Best bargain for shoppers in London

It wasn't just cold, it was way beyond that.

As we headed into Heathrow, it was in the middle of the worst snowstorms in England for 50 years. Despite the temperature shock, we were eager to get on with the task at hand. Shopping.

We all know Dubai is one of the greatest shopping destinations but how does it compare to the old guard in Europe?

It didn't take long to find out. No sooner had we arrived at our first hotel (a charming boutique in South Kensington called 54), than we wrapped up warm and headed out.

To Knightsbridge

As the hotel was a stone's throw away from Knightsbridge, that's where we headed first.

"The only sale" was emblazoned across the most famous department store in the world and I could sense my thrifty plan of window-shopping crumbling before my eyes.

Harrods' sale is indeed huge, with enormous discounts. After what seemed like hours of browsing, my partner emerged with a Missoni dress reduced by 70 per cent. Nothing like getting the big purchase out of the way on Day 1.

A stroll through Knightsbridge to Harvey Nichols followed, with a little disappointment, as most of the "good" stuff was not on sale. Luckily, the will to spend had dissipated and the walk down Sloane Street, with its wall-to-wall designer boutiques, was precisely that. Just a walk.

The next day we ventured to the South Bank for culture and shopping. The Tate Moden and the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre were combined with the book market outside the National Film Theatre.

If Day 2 was a breather, Day 3 was breathless. The first stop was Spitalfields Market. A short walk from Liverpool Street railway station, this was one of the gems of the London scene before they "modernised" it.

Bustling ambience

Now traditional market traders are surrounded by Post-Modern columns, glass, pastel lighting and chain restaurants.

Fortunately, they didn't destroy the spirit of the market and it was (even in sub-zero temperatures) full of traders, vintage clothes, furniture, books and banter by the bucketload.

That's the name of the game in east London — cutting-edge or vintage.

Brick Lane is one of the epicentres. Nestled among the hundreds of curry houses are vintage shops and markets — such as Absolutely Vintage, Blondie or the Truman Vintage Market.

Mixing retro with the new is the big fashion statement in London and these stores sell all you need, catering to most tastes and price ranges. Further down Brick Lane is the flip side. The Laden Showrooms is an unofficial showcase for young talent. Rows of labels you haven't heard of (yet) are on sale for cheap prices. The night was spent in the West End, watching Phantom of the Opera (well, we were in London).

Our final day was spent in two locations. First, we moved hotels to be in the heart of designer action — Mayfair.

Now, I'm not saying Brown's Hotel is in lofty company but when Graff and Matthew Williamson have flagship stores here, you know this is no ordinary district.

The hotel itself was perfect for those who want the "authentic" London experience — one of the Grand Dames of the hotel scene: green-suited doormen, real fires and cream tea. And all done with that personal touch. Thankfully, it was window-shopping in Mayfair — although I did discover a Paul Smith sale store, which had lots of year-round bargains.

A steal deal

After a brief look at things we could not afford, we took the tube to Notting Hill.

On the walk to the Portobello Road market, we found a store called Retro Woman, where an Anna Sui purse was picked up for just Dh120.

On Portobello itself, the antique market is full of beautiful things. You could spend hours just browsing — but it all seemed a little overpriced .

Most of the stalls were also selling tourist tat but it wasn't until you reached the southern end of the market that you hit pay dirt.

There were more vintage stalls and this time at reasonable prices. There were a lot of second-hand fur coats on offer but I found a tweed jacket from the 1980s which cost me just Dh100.

The stalls of the "still in fashion school" designers were gone by the time we arrived.

It was an exhausting trip but proved one thing: London is still one of the shopping kings. Pretenders to the throne still have a long way to go before they can mount a serious challenge.

It's not just the boutiques and the famous stores. It's the markets, the level of knowledge, the unknown designers and the fact that you can spend as little or as much as you want and look good.

And if you are wondering, we did need an extra suitcase. But it cost Dh60 from a vintage store.