Going bowling in London has always meant heading up to one of those bowl-plexes, full of neon lights and arcade games. The Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes, located at the basement of Tavistock Hotel, is an inspired idea: eight lanes of bowling, in a stylish venue, with a classy diner and karaoke rooms outfitted with swish carpets, leather sofas, large plasma TV screens, trendy wallpaper and even an old styled mini-bar.

There are some wonderful touches to the décor. The bowling ball return machines are above ground, so that after each turn, your ball whizzes back towards you in a thoroughly satisfying way. The heart-shaped diner seats are an absolutely authentic slice of Americana and huge windows give you a great view of those beautiful parallel lines that bowling alleys make. The menu is a hearty arrangement of crisp salads, gourmet deli sandwiches, burritos and platters, finishing with sugary treats like hot chocolate brownie or banana split.