A “get acquainted with the neighborhood” walk

Along the way you should find a Kinko’s (near the hotel) where you can purchase internet access, and along the way you will find several ATMs.

Turn left (east) leaving our hotel, the Washington Mayfair, 5 Curzon Street.

1 – 4 Curzon Street was the home of Curzon House. Curzon House, the block immediately across the alley from the hotel, used to house the British Security Service MI 5. In 1994, MI 5 moved to Thames House adjacent to Lambeth Bridge.

Walk along Curzon, and immediately past the block that used to contain Curzon House, off to the left, you’ll see Berkeley (pr. barkly) Square. On the west side of the square (the side nearer the hotel) is 40 Berkeley Square – an early OSS (United States’ Office of Strategic Services) office. OSS is a forerunner of the CIA.

Cross the square and turn right onto Berkeley Street heading (south) for Piccadilly.

7 – 9 Berkeley Street was the home of the diplomatic and commercial section of the World War II Government Code and Cipher School (GCCS); the military section was housed at Bletchley Park. Bletchley Park’s original head, Commander Alastair Denniston, was exiled to Berkeley Street in 1942 because of some internal problems at Bletchley Park.

Turn left (east) at Piccadilly and walk to the Piccadilly Circus tube station (Piccadilly line and Bakerloo line).

Piccadilly Circus has been in the news lately because of the alleged poisoning of the former KGB agent at a sushi restaurant at Piccadilly Circus.

Cross Piccadilly and turn right (west) to walk back toward the hotel.

Just before the Green Park tube station (the closest tube station to our hotel – Victoria line, Piccadilly line, and Jubilee line), turn left (south) on Queen’s Walk (Berkeley Street is across Piccadilly on your right) and walk along the edge of Green Park to The Mall. To your right is Buckingham Palace. Walk toward the palace and the Queen Victoria Monument.

Turn right at the monument and walk (north) across Green Park to Piccadilly.

On the opposite side of Piccadilly, look for Half Moon Street – one of the streets that leads back to the hotel. Take it (north) back toward Curzon and our hotel.

When you get to Curzon, you will see the hotel across the street, but don’t cross the street. Instead, turn left (west) and walk along Curzon.

On your left is an opening leading to Sheperd Market. There are some nice places to eat in the market area.

Keep walking west past the market along Curzon until you come to South Audley. Cross Curzon to get to the same side as the hotel. One block further west on Curzon would take you to Park Lane and the edge of Hyde Park.

The full-block building at the corner of Curzon and South Audley is an early MI 5 headquarters.

Walk east back to the hotel along Curzon.