Travel: London

Have you heard of a steakation? No, not a staycation. That's the moniker for the kind of adventure popular with people in sandals and socks who are reluctant to leave the British Isles for their annual break.

No, steakations account for a growing slice of the London tourist experience. The capital's chefs are among our most important exports and their restaurants leave bon viveurs reaching for superlatives.

With drooling palates, my wife and I agreed to sample the concept by tucking into some of the finest meals on offer on a rare, kid-free midweek break.

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I like my food. Sometimes I enjoy it so much I add a good portion of my own cheek to each mouthful. Cutlery in our house includes knife, fork and rammer. We were ready for a challenge.

Our base was the Charing Cross Hotel, owned by Guoman Hotels, which aims to become a watchword for affordable luxury and big ideas.

Within spitting distance of Trafalgar Square and The Strand, the hotel can claim to be at the very centre of London: the Eleanor Cross outside is the point from which all road distances to the capital are measured.

For 150 years it has been a gateway to one of Europe's greatest cities. The plush, deep-red splendour of the lobby, the tea-lights illuminating the classy prints lining the classic Victorian staircase, and the gentlemen's club feel of the sumptuous bars and relaxation areas were at odds with the very modern rooms.

Bright, breezy and comfortable, our junior suite was full of neat little touches, like heavy blackout curtains and a shower powerful enough to wake up the most hungover of guests.

Steakationers need regular and relaxing walks to boost the appetite. From Charing Cross, you can stroll into splendid St James's Park, to see the pelican giving one of his regular one-man performances to an adoring audience, cross the Thames on the impressively rebuilt Hungerford Bridge for a ride on the iconic London Eye, or make an early-morning visit to the cutting edge fashion emporiums of Covent Garden, when the place still pongs with.

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For our first night, we checked into the hotel's restaurant: the views were almost as sumptuous as the food, with glorious floor to ceiling windows giving an unrivalled vista of Trafalgar Square and The Strand. The food was a combo of classic British and international cuisine. Visitor passes eased us into some of the top attractions in the city.

On our blissfully sun-soaked first day we popped in at Vinopolis on the South Bank, which celebrates all things wine and wonderful.

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After the wine-tasting demonstration we were let loose to try a magnificent selection of tipples from around the world.

The result? Well, let's just say that tackling London's scariest attraction, the London Bridge Experience and sister site The London Tombs, is not recommended while three sheets to the wind.

When the zombie with the chainsaw jumped out at me, it was only the fact that I was seeing three of him that stopped him getting a punch in the eye. Still, hats off to the people behind what is a truly terrifying and ultimately very convincing journey into the iconic structure's storied past.

Dinner that night was at Babbo, a glorious Italian in Albemarle Street, the culinary highlight of the trip. Restaurant critic Giles Coren was rude about it in his review, but we found the experience amazing.

From the amuse bouche of courgette and mascarpone, through the antipasti, the cod and red pepper salad and the lobster, scampi and clam stew, we were simply too busy emitting noises of deep appreciation for a masterful meal, served in intimate and homely surroundings which obviously cost a fortune, to chat to each other.

With three courses and a splendid bottle of red we were pushing 160 but I reconciled it by deciding every forkful was worth at least a tenner's worth of pleasure.

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Next night and next stop: the Park Terrace at The Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington High Street, where waiting staff were a lesson in prompt, friendly, respectful service.

We both got halfway through our main courses (grilled Blythburgh pork cutlet and pan-roasted halibut with garlic mash) before deciding to swap.

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Of course, it wasn't all about grub: we signed up for the London RIB Voyages trip, hopping aboard a rigid inflatable for an exhilarating high-speed ride up the Thames.

There was time too for a superb afternoon tea amid the sophisticated old-school splendour of The Langham Hotel (I felt like a giant looking into a dollhouse window when considering the tiny sandwiches, scones and cakes, so beautifully presented) before our train journey back to York.

When the stewardess suggested fruitcake with complimentary coffee in first class, the answer was a resounding 'no'. We were pleasantly stuffed.

Steakation? I'm sold.

David Mark was a guest of The Charing Cross Hotel, where doubles in the new executive wing start at 195 (room only).

He dined at Babbo in Albemarle Street, where a two-course lunch costs 22, three courses 26. The average spend (3 courses plus wine) is 58.

Reservations: 0871-376 9012 and www.guoman.com/charingcross

Call 020-3205 1099 or visit www.babborestaurant.co.uk

The Park Terrace at The Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington High Street is on 020- 7361 0602.

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The Langham's Wonderland tea costs 38 in Palm Court, where afternoon tea tradition began.

Return travel Edinburgh-King's Cross by East Coast Trains. Reservations: 08457- 225 225 and www.eastcoast.co.uk

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London Sightseeing Pass gives access to more than 55 top attractions including Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Wembley Stadium Tours, a Thames River cruise and London Bridge Experience.

One-day London Pass costs 43 for adults and 28 for children aged 5-15. Two-days 58/43, three days 71/48 respectively.

The Evening News reader holiday service offers a wide range of holidays to suit all tastes and budgets. For a brochure call:

0131-620 8400

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