Reality Check ➔ TRAIN EUROSTAR, BUSINESS PREMIER
THE TRAIN: The 10.25 service from London St Pancras International to Paris Gard du Nord, travelling in Business Premier. THE CHECK-IN: Just inside the main entrance to the station are ten staffed desks. Two Eurostar hostesses were on hand to dispense advice on the e-ticket machines. We keyed in our reference number and the tickets came smartly out. Security and passport control were cleared within minutes – no lengthy check-in queues or laborious luggage procedures. Business class travellers can check-in up to 30 minutes before departing. THE LOUNGE: A smiling receptionist welcomed us and pointed out the lounge’s facilities. The attractive, very spacious lounge offers plenty of personal space. Key features include workstations, power sockets and comfy, soft-leather swivel chairs. There was a wide range of newspapers and magazines, from Grazia to Wallpaper. At a well-stocked food and beverage station were fresh juices, wines, beers and a coffee machine. A buffet had pastries, croissants, quality jams and fruits. Even the toilets, with their hygiene- focused automatic taps and flushing system, have space for luggage. Several TVs showed live news updates. The wireless network covers the whole of St Pancras International,
including the Eurostar departure lounge and the Business Premier lounge – and it's free. THE SEAT: Coach 7, seat 11. I had a single window seat with a pull-down table. Seat width is a generous 665mm and the legroom measures 945mm. Highly comfortable with a leather headrest and use of a power socket. THE JOURNEY: We left St Pancras bang on time and within five minutes were offered a breakfast menu and a choice of juices, chilled bubbly and teas and coffee. The options were organic and Fair Trade-sourced and the menus
➔ HOTEL WYNDHAM GRAND, LONDON
THE HOTEL: Opened in 2007, the property is London’s only five-star all-suite hotel. It is located in Chelsea Harbour, a five-minute walk to Imperial Wharf railway station or London’s trendy King’s Road. THE CHECK-IN: The concierge met me as I walked through the doors and took my bags off me before showing me through to reception. The check-in was swift and I was soon in my suite on the sixth floor. THE ROOM: The two-roomed, very spacious suite was one of 154 offered by the hotel. The décor was in light tones and there was access to a balcony which offered views across the harbour. Furniture included a sofa, coffee table, sideboard and desk. The bedroom was equally spacious, as was the bathroom with separate shower cubicle and bath. Facilities in the suite included two TVs, coffee machine, DVD player, iron and ironing board, bathrobes and an umbrella for those wet London days. THE BUSINESS: The hotel has six meeting rooms which can host up to 1,000 people reception style. The Grand Room can accommodate up to 600 for dinner. On the eight floor, two meeting rooms offer river views and capacity for 60 in each, or more when combined. Wifi access is complimentary in the lobby area, but in guestrooms is charged
were printed on FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved paper and are re-used over and over – which sits well with the idea of a low-carbon environmentally-friendly journey. I chose the organic Irish smoked salmon, on a rye and caraway seed muffin. Dinner options in Business Premier include sautéed lamb with spices and Prégilbert trout soufflé with crayfish sauce. Travelling at speeds of up to 186mph, the journey took two hours and 10 minutes. THE VERDICT: With a comfortable seat and a window view to the countryside (when you’re not in the tunnel), and the attentive service of helpful yet unobtrusive waiting staff, corporate travellers could be forgiven for forgetting they are travelling for business. This slick and stress-free service is the perfect low-emissions way to travel city centre to city centre. THE DETAILS: Eurostar operates up to 20 trains a day between London and Paris (plus ten services a day from London to Brussels and eight from London to Lille). Business Premier tickets are fully flexible for up to two months. Look out for changes to the Business Premier service later this year. Standard fares start from £69; Standard Premier fares are from £189; and fully-flexible Business Premier fares are £450. See
www.eurostar.com STEVE HARTRIDGE
at £24 for 24 hours – one of the more expensive rates I've encountered in the city. THE FACILITIES: A harbour-side restaurant offers a contemporary dining experience, while the bar is perfect for a relaxing drink. The recently refurbished spa provides a health club facility, 17-metre indoor pool, fitness suite, sauna, steam rooms and treatment rooms. The hotel does not have a car park but the NCP next door is a secure place to leave your car. THE VERDICT: A very stylish property which made a perfect venue for access to the
exhibition halls at Earls Court and Olympia. The suite was extremely spacious and well- furnished and the staff extremely courteous and helpful. A negotiated rate at the neigh- bouring NCP car park and a review of the in-room wifi internet access rates would be an added bonus. THE DETAILS: The Wyndham Grand, Chelsea Harbour, London, SW10 0XG. Rates are from £182 per night excluding VAT. Tel: 020 7823 3000; see:
www.wyndhamgrandlondon.co.uk DAVID CLARE
80 I FIND MORE REALITY CHECKS AT
WWW.THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM
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