Business traveller’s diary

It was at Sadlers Wells, just after Matthew Bournes outstanding Swan Lake, that I was struck by a profoundly warm glow. After a day of flight changes and exhausting pretzel eating in the Lufthansa lounge, I was back at home; my first evening in London of 2007. It was wonderful. I felt euphoric to be anchored again (albeit briefly). And I embarked on a little reflection.

We regular travellers have an unusual relationship with our home city. We may complain of flight delays and remote industrial hell holes, but the daily frustrations of London life pass us by. This is possibly the greatest boon of roving business travel. We dont have to get up in the same, tired sheets every day; we dont have to take the same furnace-like tube, wait at rain-swept bus stops or visit the manic aisles of Tesco. The love-hate cliche is redundant. Its just love.

The love comes from Londons beauty and relative serenity. The contrast with other great cities is striking. Tokyo may be exhilarating but its hectic, horribly ill-planned and, frankly, ugly (Roppongi excluded). Manhattan is super-hip but Im yet to find a quiet spot. Hong Kong is one of the worlds wonders, but its pollution and heat are ceaselessly stifling. Parts of London, in contrast, still seem like villages. I wander around Westbourne Grove at the weekend and gasp at the tranquility. Paris and, especially, Rome may be more strikingly beautiful but Londons appeal is subtler: its a slow soak.

Since we last spoke, Ive also seen continental beauty: the Leopold Gate in Munich, La Grand Place in Brussels and the Brandenburger Tor in Berlin are uplifting for even the most hardened business traveller. But there have, naturally, been frustrations too. The lack of long-haul flight this fortnight has left me in withdrawal. No flat bed, no caviar and a distinct lack of sycophancy. Just a cold leather seat and a crumpled suit in extremely close proximity. And if the secret to business travel is making the most of every minute out of the airport and the office, there have been disappointments in this sphere also. The clubbing in particular has been variable. I dropped into Brussels You to find its sparkling tunes undercut by aggression: aggressive lighting, aggressive staff and an aggressive strategy of admitting pre-pubescent revellers. By contrast, Crystal in London (the sister to the famous roof-opening Beirut institution) is a sumptuous delight. And finally, of course, there is the weather: a ghastly mix of wind and snow haunting our beloved continent (and its business airport hubs).

Well, thats quite enough from me for this week. Here are my top tips for getting the max out of London if youre in town on business:

Enjoy the cityIf youre only seeing an office, a hotel room and Heathrow, youre not seeing London. Make time to eat, drink and perhaps even see something cultural (See whats on in the Guardian Guide).

And plan, plan, plan the entertainmentYou cant just turn up and hope that things work out. If youre taking clients out, book your restaurant and club early, Toptable.co.uk is useful for restaurant bookings and Quintessentially is the best concierge service Ive found.