London Events to Look Forward to; World Pride 2012

London will be THE place to be in 2012. The Olympic Games come to town, her Majesty celebrates her Diamond Jubilee but most importantly of all Pride London will be hosting WorldPride 2012!

Led by Pride London with support from Visit London and the Mayor of London, London beat tough competition to be awarded the WorldPride parade in 2012.

Organised by InterPride, WorldPride promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues on an international level through parades, festivals and other cultural activities.

London's WorldPride in 2012 is expected to attract over one million visitors. The two week festivities will most likely take place from 23 June to 8 July 2012, with the main parade held on 7 July, but you should keep an eye on the website to get the final

Buckingham Palace Tour July 23- October 3 2011

Why not visit Buckingham Palace this summer? Explore the magnificent State Rooms, lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection. A visit includes the special exhibition Royal Fabergé, a dazzling display of over 100 masterpieces from Imperial Easter Eggs and jewel-encrusted boxes to miniature carvings of favourite royal pets.

Buckingham Palace serves as both the office and London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today.

Today the State Rooms are used extensively by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and official occasions. During August and September when The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland, the Palace's nineteen state rooms are open to visitors.

Tickets are available online.

Opening hours

23 July - 3 October 2011

09:30-18:30 (last admission 16:15) A tour typically takes 2-3 hours.

Book your London Hotel at the same time.The Palm Hotel is a stylish luxury boutique hotel, located just four and a half miles from central London's Oxford Circus and only five minutes from the M1 motorway.

Fathers Day in London 19 June 2011

Its easy to think of a weekend away in London for a Mother day surprise, but Dads enjoy a trip too. The Palm hotel can take the stress out of a trip to London for Dads; there is easy access from all major routes from the north (M1, the North Circular, A41, A406) without having to pay the congestion charge.The Palm Hotel provides free, on site parking and is well serviced by London Transport bus, overground and underground services. A direct bus route takes you to Oxford Street and London's West End is just 20 minutes away.

The hotel is ideally situated for a city break, to attend sporting events or concerts at major London venues, shopping trips or sightseeing in London's West End, Museums, good food and just a break from the normal weekend chores.

Ceremony of Beating Retreat, Horse Guards Parade

On two successive evenings each year in June a magnificent pageant of military music, precision drill and colour takes place on Horse Guards Parade in the heart of London when the Massed Bands of the Household Division carry out the Ceremony of Beating Retreat.

It is an unforgettable evening as 300 musicians, drummers and pipers perform this age-old ceremony. The Retreat has origins in the early days of chivalry when beating or sounding retreat pulled a halt to the days fighting, a return to camp and the mounting of the guard for the night.

The salute is taken by Her Majesty The Queen or another member of The Royal Family.

The participants of Household Division Beating Retreat are drawn from the bands of the two Household Cavalry Regiments and the five Foot Guards Regiments which make up the Household Division.

The Massed Bands of The Royal Marines have also been Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade approximately every three years since 1960 to celebrate the birthday of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Captain General Royal Marines.

The Household Division Beating Retreat will take place on Wednesday 8th June and Thursday 9th June 2011 at 9pm on Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, London.The ticket office is now open at www.guardsbeatingretreat.com or phone 0844 847 2435

Book your London Hotel for the event at The Palm Hotel

Trooping the Colour

The custom of Trooping the Colour dates back to the time of Charles II in the 17th. Century when the Colours of a regiment were used as a rallying point in battle and were therefore trooped in front of the soldiers every day to make sure that every man could recognise those of his own regiment. In London, the Foot Guards used to do this as part of their daily Guard Mounting on Horse Guards and the ceremonial of the modern Trooping the Colour parade is along similar lines.

This impressive display of pageantry is now held on the occasion of the Queen's Official Birthday. It takes place in June each year to celebrate the official Birthday of the Sovereign and is carried out by her personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade, with the Queen herself attending and taking the salute.

Since 1987, The Queen has attended in a carriage rather than riding, which she did before that on 36 occasions, riding side-saddle and wearing the uniform of the regiment whose Colour was being trooped. The regiments take their turn for this honour in rotation as operational commitments permit.

Over 1400 officers and men are on parade, together with two hundred horses; over four hundred musicians from ten bands and corps of drums march and play as one. Some 113 words of command are given by the Officer in Command of the Parade. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again.

Precisely as the clock on the Horse Guards Building strikes eleven, the Royal Procession arrives and The Queen takes the Royal Salute. The parade begins with the Inspection, The Queen driving slowly down the ranks of all eight Guards and then past the Household Cavalry. After the event, the Royal Family gathers on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch an RAF flypast

If you missed the Royal Wedding this is a second chance this year to see British Pageantry at its best. Book your North London Hotel for you London Visit now.

FA CUP FINAL Stacy Solomon Sings National Anthem

The build up to the FA Cup Final can now begin for Manchester City following their win against Tottenham on Monday, winning them a Champions League spot. In some ways this is also good news for Stoke City, who will automatically take a Europa League place, win or lose on Saturday.

Latest news for FA Cup final traditions is that Stacey Solomon, who won ITV’s I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here in December 2010, will perform a pre-match set on the Wembley pitch before singing the National Anthem.The former X Factor star will be joined by three-piece vocal group, Tenors Unlimited, who will perform the traditional FA Cup Final hymn, Abide with Me.

If you have already bought your ticket check out the view of the pitch at Wembley from your seat.

Manchester City and Stoke 2011 Cup Final Kicks off at 3pm on Saturday 11th May

Book your Wembley Hotel now

London Olympic Rehearsal Tickets on Sale

London Olympic organizers begin a series of test events this month for next year's Summer Games, inviting international athletes to experience many venues for the first time.

The organizing committee said Friday that its 42-event test program begins May 30 with an invitational road race to test the marathon and walk routes, which include a stretch along The Mall in central London.

A total of 150,000 tickets will be on sale across several events to help appraise ticketing technology, although many will be free to the public.

"This is a dress rehearsal for us, but the public of course will see the rehearsal not the dress. It will look and feel quite different (to the Olympics)," London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said.There will testing across 26 venues, with a basketball invitational tournament and BMX supercross World Cup running concurrently in mid-August as the first events in the Olympic Park in east London.

There will be 3,000 tickets on sale for each of the basketball and BMX events.

Book your tickets and your London Hotel for this summers Olympic rehearsal.

Chelsea Flower Show 24-28 May 2011

RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 24-28 May 2011 is the world’s most famous flower show and is a celebration of the highest quality horticulture.Chelsea is famous for cutting edge garden design, and with more than 30 gardens on show, there will be plenty to inspire you.

The Royal Horticultural Society has announced that they have officially sold out of tickets for this year's Chelsea Flower show. If you are lucky enough to have a ticket, book your London Hotel now. The Palm Hotel offers free parking and is well serviced by London Transport bus, overground and underground services.

Spitalfields Market Hosts London Jewelery Week

London’s Old Spitalfields Market will take part in London Jewellery Week (LJW) with a week-long celebration that will include workshops, demonstrations and a catwalk event.

The JewelEast event includes a week-long celebration during LJW, which runs from June 6 to 12, showcasing up and coming jewellery designers and costume and vintage jewellery.
Additionally, the event will be open to the public every Tuesday throughout March, June, October and November.

LJW managing director Della Tinsley said: “These JewelEast events will not only satisfy the interests of jewellery lovers, but also provide an excellent opportunity for people considering embarking on a career in the industry.

Book your London Hotel for London Jewelery Week

Wembley Sports Finals in May 2011

The FA Carlsberg Vase Final
Holders Whitley Bay defend their trophy against Coalville Town. Kick-off at Wembley is 3pm, gates open at 1.30pm

FA Cup Final- Manchester City V Stoke City
The 130th FA Cup Final takes place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 14th May- Kick off is 3pm, gates open at 1pm.
THE FA CARLSBERG TROPHY FINAL
Football Conference Premier rivals Darlington and Mansfield Town face each other in The FA Trophy Final at Wembley. Kick-off is at 3pm, gates open at 1.30pm

The Champions League Final
UEFA's showpiece Final reaches Wembley Stadium on Saturday 28 May. Kick-off is at 7.45pm, gates open 4.30pm

The npower Football League Championship Play Off Final will be played at Wembley Stadium on Monday 30 May. More details to come.

Located outside congestion charge zone, Best Western Palm Hotel offers free on-site parking facilities and is well serviced by National Express and Transport of London services. Plan your journey to Wembley From The Palm Hotel