Reality Check: We check in to three very different UK hotels and give an honest account of a long-haul flight experience

from The Business Travel Mag January- February 2022

Speaking Out: Bex Deadman

DEPARTURES Reality check

THE HOTEL This hotel and spa is in a restored Georgian manor house set in 500 acres of pristine parkland and paddocks, 11 miles east of Basingstoke, an hour’s drive from central London and a 35-minute drive from Heathrow.

COVID STRATEGY All staff wore facemasks and guests were instructed to do the same in public areas. Hand sanitiser and disposable masks were available in our room.

THE CHECK-IN We arrived in the dark and struggled to find our way from the guest car park. We ended up entering the hotel via the adjacent spa, which is connected via a glass-encased walkway. After checking in at the cosy reception we were escorted to our bedroom on the first floor, admiring the classy Christmas decorations on our way.

THE ROOM The hotel has 133 guest rooms, including 22 suites, all recently refurbished. Rooms differ in design and decor but follow an English countryside theme. Our room, a Heritage Deluxe, had sage green walls, sumptuously soft Wilton carpets, a walk-in closet, and a spacious bathroom with bath and walkin shower. All rooms have the famous, luxurious Four Seasons’ Sealy Bed with squishy pillows and high-tech headboards with USB and power points and reading spotlights.

THE BUSINESS The hotel has introduced a new Work at Leisure programme with services and amenities designed for working guests, such as express lunches, ergonomic desk chairs, monitors, Bluetooth printers, wireless mouse and keyboards on request.

THE FACILITIES The hotel’s crowning glory is its spa, with a stunning glass atrium housing a 20-metre pool linked to a heated outdoor hydrotherapy pool, plus saunas, steam rooms and a gym. For families there's Sharkie’s Reef, with a slide and bubble jets, plus plenty of outdoor pursuits including horse riding and a highwire adventure. The main restaurant Wild Carrot is also where breakfast is served – buffet or à la carte – from an open kitchen. The extensive evening menu changes according to the season. Burgers, salads and fish and chips are served in the adjacent bar. Service was extremely attentive.

THE VERDICT An elegant rural retreat that's fantastic for work and play.

THE DETAILS Dogmersfield Park, Chalky Lane, Dogmersfield, Hampshire RG27 8TD; fourseasons.com/hampshire Rooms from £540 inc VAT

HOTEL: FOUR SEASONS HAMPSHIRE

ROOMS DIFFER IN DESIGN BUT FOLLOW AN ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE THEME

Bev Fearis

THE HOTEL A short walk from North Greenwich DLR station and five miles from London City, this ultra-artsy and style-savvy 70-room hotel is decorated by splashes of red, a theme which apparently helps "amplify the worlds of art, fashion and music".

COVID STRATEGY The hotel operates under the Radisson Safety Protocol Programme in partnership with SGS, an inspection, testing and certification company that verifies Covid health, hygiene and cleanliness.

THE CHECK-IN The reception area sits in an industrial-styled lobby area that could best be described as 'urban funky'. The area also has a huge 'touch screen' that allows you to search for local attractions, although the two friendly staff also had helpful suggestions for nearby restaurants.

THE ROOM My 'superior' room was modern, super-clean, sleek and clearly aimed at millennials (of both age and mind). Bold red decor featured via an old-fashioned dial telephone and artwork hanging above the bed. The king-size bed was super-comfortable and the spacious bathroom featured a rain-effect shower and RED-branded bathroom amenities. A 55-inch flatscreen Chromecast TV was built into the wall and there were useful bedside USB ports. Triple-glazing kept traffic noise to a minimum. There was also a desk, mini fridge and Nespresso machine.

THE BUSINESS There's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and on-site parking. There are plenty of 'social spaces' throughout for ad hoc meetings.

THE FACILITIES A 'grab and go' cupboard in the reception offers snacks, water, wine, deodorant, toothpastes, etc. The large Manhattan-style bar has craft beers and a barman keen to show off his cocktail-making skills. An all-day restaurant serves pizzas, burgers, chicken wings, and salads. A very generous breakfast was cooked to order. A 'lounge area', with big sofas and a pool table, leads into the restaurant. A large glass-covered rooftop Shisha lounge offers drinks with a view. There's also a small gym.

THE VERDICT Bold and playful, this is a style-conscious hotel with attitude that offers an ultra-relaxed alternative to other more staid London hotels.

THE DETAILS Radisson RED, London Greenwich 02, 228 Tunnel Avenue, London, SE10 0PL; 0208 054 1950; radissonhotels.com. Rooms from £120

HOTEL: RADISSON RED LONDON GREENWICH THE O2

BOLD AND PLAYFUL, THIS IS A STYLE-CONSCIOUS HOTEL WITH ATTITUDE

Steve Hartridge

FLIGHT: ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES HEATHROW- ADDIS ABABA- LILONGWE

DEPARTURES Reality check

THE FLIGHT I flew Business Class on Ethiopian Airlines' A350 Airbus. Business Class travellers have access to Lufthansa's lounge in Heathrow Terminal Two.

PRE-BOARDING Terminal Two was busy but not crammed. Passengers, all masked, formed orderly lines and there was a palpable sense of excitement, maybe in part because the UK had put several African countries including South Africa, my ultimate destination after Malawi, on its Red List a couple of days earlier. It felt like we were all pulling off a great escape!

THE CHECK-IN The efficient ground crew team made brisk work of checking us in. My negative RT-PCR certificate was cross-referenced with my passport, my boarding pass issued and my bag tagged. My pre-travel stress evaporated with the words ‘Have a good flight Mrs Hartridge, fast track through security and you are good to go’.

THE SEAT I was welcomed onboard with a smile by crew draped in beautiful Habsha, the traditional Ethiopian attire. My seat, 3L, was extremely comfortable with wide arm rests that allowed a deep recline. The wrap-around desk surface space was very generous and I was able to work productively, without feeling cramped. After dinner and a movie, I morphed the seat into a comfy lie-flat bed.

THE SERVICE Onboard service was satisfyingly classic and began with a hand-poured mimosa followed by an antipasto salad starter, succulent steak and a robust Ethiopian Rift Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. After forty winks I woke to sunrise peeking through the windows and wafts of strong Ethiopian coffee. I made use of the wellconsidered personal travel safely kit: surgical mask, hand-sanitiser and wipes, plus personal grooming paraphernalia.

THE TRANSIT During the short transit in Addis Ababa I stepped into the calm of the new Sheba Gold lounge for an invigorating power shower before boarding a B737-800 aircraft for the three-hour regional hop to Lilongwe. Lunch service was followed by a dessert trolley with confectionery, cakes, fruit and cheese, then port, wine, armystrong Ethiopian coffee and liqueurs.

THE VERDICT The crew were very attentive and I could see why the airline picked up so many awards this year.

THE DETAILS Return fares start from around £650 in Economy and £2,100 in Business. ethiopianairlines.com

IT FELT LIKE WE WERE ALL PULLING OFF A GREAT ESCAPE!

Renette Hartridge

THE HOTEL Originally opened in 1879, a lack of investment and TLC meant this historic hotel – that once welcomed Churchill, Cagney and Chaplin – was forced to close in 2002. Lovingly restored (to the tune of £45m), it re-opened last summer. It's in Colmore Row, one of Birmingham's most elegant and prestigious streets, a 10-minute walk to New Street Station.

COVID STRATEGY Meeting and event spaces have sanitising stations and the hotel has engaged the services of Global Secure Accreditation.

THE CHECK-IN Guests now enter through a discreet side entrance, up a staircase and into an intimate lobby. Three smartly-dressed staff greeted me and escorted me to my room.

THE ROOM As with most historic hotels, the 185 berooms come in all shapes and sizes, making them all refreshingly quirky. My junior suite had an enormous four-poster bed, a scattering of sofas and chairs to lounge about in, and a fabulously bright white bathroom with two marble sinks, a gorgeous standalone bath and a walk-in shower. Molton Brown toiletries and fluffy bathrobes added to the luxury. Nice touches included a yoga mat and an old-fashioned telephone.

THE BUSINESS Wi-Fi was speedy and easy to access and meeting rooms have video conferencing technology. The spectacular Louis XIV-style grand ballroom, with its intricately-carved ceiling, is worth a peek if you don't have the pleasure of wining and dining there.

THE FACILITIES Quirky cocktails are served at Madeleine, a stylish and opulent ground-floor bar with gothic fireplaces, contemporary chandeliers and low-backed bucket chairs in rusts, reds, and pink velvet and leather. In the basement is Isaac’s, an American dinerstyle restaurant named after the hotel’s founder, Isaac Horton, where breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served. Breakfasts change regularly so long-term guests don't get bored. There's also a private gym, which needs to be booked.

HOTEL: THE GRAND HOTEL BIRMINGHAM

THIS HISTORIC HOTEL HAS BEEN GIVEN A WONDERFUL NEW LEASE OF LIFE

THE VERDICT Victorian grandeur with art deco glamour, this historic hotel has been given a wonderful new lease of life that respects its glamorous past but embraces a new generation.

THE DETAILS The Grand Hotel Birmingham, Colmore Row, B3 2BS; 0121 827 9600; thegrandhotelbirmingham.co.uk Doubles from £136 B&B