London set to welcome a number of exciting new hotels and venue developments

1-5 Grosvenor Place - The Peninsula London 

As the vaccine roll out picks up pace across the UK and the government creates a path to safe recovery, London’s MICE industry is getting ready to reopen with a host of new hotel openings and venue refurbishments underway.

The city is set to see a number of highly anticipated hotels open their doors this year, as hotel operators show strong appetite for increasing hotel capacity across the city in expectation of an uptick in bookings when it is safe to do so. Venues and hotels in London have also undergone a number of redevelopments and new investments over the past year.

Worth £23bn to London’s economy and £70bn across the UK1, the events industry has a vital role to play in London and the wider UK’s economic recovery. While the UK capital awaits the return of business events and travellers to the city, venues and hotels have been investing in smart stages and hybrid event studios, undertaking refurbishments, increasing sustainability measures, and getting ready for new openings.

View and download 2021, event planner here. 

‘Because I’m a Londoner’ New photo competition launched to capture 'London’s New Normal'

Visit London has teamed up with Photocrowd and the Museum of London, to offer Londoners a chance to showcase the best of their local area and the people and places of London, as restrictions begin to ease and the capital emerges from lockdown. Entrants do not need to be professional photographers to join the contest, just have a phone or camera at the ready.

The free to enter the competition, part of the #BecauseImALondoner campaign, encourages participants to share what they love about London. Launching on Saturday 4 July, and coinciding with the opening of many of the things that Londoners have been patiently waiting to see and do, it aims to encourage residents to safely explore their own areas.

It offers the capital’s city dwellers a chance to support their local area, by highlighting people enjoying nearby businesses and venues; from markets, independent shops and hairdressers, to museums or a legendary community restaurant and everything in between.

London Resort reveals first look at upcoming theme park

London Resort Holdings Company (LRCH), operator of the upcoming London Resort theme park and entertainment destination in Swanscombe, Kent, has released new concept artwork showcasing the first phase of the 535-acre resort.

The park, which has been described as one of the most ’ambitious theme park projects in Europe’, will be the first development of its kind to open in the region since Disneyland Paris in 1992. It is expected to open in 2024 and will consist of six lands: The High Street, The Studios, The Woods, The Kingdom, The Isles, The Jungle and The Starport.

Guests will enter the resort via The High Street – a plaza with a range of shops, restaurants and hotels, as well as a convention centre and a waterpark – before making their way to The Studios, a warehouse district offering thrills and high-speed car chases.

William Blake lights up London Skyline

Tate Britain projects onto St Paul’s Cathedral to 

mark the artist’s birthday

William Blake’s final masterpiece will illuminate the iconic dome of St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the artist’s birthday. The dramatic illustration Ancient of Days 1827 was described by Blake as ‘the best I have ever finished’ and will be visible across London. Tate Britain is currently staging the UK’s largest survey of works by Blake for a generation and has collaborated with St Paul’s Cathedral - home to the most visited Blake memorial in the UK - to recreate his vision on a monumental scale

Now renowned as a poet, Blake also had grand ambitions as a visual artist, proposing vast frescos that were never realised. Living and working in London for most of his life, the artist imagined adorning the walls of churches and public buildings in the city. The cityscape of London, dominated by St Paul’s Cathedral, inspired Blake’s powerful artworks and writing. His well-known poem Holy Thursday 1789 refers to ‘the high dome of Pauls’. Created as a frontispiece for the 1794 prophetic book Europe a Prophecy, Ancient of Days is on loan to the exhibition at Tate Britain from the collection of the Whitworth, The University of Manchester and has become one of Blake’s best-known images. Through projections, Tate Britain will reenvision the small yet imposing illustration on an awe-inspiring scale, more than two centuries later.

The Halkin's new afternoon tea

One of our very favourite hotels has recently unveiled a new twist on its afternoon tea service, that soars to new heights!   COMO hotels Halkin will now delight with a "Champagne Flight" to add a little sparkle to afternoon tea. 

They've added a new Taittinger twist on Ametsa's much-loved Basque afternoon tea. Alongside the regular iconic menu, featuring savoury tapas in the spirit of Basque cuisine, they've added a Champagne Flight — a chance to try three different Taittinger Champagnes elegantly served with tasting notes.

First, they pour a dry, light Brut Reserve alongside a selection of savoury tapas. Next, up they will serve salmon pink Prestige Rose — fresh and fruity in flavour and aroma. Finally, the team will present a subtly sweet Nocturne Sec alongside a series of Spanish desserts.

This unique experience, fusing Taittinger Champagne with the flavours of Basque Country, is a great way to add some sparkle to your celebrations as the festive season approaches.

The Halkin is a small upscale luxury hotel in the heart of London and boasts some of the most comfortable rooms in the centre of the city.  We love this boutique hotel for its elegant delightful style, the exclusive atmosphere but mostly for the attentive, friendly and unobtrusive service from a small team that will make you feel most welcome, no matter if you a top-flight business person, an international diplomat or up in town for a special occasion having saved up for months for the treat!  

All 41 rooms at The Halkin are beautifully appointed, elegantly furnished and spacious and if you can afford to push the boat way out,  why not go for the Belgrave Suit on the 5th floor! 

Some of London’s finest galleries a short ride away from the hotel, including the Royal Academy, home to landmark exhibitions from Old Masters to contemporary genius, and the National Gallery, with winding corridors brimming with masterpieces. 

If shopping is your bag, then the hotel's close proximity to Sloane Square and Knightsbridge mean it is ideally located for those posh individual boutiques and super high-end designer stores.  But, the quiet streets around the hotel ensure a restful night’s sleep after a busy day shopping, sightseeing or enriching your cultural desires.

For evening entertainment, you can attend the opera or ballet at the historied Royal Opera House, attend a late-night gallery opening, or enjoy an intimate meal at one of the many restaurants in the area. 

Plus, another super bonus of The Halkin we think is the Ametsa restaurant, which brings the flavours of the Basque Country to the heart of London's Belgravia. Ametsa’s approach is, we're told, rooted in the traditions of Basque cuisine, pairing the techniques of Spain’s Basque Country with British seasonal ingredients to create a selection of light tapas-style dishes and heartier sharing plates. It really is something a little special, a friendly relaxed dining experience, either for lunch or dinner and the staff are friendly, helpful and not a bit pretentious.  

Oh, they also have a "Private Dining Room", which if you can afford it can be reserved for a gathering of up to 24 guests, might be worth a thought for that special birthday celebration coming up, or perhaps an anniversary. 

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London hotel industry set for record year in 2020

Highest ever number of hotel rooms and hotels set to open in UK capital next year

London’s MICE offering has received a further boost with the news that 7,995 hotel rooms across 65 new hotels will open next year, adding to 158,956 existing hotel rooms and marking the largest number of openings London has ever seen in one year1.

New hotel room openings have soared from 3,222 in 2010 to 7,995 planned for 2020, according to data from STR. This means that in ten years (2010-2020), London’s overall hotel room capacity has increased by 41%.

Total additions to the London hotel market across 2019 and 2020 are expected to reach 121 hotels with 14,840 rooms, a record two-year period for increasing supply of hotel rooms. The range of unique and exciting new hotels will provide meetings, events and incentive planners with further choice for accommodation and meetings venues.

As London continues to attract high levels of leisure and business travellers, hotel operators are catering for all audiences of meetings and events planners. Of the 14,840 new rooms opening this year and next, 10% are 5-star grade, 31% 4-star and 26% are budget hotels.

Honey, I’m taking the kids to London: a long family weekend in the capital

With the August bank holiday just around the corner, Visitlondon.com shares its top picks for a fun family stay in the capital, at any time of year. No stress and great memories guaranteed! 

Time to pack the bags, London awaits! 

Must-visit attractions  

The capital has no shortage of things to do with children. From educational visits to iconic attractions, it’s easy to keep kids of all ages entertained. 

Wonderlab: The Equinor Gallery at the Science Museum will delight even the most curious of young minds thanks to 50 incredible exhibits exploring the marvels of science. With maths, space, chemistry and more, watch as your kids learn and take part in demonstrations led by the team of Explainers. Wonderlab: £8-£10, family rate available. Access to the museum is free 

The nearby Natural History Museum won’t disappoint either. Get the kids acquainted with planet Earth’s history with a walk through the dinosaur era and introduce them to Hope, the 25.2-metre-long blue whale skeleton which has now replaced Dippy the Diplodocus in the Hintze Hall. Access to the museum is free 

London and China “netizens” unite in ground-breaking collaboration

China’s biggest social media network has turned its attention to London in a bid to disseminate and promote the city’s story to its 465 million active monthly users.

Sina Weibo has signed a ground-breaking MOU with London & Partners, the Mayor of London’s official promotional agency to show its commitment to working with the UK capital.

The two-way collaboration will not only help London businesses, agencies and universities have a stronger presence in China, but also increase Sina Weibo’s presence in London.

A team from Sina Weibo touched down in London last month to meet with key London stakeholders as the first steps in the collaboration.

A roundtable was held with multiple key tourism partners including the British Museum, V&A, Edwardian Hotels, Heart of London Business Alliance and more to discuss how to make the best use of the platform to promote attractions and hotels to China which is the fastest-growing tourism market for London.

Two Chinese students win once-in-a-lifetime London experience

Sile Li and Keke Zhang will travel to the capital to embark on an exciting, fully-funded summer school course at two of London’s most renowned universities.

 Study London, the Mayor of London’s official university guide, has announced the winners of its first-ever Summer School competition to encourage more Chinese students to experience a world-class education in the UK capital. 

£13bn is generated by international tourists across London

The first borough-by-borough analysis of the impact of international visitor spending in London, by the business campaign group London First - in partnership with Airbnb, Mastercard and EY - has revealed that it’s not just Big Ben, the London Eye and Madame Tussauds that bring in the tourist pound. The London economy receives £13bn gross value added (GVA) from overseas tourism, with a fifth of spending now taking place in 19 boroughs outside central London.

A new report out today (Thursday), ‘Tourist Information: Mapping the local value of international visitors’, from London First and EY, based on insights from Mastercard and Airbnb data, reveals that £2.8bn is being spent each year around TfL fare zones 2-3, in a “halo zone” of boroughs including Tower Hamlets, Islington, Camden, Greenwich and Hackney.

London and partners open for business...... promoting trade links

London has stepped up its efforts to promote trade and investment links with the Bavaria region with the news that it will open its first office in Munich to help companies do business across both regions.

The staff based at the new London hub in Munich will provide support for Bavarian companies looking to set up or expand in the UK capital, as well as helping London firms looking to export and do business across Germany.

The new office will be the second German outpost for the Mayor of London’s official promotional and economic development agency, London & Partners. In March 2019, London’s Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, formally opened London & Partners’ first German office in Berlin, alongside Senator Ramona Pop.

Royal baby fever hits the London.........

Photo VisitLondon.com

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare to meet their new addition, London’s attractions and hotels are gearing up to welcome the latest member of the royal family in true British fashion.

In the run up to the special day, London’s official visitor guide, VisitLondon celebrates the very best of the capital’s royal baby and family-themed celebrations this spring, as well as the best baby-friendly activities across the city for new or soon-to-be parents.

Upon the arrival of the royal baby, the capital’s skyline will shine brightly with the colours of the Union Flag as the London Eye illuminates in red, white and blue to welcome the seventh in line to the throne.

From one royal baby to another, Kensington Palace will be staging an exhibition around Queen Victoria’s childhood to mark the monarch’s 200th anniversary, an infant who as Queen would one day rule over the largest empire the world had ever known. Through a display of remarkable objects relating to her early years – this newly presented route will reveal the story of the girl destined to be queen.

London improves business collaborations with Munich

London has stepped up its efforts to promote trade and investment links with the Bavaria region with the news that it will open its first office in Munich to help companies do business across both regions.

The staff based at the new London hub in Munich will provide support for Bavarian companies looking to set up or expand in the UK capital, as well as helping London firms looking to export and do business across Germany.

The new office will be the second German outpost for the Mayor of London’s official promotional and economic development agency, London & Partners. In March 2019, London’s Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, formally opened London & Partners’ first German office in Berlin, alongside Senator Ramona Pop.

Singapore Airlines partners with Como Shambhala for wellness cuisine...........

Singapore Airlines and Singapore-based wellness brand COMO Shambhala, which forms part of the COMO Group, have come to an understanding on a wide-ranging partnership aimed at enhancing the customer experience for travellers.

                    The initial phase of the partnership will see COMO Shambhala’s award-winning wellness cuisine introduced on selected Singapore Airlines flights in the second half of this year, elevating the airline’s range of food and beverage offerings on board.

Photo Como Shambhala

Using seasonal and sustainable ingredients each with their own nutrition profile, this style of cooking aims to inspire the palate with memorable and delicious flavours, marrying healthy eating with pleasurable gastronomy.

The inclusion of co-developed wellness dishes will progressively be made available in SIA’s Book the Cook service. In addition, a new wellness menu featuring specially curated dishes will be introduced across all classes.

Hong Kong is the latest destination for Qantas 787 Dreamliner aircraft

The first Qantas Dreamliner service from Australia to Hong Kong took off on Thursday, December 13th, marking the first destination in Asia to be served by the airline’s Boeing 787-9.

QF29 pushed back from Melbourne just after 10am this morning and is scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong at 4.15pm (local time) later today.

The launch follows the arrival of Qantas’ eighth Dreamliner in November, joining the national carrier’s A330 and A380 aircraft that also fly to Hong Kong.

Customers travelling on selected Qantas flights to Hong Kong from Brisbane and Melbourne, and from Sydney, next March will experience the Dreamliner’s next generation seating in Economy, Premium Economy and Business class cabins.

Hong Kong joins Los Angeles, New York, London and San Francisco as international destinations served by the Qantas Dreamliner, as the more efficient aircraft gradually replace the 747 on key routes.

Qantas has also re-timed one of its two daily flights from Sydney to Hong Kong from 31 March 2019, offering customers the choice of a midday or evening departure from Sydney.

QF117 will operate overnight and arrive into Hong Kong in the morning, providing more options for onward connections to other destinations in Asia, including those operated by Qantas’ new codeshare partner Cathay Pacific.

Passenger Numbers up at London's Airports

Passenger numbers where up at London’s Heathrow Airport last year despite being operated close to capacity!.  Passenger numbers were up 1.4 % to 73.4 million last year, mainly due to a number of airlines deployed larger jets, including the Airbus A380 super jumbo to make the best use of highly prized slots.

 

However this was not a big an increase as enjoyed by Heathrow's rival for expansion, Gatwick, which managed an extra 2.7 million extra customers, that's an annual growth rate of7.6%. Gatwick operators say the record figures show that the UK  clearly needs an expanded airport that serves the widest range of travel modes, including low-cost flights with airlines like Ryanair and EazyJet.

 

Gatwick is currently the world's busiest single runway airport and shortlisted for expansion by a state-appointed Airports Commission and currently 38.1 million passengers pass through its doors each year.   “Airport expansion should be for the many not the few, and our broad range of growth underlines that Gatwick is the obvious solution,” Chief Financial Officer Nick Dunn said in a statement. “Expand Heathrow and we take a backwards step.”

 

There was also positive news for Global Infrastructure Partners - Gatwick's owners, their other airport, London City also saw a rise in passenger numbers.  Last year 3.65 million chose to fly from the docklands airport - an increase of 8% and well on track for the target growth number of 6 million by 2023.  

 

The Airport Commission’s final recommendations are due later this year after the May general election, however the current favourite is Heathrow, who have been very busy just lately persuading local councillors in the south east not to support rival Gatwick's plans. It has been an effective campaign seeing many councils and counsellors doing a complete U-turn on previous support.

Two Arrested After Sri Lankan Jet Diverts

A man is in hospital and another is in police custody after a plane was forced to make an emergency landing.  The Sri Lankan Airlines A330 Airbus, which was carrying 267 passengers and crew, was due to land at Heathrow Airport but was diverted to Stansted Airport in Essex just after 7.30pm yesterday.

Sources said the drama unfolded after a passenger was overheard claiming "something" was on board the flight in the luggage hold. Once the aircraft touched down police boarded the aircraft and two British men, aged 49 and 57, were arrested.

A source said: "The plane was flying in when a passenger overheard a man saying there was something on the plane in the hold baggage.

"Obviously, they have to take it very seriously and go through their procedures and protocols and contact the police."

Police are treating the investigation as a criminal matter rather than a terrorism investigation. The suspects, who along with other passengers departed for Heathrow from Colombo, were arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft.  The 49-year-old is being treated for a medical condition, not an injury, in hospital.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: "The 49-year-old is currently receiving medical treatment in hospital and the other is in custody at Harlow police station.

"They will be interviewed by detectives.

"The incident is being treated as a criminal investigation.

"All passengers left the aircraft safely and have travelled onwards to Heathrow by coach."