GIRARD-PERREGAUX WTT NO. 3: LONDON

The Girard-Perregaux World Time Tour:  On each and every GP WW.TC dial there are twenty-four cities listed, at least two from each continent, and these cities, will be our focus. We know that while traveling on business, many people leave themselves just one day to play tourist. 

So rather than another over-packed city guide, we offer you “One Perfect Day,” in each and every city we visit. We’ll highlight the best each has to offer and the experiences that make it unique, beyond the standard “where to go and what to see,” although we’ll occasionally include that too. —The Editors

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
Samuel Johnson

The drive from Gatwick to Central London brings almost as big a smile to my face as the taxi ride from JFK across the Brooklyn Bridge back home into Manhattan. London is familiar, and despite the overcast morning and bumpy red-eye flight, I’m happy to be back in what is, indisputably, one of the greatest cities in which to be a man. London seems livelier than ever this year, thanks to the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations and the upcoming Summer Olympics.

The Lanesborough

The Lanesborough check-in is seamless. The smiling young woman at the front desk says “Welcome home” as she hands me my “personalized residence calling card” — admirably, without giving the slightest hint that my own business cards are somehow inadequate. While I have enjoyed accommodations at the nearbyIntercontinental London Park Lane,45 Park Lane, Four Seasons London and The Athenaeum over the past 30 years, the Lanesborough’s standards are simply beyond compare. My cozy, well-appointed room confirms as much; the Michelin-starred Apsleys restaurant on the ground floor (from celebrated chef Heinz Beck) and my favorite cigar patio, The Garden Room, one level below, are glorious bonuses.

Bibendum Restaurant in Michelin House

Vintage Luggage @ Bentley's Antiques

The first order of business is breakfast — easy enough at this hotel. Like most grand cities, London is best experienced on foot (although if you’re tuckered but still in the mood to explore, no one will hold it against you if you take a taxi to Notting Hill.) Rain or shine, take a stroll around The Serpentine in Hyde Park to shake your jet lag, then head leisurely towardBibendum Restaurant in Michelin House for a memorable lunch. Along the way, you’ll pass some extraordinary shops, including Bentley London
, which specializes in vintage luggage, campaign furniture and classic men’s accessories. Or

Pankhurst

JJ Fox of St. James's

head the opposite direction for some serious shopping and a quick bite at Dover Street Market’s Rose Bakery (check out the Paul Smith Furniture Store, too) orGreens Oyster Bar & Restaurant. If you had more than a day, you could do a great deal more, but for now it’s Greens and serious shopping: Turnbull & Asser for shirts, Favourbrook for a new tuxedo vest (waistcoat), Davidoff of London or Fox of St. James’s for cigars. Also check out The Vintage Watch Company in the Burlington Arcade (there’s an outstanding vintage-pen store a few doors down) or head to Pankhurst for a deluxe shave and face massage.

After a brief respite — some tea and an afternoon cigar at The Lanesborough is certainly in order before going out again — head to dinner at Kai for dazzling, sumptuous Chinese food. Later, if you’re up for it (and feeling lucky), swing by the Aspinalls Club
, a civilized private casino. Most of London’s nightlife centers on private members’ clubs — some you can join with relative ease, some for which you’ll need a little help from your hotel and some for which you mustknow a member. Below are some top choices to explore.

In the end, all roads lead back to your hotel. By this point you’ll be spent — literally and figuratively — but the experience will have been well worth it. At this hour, what’s the only thing that could keep you from climbing into your downy bed? A Cognac from the Library Bar downstairs, of course. SIG

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