Are you looking for things to do in Mayfair, London? Or maybe you’re thinking about whether to stay in this part of the UK capital while you’re visiting? Either way, this complete guide to visiting Mayfair will help you make your mind about spending time in the area.
Mayfair is known as one of the most rich London areas of all. The streets in Mayfair, London are lined with five star hotels, fine dining restaurants, and upmarket shops. You only need to look at a Monopoly board to see how expensive this neighbourhood can be.
The London Mayfair area is one for those who appreciate the finer things in life – and who don’t mind paying for the privilege. It’s also a very convenient location, with leafy Hyde Park to the west, Oxford Street to the north, Soho to the east, and St James’s to the south.
Whether money is no object or you don’t mind shelling out for that once-in-a-lifetime experience, Mayfair is a part of London that’s well worth getting to know. Especially if you like the idea of rubbing shoulders with celebrities!
Read on to find out all about what Mayfair, London has to offer. From what to do and where to stay, shop, and eat to getting there and FAQs, we’ve got it covered.
Who is Mayfair best for?
- Designer shoppers
- Green space seekers
- Fans of five star hotels
- Fine dining aficionados
Top 10 Things to Do in Mayfair
Hyde Park
World-famous Hyde Park is vast, and lies to the west of Mayfair. Cross Park Lane and you’ll reach its eastern edge. The Serpentine snakes its way through the park, and is home to lots of water fowl.
No matter how busy London gets, there’s usually plenty of space in Hyde Park for everyone. From local shop and office workers on their lunch break or exercise fanatics to snap-happy or picnicking tourists.
Marble Arch
London’s Marble Arch can be found to the north of Hyde Park, where Oxford Street meets Park Lane. It was originally designed as an entrance arch to the ceremonial courtyard at Buckingham Palace. Designed in 1827 by John Nash, the gleaming white marble structure moved to its current location in 1851.
Speaker’s Corner
Right by Marble Arch is Speaker’s Corner, also to the north of Hyde Park. Sunday morning is the best time to come and hear Joe Public waxing lyrical about whatever matters to them. An act of parliament actually dedicated this site to public speaking back in 1872.
Grosvenor Square
The green spaces of Grosvenor Square are at the heart of life in Mayfair. The 2.5 hectare site is popular with local workers, and it’s been a place of peace and nature in the West End since the 1720s. The name comes from the Duke of Westminster, whose surname was Grosvenor.
Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy of Arts in Mayfair houses a permanent art collection, hosts a Summer Exhibition, and also offers many touring or pop-up events and exhibitions.
If you’re a budding artist, make sure you submit something for the Summer Exhibition. It’s the oldest open submission exhibition in the world, and anyone can enter. It’s a great way to see the future stars of the art scene, too.
Mayfair galleries
Mayfair is renowned as a hotbed of the art trade, and pictures change hands for eye watering sums here. Go-to galleries include the Davies Street Gallery and the Grosvenor Hill Gallery, both of which belong to contemporary art dealer Larry Gagosian.
Other top picks include Castle Fine Art, Michael Werner, Halcyon Gallery, and Hamiltons. The latter specialises in photography.
Apsley House
Over 3,000 artworks can be seen at Apsley House, and the interior decor is also something to write home about. Located at Hyde Park Corner, its address was once simply “Number 1 London.”
Apsley House was the city home of the first Duke of Wellington, who was victorious in 1815 at Waterloo. The building also houses impressive porcelain, silver, and fine art collections.
Click here to book tickets for Apsley House (Apsley House is also included in the London Pass)
Blue plaques
There’s a number of blue plaques to try and spot while wandering Mayfair’s refined streets. Look out for Jimi Hendrix and George Friedric Handel on Brook Street, Nancy Mitford on Curzon Street, Harry Gordon Selfridge at Fitzmaurice Place, Florence Nightingale on South Street, Charles X on South Audley Street, and more.
Handel Hendrix House
No serious music fan can miss Handel Hendrix House in Mayfair. Situated on Brook Street, it’s where you can learn all about the life and work of rock star Jimi Hendrix – and classical composer George Friedric Handel. The artists once lived at 23 and 25 Brook Street respectively.
Click here to buy tickets for Handel Hendrix House
The Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution
There aren’t many free things to do in Mayfair, but visiting the Faraday Museum is one of them. It’s at the Royal Institution on Albemarle Street, close to Piccadilly. 14 Nobel Prize winners have worked here, and it also charts two centuries of scientific history.
Where to Stay in Mayfair
Due to the lack of more affordable hotels in Mayfair, some of the cheaper properties listed below are in the neighbouring areas of Marylebone and Paddington. Staying here means easy access to Mayfair, without paying five star prices.
Hotels
- £££ – The Dorchester | 5* | Restaurants & bars, spa, & gym | On Park Lane
- £££ – The May Fair | 5* | Restaurant & bar, spa, & gym | Near Green Park tube
- £££ – The Connaught | 5* | Restaurants & bars, spa, pool, & gym | Between Grosvenor Square & Berkeley Square
- £££ – Brown’s Hotel | Restaurant & bar, spa, & gym | Near Piccadilly
- ££ – The Dilly | 5* | | Restaurant & bar, spa, pool, & gym | On Piccadilly
- ££ – Holiday Inn Oxford Circus | 4* | Restaurant & bar, 24-hour reception | North of Oxford Street
- ££ – Gunmakers Marylebone | Restaurant & bar, room service, & 24-hour reception | In Marylebone
- £ – Hyde Park Radnor Hotel B&B | 24-hour reception | In Paddington
Holiday rentals
- 1 bed for 2 – Peaceful open-plan | 1 bed & 1 bath | In central Marylebone
- 2 bed for 4 – Regency apartment | 2 beds & 1 bath | In central Mayfair
Where to Eat in Mayfair
Jak’s Mayfair
Popular four-floor eatery on South Molton Street offering sharing plates, pasta, pizza, and Mediterranean dishes.
Mercato Mayfair
St Mark’s Church in Mayfair is the venue for Mercato, a fashionable food market offering a range of food stalls. The setting is an Instagrammer’s dream.
May Fair Kitchen
Eatery at the May Fair hotel serving an eclectic mix of Italian and Japanese specialities, plus fine wines and cocktails.
Hard Rock Cafe
Music-themed eatery from the famous chain serving American diner style food, including burgers.
Gymkhana
Tuck into Indian curries, charcoal grills, and roasted dishes at this restaurant recalling the Raj era.
Lucky Cat
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Mayfair eatery specialising in pan-Asian cuisine. It’s also a late-night lounge bar.
Sketch
Sketch comprises three dining experiences, at the Restaurant, the Gallery, and the Lecture Room and Library. The restaurant has three Michelin stars.
Afternoon tea
There’s no better London district for afternoon tea than Mayfair. With lots of five star hotels serving up freshly baked scones, pretty cakes, finger sandwiches and other savoury treats, it’s simply a matter of picking which venue appeals to you most.
Where to Shop in Mayfair
Savile Row
This street is famous for tailoring. If you’re in search of smart new threads that are made to measure, this is the place to be.
Bond Street and Mount Street
Come to Bond Street and Mount Street to find designer brands, and the most upmarket of the Mayfair shops.
South Molton Street
If you prefer independent boutiques to high street chains or designer names, flock to South Molton Street in Mayfair.
Burlington Arcade
You can expect to find a selection of unique shops in Burlington Arcade, plus luxury perfumiers, jewellers, watch shops, and fashion stores. The covered arcade is also noteworthy as the first shopping mall in the world.
Shepherd Market
During the 1980s, Shepherd Market was London’s high class call-girl haunt. Now, you can buy gifts, clothing, accessories, and food here. There’s also plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants to choose from.
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is London’s shopping central, and crammed with high street names. This one caters for all budgets, from affordable fashion chain Primark, to top-end department stores. Many flagship stores can be found along the length of this famous shopping thoroughfare.
Regent Street
Regent Street is the more upmarket answer to Oxford Street. Yet it’s more mainstream than exclusive Bond Street. Look out for Hamleys, the oldest toy shop on the planet. The name comes from the Prince Regent, who later became George IV.
Christmas in Mayfair
Highlights of the festive season in Mayfair include the Ever After Garden in Grosvenor Square, Mount Street’s Christmas lights, and the magnificent festive tree at The Connaught. The smart shops and five star hotels also feature spectacular decorative displays and seasonal events.
How to Get to Mayfair
Underground stations
- Marble Arch – Central line
- Green Park – Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines
- Bond Street – Central and Jubilee lines
Buses
Look out for buses calling at Berkeley Square, Park Lane, Oxford Street, Regent Street or Piccadilly.
Mayfair FAQs
Where is Mayfair?
Mayfair is just west of central London, within the City of Westminster borough. Park Lane separates Mayfair from Hyde Park in the west, while Oxford Street, Piccadilly, and Regent Street border the district to the north, south, and east.
Is Mayfair worth visiting?
Exclusive Mayfair has elegant streets and squares lined with smart shops, upmarket restaurants, and five star hotels. For anyone who appreciates the finer things in life, it’s well worth visiting.
What Will You Do in Mayfair?
Whether you opt to stay over in a plush property for that once-in-a-lifetime experience, or choose to visit Mayfair for the day or evening, there’s no denying that this is an exclusive and very appealing part of London.
If you have time for only an afternoon in Mayfair, we recommend a stroll through Hyde Park and the district before tucking into afternoon tea at a top London hotel. It’s the ideal way to experience this beautiful area, when you don’t have time to delve deeper.
Read next – London area guides
- Things to do in Covent Garden & Holborn
- Things to do in Tower Hill and Tower Bridge
- Things to do in Westminster (including Victoria/Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square)
- Things to do in Kensington (including South Kensington)
- Things to do in Greenwich
- Things to do in the City of London
- Things to do in Southwark & Bankside
- Things to do in Leicester Square and Soho
- Things to do in Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia
- Things to Do in Belgravia & Knightsbridge
- Things to do in Notting Hill
- Things to do in East London (Shoreditch & Spitalfields)
- Things to do in Marylebone
- Things to do in Paddington
- Things to do in Chelsea
- Things to do in Battersea
- Things to do in Piccadilly Circus
- Guide to London pubs
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