One night in Marylebone

"Let's have cocktails in your suite," Gok Wan sing-songed enthusiastically.

The Gokster, who is a huge celebrity in Britain, was keen to have a nosy around the iconic Langham hotel in London's trendy Marylebone since its £80m renovation upgrade earlier this year. He invited himself to my hotel room whilst fitting me for a pair of designer spectacles that I loved but didn't need. Damn 20/20 vision.

That was a couple of months ago when the UK TV star and stylist was in Takapuna launching the new British spectacles company Specsavers on to the Kiwi market and I was bragging about my upcoming trip to London. But work commitments meant my trip got delayed and too much time had passed to pick up the phone and give Gok a call - free cocktails or not.

I thought of Gok as I sipped Taittinger in my suite at London's Langham Hotel on Tuesday night. Three hours earlier my tax accountant sister Stephanie - who has been a resident here for the past five years - enjoyed a sumptuous afternoon tea with me in the hotel's iconic Palm Court, which claims to be the place where afternoon tea was born. Our German waitress served our delicious banquet with Teutonic precision.

The Victorian hotel was opened by the Prince of Wales in 1865 and has played home-away-home for many famous names from Oscar Wilde to Napoleon III, Mark Twain, Wallis Simpson and Noel Coward amongst others.

Simon Cowell from American Idol fame and Scottish actor-cum-motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor, have been recent guests, staying at the hotel's most expensive room: the Infinity Suite at over £5000-a-night.

"Would you like to see the room?" the hotel's public relations manager asked during my personal tour of the hotel and its recent refurbishments. Would I! It's always nice to see how the other lives.

The suite boasts two bedrooms, dressing rooms, ensuites, a fully equipped kitchen, an enormous infinity spa bath (with which the room is named after), a spacious lobby, flat screen TVs, CCTV cameras, computer equipment and secretarial services, cloakroom and butler's quarters.

Cowell, like most of the guests, stay for at least a two week period, my English tour guide informs me. Why would he crash there, I wondered? The self-made millionaire reportedly has a lavish £7million house in exclusive Holland Park near Sir Richard Branson and a new £40million home in West London that boasts an underground swimming pool, mini spa and a car park for six vehicles.

Harley St is not far from the hotel, I am informed.

Celebrated Kiwi chef Peter Gordon, who owns the prestigious Providores restaurant and Tapa Room cafe in Marylebone, will be calling the Langham home in March where he will be joined by some of London's best chefs for a black-tie gala dinner to raise funds for Leuka, the registered leukaemia charity based at London's Hammersmith Hospital. It's a cause that is close to his heart. Gordon's sister Tracey survived leukaemia over 12 years ago.

Last month, the top Kiwi chef provided a gourmet BBQ at the star-studded Leuka Mini Masters Golf Day on the banks of the River Thames. It combined golf, schlebs and a garden party setting. Desperate Housewives star Dougray Scott played host and James Nesbitt (Cold Feet), supermodel Jodie Kidd, Gavin and Stacey's Rob Brydon and loads of other well-known British faces all chowed down on Peter's New Zealand lamb dishes and drank Steinlager beer.

Rachel Glucina

Photo: Simon Cowell. Photo / AP