Hard Rock Hotel London: Nearby Things to Do

A diverse setlist of stuff you can get up to close to Hard Rock Hotel London, including...

• A walk in the park
• Some of the best late night eats in the city
• A journey into Soho's musical heart
• And much more

30th April 2019. You probably heard it in the air that night. A distorted power chord cut the London silence. Then another. And another. They built into a meaty three chord riff. A Harley revved. A thick black cloud of bats descended on the Tower of London, kicked the ravens out, then kicked out the jams. The Hard Rock Hotel, London had opened. The hotel has a hell of a lot going for it. The Cumberland - the hotel that used to occupy this building - was a favourite of Jimi Hendrix. Tributes to other famous former guests, including Diana Ross, Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder are all across the walls and rooms of this upmarket rock hotel. Rock memorabilia at the Hard Rock Hotel, London includes a piano played by a teenage Freddie Mercury, a suit worn by Sir Paul McCartney back in his Beatles days, and a letter written by Buddy Holly during a stay at the hotel that previously stood here. There’s a couple of bars, a Hard Rock Cafe and a Rock Shop, stuffed full of rock-related and Hard Rock-related merch. But what is there to do around the Hard Rock Hotel, London? Well, heaps, really. They’ve picked a pretty plum location, close to the nightlife and musical history of Soho, the upmarket shopping of Oxford Street and the endless green of Hyde Park. They’ve picked a good spot for their first Hard Rock venture in London, and so have you. So, let’s get out there...

Hyde Park

Just a rock’s throw away from the Hard Rock Hotel, London is the most famous of the city’s green spaces, Hyde Park. It balances its roles as a mid-city-breather and big-city-events-hub perfectly, with plenty of secluded areas perfect for a picnic, and loads of activities to keep all ages entertained. Take a dip in The Serpentine open water swimming area, or check out the art gallery of the same name. There’s also horse riding, boating and tennis facilities. They’ve held concerts in Hyde Park since 1968, when Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull and Roy Harper appeared on a mixed bill together; The Rolling Stones played one of the most famous gigs of the 1960s here. More recent acts to perform here include Arcade Fire, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift, with the park now hosting the British Summer Time Festival, which takes place across two consecutive weekends. [caption id="attachment_4789" align="alignnone" width="1000"]

royalparks.org.uk[/caption]

Oxford Street

The Hard Rock Hotel sits at the western end of Oxford Street, so you’ve got plenty of shopping options to choose from. If you’re looking for luxury, you can’t really do better than Selfridges. The storied department store features a whole host of big name designers and the most fashionable brands, so whether you’re looking for a little souvenir or a diamond the size of your fist, everything comes looking pretty stylish here. Elsewhere on Oxford Street you’ll find H&M, Adidas, the Disney Store and Dr Martens Store...you get it. [caption id="attachment_4790" align="alignnone" width="1000"]

selfridges.com[/caption]

Soho

Vibrant, seedy, hip, squalid. Soho has been many things to many people, all at the same time. It is a legendary London neighbourhood with smart bars, cool restaurants, quirky shops and a whole lotta history. Virginia Woolf once described Soho as a place of ‘fierce light’ and ‘raw’ voices. Take a walk down the busy thoroughfares any night of the week, and see for yourself. There’s Ronnie Scott’s famous jazz club, which started opened in 1959 on Gerrard St. and has been at its 47 Frith Street home since 1965. Decades on, it’s still a great venue for a late-night drink and some of the finest jazz in the capital. The Marquee Club on Wardour Street played host to a number of music icons during the sixties, including Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. The site is now home to 100 Wardour Street, a smart coffee and meeting place by day, a thriving live music venue at night. The Beatles, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Queen recorded tracks at Trident Studios on St Anne’s Court, and you’ll now see a Blue Plaque commemorating all of the momentous musical moments that took place there. Soho has been at the heart of London’s gay scene for decades, and is still an LGBT hub for nights out and events. [caption id="attachment_4791" align="alignnone" width="1000"]

carnaby.co.uk[/caption]

Edgware Road Restaurants

A fascinating history of migration from the Middle East has made Edgware Road a hub of Egyptian and Lebanese culture. There are a whole host of welcoming shisha cafes and bars along the road and adjoining streets, and many of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in London. And, when staying at the Hard Rock Hotel, London, you’re right at the bottom of the street. Visit Maroush 21, the birthplace of the Maroush mini-empire of Lebanese restaurants, for authentic and comforting dishes backed by nightly performances of music and belly dancing. Classic dishes include their charcoal-grilled chicken skewers, shish taouk, and their legendary Moutabal Baba Ghanouj, an smoky aubergine puree with tahini and lemon juice. Keep walking a little further north up Edgware Road to find Al Arez, another local favourite, serving generous mezze plates in a relaxed setting. [caption id="attachment_4792" align="alignnone" width="1000"]

maroush.com[/caption]

The Sherlock Holmes Museum

And finally, when you’re all done rocking out around town, take a trip to one of London’s most famous addresses, 221b Baker Street and the official Sherlock Holmes Museum. Situated in the famous address where the fictional detective had many of his greatest, most elementary thoughts, the private museum attracts tons of devoted fans from across the world (particularly since the success of the Sherlock TV show). Made up to look like the legendary lodgings from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved series of novels and short stories, the museum features many interesting objects and flourishes that keep the eyes of book and TV show devotees busy for hours. Top Fact: The Sherlock Holmes Museum actually occupies the numbers between 237 and 241 Baker Street. By permission of the City of Westminster, the museum displays the house number 221b and receives post mailed to that address intended for Sherlock Holmes’s eyes only. [caption id="attachment_4793" align="alignnone" width="1000"]

visitbritain.com[/caption] That's just a taste of the great things you can get up to during your stay at the Hard Rock Hotel, London. If you've got anything to add, let us know in the comments below. Looking to explore one of the world's most famous music venues during your stay? Take a read of this.