A spookily unbeatable weekend

“HOW will we ever beat that?” my boyfriend asked as we sat on the train home to Swindon.

We had just come to the end of a weekend break in London, which included a five star hotel stay, a theatre show in Covent Garden and a concert at the O2 Arena.

And by the end of our stay, we had that same sad feeling that arrives at the end of every holiday.

The weekend started at One Aldwych hotel in Covent Garden, which had the lovely luxurious feel of a five star hotel (not that I have much experience of them) without being at all pretentious.

Our room was faultless, from the crisp, white linen on the bed (with the biggest pillows I have ever seen), to a spotless modern bathroom complete with a television.

And directly outside one of our two windows, we could even see the theatre where The Lion King is playing – it was certainly the most impressive hotel room I had ever stayed in.

Getting into the spirit of the five star lifestyle, we donned our best clothes and enjoyed cocktails in The Lobby Bar, where we sat and admired the stunning architecture and artwork around us.

The drinks themselves were delicious, if slightly stronger than I would usually choose, but it only added to the holiday mood.

Then (feeling slightly light-headed) we walked into the Axis Restaurant, where the staff made us feel like royalty.

It was a true fine dining experience, and I went for a chickpea panise starter (£8) followed by honey glazed domme duck with roasted carrots, glazed chicory and blood orange (£23).

Scott chose warm sliced porchetta with apple, honey mustard seeds and wild rice (£9), followed by Angus black beef with Roscoff onions, leek, wild garlic and quinoa risotto (£20).

We were also treated to an extra course of mackerel in between the starter and main, which was delicious.

The waiter helped us choose a wine to go with the meal, we went for a Malbec, which is apparently on trend – and I could see why.

I’m not usually a fan of red wine, but this was sensational. The deep yet refreshing flavour perfectly complimented the duck, which, by the way, was just as moreish.

The duck was tender and juicy, and even now, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

With time ticking on, though, we had to skip dessert (much to our disappointment). We just had time for a quick pot of tea and some delicious bitesize truffles and sweets, which were clearly handmade, before heading to the Fortune Theatre to watch the Woman in Black.

With the warm feeling of food in our stomachs and red wine numbing the cold March evening, we set out on the two-minute stroll over to the theatre. The hotel couldn’t have been closer, and we made it to our seats with plenty of time to spare.

Maybe we would have had time for dessert, we discussed, but with the full feeling really setting in, we decided it was probably better that we had run short on time after all.

As for the show itself, I won’t spoil the storyline. I knew nothing about it before I saw it, and apparently that is the best way to watch it.

What I will say, though, is that I spent more than half of it gripping on to Scott’s hand, and I even had to look away at some points when the tension on stage got too much.

The actors were fantastic, and as it is such a small theatre, the audience was so close to the action that it felt like we were on stage too.

By the end of the show, I felt like I had been on an emotional rollercoaster, and we excitedly reminisced the plot (and I quizzed Scott on what the twist actually meant) on our short walk back to the hotel.

The next day, we were still full from the evening meal, but we made our way to the hotel’s Indigo Restaurant, which overlooks the Lobby Bar area.

I had porridge with homemade berry compote and Scott chose pancakes with maple syrup. They were simple dishes, which we could easily have made at home, but at One Aldwych they tasted phenomenal.

Scott’s pancakes crumbled apart as he cut into them, the way they should.

The compote on my porridge was tangy and had lovely juicy pieces of fruit in. We washed it down with fresh orange juice and another pot of tea, and yet again the serving staff were on top form.

Anyone would have thought we had been spoilt enough by now, but the best was yet to come. It was time to head to the hotel spa.

The hotel’s pool is truly stunning, the lighting and decoration gave it a great atmosphere, and we must have arrived at exactly the right time as we were the only ones in there for about half-an-hour.

We also enjoyed the steam room, but after about five minutes decided we weren’t cut out for that kind of heat.

I usually hate swimming pool changing rooms, but these were just as high quality as the rest of the hotel. In fact, I quite enjoyed using them as I drank the complimentary lime and mint infused water provided while wearing the hotel’s fluffy dressing gown and slippers. Quite the opposite to my leisure centre experiences.

Next came the spa treatments, where we both had a back, neck and shoulder massage.

With calming music playing, relaxing scents around me, and a friendly masseuse, I have to admit I think I fell asleep at one point.

And when it came to the end of the half-hour-session, I felt completely rejuvenated.

Scott, on the other hand, had had a completely different experience, and had discussed the knee injury he has been suffering from since running the Swindon Half Marathon in 2012 with his masseuse, who was also trained in sports massage.

It was his first experience of a massage, and he has been raving about how much it helped him ever since.

From the service to the room, to the food and the drink, One Aldwych is a perfect treat for anyone looking for a romantic weekend away in London.

With rooms from £265 (including VAT) per room per night, it’s not a cheap option, but it’s worth every penny.

Keeping up the outstanding standard of the weekend, we headed over to the O2 Arena to watch Beyonce perform on Sunday evening. She kept us waiting until about 8.30pm, but it was without a doubt the best live performance I have ever seen.

Scott had bought us standing tickets, which meant we were right up close to the star, particularly when she came out to the middle stage.

And to top it all off, while singing her hit Drunk In Love, her husband Jay-Z joined her on stage, much to the delight of her fans.

So as we sat on the train back to Swindon, we were distinctly left with the post-holiday come-down.

“That was one of the best weekends of my life,” said Scott, as we watched London disappear out of sight as we stared out of the window. “How will we ever beat that?”

“I don’t think we will,” I replied.

WHAT TO DO

O2 ARENA The O2, Greenwich peninsula, South-East London is a state-of-the-art concert arena.

It also includes a music club, cinema, exhibition space, and bars. To book tickets visit http://www.theo2.co.uk/ l VISIT LONDON If you are planning a trip to London, visitlondon.com has plenty of ideas.

From museums to galleries, shows to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, you can see a whole host of ideas for your trip to the capital.

WOMAN IN BLACK

THE Woman in Black, at the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden, combines the power and intensity of live theatre with a cinematic quality inspired by the world of film noir.

It gives audiences an evening of unremitting drama as they are transported into a terrifying and ghostly world.

The Woman in Black is now celebrating 25 years in the West End. More than seven million people have lived to tell the tale of one of the most exciting, gripping and successful theatre events ever staged.

ONE ALDWYCH

CONTEMPORARY luxury hotel One Aldwych gives guests a true five star experience.

The hotel, which opened in July 1998, offers 105 guestrooms and suites – two of which have private gyms.

Artworks are displayed throughout the hotel, as well as in every guestroom. The collection amounts to more than 350 pieces.

Flowers also play a great part in the overall look of the interior. Each day, in every guestroom and throughout the public areas, arrangements are changed and renewed by Mark Siredzuk of Flowers at One, the hotel’s in-house florist.

In addition to The Lobby Bar, there are two restaurants guided by executive chef Dominic Teague – Indigo on the mezzanine level overlooking the lobby, and Axis at One Aldwych on the lower ground floor, with a separate street entrance. A private guest-only space, Lounge At One, was unveiled in 2013.

In addition to outstanding exercise facilities, the hotel’s health club has three treatment rooms with exclusive treatments from Natura Bissé and an 18-metre chlorine free swimming pool. The club has a team of personal trainers, and it is open to non-resident members.

Completing the hotel’s impressive list of features is a private screening room (seating 30) with its own reception room, as well as a series of meeting, conference and private dining rooms.

One Aldwych, which is in a 1907 building which that was formerly home of The Morning Post Newspaper, enjoys a fabulous location bang in the middle of London, in Covent Garden, right between the City and the West End, ideal for both business and leisure travellers.

Tate Modern, The British Airways London Eye, Somerset House, the National Gallery and the Royal Opera House are all just a stroll away. One Aldwych is also within walking distance of 15 West End theatres. For shopping, Bond Street, Mayfair and Covent Garden are easily accessible. For more information or to book a stay visit onealdwych.com Tickets are from £17.50 to £47.50. For tickets, or for more information, visit thewomaninblack.com