The best perfumers in the world are the French, and this shop is a testament to that…read more They sell rare to find perfume brands, as well as delicious fragrant candles and all that you might want to create a lovely atmosphere at home. The carry limited editions like the Frederic Malle perfume chest, they only produced 500 of this around the world, and it contains 15 perfumes in a beautiful box worth keeping. It's a little treasure and the kind of place where you can find a unique scent.

Since the last review is over 4 years old, I thought I'd add a more updated review since the old…read moreones do not reflect the new reality. I'll start by saying that this was the biggest disappointment I've had when it comes to perfume shops in London. And, this is a shop, undeserving of the name perfumery. You can do much better. Some of the attitudes are in need of repair, they do not offer you free samples even after a purchase, they do not offer full refunds on legitimate returns (unopened merchandise returned the next day), and they have no clue about their own stock of perfumes or perfumes in general. That's the short story. The most important thing is, there are 3 places in and around London which are way better. Bloom in Covent Garden, Jovoy in Mayfair and Roullier White in East Dulwich. My suggestion: skip this jailhouse and go to any of the aforementioned 3 for you will be led to the promised land. Here you will be treated with distaste, mishandled with care and rushed out the door. The lack of enthusiasm for perfume is at the root of all of this. The judgement of a customer dressed casually (expensive-casual no less) instead of in a (less expensive) suit is poor judgement. Apparently, not all money is equal in this sad, outdated snobbery of a perfumery. You've been adequately warned. ***Note to store management: I've spent in excess of £1,000 elsewhere since arriving in London so rest assured, I have the money. A leather jacket does not equal thief, especially when suspected thief's jacket cost him £1,500. That's a little more expensive than most suits. Just a little education to counter your ignorance.

After walking around London for a bit, it's nice to freshen things up and restore my nose to the…read morescent of my morning perfume. Since, I'm usually picky about the scents that I purchase, this shop is perfect for helping me sort out my scent. I choose between blends that have a citrus, wood, floral, rosy, etc. flare and can even put it in the lamp of my choice. Although the shop is small, its packed with delicious scents for men, women and even your home!

Floris is the premier perfumery in London, having established itself in 1730, and has prided itself…read moreon excellence since that time. Floris has a store across the street from Fortnum and Masons where the entire range of its fragrances are available. Scents range from floral to sweet, and smoky to citrusy. Floris counts King Charles among its clients, and carries the royal warrant. His mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II was also a customer. I own 3 colognes from here and love each of them.

This is a truly remarkable business - my favorite store in London. You will be hard pressed to find…read moremany businesses with the heritage of Floris. Here are a few reasons to love this store, and why my last business trip to London won't be the last occasion I buy from this perfumerie: 1. History: Floris has been making perfumes since 1730. This business is older than my country. 2. Client List: Their list of former and current customers reads like a who's-who of royals, celebrities, captains of industry, and other high-profile folks. Ian Fleming loved Floris perfumes so much that he wrote them into his novels - James Bond wore the No. 89. Floris also has multiple royal warrants, including one from the Queen. 3. Surprisingly friendly, down-to-earth staff: When I wandered in here, I spoke with Margarita, one of the employees. She was excited about the products (always refreshing), friendly, yet not pushy. She displayed an impressive knowledge of the company's storied history, and was eager to talk about it. Thanks to her, I walked out with their 4-cologne pack for men, which included the No. 89 worn by Ian Fleming (and James Bond). 4. Custom-made perfumes: Floris custom-makes perfumes as well, though the price is not cheap (about 450 pounds if my memory serves me correctly, or two for 800). If you elect to have your own perfume, you are taken to a back room filled with numerous small bottles, each a different scent. They test your skin's properties, ask you about your personality, and based thereon make a one-of-a-kind concoction just for you, which is then recorded in their enormous book. The next time you order your custom perfume, it's only 150 pounds or so. Margarita gave me a peak at the ancient-looking book. Every other name was a "Count so-and-so, had an "Esq." title, or something like that. Some very important people have walked into that room. 5. Pride: They package your purchase beautifully, something you don't really experience much in the US (even when you shop at a Saks Fifth or a Neiman Marcus, they usually just wrap your purchase in tissue and throw it in a bag. Not so here!). Ribbons, beautiful packaging, a nice bag, etc. 6. Ancient scents: As I was walking out, I asked the folks working here what their oldest scent was. It was a perfume created in the 1700s. I forget now the name, but I remember the scent - like a bouquet of flowers. That perfume is STILL for sale here! I love this place, and they sell items online. Hope to return in the future.

Appealingly packaged, deliciously-fragranced beauty products from Sicily. Including bath milks,…read morebody lotions and gorgeous scented candles. You can start-out by buying a £3 miniature, if you don't want to blow the budget, or if you need a mini gift or stocking filler. Almond milk and pomegranate are just two of the alluring choices. It's their first shop in the UK; a great place to go if you're looking for something different.

Lovely cushion covers and pillows, as well as fantastic all-linen fringed towels in three sizes and…read moretwo designs.

Okay so I wuvvvvvvvvv Jo Malone. I think I have like 6 scents plus bathroom spray, and two…read morecandles. As an american, I am used to buying out of bloomingdales but after walking by the Jo Malone store in Chelsea I knew I had to go in. Was greeted with a glass of champagne and I was ready to explore. A full store of Jo Malone. They had a wide array of gift sets and a huge display of samples. I was ready to buy one of the standard new scents and a candle when Jonathan stopped me. I was looking at a set of large colorful bottles that I had never seen in the states before. Jonatha then unloaded his story / sales pitch on me about some guy going to the foothills of the himilayas to get tea leaves and decided to use in cologne. The whole line was inspired by different types of tea and actually infused real tea leaves. Apparently, Jo Malone has a 5 year patent on this concept. Only 5 stores cary this new line. They are all in London and this is one of them. I ended up with the midnight black tea cologne. It is absolutely intoxicating.

Jo Malone has very simple and refined fragrances. The scents are decadent and intoxicating. My…read morefavorite scent is Pomegranate Noir which is distinctive, seductive, and modern. You can purchase your favorite scents in colognes, oils, soaps, candles, sprays, and diffusers. Love the products, branding, and beautiful gift packaging. For wonderful room fragrance, I prefer the candles versus the room diffusers. The cable has a more powerful and amazing scent. www.jomalone.com

This is a review for the optician downstairs. The arm fell off my reading glasses due to a loose…read moreand subsequently lost screw. I previously went to an optician at the corner...where they wanted 55 pounds (!) for a screw plus they needed my glasses for hours. How pathetic. Boots was so kind, and did it for free and in 5 minutes.

Decent Boots with the usual set up of fragrances, personal care items, coolers with sandwich/drink…read moredeals and everything you need to achieve a better life through pharmacology. When my allergies were acting up, this Boots was practically heaven sent.

Quality/Quantity - Upscale department store. I am sure it will be hard to compete against…read more Lots of expensive upscale brand names, many I am not familiar with. But also many "American" brands. See their website for all they sell. Atmosphere - Open 7 days a week from 10am to 8pm and on Sundays from 11:30am to 6pm. Good size department store, almost like a maze...? Not sure if it is due to an older building or done intentionally to make you walk the entire store (think Ikea). Or it could have just been me since they have a bar here and I got confused/lost my sense of direction... Service - Okay. I am always in favor of businesses with bars. My wife shops and I drink. And she can bring her bags to me to watch so she doesn't have to carry them; win/win! Price - 4 to 7 pounds a beer at the bar; reasonably priced for an upscale department store. I did ask what my wife bought, but honestly I prefer not to know. :) Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2003 with your 8+ locations and 9+ restaurants/bars.

Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge remains a quintessential destination for luxury shopping in London…read more Situated just steps from Harrods, this iconic department store offers a curated selection of high-end fashion, beauty, and gourmet products across its multi-level space.

Tips: - The foodhall is worth the visit. Enter from Oxford…read moreStreet. - Candy is on the lower ground level. - If you come here around Christmas, the Christmas section is lovely. I was in London in December 2013. I visited a bunch of department stores. Part of me was curious about how they are set up versus how the flagship department stores in Canada were set up. I visited the flagship Selfridges store on Oxford Street. Rest in peace to the flagship Eaton's store in Winnipeg that I frequented often when I worked across from it. I also miss the flagship Hudson's Bay stores in Toronto and Winnipeg. I will toss in the flagship Simpsons store that preceded the Hudson's Bay. I stayed in South Kensington. There was a bus stop steps away from the hotel and around the corner from Gloucester Road station. I took the 74 Putney bus that got me to this store. I could have also taken the underground to Piccadilly Circus, but the walk would have been a bit longer. I wasn't sure how much damage I'd do here! I entered the store from Oxford Street, which gets you on the ground level. I remember seeing sushi on a convenor belt to my left. It was cool. It was Yo! I'm glad that this eatery is still around. You can dine here or do takeout. I entered the foodhall. I was so happy. I saw cupcakes, oysters, caviar, and more. Everything looked fancy and yummy. The ground floor had a beauty section and a pharmacy. This store is large. It's the second-largest department store in London, behind Harrods. I spent most of my time on the lower ground level. It's where the candy, wine, and cookshop sections are. I love candy and confections. I saw everything from macarons and chocolate malt balls, to fancy bourbon and wine. I bought some chocolate bars. They were perfect to hand out to colleagues. They were also Christmas-themed. I got milk and dark chocolate varieties. They were delicious. This floor also had a cinema. I didn't check it out. I was too busy visiting the technology and stationery sections. I was so happy on this floor. I spent the most time here. I did check out the women's clothing, which occupies levels 2 and 3. There was a lot of designer clothing. It didn't suit my casual, cheaper style. I loved coming here just before Christmas. It was festive and fun. The Christmas section was enjoyable to peruse. I have fond memories coming here. I hope to return someday. This store is over a century old and I'm pleased that it continues to endure. (49)

This place is beautiful and can be compared to a Saks store. On our visit, it was really packed and…read morecrowded since everyone was trying to get their holiday deals. Plus, it is beautiful during the holidays. The store has a total of 4 floors with a huge Jellycat Fish and Chip pop-up on the top floor. If you are here for that, be prepared to wait since it is a 2 1/2 hour wait. There is also a walk-in line if you were unable to create a reservation. Merch here is on the pricier side but if you are looking for something trendy, you can definitely find it here. Plus, there are a few food and snack locations if you get hungry while shopping your hearts away.

This small store hides an elegant and tranquil spa below. I was a bit weary about booking a massage…read morehere because generally shop 'spas' are little more then a small side room for treatments. Not so here... I was pleasantly surprised to see a fully furnished spa with a very zen sitting room, a manicure-pedicure area, and treatment rooms with a full spa menu. The shop itself is reliably like most Space NK with many gorgeous beauty products that I personally cannot resist. But what really stood out at this location was that it all felt much more relaxed. The staff approached and were helpful without being on top of you. And their knowledge of the products was really impressive. A real first hand knowledge of why one particular eye cream will work better for you over another. And because they have several renowned product ranges, they are not trying to push a particular product on you as you would get in a department store. It should be noted that there is a special section at the back of the shop dedicated to a wide range of Diptyque candles and scents. Great gift ideas, and gift sets are also something Space NK excels at, so keep them in mind come the Christmas season.

Harrod's is a London icon and a premier luxury department store and it is a shoppers dream. This…read morestore is massive and its known for the fabulous food hall, extravagant luxury goods, and it attracts roughly 15 million visitors per year. Harrod's also features a afternoon tea in The Georgian and it costs about $96.00 US dollars per person. We were here many years ago but I still remember the experience. It was very busy inside and we walked around for a couple of hours just looking and taking in all the beautiful products that were for sale. The architecture of the store is a stunning. We bought some souvenirs, and I also bought a purse and wallet while visiting. We loved taking pics with the life size Harrod bears. I had never been in such a majestic and exquisite store seeing so many luxury items. This store is definitely geared towards the elite and uber rich but we still managed to have a really good time. Service was ample although most of the employees we encountered were very busy hustling to locate items for anxious shoppers. A must visit while you are in London, just don't drop all your cash here.

You feel like you are in a different world when you step inside Harrods. A luxury mall with a great…read morefood hall, a Prada cafe, they make their own chocolate in the chocolate hall, and every name brand you can think. Our first stop was the dry bar. We have plenty of these back in the states but I had never been to one before, so It's pretty exciting for to me to say that my first dry bar experience was in Harrods in London! I tend to stay away from blow-dry places because not everyone can blow-dry thick curly hair. Kezia was the stylist and she was great!! She was so funny, paid close attention to detail, and this was one of the best blow-drys I have ever gotten! Next, we stopped at Burberry. She was wonderful, poise, and so knowledgeable about the brand. My husband loves his wallet. We then stopped at Louis Vuitton for a perfume. No one attended to us and it felt like they were judging us based on how we looked. Five employees walked right past us and not a single one acknowledged us. Finally someone did and when we asked her what the notes in the perfume were she googled it on her phone. Our shopping day wasn't complete without buying some sweets from the chocolate hall. Every type of chocolate you can think of is sold here and delicious taste!