Planning a trip to London? These are the places we love

Our years in glossy magazines have given us unique access to London's most lovely places and we're often asked where to take friends, family or colleagues, so these are our suggestions...

Somerset House, Strand

One of my favorite London landmarks, Somerset House is a wonderful, sprawling arts centre, once a royal palace, dating back to the 17th Century. Overlooking the Thames on one side (with a terrace you can eat out on in good weather) and the Strand on the other, I’ve had so many different experiences here. It’s situated around a really large courtyard replete with fountains which turns into an ice skating rink in the winter, which I’ve taken the family to. You can have drinks and cocktails there in the summer, which we did for friends’ hen party (complete with surprise James Bond alike!). I’ve been to numerous London Fashion Week shows in the marquee set up here for the spring and autumn collections, I’ve eaten at chef Sky Ghyngell’s Spring restaurant inside for a romantic birthday treat and most recently, Lorraine and I have been recording episodes of the podcast in the creative studios in the basement! Next on my list for a visit is the new Soil: The World at Our Feet exhibition, which as the name suggests, is all about the mysteries and wonders of soil. Kids will love it too if the pictures are anything to go by.

The Nest Rooftop Bar at Treehouse Hotel, Langham Place

Want to enjoy a great view of the London skyline with a delicious cocktail in your hand, in a place the tourist hordes haven’t cottoned onto yet? The Nest has some of the best views in town and is slap bang in the middle of the West End so a great pit stop after a day's sightseeing. Next to the BBC (which is worth having a nosy at) you’ll find an unassuming Sixties tower hiding a secret - the top eight floors are the super stylish Treehouse Hotel, which is full of quirky ‘treehouse’ interior details (think wood, lush foliage and bird boxes). Take the lift to the very top and your jaw may well drop as you walk into the hotel's rooftop bar, The Nest. You’ll love it so much, you’ll want to book into the hotel for the rest of your stay in the capital.