Hotels for Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra

A big band show with brass, boogie-woogie piano and a rotating cast of guest singers, built around end-of-year cheer rather than any single new record. Expect a full orchestra on stage, a lot of swing and jump-blues energy, and the kind of variety that comes from guests dropping in for a song or two.

Saturday night crowds tend to dress up a bit for it, and the mood leans festive given how close it falls to Christmas. It's as much a singalong knees-up as a formal concert.

An ornate Victorian rotunda in South Kensington, the Royal Albert Hall is one of the world's most famous concert halls, celebrated above all for the summer Proms. It sits amid the great museums, Kensington Gardens and the elegant streets of Knightsbridge, making the setting as memorable as the show.

South Kensington and High Street Kensington tube stations are a short walk, with excellent central links. Staying in the neighbourhood lets you pair a performance with the galleries and a leisurely evening stroll home.