With no shortage of options, location and price are often the deciding factors when choosing a London hotel.
For travellers from the GCC, the Hilton London Metropole offers a compelling blend of both. Situated on the city's vibrant Edgware Road, with its wealth of Middle Eastern restaurants, this central location provides easy access to the capital while catering to specific cultural preferences, making it popular with guests from the region – more than 65 per cent of its summer bookings in 2023 were from the GCC.
Last year, the hotel was renovated to offer more family accommodation options, including interconnecting rooms and a three-bedroom penthouse with skyline views, plus a new prayer room. The National checked in to experience first-hand what the property has to offer.
The welcome
It is 8am when we reach reception in the spacious lobby of the Hilton London Metropole. Having arrived straight from the airport, we’re entirely grateful that our room is ready early. A smooth check-in includes an explanation of the hotel’s layout, which despite having grown its footprint over the years to now offer more than 1,000 rooms, somehow retains the vibe of a boutique-sized hotel.
The neighbourhood
The hotel occupies a large corner plot on Edgware Road, London's Little Arabia and a multicultural district filled with a large number of Middle Eastern eateries and businesses.
Located between Marble Arch and the Marylebone flyover, the street is easily accessible via driving routes and just a short walk from the London Underground stop of the same name on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines. While this is ideal for getting around without having to splurge on taxis, the lack of lifts at the station make it less handy when travelling with a heavy suitcase.
On Edgware Road, Arabic music and the heady scents of shisha are a reminder of home for GCC travellers and both make for a vibrant walk down to Hyde Park and Marble Arch. Oxford Street and Regent Street are also within walking distance meaning there's no shortage of dining, shopping and entertainment options.
For international travellers, the Hilton London Metropole is a short distance from Paddington Station where the Heathrow Express can get you to the country’s busiest airport in 15 minutes. Gatwick is reachable in about an hour.
The room
Our eighth-floor king executive room is in the stylishly renovated East Wing. While compact, it features all the essentials for a city stay, from a widescreen TV opposite a king-size bed to a Dualit coffee machine and ample tea-making facilities. The bathroom has a good-sized sink and generous corner shower unit with rain attachment, white and grey marble effect tiles and Crabtree & Evelyn lotions and gels, wall-attached to save on waste.
Tapering into an angled corner, the bedroom boasts a dark blue sofa, matching curtains and a small marble-topped coffee table. A dressing table doubles as a work area on top of a grey patterned carpet, while muted beige walls and wood panelling add to the mellow interior vibe. A balcony overlooks adjacent offices and apartment buildings, although restricted access prevents guests from going out.
The service
From our early morning check-in through to our departure, there’s a noticeable cheerfulness among staff, even during peak times at the busy breakfast service.
Our waiter during dinner at Tyburn Kitchen is helpful with menu suggestions, including being able to point out which dishes are halal, and securing us a good table from where we can watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen.
The scene
A mixed scene awaits at the hotel which is popular with families, couples and business travellers alike. Off the main reception is the Bow Bar with convivial seating around a circular serving area. There are plenty of tables and comfy spots that fill up fast both evenings of our stay. A broad corridor leads past a well-staffed concierge desk and the airy Tyburn Market cafe area that serves a variety of snacks.
A spacious modern gym equipped with Life Fitness running machines and Peloton bikes awaits, and you’ll also get some steps in finding the space through a warren of third floor corridors. The facility includes plenty of strength equipment, a dedicated stretching area, and health tracking connectivity.
Hotel eco credentials include 100 per cent of electricity generated from offshore wind farms, and staff uniforms fashioned from recycled plastic bottles. Property mascot Hugo the hedgehog is a cute addition and the hotel's nod towards conservation of the species – younger travellers checking in are given a Hugo-themed passport and a map for the "Hugo Hotel Hunt" – where they can track down the furry creatures around the property.
The food
Tyburn Market is a vibrant casual lobby dining area with a good sandwich selection beside more substantial snacks and grab and go options, while its next-door namesake, Tyburn Kitchen, deals in tasty bigger plates with 90 per cent of ingredients sourced within 150km of the hotel. The lively open kitchen delivers a varied selection of which our spiced duck tostadas (Dh67) were an immediate hit, although arguably overgenerous with the delicious filling of braised duck, chestnuts, mushrooms, garlic and dried plums. Seared sea bass with Weymouth crab and capsicum rice (Dh168) proved a wise main choice, as did a whopper of a tomahawk with cold pressed rape seed oil mash, sage, and bacon jam (Dh134).
Tyburn Kitchen is also the main breakfast venue, opening into extra sections during the busiest times. For guests with access to the executive lounge, there’s a calmer breakfast option available here. This is also the place to go each evening at 6pm for delicious canapes such as Korean chicken, moreish potato falafel, mini Bakewell tarts and creme brulee, but get there promptly as the offerings are quickly snapped up.
Highs and lows
We loved the hotel’s location which is perfect for sightseeing – and furry mascot Hugo the hedgehog adds a fun twist for kids.
Patience is needed when waiting for the hotel lifts during busy times.
The insider tip
Breakfast can get super busy, so seek out the "hidden" area in the top corner alcove of the dining room for a calmer experience. Good to know – the Executive Lounge is currently being upgraded, with March 1 the date set for its reopening.
The verdict
The English capital offers a vast range of hotels, but if budget and convenience for the London Underground and walkable attractions dictate then the Hilton London Metropole is a comfortable, solid choice.
The bottom line
Rates start from Dh730 per night, room only. Check-in from 3pm; checkout until noon
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future.
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Tuesday results:
- Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
- UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
- Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets
Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Results
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Company%20Profile
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
