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Guests visiting London’s Mandarin Oriental hotel at any other time of the year will miss out on the hotel’s latest dining experience: a brand-new outdoor restaurant that’s open only in the summer. Nestled in the shelter of the Mandarin Oriental’s north façade, The Park Terrace restaurant overlooks the southern meadows of Hyde Park below the Serpentine Lake and serves guests from May 1st through September 30th. Soft linens, elegant teak furniture, quarried Portland stonework and a lush floral backdrop combine to create the informal elegance of an English country garden that’s available all day long for early morning breakfasts, sunny lunches, traditional afternoon teas and balmy evening dinners. Head Chef Chris Tombling’s highly seasonal menu features fresh, summery dishes. The restaurant’s staff, meanwhile, go far beyond just serving food to create what might almost be considered a luxury urban beach. On hot summer days, a Terrace Butler is on hand with a selection of sunscreens, cooling iced towels, water sprays and a sunglasses cleaning service. Guests can also borrow designer sunglasses—including children’s sizes—along with hand-held Mandarin fans, soft pashmina shawls, books from the hotel’s Vintage Classics library, and a selection of magazines and newspapers. There’s nothing like limited-time availability to increase an offering’s appeal, as we’ve noted on numerous occasions before, and reflecting local seasonal rhythms enhances the genuine feel of something that’s still made here. Throw in some five-star summer meals and a pampering spot to sun oneself, and you just may have something tourists will return to year after year. (Related: Restaurant to close and reopen every season.) Spotted by: RK