Reality check

THE LOCATION Right on the Thames, next to the Tower of London, Cheval

Three Quays has 159 luxury serviced apartments which can be booked for any number of nights but are perfect for extended stays. It’s part of Cheval Residences, which has luxury apartments in prime locations in central London, Edinburgh and, since April, in Dubai.

THE CHECK-IN Cheval Three Quays opened in 2014 but its interiors still look new. The elegant lobby, with a water feature, glittering chandelier, plush leather armchairs and over-sized vases with fresh flowers, is manned 24 hours a day by a highly-professional team who greeted me like a VIP repeat guest. Even the corridors feel like they’re brand new, with pristine carpets and prints of London scenes on the walls.

THE APARTMENT Ranging from openplan studios right through to ninth-floor penthouses, all apartments have fullyequipped kitchens and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Tower Bridge, The Shard and other landmarks. My

SERVICED APARTMENTS: CHEVAL THREE QUAYS, LONDON

deluxe two-bedroom apartment was vast. The open-plan living area and kitchen had two large windows and a balcony with views of Tower Bridge. Armchairs and footstools were strategically placed facing the views. The hallway alone was as big as most hotel rooms and there were so many wardrobes, I was late checking out because I forgot where I put my coat! A delicious welcome basket included M&S croissants, a sourdough loaf, jam, fresh fruit, Pipers Crisps, Quaker biscuits and more. In the large fridge was a bottle of fizz, fresh milk and Luscombe orange juice. My spacious king-size bedroom had a large ensuite shower room and a floor-to-ceiling window with more stunning Thames views. The second bedroom had two large singles. A second bathroom came with a bath.

THE FACILITIES There’s a 24-hour gym on the ground floor. Cheval has also partnered with HOMEtainment, which creates bespoke experiences, such as private chefs or mixologists.

FOR BUSINESS I worked on the dining table by the window (the views were a bit distracting!). Penthouses can be hired for events. Wi-Fi was fast.

THE VERDICT These apartments are top notch and definitely have the ‘wow’ factor if you want to impress clients.

THE DETAILS Deluxe twobedroom river view apartments from £700, chevalcollection.com

Bev Fearis

FLIGHT: VIRGIN ATLANTIC, UPPER CLASS, LONDON HEATHROW - LOS ANGELES

THE FLIGHT I was scheduled to fly to the 'City of Angels' with Delta but on the morning of departure was informed (via the Delta app) that I had been switched to a flight on Virgin, an alliance partner, as my intended Delta flight (DL5977) was due to be delayed by up to six hours. My flight (VS23) took off just an hour after the original scheduled Delta departure. The route is operated by a A350-1000 aircraft and takes around 11 hours.

THE CHECK-IN My bags were quickly dispatched, I was pointed to Virgin’s dedicated fast track lane, was through security in 10 minutes and spent an hour in Virgin's own well-stocked lounge, where I dined in the sit-down 'restaurant' on parsnip soup and a plant burger.

THE SEAT 5G. I was seated on the right of two middle seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration. It was perfectly comfortable, although having a 'stranger' sat next to you takes away some of the 'privacy' most presumably look for when buying a business seat. The little glass divider between the seats, that slides three-quarters of the away across at eyelevel height, was also not working.

I was impressed by the 18.5-inch touchscreen and close charging point.

THE SERVICE Upon boarding I was offered Champagne and orange juice and an amenity bag that included cotton socks, a bamboo toothbrush and REN lip balm, moisturiser and hand cream. There was also a can of water (not a plastic bottle) and the menu. Dinner was served early after take-off. My starter of salmon gravadlax with pickled cucumber and grain mustard mayonnaise and pumpernickel bread was superb, as was the main of Tonagashi marinated halloumi bowl with sushi rice, braised pineapple, seaweed salad, edamame beans and crispy onions. Then it was lights out for a few hours, with my seat reclined into a 6ft 7inch fully-flat bed. Before landing, a cheese, coleslaw and lettuce sandwich on crunchy brown bread, and coffee and tea, were served.

THE VERDICT Although undeniably sleek and sexy looking, with

PASSENGERS CAN ORDER ANYTHING USING THE IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM the purple colour scheme and mood lighting oozing style and quality, the seat 'width' felt a touch narrow and also had limited storage area. However, I liked being able to order anything, from Champagne to afternoon tea, directly from the seat, using the in-flight entertainment system.

THE DETAILS Return Upper Class flights from £3,571, virginatlantic.com

Steve Hartridge

FLIGHT: KOREAN AIR, BUSINESS CLASS, LONDON HEATHROW - INCHEON-SEOUL

THE FLIGHT I flew Business Class on flight KE908 from London Heathrow to Incheon-Seoul.

THE CHECK-IN Check-in and security through Heathrow Terminal 4 was easy and effortless. Staff in the Business Class lounge were friendly, and the food and beverage options were plentiful.

BOARDING Boarding was quick and efficient. On entering the Business cabin I was quickly offered a choice of soft drinks along with an eco-friendly and understated amenity kit that provided the essentials: toothbrush/paste, mask, shoehorn, brush, slippers, 'Atelier Cologne' hand cream and body lotion products. The security video does a great job of focussing passengers’ attention, utilising 'K-Culture', including the global K-Pop phenomenon. We enjoyed a trouble-free on-time take off.

Settling into my comfortable seat, I familiarised myself with the uncomplicated controls, as well as the various plugs and lighting options. I was in F7, a window seat, in a 2-3-2 configuration and, once settled, it felt reasonably private. The allocated space is adequate but not excessive - it’s certainly all that’s needed in order to settle down and get a sound night’s sleep. Later on I made use of my fully-reclining seat and stretched out with my soft blanket and pillow and enjoyed an uninterrupted sleep. Korean Air’s inflight entertainment is the impressive 'Beyond' IFE system. My seat faced a bulkhead, so whereas most screens were set into the back of the seat in front, my screen was a very neat pop-up arrangement. The userfriendly system easily reveals a vast selection of options and genres from East to West. I sampled some K-Pop and a K-Movie or two, briefly, in eager preparation of the days ahead.

THE SERVICE Generally the cabin crew were immaculate, kind, and attentive as required. Dinner consisted of an ‘amuse bouche’ then delicious smoked salmon and salad and a choice of highquality wines. For main course it felt right to order the Korean Bibimbap. This dish

THE CABIN CREW WERE IMMACULATE, KIND AND ATTENTIVE AS REQUIRED includes various pickled or fermented side dishes, rice, soup, and main course. Cheese, biscuits, and a fruit bowl completed a most enjoyable meal.

THE VERDICT Unfussy, quietly efficient, unobtrusive, polite and with excellent IFE. A comfortable flight indeed.

THE DETAILS Return Prestige Standard fares start from £1,880, koreanair.com

Martin Steady

THE FLIGHT I flew Economy in a Preferred seat on flight AC851 on a Boeing 787-8 from London Heathrow to Calgary with Air Canada.

THE CHECK-IN My passport was not recognised by the self-scan machine but a member of the Air Canada team quickly ushered me to a regular check-in desk. I travelled quickly through security and made my way to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (available from €49 with certain Economy fares and must be booked in advance). A warm welcome awaited me at the lounge which was busy and offered a variety of comfortable seating with great runway views. There was a well-stocked buffet of hot and cold dishes including soups, sandwiches, cakes and fruit. They made to order one of the best Bloody Mary’s I’ve ever had!

BOARDING The gate was conveniently close to the lounge which made everything very relaxed. It was a full flight but boarding was quick and efficient.

THE SEAT I was in Preferred seat 31D, an aisle seat in a central block of three seats on an exit row. Although the seat is the same size as others in Economy it offers up to an additional 10cm between seats and felt very spacious. The only disadvantage was that our extra leg room soon became a short cut to the toilets. The cabin crew quickly stepped in when this happened. The Preferred seats cost from CAD14, depending on the flight, while passengers on Aeroplan Elite and Latitude + Comfort fares can get them free of charge or at a reduced rate.

THE SERVICE The staff were really friendly throughout. We were served a three-course meal, including an appetiser of cucumber and dill salad followed by either chicken ratatouille with polenta corn mash or pasta with tomato olive sauce and mozzarella - which I picked - a bread roll, cheese and lemon cake for dessert. The meal was served with a choice of wine, spirits with mixers, tea or coffee. Alcoholic and soft drinks were available throughout the flight and prior to landing we had the choice of a chicken

ECONOMY PREFERRED SEATS OFFER UP TO AN ADDITIONAL 10CM BETWEEN SEATS or vegetarian hot Monty’s Bakehouse pastry, which was good quality.

THE VERDICT The Preferred seat in Economy makes all the difference, especially on a nine-hour night flight, and is a good choice for business travellers looking for the most economic and sustainable cabin.

THE DETAILS Return Economy flights start at £723. aircanada.com

Kirsty Hicks