NEVER wear pointy shoes on a trip to London.

Yes, I know that sounds pretty obvious. And yes, at 44 I really ought to know better.

But my friend and I were determined to have an elegant weekend in the capital, instead of our usual budget booze-up, and those pointy little Hepburn-esque kitten heels seemed to fit the remit so well.

I should have realised that six hours of shopping in 30-degree heat would turn those cute little kittens into roaring lions... and my cute little toes into a throbbing, bleeding mass of blisters. Not elegant. Really not elegant at all.

It was just as well we had The Arch hotel to hobble back to, where anything but elegance is impossible to achieve. Five minutes in this smart air-conditioned haven — fortified by a glass of complimentary minted water and a quick change of footwear — and my cool, calm demeanour was restored. Well, as much as it can be when the simple act of standing up makes you wince.

The purpose of our trip was to take in the Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery — and more of that later — but no visit to London is complete (for me, at least) without a trawl of the super-sized department stores and flagship branches of just about every High Street shop, found in Oxford Street and Regent Street.

It just so happened that London was blessed (cursed?) with a mini one-day heatwave when we arrived, with the mercury nudging into the 30s, but since when has blistering, stifling, relentless heat been a reason not to shop?

Six sweaty hours later we were defeated, but not before we’d amassed an impressive array of shopping bags between us. Our feet had been hammered as hard as our credit cards, but boy, it was worth it.

We’d chosen The Arch hotel for its proximity to the shops, but it proved to be an ideal choice in so many other ways. Just a few minutes from chaotic Marble Arch, it really should be a noisy place, but somehow the hotel — which spans seven Grade II Georgian townhouses — is tucked away on a calm residential street where the racket of the city seems miles away.

The five-star property opened in 2010 and aims to combine English heritage with boutique chic, so there are incredible works of modern art around every corner, hung next to plump sofas and studded leather chairs.

Our room — one of 82 — was decorated with the hotel’s bespoke signature wallpaper and had that air of serenity which only extreme luxury can deliver. And there’s no need to fear raiding the mini-bar here. All soft drinks, water and juice are complimentary, so guests can quench their thirst without dreading an extortionate bill.

Dinner that evening was in the hotel’s Hunter 486 restaurant, named after the 1950s dialling code for Marylebone.

The Best of British menu there has been developed by head chef Gary Durrant alongside the food consultant Henrietta Green, and has an air of nostalgic London glamour with some very modern elements thrown in.

We sat in a leather studded booth, screened off from other guests by a sheer curtain (celebrity style, how glam!), and an amazing plate of homemade crisps flavoured with sea salt and lemon were placed before us as appetisers.

Our starters followed — prawns in a garlic and tomato sauce for my pal Hilary and scallops with a fiery chilli jam and mango salsa for me. They were fantastic; light, juicy, with the perfect blend of heat from the chilli and mellow mango. My mouth is watering just describing them.

We stuck to the tried and tested for main courses, with me ordering a salmon fillet with hollandaise and she the house burger with fries. My dish came with new potatoes and samphire and I ordered some long-stem broccoli to add to the greenery. It was Great British food at its finest.

We really should have stopped there but the desserts were too tempting to pass up and we finished up with sticky toffee pudding and banana ice cream for Hilary and pannacotta with strawberries for me. A little greedy, perhaps, but we’d walked at least five miles up and down the shops of Oxford Street so surely we’d earned it?

As is the way in this wonderful country of ours, the next day dawned to torrential rain, rendering the pointy heels (thankfully) useless. Our elegant theme put to the test, we set off for Trafalgar Square in sensible shoes, stopping off at Tiffany’s in Old Bond Street for a look at the glittering jewels in the window as a kind of homage to Audrey.

The Audrey Hepburn exhibition, Portraits of an Icon, did not disappoint. The fascinating photographic display illustrates the life of the late actress and humanitarian, who passed away from cancer in 1993, from her early years as a ballet dancer which led to her breakthrough as a chorus girl in London’s West End and on to her well-documented film career and her philanthropic work in later life.

Hepburn is instantly recognisable the world over, but there are candid shots here which will make you see her as far more than a Hollywood starlet or magazine cover girl. The selection of more than 70 images, by leading 20th century photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Terry O’Neill and Norman Parkinson, sit alongside some of her own possessions as well as film stills and extraordinary archive material of her incredible career.

Our elegance restored by association, there was only one thing to do before we headed home — stop off for afternoon tea.

Caffe Concerto in Regent Street offers a delicate selection of mini tarts, plus scones with jam and cream, as its afternoon tea package and we joined the tourists in tucking in with gusto, telling ourselves Audrey would have approved.

In hindsight, I’m not sure she would have partaken herself — you don’t get a waspish waist like hers eating clotted cream and gooey cakes. But then, what would she know? She was a woman who always wore pointy shoes... and look where they get you.

Travel Facts

  • Michelle Tompkins was a guest of The Arch London hotel, at 50 Great Cumberland Place, London W1H 7FD. Call 020 7724 4700 or go to www.thearchlondon.com.
  •  The hotel has a “London unlocked package” for couples from £295 per night (minimum two night stay), which includes an overnight stay, a London Pass for two adults and continental breakfast.
  •  There is also a family fun package from £333 per room per night for a family of four (minimum three night stay) and includes an overnight stay, London Passes for two adults and two children, for either one or two days, continental breakfast for four and two colouring books.
  •  The Audrey Hepburn exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, near Trafalgar Square, runs until October 18. Tickets cost £12 by calling 020 7766 7344.