Having been to London hundreds of time (or thousands for Heather!), this visit was a rarity in that it was a proper weekend break in the capital. Normally we are passing through, popping down for work, stopping for a night either before or after a trip elsewhere or just having a day out 'in the smoke'.

So, this weekend was actually quite special - we were stopping in a nice hotel (rather than a cheap and cheerful Travelodge), there were plans to do some touristy stuff, we were also seeing the opening show of Cirque du Soleil's new show, Amaluna, at the Royal Albert Hall and enjoying a 'fine dining experience' in one of their restaurants before the show. A real proper weekend in London!

Friday night started at the magnificent St Pancras station, mainly because Heather arrived there by train (I had arrived at the rather dismal, by comparison, Euston station) plus we also had to purchase tickets for future Eurostar journeys we had planned up until the end of May. After a fruitful visit to the Eurostar ticket office it was a simple trip on the Piccadilly Line to Gloucester Road and then just a couple of minutes walk to our hotel.

The Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt (a bit of a mouthful), was a really nice hotel and if honest not that expensive given the location in Kensington and the proximity to places like the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Harrods and of course the Royal Albert Hall. Breakfast was also included in the room rate which was a great way to start the day and also allowed us to skip lunch on both Saturday and Sunday.

Our Friday evening meal was a far eastern experience as less then ten minutes on foot from the hotel was Thai Taste, a highly recommended place which, possibly unsurprisingly, served up some tasty Thai food. It was a nice way to spend the Friday evening.

After a hearty full English breakfast we headed to The Tower of London which was on Heather's 'to do' list and by booking online just before leaving the hotel we saved a few quid too. The whole visit, which took us about four and a half hours, was very good and as ever with this sort of place there was too much information to take in. A bonus with it being a chilly January day there was no queuing required at all - even to see the Crown Jewels. Overall it was £21.00 each well spent!

Before heading back to the hotel there was time for a coffee stop in St Katherine's Dock, have a stroll along part of the River Thames to see Tower Bridge and to have a cheeky pint!

The Saturday evening was fab-u-lous! The food in the Coda Restaurant at the Royal Albert Hall was very good and made a night out at the theatre just that little bit special. The show by Cirque du Soleil, in what is an iconic venue, was absolutely brilliant. It is hard to describe but they seem to be able to take what are circus acts to the next level and beyond. The photographs do not do it justice, but wow what a great night!

Sunday morning was a relaxed affair and with the Natural History Museum just a few minutes from the hotel we paid a visit to see a dinosaur and a few of the exhibition areas before heading to Harrods to pick up a few items. It was tempting to splash the cash in the sales at Harrods but too be honest it was nice just to wander and take in the different floors and enjoy the retail experience without spending.

So that drew the weekend to a close as we headed home, beating the crowds too, and enjoyed a snack on the train from M&S Simply Food. That is about as posh as it gets for us!