Luckily, I will be travelling in London just before Christmas this year and will be able to do the majority of my shopping in a city that offers incredible choice. I have learned a thing or two from my previous shopping sojourns in the British capital and can't wait to return to all of my old bargain haunts.

I always try to choose hotels that are centrally located with easy access to all of the shopping areas. The 4 star Mandeville Hotel, located in fashionable Marylebone Village, is my perennial favourite. It is housed in a stylish 1910 Victorian and offers highly personalized, friendly service. The deVigne Bar is warm and colourful and they always remember my “usual”. For an even more upmarket, but equally well-located choice, the 5 star Landmark Hotel is one of the finest.

Brompton Road in Knightsbridge is home to two of London’s most famous institutions: the behomoth Harrods and the venerable Harvey Nichols (Harvey Nicks to Londoners). Harrods is seven floors, each as big as a football pitch, filled with the most luxurious products from the world’s finest brands. It is a bit pricey, but you cannot shop in London without a visit to this bastion of British retailing.

Harvey Nichols is the store of choice for fashionistas with its 3 floors of designer boutiques; everyone is represented from Armani and Agent Provocateur to Burberry and Stella McCartney. If you don’t get your fill of labels at Harvey Nicks, head down to Sloane Street where all of the major fashion houses have a shop or New Bond Street which boasts one of the biggest and best concentrations of designer shops in the world.

If you have a passion for fashion, but are on a more gravity-influenced budget, don’t worry, London caters for all spending levels. Oxford Stree is a mecca for bargain-hunting tourists and Londoners alike. This two mile stretch from Tottenham Court Road tube to Marble Arch is filled with high street type stores.

The big department stores like Debenhams and Selfridges are not the places to shop for one-of-a-kind items. However, they offer an excellent range of basic quality goods that everyone on your list will appreciate. For more unique options, continue on to St. Christopher Place. Its distinctive shops like Under Two Flags, which sells meticulously-crafted model toy soldiers and The Egyptian House, which has weird and wonderful home decor items, offer you unexpected choices.

Regent Street forms the line of demarkation between sophisticated Mayfair to the west and trendy Soho to the east. The famous curve from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus is filled with the world’s most desirable brands, stylish restaurants and buzzing cafés and is the perfect destination for a leisurely hour or two. If you have children, or are a child at heart, don’t miss Hamley’s, a huge, well-run emporium stacked from floor to ceiling with excellent toys.

Grays Antique Market is, hands down, the finest market of its kind in London. Located in the heart of the city's West End, its grand 19th century grounds provide a distinctive setting in which to browse for a bargain or two. There are more than 80 dealers offering a staggering choice of: fine jewellery, collectables, objet d'art, porcelain and silverware.

While in the West End, check out the impressive collection of rare first-editions, lithographs and manuscripts at Henry Sotheran. Trading since 1815, it is the oldest book retailer in Britain. For a quintissential British experience, don’t miss the food hall at the august Fortnum and Mason. It offers traditional English favourites including teas, relishes, chutneys and preserves.

There are a number of off-beat or utterly unique shops that exist only in London. Anything Left-handed boasts an excellent selection of everyday products, including scissors, can openers, cork screws and peelers. For the Elvis fan in your life, there is Elvisly Yours. Without shame it cashes in on “The King’s” still profitable merchandising market and offers memorabilia ranging from refrigerator magnets to champagne and commemorative stamps.

If your tastes lean more towards the “Fab Four”, don’t miss the London Beatles Store. Here you can purchase your very own yellow submarine and all manner of tchotchkes and knicknacks. If you are looking for a DVD collectors set of all of the Benny Hill shows for the comedian in your life, pass by the BBC World Service Shop. Along with a wide range of World Service gift items, the store sells a variety of DVDs, videos, books and audio cassettes, all drawn from a vast library of original television and radio programming.

Portobello Market is the biggest market in London with more than 1,500 stall holders and numerous enclosed arcades. It is a fantastic place to find almost anything, from vintage clothes to second-hand vinyl records. The arcades are busy daily, but the real action happens on Saturday morning - get there early because by mid afternoon many traders have packed it in after a successful day.