Visit Britain Media Centre

The annual London theatre initiative Kids Week announces the exciting line-up of 34 shows offering free tickets and activities for children and families from 1 until 31 August 2013.

This summer sees the introduction of afternoon tea as an optional add-on to the popular ‘Blue Badge’ guided tours of the Houses of Parliament. Tea can be taken in the elegant surroundings of the Pugin Room in the House of Commons; an historic room which provides fine views over the River Thames.

On 1 June 2013, Nipa restaurant overlooking leafy Hyde Park will launch the first Thai Afternoon Tea in London. Created by the award-winning all-lady kitchen brigade at Nipa, the menu includes Thai style sandwiches, savouries, scones and pastries.

From 18 June to 16 July, The Montagu restaurant at Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill on Portman Square, is celebrating the hotly-anticipated opening of the new West End musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Pastry Chefs at The Montagu, which has been awarded two AA rosettes, have created a delectable dessert menu featuring sweet treats and imaginative recipes.

Glyndebourne, the opera festival set in the Sussex countryside, will begin its 2013 season on 18 May, running through to 25 August. It will then commence its Tour in the autumn, taking world class opera around the UK. Read on for some quirky facts about the festival.

Glamorous, colourful and flamboyant, Britain’s LGBT festivals mix creativity with a celebratory, party atmosphere. Pride season kicks off this month in Birmingham and continues through the summer. Find out about the gay parties in store at Bestival this year too.

From a hotel with a bowling alley to an eco retreat with sheep-lined insulation, mansions you can helicopter into through to booking an entire street for the week - Britain has some pretty interesting accommodation options. For the rest of our Accommodation Special see the media centre. Part 1 - Hot recent and upcoming new openings and Part 2 - Refurbished properties with a story to tell.

Read on to find out about hotels that have undergone refurbishments lately and are back with a new, revamped story to tell. This is part 2 of 3 in our Accommodation Special. See the media centre for Part 1 - recent and upcoming new openings and Part 3 - quirky places to stay.

We've put together a really useful list of hot upcoming and recent hotel and accommodation openings in London, the rest of England, Scotland and Wales. This is part 1 of 3 in our accommodation update - see the media centre for Part 2 - refurbishments and Part 3 - quirky places to stay...

It takes 2 hours to apply the Phantom's make up each night for West End musical The Phantom of the Opera? Or that there are 18,000 theatre performance in London each year?