A Chauffeur’s Guide to London’s Festive Season

The lights, the laughter, the hum of Christmas carols under Victorian arcades – it’s a city that comes alive the moment the first frost lands on its cobblestones. Whether you’re visiting for a few days or planning a Christmas staycation, this is your insider’s guide to doing it the OUNO way: no queues, no stress, and plenty of sparkle.

Your London Christmas begins the moment you touch down. With OUNO’s luxury airport transfer service, your chauffeur tracks your flight in real time, greets you at arrivals, and handles your luggage while you relax in comfort.

Forget taxi queues and unreliable pickups. You’ll glide straight from Heathrow, Gatwick, or London City Airport to your hotel in a chauffeured Mercedes.
For many travellers, it’s their first taste of London luxury: calm, seamless, and entirely on your schedule.

If you’re spending Christmas in the capital, we recommend staying somewhere that feels just as festive as the city itself. Think Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Dorchester, or The Rosewood, where even the lobbies feel like winter wonderlands.

(Related article: “London’s Best Hotels for a Christmas Staycation – Arrive in Chauffeured Style”)

When the city sparkles, London’s dining rooms do too. There’s nothing better than getting glammed up for a Christmassy meal out in London with friends. Here are a few chauffeur-approved festive favourites: places where reservations are essential, parking is impossible, and the Christmas décor is pure theatre.

• The Ivy Chelsea Garden – the exterior alone is worth the visit, covered in evergreens and fairy lights.
  
• Dalloway Terrace, Bloomsbury – winter florals, cosy blankets, and hot chocolate with a grown-up twist.
  
• Claridge’s Restaurant – timeless elegance and Champagne lunches.
  
• Sketch, Mayfair – creative tasting menus served beneath pink walls and twinkling lights.
  
• Fortnum & Mason Parlour – afternoon tea with festive pastries between shopping stops.
  
• Aqua Shard – skyline dining with London’s lights laid out below.

Your chauffeur can wait nearby, or pre-book your return journey for whenever suits, so you can linger over dessert without worrying about meters or queues. After all, this season’s true luxury is time.

When darkness falls, London glows.
A tour of the city’s Christmas lights is one of the most memorable experiences of the season and one best enjoyed from the warmth of your private car.

Here’s how we’d plan it:

1. Mayfair and Bond Street – start with the elegance of Cartier’s red ribbon-wrapped façade and the golden angels of Regent Street.
   
2. Oxford Street – thousands of lights suspended above the bustle of shoppers.
   
3. Carnaby Street – colourful, creative, and different every year.
   
4. Covent Garden – a towering Christmas tree and oversized baubles in the Piazza.
   
5. Trafalgar Square – finish at the famous Norwegian spruce, lit since 1947. 

Your personal christmas chauffeur can plan the perfect loop so you see it all in one seamless route, without ever leaving the comfort of your seat.

(Related article: “London’s Christmas Lights Tour — See the City Shine with OUNO”)

Even if shopping isn’t on your itinerary, London’s festive displays are worth the detour. Some of the world’s most imaginative Christmas scenes appear behind these panes of glass.

• Harrods – storytelling at its grandest with opulent, themed installations.
  
• Selfridges – bold, playful, and impossible to miss.
  
• Fortnum & Mason – traditional charm and moving mechanical displays.
  
• Liberty London – twinkling Tudor windows filled with whimsical craftsmanship.
  
• Harvey Nichols – sleek, contemporary art-meets-retail design. 

Your chauffeur can cruise the key streets — Bond, Regent, Piccadilly — while you admire the artistry from the comfort of your seat.

(If you’d rather step inside, see our Christmas Shopping in London Chauffeur Guide for a complete itinerary of where to buy, dine, and unwind.)

Every Londoner has a secret spot they return to each December. Here are a few of ours — lesser-known, but every bit as magical.

• The Churchill Arms, Kensington – an explosion of fairy lights wrapped around one of London’s most decorated pubs.
  
• Chelsea Physic Garden Christmas Fair – handmade gifts, mulled wine, and old-world charm.
  
• Pavilion Road, Chelsea – independent boutiques and festive cafés tucked away from the crowds.
  
• Belgravia Lights – elegant streets like Elizabeth and Motcomb Street glowing softly with boutique displays.
  

These quieter corners are what make a chauffeured day so worthwhile — easy to reach, easy to linger.

If you had one day to see the best of Christmas in London, here’s how we’d plan it:

Every itinerary is different, and OUNO is designed for flexibility. Choose the option that suits your plans:

London’s festive season is an experience to savour, not survive. With OUNO, you see the city exactly as it should be seen: beautifully lit, effortlessly navigated, and free from the rush.

Book your chauffeur today and make every journey part of the celebration. Get your fixed-fare quote in 90 seconds.