A leisurely visit to Europe is always a pleasure; however many of the business travelers we serve don’t have the luxury of time. Busy schedules may require as little as a two-day turn-around on a trip to London, so business travelers need to arrive refreshed and ready to do business, and require comfortable hotel accommodations with outstanding service levels.
In order to best advise travelers, we don’t just read about travel services and providers; we experience them personally so we can share first-hand knowledge. Kim Lezark, a corporate travel consultant with Covington in Charlottesville, Virginia recently made a quick trip to London to tryout the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class airline service and inspect the Beaumont Hotel. And in the spirit of business traveler empathy, she did a two-day trip to London over a weekend! Here’s Kim’s report:
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
At Washington Dulles Airport, Virgin Atlantic is located in Terminal B, which is quieter and less stressful than the busy Terminal A. There is a Virgin Clubhouse there, but it was closed for construction at the time. I took a direct, overnight flight to London Heathrow, arriving on a Friday morning. The seats in Business, or Upper Class as Virgin Atlantic calls it, are 22 inches wide and convert to a flat bed with the flip of a switch. Each “suite” is a single seat with aisle access, short privacy walls and a video monitor with many entertainment options. Kim’s Insider Tip: Ask for a seat in rows one through four, designated as the “Sleep Zone,” for an uninterrupted overnight experience.
Virgin Atlantic goes out of its way to create a fun and laid back atmosphere. I was surprised to see that nearly all of the Upper Class passengers changed into the complimentary pajamas that were offered! The champagne and spirits were free flowing prior to departure and the flight attendants were friendly and attentive. Kim’s Insider Tip: The Airbus 330 has an Upper Class bar that stayed quite busy eastbound, although the late morning westbound flight was more sedate.
The Beaumont Hotel
Our group stayed at the lovely Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair, only one block from Oxford Street and a straight shot to Selfridges Department store. Even with its close proximity to luxury shops, galleries and museums of Mayfair, St James’s and the West End, the hotel is located in a quiet area with little traffic. The hotel was built in 2014 from what was originally a car park for Selfridges, but the front facade is in the 1920’s art deco style. The art deco continues inside with a lot of beautiful dark wood throughout.
The boutique hotel has 73 rooms, including 13 studios and nine one-bedroom suites. I stayed in a studio which had a small sitting area, a king bed, desk area and a hallway separating the bedding from the large marble bathroom. The bathroom had a walk-in shower, a separate tub and splendid heated flooring.
The room was very tastefully decorated – somewhat masculine with the neutral colors and dark woods. It was filled with books, vintage photos and artwork selected by the owner. Each room has a refrigerator filled with beverages hidden behind custom cabinetry. One drawer is filled with snacks, including chocolate bars that are made at the hotel. The snacks and beverages are complimentary, but not the alcohol.
The lobby is small but comfortable and off to the side is the cozy Cub Bar lounge, a quiet place reserved for the exclusive use of guests to relax and have a drink. The American Bar was beautiful with a great atmosphere. The Lotus Room is a beautifully appointed private meeting room. Beaumont also has a spa and gym, both small but fitting for the size of the property. Kim’s Insider Tip: The Beaumont chauffeur will deliver guests in the hotel’s Daimler to locations within the Mayfair area (complimentary).
Dining in Mayfair
Over eating was encouraged by our hosts! The proprietor of the Beaumont also owns a couple of restaurants, which he also wanted to share with us, and I can say the food and service were outstanding at each of them. We had a wonderful dinner the first night at The Portman in Marylebone which is a gastro pub on the lower level and more formal dining on the upper level. The pub was lively and packed with Londoners drinking and noshing, while the upstairs restaurant had a more sedate atmosphere.
On our second day, lunch at The Delaunay was a marvelous three-hour affair with a multi-course European menu in an art deco setting and energetic atmosphere. Kim’s Insider Tip: The Delaunay is in the theatre district so it’s a great place to eat pre- or post-show.
After a couple hours to recover, dinner was yet another thee-hour event at the Beaumont’s own Colony Grill Room. It’s a very lively restaurant, as many locals dine and drink there. The food and wine were superb. Kim’s Insider Tip: Some of the cooking and baking for the hotel owner’s other restaurants is handled at the Beaumont’s kitchen.
Heading Home After a 2-Day Trip to London
On Sunday, after two short days, it was already time to head back across the Atlantic. This is where another great perk of Virgin Atlantic Upper Class comes in. Their complimentary car service (J, D and C class airline tickets only) drops you off at a private security wing where you are greeted by Virgin Atlantic staff. They whisk your bag into the lobby, actually more like a posh hotel, and have your boarding pass waiting for you. You then go through a separate security line and straight into the Heathrow Clubhouse. Virgin Atlantic Upper Class service makes customer service a priority so you feel like a VIP!
This image is actually of the JFK Clubhouse, but is representative of Virgin’s Clubhouse atmosphere of fun and service.
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Heathrow Airport is quite an experience. It’s huge with a restaurant, deli, spa (some treatments are complimentary), salon, sauna and steam room, gaming tables, televisions and open air rooftop deck to watch the flights. We had breakfast at the Clubhouse and the food was good. They have an attentive staff throughout.
I was highly impressed by the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class experience. I can say the same for the Beaumont and would recommend either – especially for business travelers who needs superior service and comfort to stay in top form for a quick trip.
To arrange your business or vacation travel, please contact Covington Travel – whether you have two days or two months!
Disclosure: Kim’s familiarization trip was sponsored by Virgin Atlantic and the Beaumont Hotel; however, all opinions of the services rendered are hers alone and were not compelled in any way.
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