Park Plaza London Riverbank

The beautiful Park Plaza London Riverbank Hotel was our home away from home for the London portion of our trip. 

But we’re going to back things up a little bit.

 

Flying To London

Living in Merida, Yucatan, we’ve found that flying to Mexico City and then internationally from there often works best. 

Merida to Mexico City is typically a two-hour flight, which is generally a smooth and effortless journey. However, as Permanent Residents, we must ‘check out’ whenever we leave the country, stopping at the immigration desk. So, we always keep in mind leaving a long enough layover to allow for delays, changing terminals, and getting to immigration.

 

 

Aeromexico offers great pricing, excellent service, exciting business-class food options, and a partnership with KLM, which provides outstanding travel options.

 

 

SIDE NOTE: In reviewing meal selections before flight, Mark accidentally checked the box for this traditional Mexican Chili, Stuffed with Shrimp. When the flight attendant was serving dinner, she double-checked to make sure that was what Mark wanted, saying, “Are you sure this is what you ordered? It’s a very traditional dish and very spicy?” Not at all like a Chili Relleno, it is actually a crispy fried Chili with Shrimp and Peanuts. Mark loves very spicy food, and this was delicious—but probably not ideal for dinner on an overnight flight. LOL

 

Now, if they can get their website and app to work as well as everything else.

 

Getting From Heathrow to Our Hotel

After considering many options for transferring from the airport to the hotel, we selected BritWay Transportation and booked it online.

Unfortunately, the driver was late. He kept texting that he was ‘in the terminal,’ which meant he was on the property, still in the parking garage, anyplace but the designated meeting point.

When he finally arrived, we followed him through the airport and the crazy parking garage. His car was a very new Tesla. The drive to our hotel was hectic; the delay put us right in the middle of rush hour, and there was a lot of road work just across the river from our hotel, which took a while to navigate.

Travel Note: Uber and shuttle services are not permitted to access the bus lanes, which can significantly slow down traffic.

 

Park Plaza London Riverbank

18 Albert Embankment,

London SE1 7TJ, United Kingdom

 

The Park Plaza London Riverbank is a modern, clean, and comfortable hotel. As this was the starting point for the group tour, we opted to book our additional nights there to make our stay easier.

 

 

The hotel is in an interesting neighborhood called Lambeth, across the Thames from Parliament and other government buildings. It is located in an area known as the Albert Embankment, originally part of the White Hart Dock, which dates back to the 14th century. The dock serviced Royal Doulton Pottery for nearly a century, and then the tunnels were used to store emergency water supplies during World War II. 

The remnants of the dock and tunnels now serve as decorative features, complementing some of the fantastic local architecture. The primarily residential neighborhood was home to a small grocery store, several restaurants, and numerous attractions within walking distance.

 

 

The room was spacious, and the beds were amazingly comfortable. However, we start to feel our age every time we climb into a bathtub to shower.

 

 

Although we did not dine at the hotel’s Asian fusion restaurant, we did enjoy the breakfast buffet each morning. The buffet features a traditional English Breakfast and an array of meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, and pastries.

 

 

So that you know, the dining room can become crowded as multiple groups inevitably overlap.

 

One Big Disappointment

The only disappointment at the hotel was the group dinner on the first night of our tour. It did not do a great job of setting the tone for the rest of the adventure.

After our group meeting and introductions, we had a buffet dinner. We were in a meeting room on the lower level of the hotel. The meeting space, with no windows, did nothing to enhance the experience.

Along one side was a small buffet featuring a tossed salad and a selection of condiments. Next was a chaffing dish of plain Pasta, followed by another with Bolognese Sauce. Next was a chaffing dish of Jasmine Rice, followed by a Squash and Chickpea Curry. 

As we arrived on a Sunday, it would have been nice to have a nod to a traditional Sunday Roast – even if it was just the Potatoes and Veggies, or maybe Chicken would have been nice. 

The food was dull and bland. The only saving grace may have been the Coconut and Pistachio Mouse Cake, which was terrific.

 

Walking Along The Thames

The area surrounding the hotel was terrific. Not only did we overlook the Thames, but the neighborhood also offered some excellent dinner options and a small grocery store just a block away.

Walking along the Thames, we came across St. Mary’s Gardens. They converted the old St. Mary-at-Lambeth Church into a beautiful garden featuring a café, relaxing outdoor spaces, and unique exhibits within the building.

 

 

A little further up was a complex that housed the London Eye, an aquarium, a dungeon museum, and several (really pricey) restaurants. The Jubilee Gardens just beyond the complex featured a carousel and several quaint snack stands. It was a fun place to people-watch.

 

 

Let’s Talk About Food!

We wandered along the areas near our hotel several nights after we arrived. Here are a few of the places we enjoyed eating.

The choices ranged from affordable snack options to a little pricier places.

 

POTUS Bar and Restaurant

Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment

10 Albert Embankment

London, SE1 7SP

 

Yes, POTUS is a strange name for a restaurant in London. 

In planning, we knew we’d be exhausted when we arrived. Nothing in our hotel stood out to us, but a Hyatt was located next door, and one of their restaurants is called POTUS.

The restaurant focuses on the relationship between the USA and the UK and showcases historical photography in US and UK history.

Other than being steps away from our comfy bed, what sealed the deal was that their Burger and Sandwich Menu featured “New York Katz Deli Style Sandwiches.” The options included Pastrami, Salt Beef (also known as Corned Beef), and Ox Tongue.

This is not something we find in the Yucatan, so it was right up Mark’s alley. The Pastrami was excellent, not stacked to NY Deli standards, but it had fantastic flavor! It was a nice treat for almost $20.00 US and another $4.50 for Fries.

 

 

Chuck opted for a British classic, Butter Chicken, which was outstanding and surprisingly had a hint of spiciness. It was pricey at nearly $32.50 US. But it was convenient, and we were exhausted.

 

 

La Gamba

Unit 3, Royal Festival Hall

Southbank Centre, London, SE1 8XX

 

One night, we walked past the London Eye toward the Royal Festival Hall, a huge event space surrounded by small restaurants serving every imaginable cuisine.

We opted for something different and went to La Gamba for Tapas. 

We started with the La Gamba Lager, 2/3 pint for about $6.50 US. It was refreshing and perfect for two guys who don’t care for heavy, hoppy beers.

 

 

We shared the Croqueta Platter ($18.50 US), which included two of each of their Crab, Ham, and Mushroom Croquettes.  They were crispy, light, and packed with flavor. The Squid Ink Tuille on the Crab was a nice touch. 

 

 

We shared an order of Albondigas (about $15.00 US), homemade Meatballs in a rich Tomato Sauce with Manchego Cheese. They were so delicious that we could have eaten four each!

 

 

SIDE NOTE: Manchego Cheese from Spain tends to be a dry cheese, almost like Parmesan, which made it perfect for grating over the Albondigas. Manchego in the Yucatan is usually a softer, mild cheese that comes in slices like Munster or a fresh Provolone.

 

Chuck went for a big order of Skin on Fries (about $6.00 US), and Mark dove headfirst into a plate of Mussels and Chorizo ( about $15.00 US). They were awesome; seafood will be a theme on this trip!

 

The place was cute, the food was tasty, and we may have been the two oldest people there. It was a fairly trendy destination. 

 

The Rose Pub

35 Albert Embankment

Vauxhall, London, SE1 7TL

 

 

The last location in our neighborhood dining experience was The Rose Pub. It’s a beautiful local pub just a block from our hotel; we noticed several people from our tour group dining there.

 

The atmosphere was warm and friendly, and the floral creations and murals added to the ambiance; however, the food truly took it to the next level!

 

Chuck started with their Brixton Lager (approximately $10.00 US), and Mark opted for a Guinness Draft (roughly $9.00 US). We also shared a Fried Mac and Cheese Appetizer (about $9.25 US), which was crunchy and packed with Cheese.

 

Chuck opted for Fish and Chips ($22.00 US) because he was on a mission to find the best, more on that later.

 

 

Mark went for their Lamb Pie special ($19.25 US), as Chuck doesn’t eat lamb, so we don’t make it at home. The stew was fantastic, packed with plenty of tender Lamb and a flaky, buttery crust.

 

 

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…. Now we’re off to explore London.