Harrods

Harrods department store is an absolute “must” in London. In addition to the British Museum and the Tower of London, it is amongst the places that most travellers to London have visited.  In fact, Harrods is more of a sight than a place for shopping, at least when ordinary mortals are concerned. Its price level is famously high, but then again, its products are also of superior quality compared to those on the shelves of ordinary department stores.

Yes, Harrods is a store for the very wealthy. Private jets carry rich Arab sheiks with their wives (yes, it’s a plural) for a shopping spree at Harrods. After all, at Harrods money can buy anything, literally. In Britain, the customer is always right, but at Harrods the paying customer is a king, or a queen. You can get pampered by a personal shopping assistant, who will help you in your shopping decisions. Well, maybe not you but the wealthy customers.

This department store always had a very specific reputation; you can buy there anything your heart desires. If it’s not on the shelves, it shall be ordered. And there is plenty on the shelves already. Nowadays, you can naturally place orders online as well. You can download an interactive guide directly from Harrods home page: Harrods Store Guide

The product selection includes many unique items not available elsewhere. There are also products that are made exclusively to be sold at Harrods, so you have more than good chances of finding real rarities to your collection.

You should also be aware, and warned, that there is a dress code at Harrods, which applies not only to the well-dressed staff but to all its customers as well. People dressed in very extravagant style or in uniform have been denied entry, as well as people wearing peculiar hats or having mohican hair-cuts. Even some overweight individuals are said to have been turned away. As Harrods has been involved in some lawsuits regarding the issue, it has somewhat relaxed its standards. Tourists are allowed to enter this “Mecca” in jeans and a T-shirt, as long as they are clean and not overly sweaty. You can take photos once granted an admission, except for places where it is specifically forbidden.

PS. People often pronounce and spell the name wrongly as “Harrolds“, but there is no letter “l”.