This weekend was undoubtedly one of the most memorable evenings of 2023. One of my best friends is getting married next month, and to celebrate, I wanted to arrange an unforgettable staycation for her to let her hair down. I combined our bucket lists; we stayed at one of London’s most iconic hotels, The May Fair Hotel, alongside an unforgettable girls’ night out at Mamma Mia, The Party!

Once we arrived in Mayfair, we practically skipped our way to the entrance of The May Fair Hotel; we couldn’t contain our excitement. The secret, luxurious scent of The May Fair Hotel floated throughout the corridors giving us that extra wow factor. Scent psychology is a great interest of mine; I’m fascinated by how certain scents can evoke different feelings within us; we noticed as soon as we entered, we felt lighter, more relaxed and had feelings of positivity.

As we had planned to do a spot of shopping, taking full advantage of how close we were, we arranged to have brunch in The May Fair Bar beforehand.

What we ordered:

Two soft A4 Wagyu beef fillet tacos with crispy melting Gorgonzola cheese and chilli
Classic Caesar salad
Paprika-spiced fries
The May Fair Reviver
Lychee & Elderflower Martini

As we had a reservation for 6:30 pm for dinner, we went light with the brunch, but all I can say is I keep dreaming of that salad! I never thought I’d eat a salad and feel so content afterwards; salads don’t have to taste bland; this was the total opposite, the tastiest salad I’ve had! The tacos were unbelievable, the wagyu just melted in your mouth, and the hint of chilli in the sauce gave it some added warmth; I loved every mouthful! The cocktail list is also great, serving all the classic favourites and a selection of May Fair Kitchen favourites, the lychee elderflower is my go-to whilst here.

We had a hearty, warm welcome from the hotel manager, Luigi; he had left a surprise in our suite as we arrived; this was one of the best and most thoughtful welcomes, so not only do I have precious memories from our staycation, I now have a beautiful bunch of sunflowers and roses to admire now I’m home. We had a bottle of Moet Champagne to start our celebrations alongside a welcome card, truffle chocolates and a fruit platter, and by the way, I keep those cards; they are such great mementoes.

The excitement I get when I see the room reveal is unlike anyone has ever heard of; it’s me repeating the words ‘oh my god, oh my god’; over and over; whilst grinning so hard my cheeks hurt! This room was very me, with light creams and ivory and light flooring, walls and bedding; it had a very zen feel. In certain rooms, you can feel that good karmic energy once you enter, and this had that all over. It also had the iconic view of Mayfair from each window, an added speciality when staying here.

The bathroom was so beautiful too, spacious, with double sinks, double showers, and a bathtub with a flat-screen tv, a cute suite for a romantic date night getaway, and double cute for a girl’s staycation, using the Dual Basins whilst we both did our makeup whilst listening to music via the plasma, perfection!

Once we were ready, we took a 20-minute train to The O2; Green park station is a short, two-minute walk from The May Fair Hotel, so if you’re planning on booking Mamma Mia, The Party! then this hotel is the ideal choice as it’s so close by. Our evening started with goosebumps; whilst waiting for the train, a busker played the Mamma Mia theme tune unexpectedly, and we both instantly teared up through the synchronicities.

Mamma Mia, The Party! is a theatrical, immersive dining experience at The O2; you’re transported to the island of Skópelos in Greece for an unforgettable evening of dancing, eating and having the time of your life!

Ahead of our evening, we prepared a playlist solely dedicated to Abba and Mamma Mia so we could get into the fun-loving spirit! We also watched the film the night before so that the storyline was fresh in our minds. We’ve been talking about this night for months, and I can’t even begin to describe how fulfilling it was to have finally experienced it!

From the moment you enter the venue, words cannot describe the magical feeling you get from seeing where you’re about to spend the next four hours, especially as we had some of the best seats, immersed inside the stage with a balcony overlooking the show. Seeing the look on my friend’s face as we sat down at our table was priceless; these memories we will treasure forever. Seconds later, the first impressions continued, being poured ice-cold Moet welcoming us in style. We felt so giddy at this point, feeling in awe with our table, amazed by the iconic set, and excited for the show to begin; it was all so exciting.

I don’t want to give too much away, but the show was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The entire venue transports you to a different time zone; the room temperature is 25 degrees giving the illusion that you’re on the island of Skópelos. All of the staff are in character, making you feel like you’re on holiday; the whole experience from start to finish was memorable. My friend surprised us with light-up floral headbands, which I highly recommend purchasing before the show, as they came in handy during a part of the performance when the lights went off.  These can be purchased via their website in advance or in the taverna when you arrive.

We enjoyed a Greece-inspired four-course meal, all timed perfectly and incorporated into the show. The production, designed to engage all of our senses, and the attention to detail throughout the evening was incredible. The show had many elements; comedy, powerful vocals, fire productions and a meaningful storyline. You go through the motions, singing and dancing to your heart’s content and enjoying every minute; it’s a night to remember.

Once the show finished, we were excited to head back to the hotel; we had a shower in the gorgeous bathroom, jumped straight into our white robes and slippers, made a cup of tea and got into the bed of dreams.

The bed was ridiculously comfortable, I didn’t want to get out of it in the morning, but the May Fair Kitchen was calling, and knowing how good brunch was, we were straight down to breakfast, as hard as it was leaving that bed. Breakfast was so tasty; it had all the breakfast classics, salmon, avocado, eggs, fruit and pastries. Breakfast was delicious and worth getting up for!

As if I wasn’t being spoilt enough, after breakfast, I went downstairs to the May Fair Spa for an hour-long, hot stone massage; what a rainy-day treat! I have never had this treatment before; I usually stick to what I know with massages; it’s always either a reflexology treatment or a Swedish massage, but a massage with hot stones was such a unique experience. I loved the added element; it made the massage more intense and calming. I’m not sure if you’re supposed to talk to your therapist as much as I did during a relaxing massage, but I couldn’t help it; my masseuse energy was unmatched; we were sharing inspirational stories and insights into being vibrational beings and how what we put out into the universe comes straight back to you. If you feel stagnant energy in the air, you can change it with your thoughts, feelings and inspired action. Be kind, and kindness will follow you, be thoughtful, and thoughtfulness will follow you. If you use the law of attraction and the law of vibration, you have the formula to attract good energy, good people and great experiences into your life.

Spa treatments include:

Body scrub
Caci facial
Swedish massage
Hot stone massage
Pre- and post-natal treatments

Overall, I made some of the best memories and realised the importance of creating new experiences with friends. Celebrating the small achievements, the big moments, and everything in between helps build long-lasting friendships.

Cheers to that!

Written by Danielle Tobin for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International