Prestige London Citi presents LUXE City Guides The cult pocket city guides and mobile apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler www.luxecityguides.com If there’s one city that is never out of fashion its London. You may not understand British humor (not even the British do) and you will almost certainly encounter inclement weather, but with her hyper-fash forward design scene, vintage and custom tailoring that’s the envy of the world, history, romance and intrigue in every footstep and treasure in spades, it’s little wonder that travelistas the planet over put London at the top of their pilgrimage wish list. Add a startling resurgence of fine, artisanally-sourced British cooking and a world class bar scene and nightlife, and you won’t just be visiting, you’ll be immigrating. 1 LUXE LONDON Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Drab vs. Fab LUXE Itineraries Prestige blah blah Heathrow to Central: 50 If you’re on a budget, make lunch mins / £50 by cab; 15 mins / the main meal of the day, most £18.00 by Heathrow Express to of the city’s wish list restaurants Paddington Station; 30 mins / £5 feature an excellent set lunch by Underground prix fixe The Tube: depending on which line Bear in mind that clued-in you take, travelling on London’s Londoners hit bars, restaurants vast underground network can be and clubs on weekdays as the either easy and convenient or a weekends in town can get, shall necessary evil, either way, buy a we say, a tad bridge and tunnel multiple journey oyster Card, grab a free map at the ticket kiosk, and avoid rush hour if you possibly can Tipping 10-15% is customary, but do be aware that some restaurants add it to the bill as a Metered black cabs can cost as discretionary charge, so do check much as air tickets, and drivers do your bill first expect a tip as well (min 50p), but the upside is all drivers have the world famous ‘knowledge’, know all the streets and tend to be chatty, The international code for Britain cheery types is +44, and all landlines begin with 020, the numbers you encounter prefixed with 07 are mobiles Mini-cabs (non-metered) need to be booked ahead and you can agree the fee upfront, but be wary In all emergencies call 999 of illegal cabs soliciting you on (this does not include when the street, they often don’t have yo u b rea k a n a i l , o r n e e d a insurance and you could end up on restaurant reservation) a wild goose chase Best deal in town? Most major museums/galleries in London are free. How fabulous is that! 2 LUXE LONDON Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Drab vs. Fab LUXE Itineraries Prestige lUXE insidEr RoLAnd MoURET For over a decade Roland Mouret has created some of the world’s most coveted womenswear collections. The designer has defined the era of the iconic dress, which, has become known by a single name – Galaxy, Titanium, Moon ¬– and has earned Mouret a reputation as magician, master of structure and silhouette, and as a man with an intuitive understanding of the female form. www.rolandmouret.com 3 LUXE LONDON Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Drab vs. Fab LUXE Itineraries Prestige lUXE insidEr RoLAnd MoURET 1) What do you most love about London? London has such an eclectic mix of people and styles. It’s such a vibrant city and a constant source of inspiration! 2) What is your favorite neighborhood to visit for a day of shopping? My favorite neighborhood is the Southbank. I particularly like to shop at Borough Market early in the morning and spend the rest of the day cooking up a storm. www.boroughmarket.org.uk 3) Where do you go to get clothes tailored/bespoke? Anderson & Sheppard on Saville Row always do a fantastic job. www.anderson-sheppard.co.uk 4) What are 3 of your favorite restaurants in London? Helene Darroze at The Connaught, The Wolseley on Piccadilly, and Scotts on Mount St. www.the-connaught.co.uk • www.thewolseley.com www.scotts-restaurant.com 5) Where do you go to unwind and relax in London? I like to go to St. James Park and watch the birds. I love the birds and the ducks! www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/st-jamess-park 4 LUXE LONDON Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Drab vs. Fab LUXE Itineraries Prestige lUXE insidEr RoLAnd MoURET 6) What is your favorite store for vintage and/or antique pieces? Jerome dodds’ store in notting Hill Les Couilles Du Chien. Jerome is a great friend of mine, he helped source numerous pieces for my showroom at 8 Carlos Place and his space in notting Hill is a treasure trove, I never leave empty handed. www.lescouillesduchien.com 7) Where would you go for a cocktail and what would you order? You can never go wrong with a Mojito at Momo. momoresto.com 8) Where do you take visitors when they come to visit you in London? The Victoria and Albert Museum is always on my list of places to visit. They have just opened their Ballgowns exhibition in which I am honored to be showcasing the dress Maggie Gyllenhaal wore to the 2010 Golden Globes www.vam.ac.uk 5 LUXE LONDON Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Drab vs. Fab LUXE Itineraries Prestige lUXE lovEs Photograph: Andrew Meredith Hotel THe ConnaugHT More like a friendly luxury club than a hotel, with creamy, classic, supremely comfy and wired-up rooms, personal butlers, fine dine Hélène darroze, svelte socialite Connaught Bar, quieter hideaway Coburg Bar, and thoroughly swish Aman Spa. Its location at the very center of the happening Mount Street scene places it perfectly for gentle ambles in nearby Green Park as well as all important shopping in Mayfair and Jermyn Street. divine 16 Carlos Place, W1 / T: Bond Street /+ 44 020 7499 7070 www.maybourne.com Hotel DorSeT Square After an extensive and expensive revamp, the Kit Kemp- designed dorset Square Hotel has finally reopened in retail central Marylebone. Inside its beautiful Regency townhouse exterior are 38 individually designed bedrooms, each appointed with bespoke furniture and bold color palettes, many with picturesque garden views. downstairs, The Potting Shed restaurant and bar serves Brit classics, while the high-ceilinged drawing Room is perfect for a spot of afternoon tea. 39-40 Dorset Square, NW1 / T: Baker Street / +44 020 7723 7874 www.firmdalehotels.com 6 LUXE LONDON Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Drab vs. Fab LUXE Itineraries Prestige lUXE lovEs Dining Dining THe LeDBury Dinner By Heston BLuMenTHaL Chef Brett Graham’s deft antipodean hand has fashioned a constantly evolving modern The wizard Mr. B strikes platinum with his European menu that has become one forage through historic and heritage British of the city’s most important and desired recipes, tweaking them as only a true dining destinations. The wonderful surprise genius can and serving them up redux via with this 2-star Michelin eatelier is the a startlingly effective and knowledgeable perfect fine dining blend of urbane and staff who clearly love what they do. The sophisticated, but deliciously relaxed and spacious dining room looks out over Hyde welcoming. It really is a treat, and you really Park, but it’s more likely your eye will be will need to book far ahead. firmly on your plate. The Meat Fruit and Tipsy Pudding with roast pineapple are 127 Ledbury Roadd, W11 / T: Westbourne Park already the stuff of legend. / + 44 020 7792 9090 / closed Mon lunch Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park / www.theledbury.com Knightsbridge, SW1 / T: Knightsbridge / + 44 020 7201 3833 www.dinnerbyheston.com Dining Dining THe WoLSeLey DaBBouS How do we love the Wolseley, let us count don’t let the industrial mesh, metal piping the ways… for breakfast or elevenses, lunch and strictly functional corporate canteen or brunch, afternoon tea, pre-theatre, fitout put you off, this is an oasis of pristine, dinner and supper, this carbon and cream full-blooded modern European flavor, marble ultra-glam verve and vibe café-salon as you’d expect of ollie dabbous whose of mod Euro classics heaves from breakfast previous work at Scandinavian bistro to nightcap. And what’s more, if you like Texture has seen it appear in all editions of the table settings, from condiments to LUXE London since it launched. no wonder tableware, napery and cake-stands, you can then we’re fans of his new baby, although buy them all online. Hurrah! getting a reservation here now is an Augean challenge. If you are lucky enough 160 Piccadilly, W1 / T: Green Park / +44 020 7499 6996 to have booked far in advance and been www.thewolseley.com granted a table, you’ll find produce-centric small and large plates with a detectable Scandinavian simplicity and acute attention to clarity of taste. 9 Whitfield Street, London W1 / T: Goodge Street / closed Sun-Mon / +44 020 7323 1544 dabbous.co.uk 7 LUXE LONDON Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Drab vs. Fab LUXE Itineraries Prestige lUXE lovEs Dining Bar Tea aT CLariDge’S exPeriMenTaL CoCkTaiL CLuB Quite apart from being one of London’s most iconic hotels, with So you think you know about cocktails? a legendarily beautiful deco foyer, direct from trouncing all-comers in Claridge’s has becomes the glam- Paris, the ECC melts silkily onto the daddy of champagne, pastry and London scene with glass after glass piano with its perfectly balanced of classic reinvention, which takes afternoon tea service and palm court this rare spirits ultra-speakeasy way atmosphere.