London Tourism News Page 27
The Royal Park Hotel’s Paddington Bear in need of a new home
With the exciting release of Paddington hitting the cinemas on November 28th this year from the jungles of Peru, what better way to get the kids involved than by spending a weekend at The Royal Park Hotel, ideally situated near to Hyde Park, Notting Hill, Kensington, and Paddington Station. Paddington Bear is lost, we have found him at the Royal Park Hotel, and he needs a new home. Please find someone from his family and ask for permission to take him home!
London’s Trocadero to become ‘pod’ hotel
Piccadilly’s historic Trocadero will be transformed into a 583-room hotel, according to reports. The Grade II-listed building will be converted to a hotel spanning seven floors with Tokyo-style compact windowless pods to maximise space. There will also be eight apartments on the lower levels, and shops on the ground floor.
Dawe takes up role with London & Partners
Sandie Dawe, the former chief executive of VisitBritain, has been appointed as a board member of London & Partners, the mayor’s official promotional company for the city. Dawe, who was at VisitBritain for 23 years, brings with her a wealth of experience in the tourism sector and takes up the position today.
Airports Commission sinks ‘Boris Island’ plan
Proposals for a new island airport in the Thames estuary have been rejected by the Airports Commission in the UK. Dubbed ‘Boris Island’ due to the enthusiastic support of outgoing London mayor Boris Johnson, the plan was rejected due to fears over cost, economic disruption and the possible environmental impact.
Grosvenor House welcomes new executive lounge
Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel has opened its new and exclusive Executive Lounge following a £1.4 million investment. The refurbishment has moved the Lounge from the seventh floor to the ground floor of the hotel and is three times larger in size at over 340 square metres.
UK continues to benefit from Olympic legacy
Almost two years to the day from the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games a new report from the British Government shows that the Olympic Games continue to provide significant legacies for the city of London – and Britain as a whole. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach explained: “Ensuring a positive legacy from the Olympic Games for a host city and country is very important for the IOC.”
Harrods to bring Sake Masterclasses to London
Harrods will be running a Sake Masterclasses this summer, covering everything sake related, from its origins and etiquette, to its ingredients and production. The event is a unique opportunity for enthusiasts and the intrigued to further their understanding of one of the world’s most complex and enigmatic drinks.
TfL brings euro cash points to London tube
Transport for London has teamed up with Raphaels Bank to introduce cash points at 70 London Underground stations which dispense both pounds and euros. The move is part of TfL’s work to modernise and improve the services available to customers across the transport network.
Mondrian London at Sea Containers prepares for opening
Morgans Hotel Group has now opened reservations for Mondrian London at Sea Containers on the capital’s South Bank, in advance of the hotel opening its doors on September 30th 2014. The first ever Mondrian branded boutique hotel outside the United States, the hotel will bring the energy of the original Hollywood hotel to the iconic Sea Containers building.
British summertime comes to The Lawn at The Tower Hotel
British summertime has finally arrived and with it comes the opening of a hot new pop-up bar, The Lawn. Boasting arguably the best view in London, sitting at the foot of Tower Bridge, it’s the perfect place to soak up the sunshine and enjoy classic British food and drink. The Lawn at The Tower Hotel is the latest addition to London’s thriving pop up bar scene.
London poised to break international visitor record
London welcomed over 3.6 million overseas visits in the first three months of 2014, resulting in the best ever first quarter tourism numbers in the city’s history. The figures published today from the latest International Passenger Survey show an 8.6 per cent increase on the same period last year, confirming that London is on track to welcome more visitors in 2014 than the 16.8 million that came to the city in 2013 – already a record-breaking year for the capital.
London maintains top spot on MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index
London tops the list as the destination of choice for international travellers for the third time in four years, according to the annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index released today. The Index is now in its fourth year which, using data from 132 most travelled cities from around the world, reveals that London is projected to receive 18.7 million international visitors in 2014.