Get into the Christmas spirit with a shopping and foodie staycation in Marylebone Village, London

Marylebone Village was this year's chosen destination for our holiday season sojourn, with an overnight hotel stay sandwiched in between time spent enjoying some high-end retail therapy while also sampling the mouthwatering tastes of the area's finest dining offerings.

It's not one of the more obvious tourist destinations in our great capital city, as Marylebone may only be familiar to those making their way round a Monopoly board, but when visiting in person it's clear to see it offers so much more than an old train station.

For starters, it couldn't be more centrally located, with the vibrant and bustling shopping meccas of Bond Street, Oxford Street and Picadilly just a stone's throw away.

But putting all that to one side, what Marylebone Village can provide is a unique and more tranquil London experience in true urban style, thanks mainly to its thriving culture, Georgian-style streets and eclectic mix of businesses, along with its blossoming community spirit, demonstrated superbly by its rows of small shops all spreading some seasonal cheer with their stunning festive doorway and window displays.

Before loosening any purse strings and with stomachs rumbling after a long train journey, a lunch date at Caldesi would transport my wife and I to the Italian sunshine for a couple of hours, providing us with an authentic Italian dining experience tasting the vibrant Mediterranean flavours of delicious handmade pasta while quenching the thirst with a bottle of regional wine.

Dishes of prawn linguine and seabass ravioli provoked quiet groans of satisfaction, which came after we polished off a delicious shared platter of antipasto featuring the delights of cured Italian meats, grilled vegetables, focaccia bread and olives, along with moorish textures of smoked mozzarella and burrata. Can you get more Italian than that? I think not.

Feeling replenished, it was time for check-in at The Welbeck Hotel, on Welbeck Street, an area known for its rich history and association with the medical profession dating back to the 1800s.

With its stunning Edwardian architecture and flags bearing its name, the hotel is easy to spot from a distance, enhanced by an impressive seasonal display forming a welcome archway at its entrance.

Boasting 164 rooms and suites, The Welbeck offers contemporary luxury and comfort with all the amenities you'd expect from an upscale London accommodation, with high-speed Wi-Fi, luxury Templespa toiletries and the additional offering of in-room massage and facial services.

Our room high up on the fifth floor did not disappoint, featuring attractive views of the city's widespread Victorian-style rooftops, with a comfortable queen-size bed the centrepiece of a space which also included a large flat-screen TV, an Illy coffee machine and mini-fridge with complimentary cans of water and fresh milk.

The bathroom had a heated floor, a nice perk during the cold winter months, along with a spacious and powerful rainforest shower and sink with a large wall mirror conveniently situated above.

Perhaps the jewel in the hotel's crown is its prime location, which offers unparalleled access to not only the heart of Marylebone, but to many of London's top tourist attractions, like Selfridges, as well as a number of nearby tube connections providing easy access to all parts of the city, including Heathrow Airport.

A much-needed afternoon power nap preceded what was perhaps the highlight of our whistle-stop stay, an evening dinner reservation at award-winning French restaurant Orrery, where we enjoyed a tastebud-led journey through seven exquisite courses of the restaurant's fabulous tasting menu, alongside professionally-matched wine pairings courtesy of experienced sommelier Julio Sierra.

And what better way to start than with a complimentary glass of Laurant Perrier champagne as we took our seats in the beautifully-lit dining room.

Each course sparked varying sensations of joy on the palette, with standout courses the chicken and duck parfait with apple chutney, the seafood raviolo in lobster bisque and the beef medallion with pomme puree and sauce Perigourdine.

It will probably go down as one of the top fine dining experiences we've enjoyed in the capital, and there's quite been a few over the years.

For a pre-dinner drink head down to The Cavendish Pub on New Cavendish Street, where sitting at an outside table underneath a cosy blanket while surrounded by heaters and the twinkling Christmas lights turned the festive feel up a notch, with seasonal cocktails of a Solstice Spritz and Carrot Cake Punch warming the cockles and keeping the cold at bay.

Most of the retail offerings in Marylebone Village centre around Marylebone High Street, which looked like a winter wonderland at night time as the Christmas street lights came into full glow.

And with the local tour guides blaring out festive tunes from the back of their bicycles as they rode past, I could feel the Christmas spirit descending upon me further.

During the daytime there are many interesting shops to discover, such as popular grocery store Bayley & Sage selling fabulous-looking festive hampers, renowned Georgian bookshop Daunt and its two levels of floor-to-ceiling galleries, and also check out the leading local fashion labels of Sezane and Spanish Mary Jane shoe brand Flabelus.

Moxon Street is the destination for food-lovers, with La Fromagerie luring us in for some far-too-tempting cheese purchases, and there was no way we could resist Rococo Chocolates, the artisan chocolatier showcasing its wide range of elegantly-packaged sweet treats.

Marylebone Lane is defined by its independent retailers and one-off concept stores, such as fashion brand KOIBIRD which has its own cafe, historic deli Paul Rothe & Son, homeware store Mud Australia and luxury ribbon and accessory shop VV Rouleaux, which arguably boasts some of the most impressive shop front displays you'll ever see.

For refreshments head for a pint in the Coach Makers Arms gastropub or maybe indulge in lunch at The Ivy, where you might even spot the odd celebrity or two.

Our final foodie stop was for brunch at Delamina, a family-run eastern Mediterranean restaurant run by husband and wife team Amir and Limor Chen, with the menu partly inspired by Limor's father who, during her childhood in Tel Aviv, was a passionate cook and exposed her to the myriad of flavours of the region.

Starting with a trio of 'mazetim', or small plates, we both scooped pita breads into our menu selections of tahini and rose harissa oil, feta with honey, sesame and sumac, and perhaps the star of the show, the sweet roasted almond spread, which reminded me of peanut butter, but with much sweeter and smoother textures.

Main course provided further twists on popular dishes, such as my pick of 'Benedict Balagan', which was, as you may guess, an eggs benedict, but with the unique flavours of smashed avocado, charred peppers, sumac baby spinach and paprika hollandaise.

Unsurprisingly, my wife went for the non-vegetarian option of a fried egg on beef shawarma, which was accompanied by dates and pine nuts on a grilled pita, topped with a tahini drizzle.

There's something about London which gives it that X-factor, especially at Christmas time, and as we boarded the train home with full tummies and plenty of festive cheer, we realised the month of December was about to begin.

And that can mean only one thing, that the countdown to Christmas is well and truly on!

TRAVEL FACTS

Standard rooms at The Welbeck Hotel start at £250 and suites start at £400. For more information visit the hotel website.