments are open publically and include a display of the Dresses worn by Diana and Princess Margaret’s passion for fashion.

History

The early 17th century building originally built was constructed in Kensington village as Nottingham House for the Earl of Nottingham. In 1689, the Jacobean building was bought by from William III and was further extended by Sir Christopher Wren.

Kensington Gardens

Once the private gardens, the Kensington Gardens is presently a Royal Park in London. Covering an area of circa 111 hectares, the park offers open spaces forming a continuous green lung in the central point of London between Kensington and Westminster.

Visiting the Palace

Some of the historic spaces in the palace are open to be visited for the visitors and inhabit the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection which includes hats and handbags on display. The collection also includes more than 70 hats as well as accessories which belonged to Elizabeth II. The Queens Apartments has been restored after its damage during the war.

Visitors need to walk for 10-15 minutes from High Street Kensington Underground Station. They can enjoy the meals at the street or even at the restaurants offered by Kensington Hotels in London. These hotels in London also offer a comfortable stay.