London

Members of Ten go to London to:

• Visit friends and work colleagues
• Enjoy the galleries, theatres and museums
• Treat themselves to a lot of shopping and eating out
• Go on a big night out or celebration weekend

With most of the Ten team based in London, we're well placed to advise on the most specific requests from members visiting the capital. Whether it's art, culture, sport, events, shopping, spas, underground jazz clubs or little known bars, Ten has the insider knowledge.

Here's what the team recommend as a starting point to visitors, but  call us and browse the site for more ideas on events and entertainment bookings during your stay:

WHERE TO STAY

With over 27 million visitors a year, there are lots of great places to stay. The Zetter in buzzy Clerkenwell or the Covent Garden Hotel are boutique hotels popular with members, or you could go traditional with the older and famous landmark hotels. Mayfair-located Brown's, opened in 1837, and The Dorchester, with views over Hyde Park and a new Alain Ducasse French restaurant, are excellent, according to members.

NEW HOT SPOTS

We keep on top of new openings too, the latest being The Haymarket (opened last September by Firmdale Hotels, which also owns the popular Soho and Charlotte Street Hotels), for progressive style and large rooms. The Franklin Hotel, next door to Harrods, is due to open in October.

A recent trend is converting run-down pubs into restaurants with rooms. For instance, the York & Albany in Camden is due to re-open in September with 10 rooms, a restaurant and a deli, and Michelin-star chef Angela Hartnett will be at the helm. Talk to us about being the first to stay here.

EATING OUT

There are over 6,000 restaurants in London and the Ten restaurant team have eaten in all the notable ones. Great British institutions include The Wolsey for breakfast, high tea at Claridges or Brown's, pie and mash on Portobello Road and bagels on Brick Lane.

The team can also suggest fine-dining and great experimental cooking, along with British cuisine at Rules in Covent Garden and innovative, Michelin-starred food at Gordon Ramsay's Maze. See the Eating out section of the website or call the team for suggestions.

PARTYING

The busiest and liveliest areas are Knightsbridge and Soho. Also try the kitsch Lounge Lover bar (East End) for cocktails or the distinguished Lanesborough Hotel Library Bar (Hyde Park Corner), where members enjoy amazing cocktails, whiskies, wines, champagnes. A favourite is the Lanesborough Martini, which blends wokka sake, strawberry puree and fresh mint. Some places you can't just wander up to and walk in: talk to us about getting you on the guest list for members-only clubs.

WHAT TO SEE

There's a ticklist of sights for visitors and their hosts that includes Sir Christopher Wren's domed St Paul's Cathedral opposite an empty-powerstation-turned-Tate-Modern, the ‘gherkin' tower and the hi-tech London Eye ferris wheel,  which offers 40km views.

Ten can also give timely suggestions to visitors and arrange for members to attend  VIP launches, summer parties and film premieres. Talk to the Ten entertainment team about what's on when you visit and we can organise access.

GALLERIES & CULTURE

Almost all London museums and galleries are free. The Science and Natural History Museums are great for kids, there are old masters at the Portrait Gallery and talked-about installations at The Tate Modern. Talk to our team about new exhibitions when you visit. Many members visit smaller galleries, such as the White Cube in hip Hoxton, best known for Damien Hirst shows, while members say The Dali Universe exhibition at the County Hall Gallery (South Bank) is ‘excellent', and the V&A Museum of Childhood (Bethnal Green) is ‘worth the tube ride away from the chaos of Zone 1'.

THEATRELAND

London is the home of theatre and some of the world's greatest stars ─ Sir Ian McKellen and Nicole Kidman to name but two ─ appear on the capital's stages. Every big musical is likely to be running in London's West End, the newest addition being Zorro, which opens this June and runs until January 2009.

But you might want to see Matthew Bourne's new dance production at Sadler's Wells, open-air plays at Shakespeare's Globe (May to October) or a cutting-edge performance at Camden's refurbished Roundhouse or the Old Vic, where Kevin Spacey is artistic director. Tickets sell out quickly, but we can organise them for you. Dinner at J Sheekey followed by a West End show is a classic combo.

PARK LIFE

London is greener than most European capitals and boasts lovely parks. A favourite, report members, is Regent's Park, with boating and deckchairs by London Zoo. But members also like Hyde Park, home to the Serpentine Gallery, and woody Hampstead Heath, with swimming ponds and outdoor summer film screenings.

At Kew Gardens, you can discover rare plant species and take the recently opened 60-foot-high treetop walkway. Although St James's Park, running from Trafalgar Square, is small, it's a peaceful haven, home to the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) and great for bat walks.

SOUTH BANK

There's no better place than the South Bank to take a stroll along the Thames. Although lined with attractions ─ The Scoop, a sunken amphitheatre (hosting free music, films and theatre), Design Museum and Royal Festival Hall, for starters ─ it's a breathing space, with skateboarders, book stalls, street art and passing boats as a backdrop. At evening, the trees, riverside and city skyline light up.

SPEND

From vintage to edgy, shopping is an experience in the capital. Members head to Oxford Street for a mix of Selfridges and Top Shop, labels on Bond Street, electronics on Tottenham Court Road, one-off boutiques on the King's Road, and vintage, antiques, jewellery and ethnic food stalls at street markets in Spitalfields (Sunday), Camden (Saturday and Sunday) and Portobello (Friday and Saturday).

EVENT DIARY

London's diary is crammed and members often time their visits with one of the many events on. See designer gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show (May), eat strawberries and cream at Wimbledon (June), dance in the streets at the Notting Hill Carnival (August), enjoy classical music at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall (July to September), and have a flutter at Royal Ascot (July).

London hosts sporting events and music all year round, from football matches at Wembley Stadium and cricket at Lords and the Oval, to huge concerts at the O2 arena, officially the world's most popular venue.

GETTING AROUND

London might feel daunting at first, but it's easy to get around on the Tube. You can also take boat trips on the River Thames to get your bearings. Ask the Ten team to organise your transport.