Everything Worth Staying in London For This August
London in August: Here's Why We Love It
Half of London clears out every August, which, if you ask us, works rather in your favour. Because as the city empties out, something quieter and better takes over - a run of festivals, happenings and collaborations. Here are a few more reasons to stay and enjoy the city during the calm.
Four Reasons to Book Direct
- 15% off food at Rho's Pop-Up, until the end of its residency on 22nd August, for all in-house guests.
- A 2pm checkout, on us, all of August. Just make sure to add the option when you book on our website.
- Checking out on a Sunday or a Monday? Extend your stay for one more night for only £99.
- London's oldest yoga studio, The Life Centre, is tucked inside a converted chapel two stops from Paddington. Enjoy a class for £18 instead of £25 - just quote PILGRMYOGA.
Art
Summer could be considered one of the best times to visit galleries. No queues, no crowds, just the art. Here's what's worth catching before it's gone.
125 Years of Whitechapel Gallery: An eight-week free festival across 40 partners in East London, running until 6th September. Worth timing a visit around the neighbourhood party on 8th August.
Anish Kapoor at the Hayward Gallery: One of Britain's most celebrated sculptors returns to the Hayward for the first time in almost three decades, filling every room and terrace with new and career-spanning work. The exhibition runs until 18th October so there is plenty of time left — but this is the quiet window to see it in.
Tate Modern is pulling double duty this August. First, Ana Mendieta's exhibition, which brings together over 120 works across film, sculpture, photography and performance, all exploring identity, displacement and her relationship with the natural world. It runs 15th July to 17th January 2027. Second, catch the tail end of Tracey Emin's A Second Life, a survey exhibition exploring trauma, illness and the body. It's on until 31st August and one worth seeing before it ends.
Food & Dining
London never really stops eating well. New openings, one-off collabs, pop-ups on pop-ups all the time. Here's our mix of neighbourhood regulars and the happenings we're most excited about right now.
Jack Coghlan's Sunday at Quality Wines: Farringdon's Quality Wines hands its kitchen to a different chef one Sunday each month. On 23rd August, that's Jack Coghlan of East Dulwich's Norbert's, formerly of Planque and Lyles, cooking rotisserie-led neighbourhood food.
Broadsheet Comes to Town: London's first Dine Out festival runs 4th to 10th August. Among the highlights: a midnight feast at Claridge's, a bbq from Brat and Rambutan and on 5th August, The Marksman and The Pelican come together for one summer evening.
Dorian: Dorian looks like a neighbourhood bistro but is something else entirely. The steak alone stays in your memory longer than it should. There's a reason it's one of our local staples.
Canteen: Grab a Temple bicycle and cycle along the canal to Golborne Road, leave your name at Canteen, grab a glass of wine at Golborne Deli, and head back when your table's ready. It really is one of London's best dining spots right now. If you're up for a day trip, Canteen also has a Cotswolds pop-up — not quite a bike ride away, but worth it if you have the time.
Outdoors
London's parks and canals in the summer are in a league of their own. Drenched in sunlight from early morning to late evening, they are worth a lot more than just a picnic.
Hyde Park: Art is quite literally knocking on your door. Just a few minutes away from The Pilgrm, Hyde Park is a walking exhibition in itself. From LANZA atelier's sinuous brick design of the Serpentine Pavilion, which references an English brick garden wall, to the late David Hockney's first exhibition at Serpentine Gallery. Inspired by his earlier work "A Year in Normandie," Hockney recontextualises it against the surrounding nature of Kensington Gardens. And for the final weeks of the exhibition, opening hours have been extended to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Richmond Park: At 2,500 acres, Richmond Park is London's largest royal park - with enough space to actually stretch your legs. Over in Kew Gardens, you'll find Henry Moore's exhibition: 30 of the sculptor's monumental bronzes set across the grounds for you to discover.
Broadway Market, Hackney: Saturdays turn this stretch of Hackney into one of London's best food markets, with bakeries, cheese mongers, wine bars and an atmosphere worth the trip out for — canal or no canal.
That's the list. Between our own offers and everything above, August in the city looks less like something to escape, and more like something worth staying for.
And if you haven't already, our summer special is still running until 2nd September: 15% off rooms, plus skincare treats from Pelegrims.
The Small Print
- The Rho's Pop-Up takes place Wednesday to Saturday, 6–9.30pm, until 22nd August. All guests staying at The Pilgrm can enjoy the menu with 15% off.
- The complimentary late 2pm checkout applies throughout August upon request, subject to availability.
- Reduced Sunday and Monday night rates apply if you are due to check out on either a Sunday or Monday during the months of July and August, subject to availability.
- The Life Centre discount applies to bookings made directly with The Life Centre using code PILGRMYOGA.
- Details for third-party venues and events are correct as of publication and worth confirming directly before visiting.
