Photo: londondrum.comUseful things to know before your visit
Address: Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge SW1X 7XL. Telephone: 0207 730 1234. Website: harrods.com
What are the opening hours?
Opening times are 10am to 9pm (Mon-Sat); 11.30am to 6pm (Sun).
How much time do you need?
A typical visit to Harrods takes 45 to 60 minutes.
Which buses go to Harrods?
Bus routes 9, 10, 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 137, 414, 452 and C1 all stop close by.
Which is the closest train station?
The nearest station is Knightsbridge on the Piccadilly line. It only takes four minutes to walk to Harrods.
Which other attractions are nearby?
Here are three attractions within 15 minutes walk of Harrods: Brompton Oratory, Victoria & Albert Museum and Science Museum.
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Email My review of Harrods
When I was a teenager I tried walking into Harrods with ripped jeans on, but this was way before ripped jeans were a fashion statement (they were just ripped, for real) and the olive-frocked doorman wouldn’t let me in! I don’t even think they have a dress code anymore judging by some of the people walking around today, but you might want to leave your flip-flops and football tops at home just in case, because this is the world’s poshest shop and they have standards.
During its 150-year history Harrods has served everyone from Charlie Chaplin, Noël Coward and Oscar Wilde to Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh and the Queen. It’s the kind of shop that has its own concierge, beauty salon and spa, gallery of artworks by famous painters, and a gold deposit offering real bars of gold. They even have a perfumer who can mix-up your own fragrance formulations.
Photo: londondrum.comIt’s the size of a city block and you’ll definitely get lost, so my advice is to head straight for the Food Hall where they at least sell stuff that we can all afford. I’ve never seen so many different varieties of tea in my life. They’ve stacked up pyramid piles of jam, honey and chutney around boxes of breakfast tea, morning tea, afternoon tea, late afternoon tea, evening tea, herbal tea for health, for sleep, for this, for that, all packaged up in gold tins, silver tins, caskets, baskets, hampers and crates.
Photo: londondrum.comThey’re got a boulangerie and patisserie selling thick crusty pies, bread rolls bursting with green leaves and cheeses, all kinds of cakes and pastries, and a seafood section with more fish than the sea. There’s even a counter where you can sit and nibble on tiny little spoonfuls of caviar.
Their sweet shop is like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory with tartan tins of shortbreads, huge chunks of toffee, thick slabs of chocolate and colourful fruit fondants in rose paper petals. The back wall is filled with caramel-coloured whisky bottles and frosted bottles of vodka with fairy lights shining through them like smokey potions in Harry Potter’s spell shop.
Photo: londondrum.comI don’t mind wandering around the teas and sweets because that’s where all the curious tourists go, but I always feel a bit out of place in the watch and jewellery boutiques because they’re all totally enclosed with guards and marble floors – they look like big bank lobbies, or the mahogany boardrooms of city institutions. Some of their artworks look like they’re on loan from the Courtauld. The vases might have come straight from the V&A.
Even the toilets and lift look amazing. And yes, I am being totally serious… the toilets and the lift. If you want to relieve yourself in luxurious surroundings then this is where you should do it (in the toilet, I mean, not the lift).
I’ve ranked Harrods as ★23 in my top 25 London bucket list
It also appears in my how to spend one day in London itineraries, two days in London itinerary and one week in London itinerary
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What do you think? (9)
Ask a question, or share your experience of Harrods
BPeters Like always I enjoyed to read your review of Harrods. I like your humorous style, you always cheer me up. Thank you! Now Harrods is on my to-do-list (on those for rainy days) when I visit London. One question: Is it possible to take any photos inside the building? I would do it very discreet with the smartphone but I worry that they will call the police or their own secret personal and throw me out. How embarrassing, or not? I’m really grateful for any suggestion. Brigitte Peters, Hamburg, Germany. (reply)
Craig Hi. They don’t seem to mind you taking photos on your smartphone (that’s how I took all the photos on this page). Whenever I go into the food halls and confectionary hall there are always a few people taking photos. Don’t forget to take one of the Egyptian escalators in the middle – that’s my favourite bit. (reply)
Cathy Hi, I read somewhere that Harrods has a strict dress code ie, no jeans, shorts or leggings – would someone be able to confirm this, as this clothing would make up a lot of my packing. (reply)
Craig Hi Cathy. There definitely used to be in the past, but they’ve relaxed it. You can basically wear anything you like, as long as it it’s not offensive to other people (their words). Here’s a link to their FAQs – harrods.com/en-th/faqs/visitor-guidelines (reply)
Cathy Thanks heaps, that makes me feel much more confident! (reply)
chris Can you wear jeans in harrods? (reply)
Craig Hi Chris. According to their FAQs you can wear normal jeans but not ripped jeans. (reply)
PClose Do they still give you those dark green carrier bags when you buy something. That’s all I really want! (reply)
Craig Hi PClose. They do, yes. I reckon they should just sell empty carrier bags because everyone wants one and they’d probably make a fortune. (reply)
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