Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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United Kingdom : London - March 2010

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London in March can still be fairly grey and wet. But if the odd ray of sunshine does tempt you outside, grab the opportunity to explore the spring blooms in one of the city’s numerous and extensive parks; Regent’s Park looks particularly pretty at this time of year. Otherwise, stay indoors and enjoy the best food, drink and culture on offer. Richard Bence and Chris Peck hit the town

Getting around

London is served by Gatwick Airport, which is 46km south of the city centre.

Bus: National Express coaches to London Victoria take one hour 35 minutes. Single tickets cost €9,80/£6.60 and the service runs 24 hours a day.
Train: The quickest way to get into the city is by taking the Gatwick Express to London Victoria. It takes 30 minutes and runs every 15 minutes from 5am to 11.45pm. A single ticket costs €22,60/£15.90.
Taxi: Outside rush hour, a taxi to the city centre will take about an hour and cost €114/£77.
Tourist information: The main tourist office is at 1 Lower Regent Street (tel. , visitlondon.com).

HYDE & GREEN PARKS/ KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Live the high life in one of the more pricey parts of town; elegant and chic are watchwords to adhere to.

Sleep soundly – Moments from the shopping of Selfridges and Bond Street, check in to The Arch (50 Great Cumberland Place, tel. , thearchlondon.com, rooms from €207/ £180) for an exclusive night’s sleep.

Culture vultures – Experience world culture at the new Aman Spa (Connaught Hotel, Carlos Place). With a menu based on treatments from China, Thailand, India and the Americas, this is global luxury in the heart of London.

Must eat – Apsleys (The Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, tel. ) is the first Heinz Beck restaurant outside Italy. Try a traditional ‘Menu del Giorno’ at lunch, with three courses for £26. Or Quaglino’s (16 Bury Street, tel. ) is back to its best; a refreshed interior and innovative entertainment herald a new era for one of London’s most iconic destinations.

Must drink – Looking for somewhere glam to impress a date? The Fifth Floor Champagne Bar (109-125 Knightsbridge) at the flagship Harvey Nichols store is the only place to head.

NOTTING HILL/MAIDA VALE/LITTLE VENICE

Go west and hanker down with London’s trendy’trustafarians’. A great place to watch the world, or the weekend, go by.

Must eat – Raoul’s (13A Clifton Road, tel. ) is the place for celebrity spotting while munching on your traditional English breakfast. Or live like an emperor, albeit a 21st-century one, at Supperclub (12 Acklam Road, tel. ). Recline on crisp white beds, sip champagne and watch the show unfold – a good one for getting to know a client in an unusual setting.

Shop til you drop – Men’s, women’s and accessories go hand-in-hand at Aubin & Wills (188 Westbourne Grove). Think preppy chic meets cultural cool for 2010, with soft knits and scruffy blazers.

PRIMROSE HILL/CAMDEN

Boasting a fantastic view of the city, there’s a relaxed, Sunday-morning feel to London’s pretty northern quarter

Culture vultures – For the ultimate in modern theatre and music, don’t miss out on one of the shows at the Roundhouse (Chalk Farm Road). Look out for new bands in March, including Firefly and Noah & The Whale.

Must eat – York & Albany (127-129 Parkway, tel. ), run for Gordon Ramsay by the talented Angela Hartnett, has a great bar and does a fantastic full breakfast for £12, while the restaurant is just the spot for a slap-up Sunday roast. Top tip: book into one of the magical rooms upstairs for a cosy night’s sleep. Caponata (3-7 Delancey Street, tel. ), meanwhile, has a mouth-watering array of Sicilian-inspired dishes and boasts live music on selected evenings.

BLOOMSBURY/ SHOREDITCH

Head east from London’s literary heartland and you won’t be short of edgy openings and fun nights out.

Sleep soundly – The Bloomsbury Hotel (16-22 Great Russell Street, tel. , doylecollection.com, rooms from €175/ £165) provides a chic bolthole and boasts the British Museum as a neighbour. Perfect if you want some heritage before heading East to explore.

Must eat – Named after the building’s architect, Lutyens (85 Fleet Street, tel. ) is Conran’s latest venture, with a crustacea bar and restaurant serving brasserie classics and good old-fashioned fancy French cooking. Enjoy handsome and butch food at Galvin La Chapelle, housed in a former school, or the more casual Bistro de Luxe (both 35 Spital Square, tel. ), where suited City types strike deals over long boozy lunches.

Dance the night away – Designed as a 1920s speakeasy, expect illicit glamour long into the night at Proud Cabaret (1 Mark Lane). Or if you want to party with the stars, Kanaloa (Shoe Lane) is the latest hangout for London’s popstars.

Compiled by ichard Bence and Chris Peck