Perhaps you thought London could not possibly top itself when it comes to pageantry, history and on-the-hoof fun after the royal wedding extravaganza of 2011. Think again. A look at the 2012 calendar confirms that yet another über-year is shaping up to lure you back to one of the world’s most captivating capitals.

BY VIVIAN HOLLEY

June 2-5 marks the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, with events on tap across the country to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 60 years on the throne. She will be only the second monarch – Queen Victoria was the first – to reach this milestone.

Then comes the London 2012 Olympic (July 27-August 12) and Paralympic Games (August 29-September 9) involving 22 Britain-wide sites. In the spotlight is Olympic Park and the transformation of formerly industrial east London, a gritty cousin to the chic West End and its high-end hotels, restaurants, shops, and vibrant theater scene.

Not to mention the London 2012 Festival, June 21-September 9 – the finale of the four-year Cultural Olympiad with more than 1,000 events on tap, many of them complimentary. Among the highlights: the World Shakespeare Festival; national radio’s biggest free concert ever; and West End Live, where you can take in theater for free in Trafalgar Square. Look for the high-profile likes of Jude Law and Cate Blanchett in the mix.


Once there, you’ll want to hang your hat at a place that’s a perfect fit for the London experience – at its best, a blend of rich-textured tradition and finger-on-the-pulse boldness. That would be The Langham, London, in the heart of the West End (the retail revelations of Regent, Bond and Oxford streets are at the doorstep), fresh from a recent five-year, $130 million renovation that rendered the property a touch more sophisticated, but still with romance to spare. Picture the preference for pink accents, from pens to cream pitchers to plump hydrangea bouquets.

A bit of Langham name-dropping: The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) did the honors when the hotel opened its headliner doors in 1865. Both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his legendary creation, Sherlock Holmes, were regulars. Oscar Wilde was another frequent guest, as were Mark Twain and Somerset Maugham, Toscanini and Dvorak. The Duke of Windsor courted Wallis Simpson here.

Whereas the regal hotel with the turreted Victorian facade laid claim to being the capital’s first to have both air conditioning and elevators (“rising rooms,” they were called), it now shows off the exotic new Chuan Spa; the new signature restaurant, Roux at The Landau, under the creative direction of Michelin-starred Michel Roux, Jr.; and Artesian, a sexy, social bar (it boasts the city’s biggest collection of rums) where Londoners gather for pre-theater cocktails.

Afternoon tea, ideally timed for the hour a visitor’s feet begin to fail, is staged with proper pomp in the elegant Palm Court, all aglitter with crystal and tall mirrors. Among the offerings, the Bijoux Tea is a singularly stylish affair featuring fantasy pastries styled by cutting-edge jewelry designer Stephen Webster.

Be sure to allow time for visiting, or revisiting, favorite icons from the London Eye to the Tower Bridge, from the Tate Modern to Buckingham Palace. A spot the royal family has called home since 1837, the landmark opens 19 of its 661 rooms for public viewing when Her Majesty is away during August and September.

To delve into some delightful territories you may have missed during previous stays, sign up for The Langham’s complimentary walking tours that explore the nearby neighborhoods of Marylebone, a charming village encompassing eclectic boutiques and cafes, and the leafy expanse of Regent’s Park, favored by Henry VIII as a hunting ground; and Fitzrovia, formerly a bohemian quarter where you once might have lifted a mug alongside residents such as Dylan Thomas or George Orwell, Virginia Woolf or George Bernard Shaw, in a cozy Victorian pub.

My most memorable “wow” moment from the walks: turning into Fitzrovia’s stunning Fitzroy Square – one of London’s finest displays of Georgian architecture – that from the looks of it today might have been a suitable residence for man-about-town Henry Higgins. Trust me, you wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see a lissome, post-Pygmalion Eliza Doolittle sail past in a statement hat by Cecil Beaton.

Information: www.london.langhamhotels.co.uk, +44 (0)20 7636 1000; www.visitbritain.com.

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