Location The Absolute Pleasure Motor Yacht, moored near Tower Bridge, London
Why goItching to impress? Got a thing for bling? Then this luxury yacht - which sleeps 12 and is nestled in a picturesque central London dock - is the perfect venue for an unusual and truly decadent sleepover.
What's the storyWhen you arrive at the 34-meter yacht, your first word will be "wow". It's staggering - all sleek lines, shiny chrome and glossy teak wooden decks. Somehow, it looks even bigger from the inside, with six bedrooms and bathrooms and a ridiculously luxe lounge as its central hub (think cherry walnut furniture, marble coffee tables, huge white leather sofas, plasma TVs, a bar and even, er, mirrored ceilings... well, it is called 'Absolute Pleasure'!) There's even an automated system of atmospheric mood lighting - though we needed a few more days on board to become fully proficient.
The roomSix bedrooms range from cute twins in the lower cabins to sumptuous doubles with en suite bathrooms so swish they wouldn't look out of place in a five-star hotel - ours had a Jacuzzi bath and heavenly multi-jet shower, as well as fluffy towels, bathrobes and Molton Brown products. We slept incredibly well in our huge king-sized bed, which had a dreamy handmade mattress, white cotton sheets and pink and purple silk throws and pillowcases.
Eating and drinkingThe boat comes with its own live-in crew, who go out of their way to get absolutely anything you need - whether taking a trip to the supermarket or grabbing a takeaway from one of the many bars and restaurants in St Katharine's Docks. We went for the latter option, and feasted on takeaway pizza, sitting under the stars on the top deck - heavenly. The big domain can organise catering, too, with barbeques on the mid deck being particularly popular in the summer.
Out and aboutYou're moments from the City, a short cab ride from the bright lights of London's West End, and - for a more low-key experience - St Katharine's Dock itself is a fascinating little enclave, so secluded that none of the six Londoners in our party had ever really heard of it. As well as a range of little (mainly chain) bars and restaurants, there are arty boutiques and - on Fridays - there's a food market.
The crowdExpect to see well-heeled nautical types in the dock, while very posh hen dos, stag dos, corporate events and birthday parties tend to book the yacht.
PackA glamorous frock - on a yacht like this, one simply must dress for dinner. And, with no stiletto heels allowed on the super-smooth surfaces, make sure your socks / tights / pedicure is ship shape.
RatePrices from £150 per person per night (for smaller groups, minimum numbers apply). Visit thebigdomain.com.
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