|
By Marian Betancourt
London: The City That Defines Luxury
Luxury, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, but most would agree that true luxury is the comfort and elegance that comes with good taste and evolves naturally over generations. The city of London defines elegance, so for a short luxurious getaway, here are some places to go and things to do.
Top Flight
 To set the tone for your luxury trip try Eos Airlines sigh three daily flights between New York and London’s Stanstead, a much less congested airport than Heathrow. (Eos is the Goddess of dawn.) In New York, Eos will see you through the gate without delay or long lines and lets you relax in the spacious lounge they share with Emirates Airline. On board your steward will greet you with a glass a champagne, take your coat, and escort you to your own 21 square feet of space on this 757 that carries only 48 guests. Select your wines and dinner (served with linen and silverware) from a gourmet menu and let your steward know if you wish to be awakened for breakfast or prefer it in a carry out parcel. Stretch out on your 6-foot-6 bed with a full sized pillow and cashmere blanket. Not sleepy yet? Then don the Bose headphones and watch a first run movie on your own personal entertainment unit. For freshening up, there’s a personal toiletries bag from New York’s Cornelia Day Resort. For information: www.eosairlines.com
Elegant Accommodations
 The 5-star May Fair Hotel on Stratton Street, in the heart of the Mayfair and Picadilly, opened in 1927 in the presence of King George and Queen Mary. While retaining its elegant bones, the 406-room hotel has been modernized into large airy rooms and luxury suites. Hallways are art galleries with stunning black and white photos of London. The spa at the Mayfair is an especially inspired retreat offering a full line of treatments including the popular Cleopatra bathing experience, a mineralizing mud and natural salt bath. The quiet room of the spa is co-ed, so don’t be surprised if the robed body in the next lounge chair is a footballer or a popular actress. For information: www.radissonedwardian.co.uk/mayfair and www.mayfairspa.com
Top Tables
London has many fine restaurants, but a stand out is Cecconi’s at Burlington Gardens. Well-informed waiters lovingly describe the specials of the day which in spring might include fresh white asparagus served on a bed of fresh greens with a perfect poached egg on top. Try homemade pasta with butter and cheese and fresh shaved truffles, served with a crisp Pinot Grigio. Belissimo! Cecconi’s attracts a very stylish Euro crowd and the bar is in the middle of the room. Each time a glamorous woman walks through the door, all the male heads turn in her direction. (Very Italian!) For information: www.cecconis.com.uk
Another standout is St. Alban’s in Rex House on Lower Regent Street, with its chic retro 60s design, and where a Pierce Brosnan sighting would not be unusual. Fine European cuisine here might include charcoal grilled Sheltland Isles salmon with salsa verde and desserts like roasted whole baby pineapple or mandarin soufflé with chocolate and chili sauce. For information: www.stalban.net
Wine from Napoleon’s Cellar
For a bottle of fine wine to take back to your hotel, stop at England’s oldest wine shop, Berry Brothers and Rudd on St. James Street. It opened in 1698 over a labyrinth of vaulted cellars and tunnels connected to nearby St. James Palace. Napoleon lived in the palace while in exile and got his exercise with regular walks through the tunnels into the wine shop. Today there are wine classes, tasting dinners and private parties in those historic cellars. Upstairs, near the front door, are the giant coffee scales erected in 1765 to weigh coffee as well as customers. The old record books show the weight of Lord Byron and more recently, the actor Kevin Spacey. There are wonderful historic things to see in this shop, such as a miniature doll house complete with miniature bottles of wine, and, of course, some very fine wines. For information: www.bbr.com
The Ultimate Shopping Mall
 Shoppers at the Burlington Arcade in Mayfair include the Queen of Spain and Bill Clinton. Opened in 1819, this was the longest most beautiful covered shopping space in England. The arcade is protected by Beadles, liveried guards wearing traditional Edwardian frock coats and gold braided top hats, who enforced the code of behavior, such as no whistling. (Today they greet you with a smile and answer your questions.) Here are luxury shops such as Hancocks, which has designed and produced the Victoria Cross since 1856. Peter Edwards carries vintage Hollywood jewelry from the 1930s and 40s. At Pickett’s you can buy a monopoly game (London edition) made of lambskin. Penfriend has vintage and contemporary hand painted pens and cigar box dedicated to Winston Churchill. During World War II, American GIs came to the arcade with their girls to buy wedding rings. Mark Lord, head Beadle, said grandchildren of Americans still come to the arcade with stories they heard.
To get around the city, nothing beats the luxury of a London cab, so much more comfortable than the space-challenged yellow cabs of New York. Riding in these roomy black liveries feels a bit like being in a 1940s movie. The drivers have to pass a rigorous training to get their job and they are happy to tell all about their city.
It won’t be easy to leave London, but the thought of the luxurious flight home on Eos, might make it easier.
© November 2007 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
|
