Scorcher of a city break

Half way through our cruise along the river Thames, heading east from Westminster Bridge towards the former Millennium Dome, we knew we were in trouble.

We'd seriously underestimated the power of the early morning sunshine, which was burning our extremities to a frazzle.

In fairness, though, it was an easy mistake to make. After all, this was London in May – on a Bank Holiday weekend, no less. And the weather's never kind on public holidays, is it?

Well on this occasion, it was. And to be fair, once we'd made a quick detour into the heart of old Greenwich to pick up a bottle of sun block from a chemist's store in the shadow of the famous Cutty Sark ship, we were back in business.

It's easy to forget how easily accessible many of London's big visitor attractions actually are. Sometimes, it can take longer to get from one highlight to the next on the London Underground than it actually does on foot.

So with the sun bursting from an almost unbroken blue sky, there was no reason to take the subterranean route.

Our mission, which we'd been delighted to accept, was an overnight stay at the discreetly swish four-star Cavendish Hotel, in the heart of the West End, for a theatre break. And of course, the opportunity to indulge in a feast of shopping and sightseeing temptations.

The Cavendish Hotel has an interesting history. Dating back to 1848, it was bought in the early 20th century by Rosa Lewis, a legendary cook and hostess in London's fashionable circles who became known as "The Duchess of Duke Street" and was romantically linked with Edward VII in the years before he took over the throne.

Distinguished English families once kept permanent rooms at The Cavendish, and in the years after the first World War, Rosa opened the hotel up to penniless military officers, and never allowed them to pay. Her Robin Hood-style generosity continued right up to her death.

The hotel, which sits in Jermyn Street just off Piccadilly, opposite famous luxury food store Fortnum & Mason, was bombed in World War Two and rebuilt in 1966. These days it is independently owned and known as one of the leading four-star deluxe hotels in London.

Our room, on the 10th floor, had fabulous views across the city from picture-frame windows. We could see Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Palace, the London Eye, and the Downing Street gardens – to name just a few highlights.

The contemporary interior is backlit in white by day and purple by night, giving a trendy edge to the décor. The 230 rooms are stylish and chic with a neutral colour scheme of cream and beige, against dark wood furniture, and in-room entertainment includes a giant flat-screen plasma TV showing 250 channels in every room.

Not that we were relying on the telly for our entertainment. We had prime tickets for a date at The Apollo theatre in Victoria to see award-winning musical Wicked, the untold story of the witches from the land of Oz.

I've been lucky enough to see a fair few West End shows in my time, but can't think of any better than this. It's smart, sassy, and full of intelligent humour, mindboggling sets, and even a poignant Disney-style social message.

The two female leads in the 2009 season, Alexia Khadime who has hot-footed from a successful run in The Lion King and Dianne Pilkington who will soon be seen on the cinema screen opposite Benicio Del Toro in Wolfman, bristle with energy and chemistry. And their voices – Khadime in particular – are terrific.

And so to the aforementioned river cruise. After a sound night's sleep, and fantastic room service breakfast, we set off to make the most of a sunshine Saturday in the capital, hopping on board a river cruise shuttle at Westminster Pier to head out towards the Thames Barrier and Greenwich.

On a warm, clear day, the £11 adult return fare is great value. The two-hour trip goes under Tower Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and London Bridge, as well as passing by the London Eye, Tower of London, Canary Wharf, and many of the fabulous 21st century apartments which have sprung from the remnants of last century's forlorn and forgotten wharfs.

Hop on the 10.30am service and you can be back in the centre of the city for lunch. And a two-hour walk taking in Westminster, Piccadilly, Soho, Regent Street, Horseguards Parade, The Mall and Whitehall set us up perfectly for a return to the Cavendish to collect the cases . . . trying our best to resist the treats on offer at the deliciously old-fashioned Paxton & Whitfield cheese emporium less than 100 yards down the road.

• Short break specialist Superbreak (0871 222 3055, www.superbreak.com) offers a wide range of packages to see Wicked.

• Prices with a stay at the four-star Cavendish Hotel start from £119.50 per person including one night’s bed and breakfast and a top priced saver ticket to see the show. Prices are valid on Fridays until September 6, based on two sharing.

• For more on The Cavendish Hotel, log on to www.thecavendishlondon.com or call 020 7930 2111. For more details on Wicked, go to www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk. Superbreak can also book tickets to the British Music Experience at the O2 arena as part of your trip.

By Carl Jones