My Lightening Trip to London
Thursday 11 April 2013 | By William Coulston |Courtesy of British Airways I had two business class tickets to London last Tuesday on the inaugural 777 flight and I arrived back in Oz yesterday – still not sure what time zone I’m on anyway…… my review
British Airways
This was the inaugural Boeing 777-300 service new aircraft and into Terminal 5 Heathrow
Seats - we had row 12 the two seats together in the middle facing backwards. With the pearlised screen to block out your neighbour on the aisle this became a very nice private space - however we had no perception of anything as we could not see any windows
You also have to climb over the person on the aisle seat when they are sleeping trying very hard not to hit their legs which I did twice!
There were a couple who had the backward facing window seat and the forward facing aisle seat so they face each other and could talk I would probably opt for this next time.
Seat in any position very comfortable - more so than Emirates Business Class seat which I don't like in bed mode and on a par with the Qantas Skybed or United's Business Class seat which I do like
However there is no where to place things like magazines and the seats need a small drinks tray between the seats to put your glass on and save putting your meal tray down. There is a drawer at the bottom of the seat on the side which fits shoes and magazines and assorted odds and ends
Food and beverage
the meals are served on a tray with a cloth which is placed on your tray table
Not stylish enough - I prefer Emirates or Malaysian where a cloth is placed on your tray table then your tray with another linen cloth is placed on that
Salt and pepper in paper sachets not shakers which was disappointing
My main course Sydney to Singapore was terrible and the scrambled eggs into London you could have bounced off the wall, however London via Singapore to Sydney the meals were stunning.
Wine - only sav blanc white or two reds - no chardonnay
Champagne is Tattinger
There is a self service food and wine snack bar which is great on the long sectors
Entertainment - fantastic a huge range of movies etc and the screen is quite large
Flight was full except the last sector I did go and check out Premium Economy and economy Personally I would not pay for Premium as the seats did not look that much bigger than economy (of course depends on the service level) The new First cabin looks stunning and I loved the window treatment
Airports
Express Path Sydney works very well both for passport and security checks and also on arrival
I did not like Terminal 5 Heathrow – very grey very clinical could have been anywhere –One point to note
Walking into the vast departures check-in hall there is no clear signage where to go if you are Business Class Tell clients to turn right and head for the “First” check-in area at the end of the Hall Business class is just before it.
Airport Lounges
Sydney – Qantas Business Class lounge – full and we struggled to find two seats and as usual no snack food – give me finger sandwiches anytime
Singapore – British Airways own lounge – great showers and good selection of food and wines etc
London Terminal Five – BA Galleries – very hard to get to whoever designed this terminal’s flow must have taken something!
Very Large lounge nicely divided into different spaces the showers are one floor down between the First lounge and the Concorde room
Great view of one runway
Reasonable selection of food being evening the dinner offerings were disappointing and looked un-appetising – curries or pasta and a small salad bar
BA Terminal Five Arrivals Lounge was great and the scrambled eggs and hash browns some of the best I’ve ever had
Easy to find walk out into public arrivals hall take the lift to 3rd floor and its right in front of you
Only downside – no public phone except for a strange credit card phone push button 1 for local calls in the Uk and I kept getting a USA international operator!
Car Transfers
Carey Limousines – very good
The driver was booked for 7am and I had asked them to meet us at the arrivals lounge
At 6.55am the chauffeur walked in to locate us
New black Mercedes E class
Just Airports Limousines
I used this company from London City to Heathrow
32 pounds one way which for London is a very cheap price you either pre-pay with a card or pay the driver cash
Booked the car for 5.00pm pickup driver came a tad early
Comfortable 4 seater estate car that would take 3 passengers and 3 cases and bags
Not a limo but clean and comfortable and miles better than battling the London tube at peak hour!
They charge an extra 5 pounds for arrival service plus car parking
Hotels
I stayed one night at the Goring and one night at the Ritz
I also had site inspections and lunch at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park and Claridges
Site inspections and afternoon teas at The Four Seasons and the Savoy
Site inspection at the Stafford
Always book Virtuoso rates at these hotels
If I could take the best of each hotel and mix it together you would have the best in the world
Best for location– the Ritz, The Stafford and Claridges
The Goring is a five minute walk to Victoria Station or a 20 minute walk past Buckingham Palace to get to Piccadilly
The MO is opposite Harvey Nichols and 5 minutes walk to Harrods
The Savoy is a 2 minute walk to Covent garden
I loved The Goring ( being upgraded to the Belgravia Suite helped! ) a stunning two room suite with silk used as wallpaper
I love the character of the hotel, the staff and the quirkiness
The room light switch - you press one of four buttons –bright, calm, cosy or oohhh!
Best bathroom I have had for ages except it took ten minutes to get the shower to go from either ice cold or boiling to perfect
also the king size bed had a split mattress not the best I’ve slept on
The Mandarin Oriental is very Victorian in style lots of marble in the lobby area,
Fabulous restaurant very buzzy
The rooms I saw were ok but did not grab
The Stafford
Perfect location in St James
very small uninspiring lobby
loved the bar with an amazing collection of collection of caps
the rooms are spread over the main building and across a courtyard in the mews
some rooms/suites OTT e.g. same wall paper pattern used on the ceiling
I have clients who will only stay here but it did not grab me
Claridges
I would stay here next time as the location is perfect
We had a beautiful lunch with exquisitely served food in the lobby restaurant
Rooms are huge and decorated either in art deco or Edwardian style
We were much fussed over here and felt very special
The Royal Suite I liked but the Ritz Royal Suite is better
The Map room is amazing and is the business centre – a very relaxed place to sit and check your emails
The Four Seasons
Stunning
loved this hotel only downside location at Hyde Park Corner - a bit of a walk to get anywhere
The hotel does have a new black phantom Rolls Royce limo for free use by guests within a mile of the hotel
We were treated to this stunning car which took us back to the Ritz - people stopped and starred when we arrived back at the Ritz!!
Felt very special
Fabulous afternoon tea with Bollinger
fabulous rooms and suites some with terraces on the first floor
there is a stunning arrivals lounge on the top floor with a perfect view across London fro Westminster past the wheel to the new Shard
The Ritz
We were upgraded to a Junior Suite - the hotel has smoking floors – which for my travelling partner was great and windows that open which for me was even better
Did I liked it? Yes however - It was missing that x factor although the room grew on me
Afternoon Tea was still being served at 8pm in the Palm Court however this is on the side of the lobby and did not intrude
Breakfast in the beautiful restaurant being served by waiters in tails and white tie we did feel like we were royalty – at 7.30 am
We were the only two in the Restaurant – the same at the Goring the morning before – very quiet
Very nice however Goring's breakfast was better and my hollandaise sauce was served cold not warn which was not good
The bathroom was disappointing with plain large white tiles on the floor
Otherwise the suite was delightful - very French in style
The Royal Suite is amazing and at 3500 pounds per night not outrageous
I was shown a superior king bed room perfect marble bathroom so maybe my suite was due for a bathroom upgrade
The banquet conferencing rooms in the adjoining William Kent House were astoundingly beautiful
The Savoy
Loved it
Stunning lobby and very switched on staff everyone knew who I was and that a car had been booked to go to Heathrow
Lead in rooms very very small - don't sell - upgrade here
I saw the Maria Callas Suite which had great views over the Thames
Afternoon tea was very nice and the two bars are fabulous
Downside for me is the location - I much prefer being in Mayfair
London
This was my first time back in London in many years - it had not changed - I still love Mayfair
The congestion charge must be working as the traffic was light in the centre of the city
Last Thursday Fortnum and Mason was empty and you could have shot a cannon ball down Regent Street and not hit anybody
That day it was freezing cold and it did snow
The next day - last Friday - completely different - still very cold but shops full and around Oxford Street and Regent street many many people
Buckingham Palace now has selected evenings when the palace staterooms are open for exclusive viewings at 70 pounds
in April right through to end of the year bookings through the Royal Collections web site
The Tube - Oyster cards cost 5 pounds to buy then you top up. Its cheaper just to buy a paper day ticket
my zone 1-2 cost 8 pounds
Pret a manger shops everywhere offering great value for sandwiches and snacks
Likewise Marks and Spencer food shops offer a great range with price similar or cheaper to here
Petrol is around 1.35 pounds per litre so not cheap if you are self driving
No graffiti and I only saw two people begging the city is clean gleaming and sparkling
In a nutshell that’s my 62 hours last week in London
