I spent 24 hours in London’s West End and it really is one of the best places to visit in the country

The popular tourist destination, where a new art installation has just been installed, was the first in a number of famous London landmarks I saw during my one-night stay in the capital last weekend. 

I was in the city by the invitation of Art of London - which represents the West End and Piccadilly’s arts, cultural and hospitality institutions - and was excited to discover what the area had to offer over the next 24 hours.       

My first stop was to check in to my hotel for the trip, the Assembly Hotel, just behind Leicester Square and the perfect spot to explore the West End.    

I loved the fun vibe of the hotel, with a giant pink bunny stool and pink lighting in my stylish but comfortable room. 

After checking in, I walked just a few minutes down the road to the National Portrait Gallery - one of many renowned West End institutions that Art of London is home to, with National Gallery and Royal Academy also on their patch.       

I had a ticket to the exhibition of Six Lives, a deep dive into the lives and afterlives of the six women who notoriously married Henry VIII.     

Adult tickets to the exhibition are £21, but there are also £5 tickets for under 25s from Friday to Sunday and a special Pay What You Wish offer for a minimum payment of £1 every Saturday evening for timed entry between 5.30pm and 8pm, and Sunday morning for timed entry between 10.30am to midday.    

After the fascinating exhibition, it was time for my next stop - pre-dinner drinks at Albert’s Schloss on Shaftesbury Avenue, again just a few minutes walk away.     

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It being the middle of August in the heart of London, the streets were rammed with tourists, but the busyness adds to the atmosphere.      

There’s so much to see as you’re walking around, with street entertainment, pedicabs blasting music and the bright lights from the West End theatres all part of the appeal. 

I soon arrived at Albert’s Schloss, an Alpine-inspired beer hall, bar, and restaurant with live entertainment which only opened last month.  

With two cocktails from their 'Seasonal Wunders' menu - the Peach Iced Tea and Rhubarb & Custard Sour - I enjoyed watching the band perform from early evening.     

Next on my trip was Panton Yokocho, a celebration of Japanese regional ramen cuisine. 

The eatery, styled after a bygone Tokyo backstreet, has a new exciting set menu in collaboration with cult Japanese manga series Naruto: Shippuden.  

Priced at £28, the exclusive two-course set menu includes dishes named after the main characters from the manga series, designed coasters and enamel pins of fan favourite manga ninjas, with four designs to collect.    

To finish the evening, I headed back to the hotel and straight up to the rooftop bar. By now, night had fallen, and it was amazing to look from the terrace at attractions such as the London Eye, Big Ben and The Shard.  

I then went to my bed, before checking out of my room at 11am the next day for another day of exploring, seeing sights such as Trafalgar Square, St Martin-in-the-Field and Downing Street - and all these were just a short walk from the West End.   

It was awe-inspiring to see so many world-famous attractions during my short stay in London, and made even better by the arts, culture and hospitality of the West End. It really is one of the best places to visit in the country.