May is in bloom
May is arguably the finest month to explore London. The days are long, the parks are lush, and the city's cultural calendar hits its stride. Best of all, staying with us at The Mandeville Hotel means you're perfectly positioned in the heart of Marylebone, one of London's most quietly brilliant neighbourhoods. Here's where to head this month.
The Mandeville's concierge team keeps a close eye on what's new in the city. Ask at the desk for the latest recommendations, reservations assistance, or the best route to any of the below.
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
The Open Air Theatre's summer season opens this month, and there are few more quintessentially London evenings than watching a performance under a darkening sky with the park as your backdrop. Productions range from Shakespeare classics to West End musicals, and the atmosphere is electric regardless of what's on stage. This year kicks off with Sherlock Holmes, followed by A Life In Four Seasons, A Midsummer Night's Dream, CATS and Anansi The Spider, for families as well as adults only, up until September. Arrive early to make an evening of it with food and drink available on site.
2 May - 6 September, 2026
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, The Regent's Park, Inner Circle, London NW1 4NU
Book tickets here
London Craft Week
London Craft Week returns with its biggest and boldest celebration to date, bringing together more than 1,000 makers, designers, brands and galleries to showcase British and international craft across the capital. Much of the action concentrates in Mayfair and Marylebone, meaning many of the best events are right on the doorstep. Check the programme for talks, workshops and open studios.
11 - 17 May, 2026
Sealskinz Hinde Street Run Club
The route begins on Hinde Street, circles Regent's Park, winds back through Marylebone Village, and finishes back at the shop Sealskinz, a course that takes in some of the neighbourhood's finest streets and green spaces, and feels genuinely different to the treadmill circuit most of us default to when travelling. Two pacing groups cater to different abilities, and there are expert talks, stretch sessions and in-store demos Marylebone Village before and after, so it's as much an evening out as it is a training run.
1 Hinde Street, Marylebone, London W1U 2AY
Opens 16 May, 2026
V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL
RHS Chelsea Flower Show
London Gate, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR
O Pioneers X Mary Quant exclusive collaboration
Introducing a summer collaboration you don't want to miss. O Pioneers' English Victoriana style meets the silhouettes of the Swinging Sixties in an exciting collaboration between the Marylebone Village-based label and the iconic Mary Quant brand. Expect all the charm and playfulness of two independent names that share a passion for joyful dressing!
76 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2PR
Catch Dracula
If you’re even slightly curious about gothic theatre, this is one of those “see it before everyone’s done talking about it” moments. The new stage version of Dracula, starring Cynthia Erivo, isn’t your typical vampire story, it’s a bold, one-woman performance where she plays all 23 characters herself. Catch this limited West End run ending in late May 2026, where headlines and on stage moments have already gone viral! Its the show that's on everyone's lips right now.
Until 30 May, 2026
Noël Coward Theatre, 85-88 St Martin's Lane, London, United Kingdom
Book tickets here
Fleet Street Literary Festival
Fleet Street’s literature festival is returning for 2026. The Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words will be exploring how words shape our world all while celebrating its heritage as the home of London’s printing press. The first line from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities is serving as the opening gambit for this year’s festival: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.’ The full line-up of speakers for 2026 is yet to be revealed, but the programme will span 30 events which explore the age of ‘wisdom and foolishness’.
12 - 16 May, 2026