Jennifer Donati

We’d been holding off on visiting the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London until all seven Harry Potter books had been read and all eight films watched. Our older daughter was 7 at the start of this process, so it had been a long wait. The younger one hadn’t started yet, but we weren’t going to hang about any longer — she got dragged along.

I think that if I didn’t live in England, I’d assume that outside of the cities it was just a very green and pleasant land, with a picturesque fairytale castle on every hill. I do live here, though, and there isn’t. But don’t dismay. If you know where to look, and I do, you can find some real-life historic castles from whose slit windows arrows have been shot and whose drawbridges have been raised against fiend and foe in the past.

Subdued yet elegant, The Stafford London is like many quiet people and places: full of surprises and hidden delights. Located in the historic St. James’s area, this is an excellent hotel for families who want to enjoy classic British charm with American flair as well as the feeling of a luxurious country estate in the heart of the city.