REVIEWS HOTEL By Paul Revel FLIGHT By Jenny Southan
Tewkesbury Park Hotel Air Baltic B737-500 Business Class London-Riga
Lincoln Green Lane, Tewkesbury GL20 7DN • 01684 295 405 •
tewkesburypark.co.uk
SET IN MORE THAN 160 ACRES OF PARKLAND and golf course, with views stretching over the Cotswolds and Malverns, this property is a blend of historic and brand-new. The hotel has just completed a multimillion-pound refurbishment of its guestrooms, lobby and cocktail bar, but is still a work in progress: a new, state-of-the-art conference centre wing is set to be completed in summer 2017.
ROOMS: 92 guestrooms include nine flagship new designer rooms and suites each named after historic figures associated with the battle of Tewkesbury, and part of the £4 million renovation. Our Richard III suite was bright and spacious, with a large bay window overlooking parkland, elegant period furniture, coffee machine and separate dressing room. The huge double-aspect bathroom featured standalone bath with champagne ice-bucket, separate twin rainshowers, a TV set embedded in the mirror, and Neal’s Yard and White Company toiletries. Entry- level rooms have garden/park views and feature Hypnos beds, free wifi and 40in flatscreen TVs. Executive rooms add Smart TVs, coffee machines and rainshowers. RESTAURANTS AND BARS: the main restaurant’s menu features lots of local ingredients including Welsh lamb, Gloucester Old Spot pork, Bibury Farm trout and Cotswolds cheeses. It’s also the place for excellent cooked breakfasts. There is also the stylish newly refurbished
122 BBT September/October 2016
cocktail lounge, and casual eating and drinking at Greens sports bar.
MEETINGS & EVENTS: There’s a range of spaces on offer, from smart boardrooms to the Roses Suite with 150 capacity theatre-style. This autumn sees construction start on the new all-glass fronted conference centre, with spectacular views across the Cotswolds. The flexible venue will be able to host around 200 theatre-style or be divided into three separate spaces, and promises state-of-the-art tech. LEISURE: The health centre features gym with Life Fitness equipment, spin bikes, dance studio, squash and tennis courts, indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna and spa treatments. As well as the 18-hole golf course, a highlight for delegates with downtime is free use of the six-hole academy course. VERDICT: With the lovely setting, stylish ambiance and abundance of sports and activities, I can see this property being popular with delegates, and the new conference centre is sure to attract interest from corporate events organisers.
LATVIA-BASED AIR BALTIC serves 60 destinations in Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East from its home base in Riga. It flies twice-daily from London Gatwick, codesharing with BA. Business class tickets (all flexible) include two pieces of checked luggage (up to 40kg), seat selection, priority bag drop, fast-track security, lounge access and onboard meal and drinks.
LOUNGE & BOARDING: Business class flyers can use the Club Rooms lounge on the second floor of the south terminal. Operated by No 1 Traveller, it is open to the public for a £35 fee and offers free food and drink (including champagne). At 0840, screens showed my flight would depart from Gate 31, a ten-minute walk away. Boarding via an airbridge started at about 0905, with business class passengers given priority. A friendly member of crew offered me a choice of water or juice. THE SEAT: Air Baltic flies the B737-300 and -500 on the route – I was on the B737- 500, which had 21 rows (there is no row 13). Business class was fitted with the same slimline Recaro seats as economy, upholstered in navy blue leather. However, middle seats were kept free, with a pull-out table separating them from A-C and D-F. The cabin was sectioned off from economy by a curtain. There was a good amount of legroom (34in), nine degrees of recline and the surfaces were clean – a decent product for a flight of 2hrs 45min. There was no IFE or wifi.
THE FLIGHT: We pushed back late at 0945, taking off at 1000. There was no explanation for the delay. Once airborne, a second drink was offered and a menu presented. I had pre-ordered a vegetarian special meal, but the standard three-course breakfast would have included an appetiser of salmon and cream cheese and a main of scrambled eggs with vegetables and mozzarella. My meal included a tasty hard cheese with dill and tomatoes; white rice with sweet and sour chargrilled vegetables, which was better than I expected; and honey-roast granola and yoghurt. The wine list included two whites (Côtes du Rhône Pasquier Desvignes, France, and Santa Luisa Sauvignon Blanc, Chile), two reds (Reserve de Tholomies Pays Merlot, France, and Ponte Bello Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy) and Heidsieck Monopole Brut champagne. There was also the option of spirits, soft drinks, tea and coffee. VERDICT: A very good short- haul service. The ‘hybrid’ concept means economy is essentially ‘low-cost’, while business class is full service, providing something for all.
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
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