dotted across london, national hospitality houses offer a base for a country's athletes, officials and occasional celebrities. some are open to the public, showing a festive side to tourists from around the world. others are strictly invitation only, like the american pavilion at the royal college of art.
here's an eclectic, unscientific guided tour:
russia: 2014 is ours
russia, home to the 2014 winter games in sochi, has pulled out all the stops with two open-air attractions, russia park and sochi park, set in london's kensington gardens.
russia park is a vast sea of astroturf dotted with bean bags, ping pong, chess and mini-golf. medal winners and artists share the stage, with entertainment ranging from central asian throat singers to jazz bands to mini-rock festivals.
samba, baby
brazil, home to the 2016 rio de janeiro games, has transformed somerset house, a sprawling edifice beside the river thames, into casa brasil.
the courtyard has been taken over by brazilian bands, including sargento pimenta (portuguese for sgt. pepper) a popular carnival ensemble that takes a samba approach to beatles classics. the bar serves up a mean caipirinha, a popular brazilian cocktail. there's also a "3-d paragliding experience" and extensive exhibitions of brazilian art and design — much of it bold, confident and playful.
small is beautiful
denmark has turned a yacht-fringed marina, st. katharine docks, into a little corner of scandinavia. there is music, hotdogs and beer, scandinavian designs, a viking ship, meaty food and big screens showing olympic highlights including handball — a scandinavian obsession.
alpine treats
nearby austria house offersbratwurst with sauerkraut and stiegl beer on a ski chalet-style terrace with views of the tower of london, as well as big-screen sports and a "yodeling telephone box."
坐落在伦敦各处的各国接待馆给本国的运动员、官员以及偶尔到访的名人提供了一个大本营。这些接待馆有些对外开放，对世界各国游客都展现出友好欢乐的一面，另一些则只有受到邀请才能入内，比如说坐落在英国皇家艺术学院的美国接待馆。
以下是一条随机选择而非最科学的游览路线：
俄罗斯：2014年是我们的
俄罗斯索契将承办2014年冬季奥运会，为了建好设在伦敦肯辛顿花园内的俄罗斯公园和索契公园两处户外景点，已经使出浑身解数。
俄罗斯公园内是一大片人工草坪，上面随意摆放着懒人沙发、乒乓球案、象棋和迷你高尔夫。奖牌获得者和艺术家们同台献艺，娱乐活动从中亚双音歌手到爵士乐队，再到迷你摇滚节应有尽有。
来吧宝贝儿，桑巴
2016年奥运会主办国巴西已将泰晤士河岸边恢宏的萨默塞特公馆改造成了巴西接待馆。
馆内庭院由巴西乐队接管，其中包括随着披头士经典歌曲跳桑巴舞的嘉年华流行乐团sargento pimenta乐队（葡萄牙语，意为麻辣长官）。酒吧内提供在巴西非常受欢迎的美味凯匹林纳鸡尾酒。除此之外，还可体验3d滑翔伞，以及欣赏众多巴西艺术和设计作品——多数风格大胆自信又不乏俏皮。
小就是美
丹麦将圣•凯瑟琳游艇停泊港改造成了斯堪的纳维亚群岛一角，提供热狗、啤酒、肉质食品，播放音乐，还有斯堪的纳维亚风的设计作品展和一艘北欧海盗船，以及播放奥运比赛集锦的大屏幕，其中就包括手球比赛——斯堪的纳维亚人的最爱之一。
来自阿尔卑斯山的款待
附近的奥地利招待馆内，在滑雪小屋风格的露台上提供泡菜腊肠和斯梯阁啤酒，还可以欣赏到伦敦塔的景色。那里也有一个大屏幕可以观看奥运比赛，还有一个“约德尔电话亭”。