Elementary my Dear Watson

The beauty of the hotels in London, as in any city around our Fair Isle is that you do not always realise where they are. Some are on the main strips, some are hidden down back alleys, others are tucked away in some secluded corner of the city where only the locals know where to find them.

In the two months that I have been merrily wondering the streets meeting the great hoteliers of London, I have found some real hidden gems. Now, I am not sure you can class the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes as hidden – it is located slap bang on Baker Street just a stone’s throw from both Regents Park and Oxford Street, but I for one didn’t know it was there before – and it certainly is a gem!

So although it is on Baker Street (meaning you can walk to Marble Arch and Oxford Street in 10 minutes), when you walk through the hotel entrance you feel an oasis of calm descend on you. You can’t hear any of the noise from outside, you are just left to soak up the atmosphere from the Hotel bar which is one of the best examples I have seen – honestly if there is a drink there that they don’t have, I wouldn’t want to drink It anyway!

Of course staying on the theme that we like here so much… the hotel has a superb restaurant! ‘The Sherlock’s Grill’ has been awarded an aa rosette – and serves exquisite modern European cuisine matched by outstanding personal service in an intimate yet welcoming environment. The main method of cooking is the charcoal grill and mesquite wood-burning oven, a prime feature of the open-plan dining concept which has become renowned for its relaxed style and Mediterranean-influenced signature dishes. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this restaurant – after all, I didn’t need to eat for a week after I ate there!

Obviously, you can’t mention a hotel without mentioning the rooms. The 119 beautifully designed bedrooms are all modern in style, freshly decorated and have everything that even the most discerning traveler would need. Who wouldn’t want to stay at the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes… the hotel that has it all!

Cool Hangouts in London Hotels

One of the best things about working with London hotels is the fact that not only have they got some of the finest bedrooms and public spaces in the land but they also generally house some excellent bars.  So in my submission this week I’d like shed some light on these little gems which are dotted throughout our wonderful city and are often frequented by the glitterati of our city. 

Situated just off Trafalgar square the Rockwell bar at The Trafalgar hotel is a great stopping off point for any one headed into the west end or even a destination in it’s own right.  The bar regularly has DJs playing and it’s low lighting and comfortable furniture give the bar an understated yet chic atmosphere. 

St Martins Lane hotel is home to the wonderfully fashionable Light Bar (non members are advised to make a reservation).  The cocktails are amazing (my favourite is the Raspassion Martini) and if you’re feeling hungry there’s always food from Asia de Cuba to choose from.  There’s some great art work on the walls of people smiling which gives the bar an original twist.  

If you’re in the Park Lane area then there are two bars known for their exclusivity.  The Met bar is part of The Metropolitan hotel has been on the celebrity circuit for a whilst.  Its got excellent DJs from Thursday to Sunday nights and is famous for it’s mixologists.  It’s a members bar but guests staying at the hotel can of course make use of the facilities!

Finally there’s Whisky Mist which is located next door to The Hilton Park Lane hotel.  Again a regular haunt for celebrities, footballers and royalty  this venue is on the smaller side and has low ceilings with large tables which makes it perfect for larger groups although actually getting into the venue could prove tricky. If you’re looking for an exclusive bar in which to relax then this could be the place for you.  So if you’re looking for somewhere special in which to enjoy a drink then look no further than our London Hotels!

Until next week.

Bye!

Blond Boris’ Blue Barclays’ Bikes…

So… they have finally arrived, the much anticipated Boris Bikes are now joining forces with red buses and black cabs in completing the full spectrum of our colourful London Transport Network. Are you super excited? Can you simply not wait to hop on your bright blue bicycle complete with flashing front light and visit all your favourite sights across London? Or…are you a little more like me?

I, a London veteran, having lived here for almost three years and a devout cyclist am a tad skeptical. How can mere novices compete with the speed and agility of those of us who commute from south of the river every day? I’m not sure I fancy being stuck behind Maureen from Driving School’s cycling counterpart whilst they navigate their way through unchartered territory on TWO wheels.

Thankfully, I have a fellow hotel expert who IS an avid Boris Bike supporter and he was quick to shoot down my negativity with a list of all the amazing facts about BBs. Starting with the very basics, I was told not to look past how fantastic the nickname is – Boris Bike – (at this stage I wasn’t convinced), and how blue they are – a colour to be admired (umm…still not convinced). After further probing, we got down to the nitty gritty with little gems of insider knowledge such as: the BBs are very easy to use (as easy as an Oyster Card in fact) and very importantly, they provide that much needed escape from the depths of the London Underground at the same time as being cheaper than a gym membership on the exercise front. However, said fellow hotel expert’s favourite reason to love the Boris was that the BBs are soooo much better than the French ones (not that anyone has any intention of alienating our friends from o’er the channel, of course).

Armed with my new positive views on the Boris, I’m starting to see the fantastic benefits of being able to flash my little front light all the way from Westminster Cathedral, to the London Eye, over the Millennium Bridge to catch a glimpse of St Paul’s (stopping for a bite and maybe even a quick leg massage at The Grange St Paul’s), through Regent’s Park to admire Eros against the backdrop of bright lights at Piccadilly Circus before finishing the day with a spot of afternoon tea at Claridges. I can then place my blue Boris Bike back in its little docking station and get the tube back home sarff instead of negotiating the dark roads on my own Dawes Ladies’ Special. 

My positivity has now grown to such an extend that I think we should incorporate Boris Bikes into the London Hotel Experts Team as a kind of honorary member. Just imagine Dan, Alex, Nisha and Mr Duff touring around the capital saying hello to all the fabulous hotels this city has to offer.

Maybe we could even set a challenge to see who could Boris Bike it to the greatest number of hotels in a day. Who would be crowned victorious? Would it be Alex returning fresh at the end of a Marriott Marathon? Perhaps Dan would snatch victory after a scenic tour of a Hilton here and a Goring there? Maybe the sophisticated lady of the team, Ms Hirani, would be the deserving winner after countless quick hellos to her favourite classy venues?  Or would Mr Duff surprise us all with a chunky monkey charged surge across the finsh line?

I’ve laid down the gauntlet guys….who wins?….You decide!

The Bank Holiday Weekend

In case you didn’t realise…The August Bank Holiday is coming – whoop whoop!  Traditionally that means  (for me anyway) a long Sunday dinner in a local South London pub followed by lashings and lashings of red wine, then followed by a shocking hang over on the Monday which of course can only be healed by eating lots of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream.  But this year is going to be different.  I’ve decided to throw caution to the wind and break the habit so instead I’m going to spend both Saturday and Sunday on Clapham Common without so much of a picnic in sight! Yes!  I’m going to the SW4 dance festival, joining 29’999 others and will be dancing my little socks off to the finest dance music in the galaxy provided by Djs such as Paul Oakenfold, Carl Cox, Armand Van Helden and Fatboy Slim to name but a few.  Now I know this might not be everyone’s cup of Darjeeling so I thought I’d give you snippet of the other delights London has in store over the long weekend so you can start planning your weekend!

Notting Hill Carnival is surely the most exotic of carnivals in Europe!  Running on Sunday the 29^th and Monday the 30^th of August.  The carnival floods the streets of west London with steel  bands, reggae music and of course the best West Indian food this side of the Atlantic!  The costumes are simply out of this world and best of all the entire Carnival is free

If that sounds like too much like hard work then why not pop along to the theatre? Until Friday the 3^rd of September there’s a great offer in the West End whereby one child (aged five to sixteen) can go free to a number of shows when accompanied by a full paying adult including ‘Billy Elliot’, ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Into the Hoods’.  We’ve got bags of hotels in the West End suiting all budgets from the suitably swanky Hampshire Hotel which carries no less than five stars, to the comfortable Thistle Piccadilly. 

For the cultured amongst you why not head on down to The National Theatre on the South Bank to an exhibition by Miriam Nabarro?  The exhibition features many images of secret spaces back stage in The National Theatre.  It’s unique display of photography and once again it’s free.  The ultra modern Park Plaza Westminster Bridge and Park Plaza County Hall are both a stone’s throw from the exhibition if you’re looking for some where to stay close by.

I hope that’s given you food for thought and have a great bank holiday weekend!

See ya!