We flew British Airways from Athens to London in Club Europe (domestic business class) and the flight was just over three hours, a breeze! Club Europe is nothing like British Airways’ Club World (for international flights, which I had the pleasure of flying from Toronto to Istanbul). But Club Europe offers passengers extra legroom and attentive service, though no private pods; man, I love those! (See here for a picture and review of British Airways’ Club World.)

Leaving Athens was tough. Our stay was too short and I had a pretty good feeling we were leaving the glorious weather behind us as we made our way to London. I was right. I adore London and could see myself living there. But that darned weather is off-putting (says the girl who lives in Toronto!) As expected, the clouds hung thick and ominously in the sky as we made our descent into the city. But even still, nothing could really dampen my spirits. I was in London and I couldn’t have been more excited to be there!

Getting from Heathrow to Central London was so much easier than I’d expected. Instead of paying outrageous cab fares, we took the Heathrow Express.  Instead of battling London’s notoriously disastrous traffic, we relaxed on the quick 20-minute train ride to the city and were conveniently dropped off at Paddington Station. The trains depart every fifteen minutes and the spacious first-class seats are clean and comfortable. There’s lots of room to stow your luggage, so you needn’t worry about that either.

From Paddington station, we hopped on the tube and made our way to Piccadilly, where our hotel was located. We had a bit of a walk (if we’d known exactly where we were headed, we would have taken the tube to the Green Park station) but having successfully maneuvered ourselves and our luggage through the busy, pedestrian-filled streets, we finally arrived at our hotel.

The Athenaeum is a small but absolutely delightful hotel. Situated directly across the street from Green Park, it provides easy access to tube stations and buses, making getting around super-easy. Our room was small (though the hotel does offer more spacious suites) but beautiful and full of creature comforts. The bed was one of the most inviting I’d ever seen, all decked out in robin’s egg blue, the view overlooking the park was lovely and I am a big fan of the heated towel racks in the bathroom.

The small, intimate restaurant is a real treat. Not only is the food delish, but the decorative details are mesmerizing. There’s an entire shimmery wall covered in buttons (beautiful!) and the tables have dried leaves forming a collage beneath the glass surface. The result is a truly extraordinary space that feels welcoming and whimsical. The Athenaeum, 116 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7BJ, Tel: 44 (0) 207 499 3464.

But for now, here I am in Heathrow and it’s a little overwhelming … in a good way! Once you get through check-in and security (both were pretty quick and easy), you’ll find yourself airside (post-security) in the terminal and that’s where the real fun begins. Landside (pre-security) has some shops and the trendy restaurant Carluccio’s where I ate the last time I was here. The pasta is fresh and delicious and though I passed on dessert (in a rare moment of willpower!) the menu was tempting.

If you’ve been following my adventure, you know that the last time I was here, I was too rushed to really check out the shops. This time, I’ve had plenty of time and the lure of Harrods was simply too strong to resist! Walking out with a fab new Marc Jacobs bag and some teas and biscuits for friends back home did the trick to sate the ravenous shopping bug.

The shops are plentiful – Gucci, Dior, Prada, Tiffany & Co, Coach, Bulgari. There’s a Harrods, of course, one on the upper level of the terminal, with clothing, bags, sunglasses, etc. The lower level location is small but has souvenirs and a mini food hall, perfect for picking up last minute gifts to take home.

British Airways’ lounges here are something to be seen. Unlike most airport lounges, these rooms are designed to the hilt. They’re spacious and the exclusively designed furniture is upholstered in Osborne & Little fabrics. Walls of floor-to-ceiling windows flood the lounges with natural light and are perfect for planespotting.

I’ve got to go check on my flight’s status so that’s all for now. Toodles.

I was racing to catch a flight to Istanbul. I know – crazy, right? I’ve been here for just over 24 hours and already I’ve seen so much. The city welcomes visitors with open arms and a first impression that’s hard to top. It’s clean, but beyond clean, I was taken by the beauty of the city I saw as I sat back in the taxi that whisked me from the airport to my hotel. Miles and miles of perfectly manicured parks line the Sea of Marmara and these parks were filled with families and couples sitting huddled under trees. I loved the instant feeling of warmth and love that exuded from the intimate vignettes I saw all over the city during that brief drive. It was impossible to miss.

I’m staying at The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul. Keeping watch over the Bosphorus, the hotel is ideally situated for getting around, whether it’s to see the local historical sites, enjoy great food along the famous river or even take a ferry to Asia. That’s right; Istanbul is the only city in the world that sits on two continents, Europe and Asia. The hotel has 280 guestrooms, 22 hotel suites and 11 palace suites. Oprah was just here, staying in one of the over-the-top luxurious palace suites but I’m pretty happy here in my supersized guestroom, with its sweet balcony and sweeping view of the Bosphorus … and free WiFi, too!

Besides killer views, the hotel has a handful of restaurants that serve some killer food, too. I was tempted to stay in one night and order room service (hey, a transatlantic flight tires a girl out!) but I’m so glad I dined al fresco (the night air was as soft as silk on my skin) and enjoyed the good food and even better view at The Gazebo. Laledan Restaurant offers an incredible breakfast buffet with an endless (and I mean endless!) assortment of breads, pastries, cheeses, fruit, salads, fresh juices and everything else you’d expect to find at a breakfast buffet.

The staff here are friendly, always ready to help or answer a question. I check out of here tomorrow afternoon but this is a place I would come back to stay in a heartbeat! Tomorrow I’ll tell you all about the sites I visited in Istanbul and the places not to miss when you visit. The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Ciragan Caddesi 32 Beşiktaş, 34349 Istanbul, Turkey, Tel: + 90 212 326 46 46.

I’m waiting for my connecting flight in the Concorde Lounge in Heathrow’s new Terminal 5. I haven’t had a chance to explore the new terminal (there’s been a lot of talk about how fab it is) but I can say that the sprawling Harrods I passed on my way to the lounge is beckoning. In fact, I’m off to check it out now. Stay tuned!