Reality Check
REALITY CHECK
FLIGHTS / HOTELS / APARTMENTS / CAR HIRE / TRAIN JOURNEYS / CHAUFFEUR DRIVE / AIRPORT PARKING
FLIGHT BRITISH AIRWAYS, ECONOMY
THE FLIGHT: BA177 in economy class, from London Heathrow to New York JFK departing at 13.05. Seat 45J of a B747-400 for the six-hour flight. THE CHECK-IN: A seamless process as I had already handled check-in online so there was just a short queue at the bag drop for those with hold luggage to negotiate, although one irritated man in the next-door queue was letting off steam about the time it took. THE SEAT: Configuration was 3-4-3 on this B747-400 and there was enough space in the overhead bins to stow hand luggage. I was sitting in the dreaded middle seat of three but it was only an issue when eating as there was insufficient elbowroom. The small screen in the seatback was perfectly adequate to watch movies from, and even better when pushing the seat back to its full recline position. THE SERVICE: Unusually chirpy staff on this flight, cracking jokes, smiling, attentive and altogether very efficient considering the density of passengers they were dealing with. One male crew, Ignacio, was particularly so. I was disappointed that the pasta entrée had run out by the time they reached row 45, but the alternative, a
chicken curry, was excellent and came with a delicious pasta starter and an equally palatable caramel/chocolate mousse dessert. Many passes of beverages, followed later by an afternoon tea service, chicken Caesar sandwich and small Kitkat, allayed my fears of not having enough food in this economy cabin. THE VERDICT: Perfectly acceptable comfort levels for this length of flight, made easier because it was a daylight flight. However, I can see why some
companies upgrade their travellers on the inbound overnight leg to premium economy as trying to sleep in this seat was certainly less successful. THE DETAILS: British Airways operates a regular service between Heathrow and New York JFK, totalling some 54 services a week. The lead-in price of an economy class seat is £522.15 return including taxes, fees and carrier charges. Tel: 0844 4930787; see:
www.ba.com GILLIAN UPTON
HOTEL SHORE CLUB, MIAMI
THE HOTEL: In the heart of South Beach, fronting Collins Avenue and opening out onto the beach at the back, the 309-room Shore Club – part of the Morgans Hotel Group – is also only a three-minute walk to the convention centre. THE CHECK-IN: An efficient doorman grabbed my bag and ushered me into a cool, cavernous, all-white lobby area. Check- in procedures were also dealt with quickly and I was en route to my third floor room. THE ROOM: The grey pebbled concrete- looking floor was at first a little odd, which is the designer's attempt to bring the beach into the room. It is actually Mexican sandstone. Mine was a spacious, balconied room overlooking the beach that continued the white theme, in all tabletops, curtains, walls tables and chairs, relieved by shocking pink/purple light shades and bedhead detail. There was free wifi, an iPod docking station, minibar, iron and ironing board, coffee maker, ample storage and laptop-size safe. Very large bathroom, half of which was taken up by a wetroom/walk-in shower and huge bath separated by a glass wall. THE BUSINESS: There are four meeting rooms on the second and third floor, totaling 13,300 square feet, and all fronting the
ocean and including one with rooftop terrace. All with natural light, the rooms have capacity for 15 through to 150 people, including break-out rooms and a pre-function space. THE FACILITIES: There is a 24-hour business centre with three computer kiosks, an ATM, spa and, in the large grounds, seven, one- bed, two-storey ‘bungalows’ and one beach house with its own pool. The big draw is the Japanese Nobu restaurant but there is also a more casual Terrazza Italian restaurant with outside seating, a colourful Moroccan garden which comes alive at night, large
pool area dotted with cabanas and hammocks for shade, and a ‘private’ area of the public beach with towels and chairs. THE VERDICT: As South Beach hotels go, this is good, mixing a comfortable design- led interior with good service levels and a 50/50 business/leisure clientele. THE DETAILS: Shore Club, 19901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida. Standard rooms are from US$329; oceanfront rooms with balcony/king bed are from US$400. Tel: 001 305 695 3100;
www.shoreclub.com. GILLIAN UPTON
106 THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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