Not long ago, we put together a guide of fun ways to treat yourself in London – and they were received so well, we thought we’d treat you with a whole new batch!
For context, Barclays are currently offering a £400 bonus1 to new customers who switch to a Barclays Premier Current Account2 by April 30 2026. So we’ve come up with even more recommendations on how to enjoy the extra cash.
To claim your £400 bonus, you need to download the Barclays app and use it to open a sole Premier Current Account. Next, you initiate your switch with the Current Account Switch Service (including two active direct debits), and finally deposit £4,000 or more into your account. Plus, the bonus isn’t the only perk – Premier banking customers enjoy fee-free access to an Apple TV subscription3Barclays Experiences3preferential savings rates, Cashback Rewards3an exclusive black debit card, support from Barclays’ team of Financial Guides, and more. Read on to get inspo on how to spend that bonus in London.
Treatments at Banya No.1 Bathhouse combine ancient wellness rituals and authentic facilities that are inspired by the Nordic sauna cycle. As well as enjoying the Banya at your leisure, the No.1 package also includes a detoxifying Parenie treatment followed by a spread of unique and nourishing food and drink to round off the experience, all for £95. If it’s good enough for the likes of Kate Moss, Justin Bieber, and Emilia Clarke – it’s certainly good enough for us!
2. Get your skin glowing like never before with a bespoke facial
Salon C. Stellar prides itself on combining ancient wisdom with modern science to create top-tier, personalised skincare treatments. Their ‘The Best Facial’ costs £145 and is tailored to meet the needs of your skin on any given day. There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment here, as the treatment starts with a skin analysis to work out what’s needed – and then the magic begins.
Located in the historic rooms of Shoreditch Town Hall, The Clove Club is all about relaxed fine dining. It holds countless accolades (including two Michelin stars) and offers a number of different tasting menus, depending on how extravagant you’re feeling. But for 8 courses, featuring everything from caviar and Orkney scallops, to truffle, dry-aged pork and Cornish crab dumplings, it’s guaranteed to be a meal you’ll remember forever.
4. Take a private out-of-hours tour of The British Museum
Immerse yourself in the history of one of humanity’s greatest civilisations with a private tour of one of the British Museum’s collections. For just £35 (adult) you can take in the experience at your own pace, away from the crowds, often with the option of a guide to accompany you. Explore collections such as Life and death in ancient Egypt, An introduction to the ancient Greek world, and more.
5. Tuck into afternoon tea at Sketch
There are few places in London more fabulous than Sketch – with iconic interiors that are just crying out to be enjoyed whilst grazing on one of the most elegant afternoon teas in town. At £80 per person, Sketch’s answer to this quintessential British ritual includes assorted sandwiches, mini gâteaux, scones, and sponge cake ‘from the trolley’, with the option to elevate with a glass of champagne, if you wish. You can even pick your pot of tea from an extensive list, including all the classics, and plenty of other exciting blends from far and wide.
6. Learn to cook your favourite international cuisine
Eating out is great, but knowing how to whip up a delicious meal from your fave cuisine at home is a real life hack. Food at 52 cookery school offers classes in food from all around the world. Whilst they are serious about incredible, authentic food, their classes feel more like a dinner party with friends than anything else. There are so many classes to choose from, including Mexican, fish & seafood, classic Italian, Indian, bao buns, classic French, Portuguese, tacos and many more.
7. Hand-throw your own ceremonial matcha bowl
Once you’ve mastered making your favourite cuisine at home, why not move onto matcha? Social pottery offers classes where you can hand-throw your own matcha bowl, meaning you can start making your perfect matcha at home. The 2 hour class will start by taking you through the pottery wheel techniques and Japanese bowl shaping methods. Once you’ve shaped your bowl, you can decorate and glaze it, before it heads to the kiln to be fired, ready for collection in 4 weeks.
8. Pick up floristry skills at a hand-tied bouquet making workshop
Let the floristry experts teach you all of their tips and tricks for putting together the perfect arrangement at a fun, hands-on bouquet workshop. From conditioning the stems, to putting the flowers together in a way that helps them to look their best, the Botanique team will teach you everything you need to know.
9. Drink tea to your heart’s content at a tea tasting masterclass
Embark on a two hour tea-themed adventure at the Twinings flagship store at 216 The Strand. Spanning 5000 years of history, the experience will take you on a journey from tea gardens worldwide, to your cup. And of course, there will be plenty of delicious tea to taste along the way!
Three Michelin stars is no mean feat, and Core by Clare Smyth is more than deserving of each one. It goes without saying that it’s a premium produce-only policy in her kitchen – think Isle of Harris scallops, Merrifield Farm duck, Porthilly oysters… the works. The Core Classics tasting menu comes in at £255, and if you’re a foodie looking to treat yourself to an extra special meal, then it’s worth every penny.
1To be eligible, (1) use the Barclays app to open a sole Premier Current Account (eligibility criteria apply), (2) initiate a full switch (including two active direct debits) by 30 Apr 2026, (3) complete the switch & (4) deposit £4,000, all within 30 days. T&Cs apply. New customers, 18+ & UK residents only.
2To be eligible for a Premier Current Account, customers must meet the account criteria, through either paying in a gross annual income of at least £75,000 – or having a total balance of at least £100,000 in savings with Barclays, in eligible investments, or a mix of both.
3Activate benefits in the Barclays app. T&Cs apply.
