FLIGHT
By Jeremy Tredinnick
Jet Airways A330-200 Première Mumbai-Singapore
INDIAN CARRIER Jet Airways flies to 67 domestic and international destinations, including daily from Heathrow to Mumbai and twice-daily to Delhi. The group currently operates a fleet of 117 aircraft, with an average age of seven years. It is a member of Etihad Airways Partners, the group of airlines in which Etihad has minority stakes.
LOUNGE & BOARDING: The GVK Lounge in Chhatrapati Shivaji International’s T2 is like a grand palace, with high, gold- accented ceilings and marble floors, plus enormous windows. Access is for first and business class passengers of all airlines, plus upper-tier cardholders. The hot and cold food offerings are not huge but of excellent quality. The bar area is glitzy, and barista coffee is delivered to your seat. There’s a spa and shower area, and complimentary 15-minute massage. A library area, plus two iMacs and printers round off the facilities. Onboard, two flight attendants introduced themselves by first name, my jacket was taken and I was offered a choice of water, orange juice or coconut water.
THE SEAT: There are 18 Première (business) seats in a 1-1-1 configuration. I was in seat 2K. High partitions allow good privacy, and the seat is comfortable and easy to adjust. Less easy is access to the USB and power socket – under the armrest, behind the TV remote. There’s a good dimmable reading light, but storage pockets are on the small side and the tray table/work desk was quite bouncy. The swing-out touchscreen TV offered a decent IFE selection – though not as extensive as other carriers. The central seats are all angled to the left, so all K seats on the right side of the plane have an extra level of privacy. THE FLIGHT: My meal order was taken before we departed, and I was allowed to choose when I wanted to dine. I chose a
HOTEL
tasty hummus and cottage cheese salad, then pan-seared fish with Sichuan pepper sauce for my main (other choices included two Indian dishes and a pasta option) – the fish was perfectly flaky and the sauce not too strong. Two white and two red wines were on offer, plus a Bollinger champagne. Every aspect of the meal was top class. Service from all staff throughout the trip struck a nice balance between friendly interest and polite professionalism – when my computer adaptor did not work, a staff member kindly lent me hers. VERDICT: A roomy configuration, solid seat product and greater privacy than many newer designs combine with excellent food and refreshments, and service that equals the best major Asian carriers – impressive.
by Tom Otley The Roxy Hotel, New York
2 Avenue of the Americas • tel +1 212 519 6600 •
roxyhotelnyc.com
OPENED IN 2000 AS THE TRIBECA GRAND, this hotel was renamed the Roxy last year and has just had a US$10 million renovation. It is part of Grand Life Hotels, which includes the Soho Grand. The hotel is built around a central atrium and is very ‘New York’. It has a 400 sqm ‘Living Room’ with different areas – the Roxy Bar and Lounge, Paul’s Cocktail Lounge and Jack’s Stir-Brew Coffee.
ROOMS: The 201 rooms have been redesigned by local Briana Stanley, who has put more lights in (guests had previously said that they were dark). I was impressed both by how bright my room was and how easy the lights were to operate. Entry-level Standard rooms (23 sqm) have a double bed and shower. Superior Kings (23 sqm) have an oak media cabinet, a custom leather luggage bench and a walnut workdesk with Eames chair. The Tivoli audio system let me play music (and stream BBC radio) before
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
bed. The bathroom had toiletries from New York’s CO Bigelow and Fretté robes. All rooms have free basic wifi and complimentary newspapers (including The Wall Street Journal). Upon request, you can have a preloaded iPad, a Macbook, or borrow DVDs. There is a range of room categories up to an 84 sqm penthouse suite with a rooftop terrace. RESTAURANTS & BARS: The hotel is a very happening place, while at the same time welcoming to those staying there – you don’t feel out of place sitting in the bar alone,
for instance. The bar, lounge and restaurant always seem to be busy. Jack’s is a New York brand of coffee shop – I thought they were serving beer on tap but it was cold- pressed coffee. MEETINGS & EVENTS: The Django club can host 175 guests and the cinema has capacity for 125. LEISURE: There is a good gym in the basement, and the nearby Hudson River Park is the place for sports, cycling and running. VERDICT: Stylish and fun, with enough evening entertainment to stop you
needing to walk the streets of Tribeca. The redesign has taken the hotel upmarket but it’s an approachable sort of luxury and caters for both formal and casual business travellers alike. First impressions were positive, as I checked in I was offered a glass of champagne. One of the hotel’s big claims is it helps to make travel feel less lonely. It seems to work, from gimmicks such as a pet goldfish in your room on request, to events taking place most nights, from jazz bands to DJs.
BBT September/October 2016 123
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