The Knightsbridge Christmas insider

It’s not just Pret A Manger and Starbucks that stock a selection of festive sarnies. Even luxury department store extraordinaire Harrods is in on the action this year with a selection of seasonal sandwiches ready to take away from its sprawling Fresh Market Hall. These include a brie and spiced red cabbage toastie and even a vegan Christmas focaccia with kale and sprout slaw, pickled cranberries and roasted walnuts and chestnuts. You’ll also find some limited-edition festive treats at the fresh bonbon counter in the Chocolate Hall next door. These include a spiced walnut caramel flavour, apple tarte tatin and a decadent Christmas Tomatin whisky bonbon.

There are culinary openings galore in Knightsbridge for the Christmas season. Harvey Nichols has just unveiled its festive dining menu at the iconic Fifth Floor Café & Terrace, which offers one of the most scenic alfresco dining spots in town. Guests can enjoy a sumptuous three-course festive menu plus a glass of prosecco for just £36 per person. And brand-new for the season is Lucarelli restaurant, from award-winning celebrity chef Aldo Zilli. The seasonal menu there includes vegan dishes, bottomless brunches, an ice cream counter, and even a dedicated baby menu for weaning little ones.

Over at Harrods, as part of the show-stopping Dior takeover, visitors can enjoy a spot of tea at the exclusive new Dior Café. The whimsical gingerbread-inspired design mirrors the gigantic shop façade, and the menu celebrates French delicacies with a British twist, such as specially designed biscuits reinterpreting the maison’s most iconic symbols.

Harrods is renowned for its festive window displays, but the department store has really outdone itself this year. Did you know that The Fabulous World of Dior is Harrods’ largest takeover ever, with the huge gingerbread-inspired façade covering all 44 windows for the very first time.

Cooking is a big part of Christmas, but for some people the stress of catering for so many people – each with their own unique culinary requirements – can be overwhelming and unenjoyable. So why not give the endless cooking and washing up a miss and let a luxury hotel take care of everything?

The Mandarin Oriental hotel has a variety of dining options, such as a delightful Festive Afternoon Tea at The Rosebery, and there are new festive menus from avant-garde chef Heston Blumenthal at his eponymous restaurant. His Christmas Day menu has unexpected dishes, like kedgeree, fillet of beef royale with truffled mashed potatoes, and Christmas Tipsy Cake made with spit-roast pineapple, vanilla and sherry. Elsewhere, The Berkeley hotel is also offering a Christmas Day lunch with all the trimmings in its elegant Collins Room. Festive feasts at the five-star hotel can be booked throughout December, as well as a festive version of the fashion-designer-inspired Prêt-à-Portea afternoon tea. What’s more, the hotel has just introduced a brand-new winter pop-up, The Bishop at The Berkeley – a traditional pub setting bringing ‘cosy vibes and feel-good fare to Wilton Place’. Finally, if a traditional roast isn’t really your vibe, the Bulgari Hotel will be serving Christmas menus at Italian-by-way-of-New-York restaurant Sette, including a dedicated vegetarian and children’s menu.

If dining at a five-star hotel isn’t indulgent enough, The Lanesborough is offering an entire Christmas stay package in partnership with Harvey Nichols. This unique experience includes a chauffeur to whisk you down the road to the famous department store for a spot of personal styling and shopping, and a dedicated butler to collect your purchases. Your room at The Lanesborough will be a festive home from home, with your very own Christmas tree and lunch served in the restaurant. Enjoy a wintery stroll around Hyde Park, followed by a spot of pampering at The Lanesborough Club & Spa.

The Mandarin Oriental is also offering a magical stay for the whole family over the Christmas weekend (three days minimum between 23-27 December). You’ll receive a festive glass of mulled wine on arrival, as well as festive treats and champagne in your luxury room or suite. Other perks include a full English breakfast every morning, a two-Michelin-starred Christmas Day lunch, a visit to Santa, personalised stockings, last-minute gift wrapping and even tickets to Winter Wonderland thrown in for good measure.

Both Harrods and Harvey Nichols offer personal shopping as standard, but did you know that you can also book a one-on-one session with a specialist at the new Apple Store on Brompton Road. It’s a simple – and free – online reservation process, which means you can meet an expert in-store to help you find the perfect techy present.

It comes as no surprise that Harrods has a special gift-wrapping service within its cavernous walls. But what you may not know is that you can also order hessian gift sacks in-store, personalised with a child’s name. These range in size, with the smallest containing a special Harrods bear. And, as part of The Fabulous World of Dior takeover, the luxury French fashion house has launched a series of personalisation options. These include beautiful embellished gift wrap designed by Italian artist Pietro Ruffo, and the option to have a number of gift items engraved with the recipient’s name or initials. And if you’re planning to buy a bottle of Miss Dior perfume for someone special, you can go the extra mile with the option of adding custom charms and a bow. Department store Harvey Nichols also offers a custom gift-wrap service, using high-quality paper from Japan and the UK. And British fashion giant Burberry has just unveiled this year’s bespoke in-store gift-wrapping service featuring its iconic check pattern in a seasonal hue. In fact, Burberry will be pulling out all the stops in-store on Thursday 8 December with an all-day Festive Event. Along with live music, festive drinks and canapés, there will be a newly installed gifting destination offering monogramming and personalisation.

Christmas can be a busy and stressful time, so why not schedule in some self-care this festive season. First up, the Mandarin Oriental is launching festive spa treatments from 21 November, which include tailored luxury facials and top-to-toe couples treatments. And for beauty lovers looking to pick up some tips on how to sparkle this Christmas, Nars at Harvey Nichols is hosting a party make-up masterclass on 1 December. The £15 price tag is fully redeemable on Nars products purchased on the evening and includes a glass of prosecco and a goodie bag. Over at Harrods, glamorous beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury is hosting revitalising face-mask masterclasses on 1 December, while Gucci will be offering an Art of Layering and Holiday Gifting fragrance masterclass on 6 December.

Nearby Space NK is also running a series of beauty workshops and taster sessions throughout December. These include a ‘retinoid masterclass’ with Skin Rocks founder Caroline Hirons on 10 December (2pm – 3pm and 6pm – 7:30pm), and a 45-minute signature facial treatment with RéVive on 7 and 8 December (10am – 6pm). Fancy getting a pro makeover before the work Christmas do or learning how to create a killer smokey eye from scratch? Beauty lovers can book an in-store makeover at Space NK every day of the week. Simply ring the store to book your slot and pay the £45 fee, which is redeemable against purchased products.

Whether it’s a bespoke bow or a person’s name engraved on a gift, customisation is the ideal way to show you care. There’s a plethora of personalisation options from luxury brands at Harrods – including Louis Vuitton, Smythson, Moleskin and Montegrappa. At the luxury department store, you can go one step further with a personalised sourdough loaf (yes, really) or bespoke hamper, as well as a selection of custom beauty products, such as a bespoke foundation from Lâncome, and a choice of personalised scents in the Salon de Parfums.

For premium personalised drinks gifts, head over to Harvey Nichols, which will be hosting a series of complimentary personalisation events this winter. On Saturday 27 November, Grand Marnier will be offering complimentary personalisation on all cognac and liqueur bottles and boxes, as well as a sample to enjoy while you wait. Alcohol-free game-changer Gimber is holding a series of tasting and personalisation sessions on 26, 27 and 28 November. Finally, luxury winemakers Penfolds will host bespoke message-engraving services on its wares from 17-23 December – perfect for last-minute shoppers.

Burberry and Apple are also offering personalisation and monogramming services (don’t forget to pencil in 8 December for the Burberry in-store Festive Event!). The latter even has an exclusive AirPod engraving service, which can combine your favourite emojis with a name, initials, number or a date.

You may be aware that Harrods sells artificial Christmas trees, ranging from an 8ft Winnipeg Pine, to a peppermint-and-bauble encrusted number from Salzburg Creations. But did you know that, tucked away on the lower ground floor, is a branch of Neill Strain Floral Couture? New for the season from the award-winning florist is an exquisite range of festive bouquets and wreaths. And don’t forget that 30-year resident Knightsbridge Flowers over on Montpelier Street stocks a range of seasonal blooms, with free local delivery seven days a week.

Fancy giving wreath-making a go this year? You’re in luck because Knightsbridge has a range of options for DIY enthusiasts. On 26 November (from 11am-3pm), head over to Sette restaurant at the Bulgari Hotel for a wreath-making brunch hosted in partnership with Blooming Haus florists. During the session, an expert will guide you through the wreath-making process while you enjoy a glass of Christmas punch (it would be rude not to). Afterwards, you can relax and unwind with a three-course brunch and glass of champagne. Harvey Nichols is also holding wreath-making classes on 27 November, and on Saturday 10 December you can enjoy a wreath-making and afternoon tea session (£55, from 9am-12pm) in Hyde Park.

Some may view a gift card as rather uninspired. But when the local options are as luxurious and varied as those in Knightsbridge, a gift card can be the most covetable present of the season. Local retailers and businesses that offer gift cards include Ted Baker, Space NK and EL&N café. You could also treat your beloved to a five-star stay, spa day or meal with gift cards from the likes of The Berkeley hotel, Bulgari Hotel, Mandarin Oriental and The Lanesborough. Or why not broaden their horizons with the gift of a year’s membership to the world-class Natural History Museum?