The Horse Guard, en route to Buckingham Palace.
The History…
We recently visited our long-ago home, England. It was a fairly short visit, only six days, but any time we return it feels like going home. We flew from Chicago’s O’Hare IAP to Heathrow, arriving in the wee hours of the morning, and immediately caught a ride to Le Manoir au Quat’Saisons, the legendary hotel established by Chef Raymond Blanc nearly 40 years ago in rural Oxfordshire (https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/oxfordshire/belmond-le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons/).
As we were flying to Heathrow, we contrasted this trip with our first trip together to London, back around 1980. Mike was in law school and Victoria was working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. Mike had arranged his class schedule to have a three-day weekend, and Victoria scored an airline employee offer for us to fly to London for around $100/each on a space-available basis. We had some spending money, but not a lot.
On that weekend over 40 years ago we packed our bags, headed to Logan Airport, and found ourselves in London a few hours later. Taking the train into the city centre, we hopped off and, dragging our suitcases behind us, set off to find a place to stay. We stopped at a cheap hotel (as I recall, around £20) and snagged a room. We walked up the stairs and entered it, and were aghast at the sight before us. Alas, it was little more than a flophouse. In fact, “flophouse” might be a generous description.
Nonetheless, we stayed, did a bit of touring that day, and then struck off the next morning for better digs. For a bit more (I think around £29), we ended up in a charming, somewhat ancient little hotel that had once been the lair of highwaymen…at least that’s what the owner told us. Over our three days there, we were on the move non-stop, sampling local fare in cheaper restaurants, buying half-price theatre tickets, and just generally strolling the City, gawking at sites we’d only known about through books; Buckingham Palace, Pall Mall, Piccadilly Circus….
It was the beginning of our decades-long exploration of the world.
Just a couple of years later we were lucky to find ourselves living on the outskirts of Oxfordshire, a dream come true. We traveled with great friends, learned a bit of history, and rubbed elbows with the Royal Family on a few occasions. Over our three years in England we were on the move constantly—weekly trips into London and over two dozen trips by ferry to the Continent. We were exposed to so much; it was an opportunity few have and we took full advantage.
As we were flying to Heathrow, we contrasted this trip with our first trip together to London, back around 1980. Mike was in law school and Victoria was working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. Mike had arranged his class schedule to have a three-day weekend, and Victoria scored an airline employee offer for us to fly to London for around $100/each on a space-available basis. We had some spending money, but not a lot.
On that weekend over 40 years ago we packed our bags, headed to Logan Airport, and found ourselves in London a few hours later. Taking the train into the city centre, we hopped off and, dragging our suitcases behind us, set off to find a place to stay. We stopped at a cheap hotel (as I recall, around £20) and snagged a room. We walked up the stairs and entered it, and were aghast at the sight before us. Alas, it was little more than a flophouse. In fact, “flophouse” might be a generous description.
Nonetheless, we stayed, did a bit of touring that day, and then struck off the next morning for better digs. For a bit more (I think around £29), we ended up in a charming, somewhat ancient little hotel that had once been the lair of highwaymen…at least that’s what the owner told us. Over our three days there, we were on the move non-stop, sampling local fare in cheaper restaurants, buying half-price theatre tickets, and just generally strolling the City, gawking at sites we’d only known about through books; Buckingham Palace, Pall Mall, Piccadilly Circus….
It was the beginning of our decades-long exploration of the world.
Just a couple of years later we were lucky to find ourselves living on the outskirts of Oxfordshire, a dream come true. We traveled with great friends, learned a bit of history, and rubbed elbows with the Royal Family on a few occasions. Over our three years in England we were on the move constantly—weekly trips into London and over two dozen trips by ferry to the Continent. We were exposed to so much; it was an opportunity few have and we took full advantage.
The Homecoming (Oxfordshire)…
This visit was, for us, a homecoming. Our first destination--Le Manoir au Quat’Saisons (https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/oxfordshire/belmond-le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons/), was not far from our long-ago home on the edge of Oxford. We heard of Le Manoir’s arrival back when we lived in Oxfordshire and visited, though at that earlier time we lacked the financial resources to do anything more than stroll the grounds. This time around we were actually able to fully experience this extraordinary destination.
Le Manoir is exquisite, a fifteenth century manor house that has been expanded and modernized over the years to create what is now a beautiful hotel that incorporates a storied restaurant and cooking school. Chef Blanc’s quest for perfection is evident at every turn, and he has had a hand in selecting every detail, from the restaurant’s menu to the layout of the gardens and paths. Our time there included meals at the restaurant (which has…almost unbelievably…maintained two Michelin stars for almost 40 years), a tour of the garden, and time relaxing in the comfortable, perfectly appointed lounges where cocktails, teas and light snacks are served. Our suite was truly luxurious. Food is a priority here: there are 50 chefs on staff.
We took advantage of our time in Oxfordshire to visit some old stomping grounds—our favorite pub (the Oxford Arms in Kirtlington), Blackwell’s Book Store, and the grounds of Oxford University (Little known fact: Victoria was the first American ever accepted by the Oxford Bach Choir, and frequently performed at the Sheldonian Theatre). We even made a brief stop at our old home in Kidlington, where the present owner invited us to take a look at the garden—picture perfect, as it had been under our stewardship.
Le Manoir is exquisite, a fifteenth century manor house that has been expanded and modernized over the years to create what is now a beautiful hotel that incorporates a storied restaurant and cooking school. Chef Blanc’s quest for perfection is evident at every turn, and he has had a hand in selecting every detail, from the restaurant’s menu to the layout of the gardens and paths. Our time there included meals at the restaurant (which has…almost unbelievably…maintained two Michelin stars for almost 40 years), a tour of the garden, and time relaxing in the comfortable, perfectly appointed lounges where cocktails, teas and light snacks are served. Our suite was truly luxurious. Food is a priority here: there are 50 chefs on staff.
We took advantage of our time in Oxfordshire to visit some old stomping grounds—our favorite pub (the Oxford Arms in Kirtlington), Blackwell’s Book Store, and the grounds of Oxford University (Little known fact: Victoria was the first American ever accepted by the Oxford Bach Choir, and frequently performed at the Sheldonian Theatre). We even made a brief stop at our old home in Kidlington, where the present owner invited us to take a look at the garden—picture perfect, as it had been under our stewardship.
On to London…
It really was, for us, like going home. Our time in Oxfordshire was wonderful, but we had to get back to London, which stands in stark contrast to rural, somewhat sleepy, Great Milton. Bustling with tourists and Londoners who were just out and about, London offers it all—great theatre, world class dining and shopping that rivals that anywhere, all set in one of the world’s most historic cities. We were taken directly to the Beaumont, one of the City’s iconic hotels. Again, back in The Day we spent a great deal of time in London. Our home was near the Oxford Ring Road, which connected to the M4 Motorway, and at perhaps some supralegal speeds we could be in London in just over an hour. Theatre, iconic shopping, beautiful parks, and, above all, royal pageantry were always on tap when we visited. Often we did so more than once a week.
Returning to London was truly magical, though the weather was damp and cool. We stayed in a luxurious suite at the Beaumont, one of the more intimate and approachable properties among the top tier of London hotels, located in Mayfair (https://www.thebeaumont.com/). A hint of the soul of this hotel is revealed by the concierge’s recommendation for a friendly, easy dinner: Chippy’s Fish & Chips, a phenomenally good place to eat, where we breezed past a long queue, thanks to the reservation she made for us. This recommendation reflects what we always experience at the Beaumont—the highest level of comfort, served alongside personal warmth and gracious service.
Over three days in London we explored a few other dining destinations, but more importantly, updated our knowledge of some of the other hotels that are on our clients’ must-visit lists.
Our time in London was too short, but we were able to visit two other hotels that are more than worthy of one’s consideration when visiting—Claridge’s (https://www.claridges.co.uk/) and Raffles London at the WOW (https://www.raffles.com/london/).
Claridge’s is a benchmark for luxury hotels in London—something every London hotelier would tell you—and during our visit we toured the top suites, which are truly remarkable.
Raffles is equally extraordinary, though in a different way…situated in the building once occupied by the War Office, the hotel represents the culmination of a years-long project to preserve an historic building while converting it to modern use. There are too many highlights to mention them all, but certainly at or near the top was touring the Granville Suite, once the office of Sir Winston Churchill. If you are searching for a London hotel that exemplifies the highest standards of luxury while embracing an incredible history, this may be the right choice.
Quite a bit of our time in London was devoted to long strolls…through the parks, down the crowded avenues, and occasionally stopping in to check out shops that can be found nowhere else on the planet. And on a cool, damp day there can be no greater pleasure than an unplanned stop at Brown’s Hotel for hot tea. So we did.
Returning to London was truly magical, though the weather was damp and cool. We stayed in a luxurious suite at the Beaumont, one of the more intimate and approachable properties among the top tier of London hotels, located in Mayfair (https://www.thebeaumont.com/). A hint of the soul of this hotel is revealed by the concierge’s recommendation for a friendly, easy dinner: Chippy’s Fish & Chips, a phenomenally good place to eat, where we breezed past a long queue, thanks to the reservation she made for us. This recommendation reflects what we always experience at the Beaumont—the highest level of comfort, served alongside personal warmth and gracious service.
Over three days in London we explored a few other dining destinations, but more importantly, updated our knowledge of some of the other hotels that are on our clients’ must-visit lists.
Our time in London was too short, but we were able to visit two other hotels that are more than worthy of one’s consideration when visiting—Claridge’s (https://www.claridges.co.uk/) and Raffles London at the WOW (https://www.raffles.com/london/).
Claridge’s is a benchmark for luxury hotels in London—something every London hotelier would tell you—and during our visit we toured the top suites, which are truly remarkable.
Raffles is equally extraordinary, though in a different way…situated in the building once occupied by the War Office, the hotel represents the culmination of a years-long project to preserve an historic building while converting it to modern use. There are too many highlights to mention them all, but certainly at or near the top was touring the Granville Suite, once the office of Sir Winston Churchill. If you are searching for a London hotel that exemplifies the highest standards of luxury while embracing an incredible history, this may be the right choice.
Quite a bit of our time in London was devoted to long strolls…through the parks, down the crowded avenues, and occasionally stopping in to check out shops that can be found nowhere else on the planet. And on a cool, damp day there can be no greater pleasure than an unplanned stop at Brown’s Hotel for hot tea. So we did.
All things considered, this homecoming was perfect: a reunion with our old home, the conjuring up of fond memories, and the opportunity to visit stunning properties, further focusing in on finding the perfect venue for your next visit to the U.K.
If we were told that we absolutely had to stay forever in one hotel in England, it would be a difficult choice—country or urban, dressy or casual? But each of those we visited would be a contender. This particular trip was a homecoming, returning to places near and dear to our hearts, but also an opportunity to experience and evaluate some top destinations for our discerning clientele.
The next time you’re contemplating a visit to the U.K. we will point you to exactly where you need to be. It is, after all, our long-ago and forever home.
If we were told that we absolutely had to stay forever in one hotel in England, it would be a difficult choice—country or urban, dressy or casual? But each of those we visited would be a contender. This particular trip was a homecoming, returning to places near and dear to our hearts, but also an opportunity to experience and evaluate some top destinations for our discerning clientele.
The next time you’re contemplating a visit to the U.K. we will point you to exactly where you need to be. It is, after all, our long-ago and forever home.
