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In this year of British celebrations, Red Carnation Hotel Collection reigns supreme across TripAdvisor®

Wed, 30 May 2012 16:13:59 +0100

2012 is most certainly a year to celebrate and for none more so than The Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Red Carnation Hotels have just been awarded TripAdvisor® Certificates of Excellence across all fourteen of its boutique family run hotels in the UK, Geneva, Florida and South Africa. Not only that, three hotels - The Twelve Apostles, Cape Town, Hotel 41 and The Milestone Hotel in London - each won a Travellers Choice Award earlier this year.

The 2012 Certificate of Excellence Award honours hospitality excellence and is awarded to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor®.

With the world’s focus on London this year thanks to that major sporting event and the Queen’s Jubilee it is little wonder London was recently named by TripAdvisor® as the top destination in the world. Red Carnation is proud that Hotel 41 and The Milestone Hotel are riding high at numbers 1 and 2 on TripAdvisor® rankings for London hotels (as at 29 May 2012), positions that they and sister property the Egerton House Hotel have held between them consistently for the past several years. There are currently five Red Carnation Hotel properties within the Top 20 in London.

Mr. Jonathan Raggett, Managing Director of Red Carnation Hotel Collection says:

“The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is honoured to not have just one hotel but every single hotel in the collection awarded the 2012 Certificate of Excellence. It has been a wonderful year so far for us, and we’re looking forward to our London properties buzzing this summer.”

“We continue to perform exceptionally well on TripAdvisor® which I believe is largely down to our service ethos. Every one of our fourteen properties operates on the principle that no request is too large, no detail too small. The guest experience and customer satisfaction is what drives every staff member in Red Carnation, and we ensure that everyone who stays in any of our properties feel like they are in their own ‘home from home’ whether they are a first time or returning guest.

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is an award-winning collection of five and four star family-run boutique hotels in London, Dorset, Guernsey, Geneva, Florida and South Africa. Each property has its own individual character and unique location that reflects the local environment, culture and cuisine. They all share the qualities that win Red Carnation so many prestigious awards – splendid luxury, generous hospitality, inventive and traditional cuisine, private art collections, passionate service and loyal staff committed to creating richly rewarding experiences for all their guests.

The Milestone Hotel Earns “World’s Best Service”

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:24:28 +0100

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is proud to announce its five-star award-winning London hotel The Milestone Hotel was ranked number four in Travel+Leisure's Readers' Poll highlighting World's Best Service 2012, Hotels Europe, City Hotels; and ranked number five in Hotels Overall, City Hotels. In each of these categories The Milestone earned a stellar score of 97.39. Every year Travel+Leisure Magazine spotlights the top properties in nine regions worldwide that excel in service, as rated by readers in the World’s Best Awards survey. The Milestone earned Travel+Leisure’s number one spot in their 2011 World’s Best Awards’ list of Top 10 Small City Hotels in Europe. Andrew Pike, The Milestone Hotel's General Manager, commented, “We totally conform to the Red Carnation Ethos emphasising service, service, and more service.”

In their praise of The Milestone Hotel, Travel+Leisure comments, “This stately red-brick Victorian hotel with plush, antiques-filled interiors, opposite Kensington Palace has 57 rooms, 6 apartments, 1 restaurant, and 1 bar, all perfectly refined and with the best service around. The property has a residential feel, thanks to its intimate size and personal gestures like English sweets at turndown. The top pick for service in the 2008 World’s Best Service awards, the Milestone Hotel is so much better than being at home.”

The award-winning Red Carnation Hotel collection reopens the Duke of Richmond Hotel, Guernsey, after a stylish and contemporary makeover

Wed, 30 May 2012 10:21:19 +0100

The Duke of Richmond Hotel in St Peter Port, Guernsey reopens its doors this week, after an extensive refurbishment programme under the new ownership of the Red Carnation Hotel collection.

The refurbishment has involved dramatic redesigns to the public areas, bar and restaurant, conference facilities and a significant number of bedrooms.

The most recent addition to Red Carnation Hotels, The Duke of Richmond’s refurbishment has been overseen by the boutique collection’s President and Founder Mrs Beatrice Tollman, who has sensitively and elegantly transformed the hotel with her famed attention to detail. The renovation has revitalised the hotel, transforming it from three-star to four-star standard, making it a very fitting sister hotel to the much loved Old Government House Hotel & Spa, Guernsey’s first and only five-star property.

The hotel’s lobby is now a strikingly contemporary black and white space with ceramic tiling and opens on to a chic new residents’ lounge, also monochrome in colouring, with an ornate fireplace - perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee, reading the newspaper, taking traditional afternoon tea or lingering over a couple of drinks in the evening.

The new Leopard Bar and Restaurant is sure to become one of Guernsey’s most popular destinations offering delicious cocktails, a wide selection of fine wines and the finest quality cuisine in stylish surroundings. A glass wall to the kitchen means diners are able to watch the chefs at work - a spectacle that no other restaurant on the island offers. The restaurant has a magnificent conservatory and outdoor terrace, perfect for al fresco dining, with superb views over St Peter Port harbour and the neighbouring islands. The outdoor terrace boasts a heated swimming pool and sun deck, also upgraded as part of the refurbishment programme.

A significant proportion of the hotel’s 71 bedrooms have been completely renovated, including the stunning penthouse “Sarnia Suite” on the top floor, with bay windows and panoramic ocean views plus three Junior Suites each with a private terrace. Each room is uniquely designed from the furnishings and fittings, to the eclectic mix of contemporary and original art work, ensuring that no two rooms are the same.

The hotel also offers three completely refreshed conference and meeting rooms, with state of the art technology and complimentary WiFi and air-conditioning are now available throughout the hotel.

Commenting on the renovation, Jonathan Raggett, Managing Director of Red Carnation Hotels, said:

“I am extremely excited and proud to be reopening Duke of Richmond with such a stunning new look. Mrs Tollman and her dedicated design team have truly given it the Red Carnation touch and put so much thought and care into the refurbishment. I can confidently say that both regular and new guests alike will be blown away by this contemporary look.”

“I’d like to take the opportunity to formally welcome the Duke of Richmond in to the Red Carnation family. While the hotel has been closed, the team have been trained in all the Red Carnation standards to ensure that our ethos of “No request too large, no detail too small” permeates through the whole property and our award-winning service and attention to detail is apparent to each and every guest that crosses the threshold.”

Situated beside Candie Gardens, and overlooking Cambridge Park and St Peter Port harbour, The Duke of Richmond Hotel is perfectly located for a stay on the island of Guernsey. The hotel is a pleasant ten minute stroll from the charming high street and bustling quayside.

Red Carnation Hotels launches unique and individual Best of British packages across its luxury boutique collection

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:17:36 +0100

Fancy a drive around Silverstone in an Aston Martin, flying to Scotland for a highland fling, donning a designer hat and heading off to Ascot or taking a hot-air balloon trip? It’s all possible for guests celebrating the Best of British with the Red Carnation Hotel Collection.

2012 represents a landmark year for Britain and one which is not likely to be forgotten for years to come. With the numerous events on throughout the year including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, as well as major sporting events like Wimbledon, and iconic annual British favourites such as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the world’s eye will be firmly fixed on Britain this summer.

To celebrate, the Red Carnation Hotel Collection is celebrating the very best of British throughout its collection of four and five star luxury properties with the emphasis being on British and luxury. Each of the Red Carnation Hotels will be spoiling visitors to its UK properties over the summer and beyond, showing the very best Britain and Red Carnation have to offer.

Located in the most sought after areas of London including directly opposite Buckingham Palace, Knightsbridge and Kensington, guests are right in the heart of the London action. But while guests will stay in one of London’s prime addresses, this doesn’t mean you will be London based for your entire trip, as some of Red Carnations’ extravagant packages will whisk you to Wales and Scotland to tour the British isles, to Silverstone by helicopter for some lap time in an Aston Martin, to Ascot for the horseracing and to Hurlingham Park for the Polo.

Hats off to The Milestone Hotel, Kensington which has created a Horses, Hats and High Society package offering two nights in a luxury room of choice; full English breakfast, a bottle of champagne on arrival; a one hour private hat consultation with Louis Mariette, the Milestone’s Milliner in Residence whose clientele include Lady Gaga, Kate Moss, Jerry Hall, Sophie Dahl, and Alek Wek; a Bentley transfer to either the Epsom Derby, polo at Hurlingham Park, or Royal Ascot; a Louis Mariette ready-to-wear hat for the occasion; cocktails for two in the Stables Bar, a Royal afternoon tea for two and one hour of horse riding in Hyde Park for two. Prices start from £927 per room per night based on two people sharing.

Hotel 41 and The Rubens at the Palace are offering guests the opportunity to learn about London from the people who know it the best, the London cabbie! Guests will be whizzed off on a two hour Black Cab tour to see not only London’s most popular sites but also ‘Secret London’ to explore sights not normally visited and a ‘Village tour’, taking guest out of the hustle and bustle of central London to see some of London’s most beautiful villages. The package also includes two nights in a luxury appointed room; full English breakfast in the Old Masters Restaurant; a traditional English afternoon tea for two as well as a tea master class with our Tea Sommelier and a tin of loose tea to take home. Hotel 41 prices start form £432.50 per room per night based on two sharing.

To get a real sense of Britain, embark on a whirlwind Best of the British Isles tour. Highlights include a flight to Cardiff to experience the breathtaking landscapes of Wales from a helicopter and then on to Edinburgh for a true Scottish Whisky experience viewing the World's largest collection of Scotch Whisky, followed with a traditional haggis Scottish dinner. Fly back to London that night for a sumptuous midnight supper to enjoy in your suite. Also included in this package is a two night stay in an Executive Suite; a British Tasting menu in the Library Restaurant; use of a chauffeur driven Bentley for the day to view the sights in London; followed by afternoon tea at The Rubens Hotel. Prices start from £15,533.50 based on two people sharing for two nights.

Explore the elegant neighbourhoods of Knightsbridge and Kensington with The Egerton House Hotel’s Best of British package which includes a three hour walking tour of the hidden areas of London’s most exclusive postcodes. Enjoy a two night luxury stay in a beautifully appointed room, English breakfast and a floral afternoon tea inspired by world renowned florist and fragrance producer Kenneth Turner. Guests will find a bottle of sparkling English wine in their room and will depart with a gift of a Kenneth Turner scented candle. Prices start from £361 per night based on two people sharing.

The Chesterfield Mayfair's Cool Britannia package will see guests zoom around London town in a vintage mini cooper taking in London’s top landmarks as well as some less obvious ones that aren’t on the usual tourist map. Guests will also enjoy a full English breakfast; a bottle of English sparkling wine on arrival; traditional English afternoon tea for two; two nights in a luxurious room of choice and a vintage mini to take home (well, a toy one!) Prices start from £270 per room per night based on two sharing.

Those looking for the ultimate luxurious Mayfair experience can upgrade to the Chesterfield’s other package which includes not only two nights in a luxurious room of choice including breakfast, a bottle of English sparkling wine on arrival and afternoon tea for two. It also includes a bespoke men’s tailoring service at Alfred Dunhill including custom suit and shirt consultation and fitting; a tie and pair of cufflinks; classic wet shave and haircut; a spa treatment using aromatherapy oils tailored to ease individual stresses or strains; a half day service with High Heels personal shopping including a consultation and access to private rooms at Harrods and Selfridges; an incredible one hour return helicopter journey from London to Silverstone Race track with nine laps of Silverstone’s famous circuits in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Prices start from £15,000 per room per night based on two sharing.

The Montague on the Gardens Hotel, Bloomsbury will take guests on an unforgettable trip across the London rooftops with a spectacular hot air balloon flight. Guests will spend two nights in the Guv’nors’ suite, enjoy a full English breakfast, afternoon tea, a Fortnum & Mason hamper, pink champagne and strawberries to enjoy in the sunshine as well as two tickets to the British Museum which is only a stones’ throw from the hotel. Prices are from £896 per room per night based on two people sharing.

Discover the sunniest part of Britain by boat with a stay at Guernsey’s first and only five star hotel, The Old Government House Hotel & Spa. Guests will be treated like VIPs starting with a private pick-up from the airport with a glass of champagne before checking into their luxury House suite, enjoy a champagne afternoon tea, a seven course Royal dinner at the Governor’s restaurant and a Royal evening turndown with Dom Perignon. Guests will also enjoy a private boat tour around Guernsey’s surrounding islands while enjoying a deluxe champagne and seafood picnic lunch. Prices start from £3,340 per room per night based on two sharing.

For those looking to explore the picture perfect, chocolate box, quintessential English village, Summer Lodge House Hotel, Restaurant & Spa located in the village of Evershot is offering guests a wonderful package including a gourmet meal at its award-winning restaurant, afternoon tea on one of the afternoon’s and a guided walk through the charming village of Evershot. Prices start at £363 per room per night based on two sharing.

Also located in the same village of Evershot is the quaint Acorn Inn who are also offering guests a guided tour of the village as well as one nights’ accommodation, with Dorset Cream Tea, a choice of real ale or Pimms, a delicious three course meal and full English breakfast. Prices start from £245 per room per night based on two sharing.

To book any of the packages mentioned above please visit www.redcarnationhotels.com/bestofbritish or phone 0800 1698 8740.

The Milestone Hotel, Kensington, is celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a diamond necklace turndown

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:11:32 +0100

This June, London will be buzzing with Jubilee fever. While the crowds will be bringing out the bunting as Britain celebrates HRH Queen Elizabeth II’s sixty years on the throne, The Milestone Hotel will be bringing out the diamonds.

The Milestone Hotel, located opposite Kensington Palace, as part of its Best of British campaign, is giving guests staying at the five-star luxury property the chance to leave with a dazzling diamond necklace. One lucky guest staying on the Jubilee weekend will find the stunning necklace in their room at evening turndown. The necklace, sourced from the prestigious Berkeley Group, an exclusive diamond membership group, is a vintage inspired diamond slide pendant with a diamond cluster centre surrounded by a diamond frame set in an 18 carat white gold detailed scrolled base.

Not only that, guests who check in throughout the month of June may be one of five further lucky visitors to find a semi-precious stone - either amethyst, green quartz, aquamarine, iolite or rock quartz - awaiting them on turndown. On departure guests will also be gifted with a beautifully wrapped commemorative book on Queen Elizabeth’s sixty year reign and a tin of Royal biscuits to take home. Plus any guests who wish to mount their new semi-precious stone on either, gold, silver, platinum or palladium, can from the 1st July until 1st October 2012, have it stamped with a special commemorative hallmark marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

To further make the Diamond Jubilee a very special occasion for Milestone guests and to celebrate the Queen’s milestone sixty year reign, guests will be treated like royalty themselves. The Diamond Jubilee package will include a champagne picnic in Kensington Gardens with gourmet goodies. Guests will stay in a luxury Deluxe King bedroom or one of The Milestones’ sumptuous suites and enjoy a delicious full English breakfast.

The full Diamond Jubilee package includes;

• Two nights accommodation in a Deluxe King bedroom or Suite
• Complimentary full English breakfast
• A Jubilee picnic in Kensington Gardens on a day of choice
• An official Jubilee commemorative gift on departure
• An optional pair of tickets to Windsor Castle (additional cost of £65) or a pair of tickets to Kensington Palace, directly opposite the hotel (additional cost of £30)

The full Diamond Jubilee package costs from £910 based on two adults sharing a Superior Double room for two nights, and runs from June 1st – June 30th 2012.

Sail Away to the Historic Chesterfield Palm Beach Hotel

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:19:52 +0000

The 27th Annual Palm Beach International Boat Show is one of the top ten boat shows in the country. It is truly an International Show, featuring more than $350 million worth of boats, yachts and accessories from the world’s leading marine manufacturers. You can make your days at the boat show truly memorable when you stay at the award-winning Red Carnation boutique hotel, The Chesterfield Palm Beach. This favourite local hotspot is offering an exciting package for the Palm Beach International Boat Show, March 22 through March 25, 2012.

This iconic Palm Beach hotel is popular with locals and visitors alike, and when travelers want a great place to relax, one of their favourite places is the Leopard Lounge and Restaurant in The Chesterfield Palm Beach. According to Jonathan Tully in The Palm Beach Post, “When it comes to local favorites, [readers] find its cultivated cool hard to match . . . the bar’s relaxed atmosphere and cool vibe have long made the Leopard Lounge a long-time hit.”

The refurbished Leopard Lounge and Restaurant is open throughout the day serving breakfast, lunch, traditional English afternoon tea and dinner. For al fresco dining, The Courtyard, with its continental aura, is perfect. All meals are expertly catered by the first class staff. Guests are also welcome to enjoy breakfast and lunch outdoors in the pool area. Live entertainment is offered nightly in the Leopard Lounge and Restaurant. Whether it is classical guitarists or show tune vocalists, there is something for everyone - from classical and jazz to Motown and Top 40. Dance the night away to the different artists seven nights a week.

Room rates are from $377 based on double occupancy, exclusive of taxes and gratuities. For details and reservations, please contact The Chesterfield Hotel at (800) 243-7871 or email bookchpb@rchmail.com. Visit us online at www.chesterfieldpb.com.

Red Carnation Hotel Collection is listed in the ‘Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to Work For’ for the first time

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:59:17 +0000

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is very proud to announce that it has been listed in the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies 2012 for the first time in its history. The results of this prestigious and highly sought after accolade were announced at an award ceremony in Battersea, London and are officially released today. The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is delighted to have been named for the first time in the list, not only as it debuts at number 71 but also because it is the only privately-owned, family run hotel collection in the top 100 list.

The prestigious list is compiled annually and thousands of companies apply from a huge cross section of industries in the UK. This year the final list was derived from a Sunday Times survey of over 246,000 employee opinion polls and an evaluation of each organisation's key statistics, processes and policies.

Jonathan Raggett, Managing Director of Red Carnation Hotel Collection says:

"Being a family run hotel collection, our employees are at the heart of our whole operation. Every effort is made from our wonderful Human Resources team through to all our dedicated managers to ensure we have the best training and development available for the whole staff, which ensures their career progress and objectives are being met and most importantly that they are happy and feel fulfilled in their respective roles."

"Our staff’s satisfaction is what ensures we live up to and embody our guest philosophy of 'no request is too large, no detail too small' and their happiness and motivation is paramount. So, it is with great pride that we have been acknowledged not only by the Sunday Times but also by our loyal staff."

The Milestone Hotel and Louis Mariette join forces for British equestrian calendar 2012

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:01:06 +0000

As the British equestrian calendar hots up for 2012, the five-star boutique Milestone Hotel in Kensington is offering guests a spot of exclusive equestrian couture. Esteemed milliner Louis Mariette will be giving private consultations to guests staying at the luxury London property in the lead up to the highlights in Britain’s equestrian calendar, offering an exclusive opportunity to pair one of his famous headpieces with their outfits.

Louis Mariette is the designer of sensational bespoke and ready-to-wear hats, fascinators and bejewelled headpieces. His creations have been worn by an eclectic clientele such as Jerry Hall, Alek Wek, Jodie Kidd, Isabell Kristensen, Sophie Dahl, Joan Collins, Dannii Minogue, Lady Gaga and Kate Moss. He also famously made the world’s most expensive hat, the Chapeau d’Amour, in 2004 which was made with woven platinum and studded with diamonds.

The Horses, Hats & High Society packages will run throughout the most celebrated events on the summer British equestrian calendar, such as Royal Ascot (15 – 23 June), the Epsom Derby (1 and 2 June) and the Hurlingham Club Polo meets (8-10 June). As well as the consultation with Louis Mariette, the packages include tickets to the chosen meet and luxurious Bentley transfers to and from the course.

The Milestone Hotel, part of the award-winning Red Carnation Hotel Collection, is a stunning five star luxury hotel overlooking Kensington Palace and Gardens and is the perfect place for race lovers to stay. Its Stables bar is named after the stables on which it was built when the hotel was a private home in the 19th Century and it boasts numerous artworks from the racing world including “The Famous Silks Chantilly” (1996) by Elie Lambert.

The Horses, Hats & High Society package includes:

• Two nights for two in a superior queen room (upgrades are available)
• English breakfast for two each day
• A bottle of Joseph Perrier Champagne in room on arrival
• A private consultation with Louis Mariette
• One lady’s hat / head piece from Louis Mariette’s ready-to-wear collection, conforming to the etiquette of the event
• Welcome cocktails for two in the Stables Bar
• Entrance tickets for two to Epsom, Ascot or Hurlingham
• Bentley transfers to and from Epsom, Ascot or Hurlingham
• Horse-riding for two in Hyde Park

With the expert advice of Louis Mariette himself, guests can choose from his Spring and Summer 2012 Ready-to-Wear collection, offering the ultimate in sophistication and style to accompany to any outfit. The package price includes an entry level hat, fascinator or bejewelled headpiece, conforming to the etiquette of the event, at a preferred rate. Other pieces, including customised ready-to-wear or fully bespoke are available, all of which are subject to additional cost and in some cases advance consultation and time for production. Consultations will take place either at The Milestone Hotel or at Louis Mariette’s design studio in nearby Chelsea.

The Horses, Hats & High Society Package starts from £2,224 based for those attending the Hurlingham Polo, from £2,616 for those attending the Epsom Derby, or from £2,755 for guests preferring to enjoy Royal Ascot. These are based on two people sharing and include VAT.

The Horses, Hats & High Society package is part of Red Carnation’s year-long Best of British campaign, a celebration of cuisine, landmark events, culture, history and heritage that make 2012 the year to enjoy all that Britain has to offer.

Viv James on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s adventures in Antarctica at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa – 22 March

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:38:00 +0000

Sir Ernest Shackleton, from County Kildare in Ireland, was an early explorer with one area of discovery on his compass: the Antarctic. In 1902, on the ship The Discovery, Shackleton and his crew became the first voyagers to travel further South than ever recorded. Shackleton continued to brave the rough, icy waters of the South Pole until he died on his final voyage in 1922.

The tales of this man will be brought to life by raconteur Viv James on 22 March at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, when he will give a presentation on his father, Reginald William James’ experiences with the legendary Sir Ernest Shackleton in Antarctica. During the presentation magnificent pictures will be shown, breathing life into the historical 1914 to 1916 mission.

The talk will commence at 7pm in the Milkwood Room, preceded by cocktail snacks in the Atlantic Terrace Marquee at 6pm.

Special accommodation packages are available, which include the event, and a full English breakfast.

Tickets cost R195 per person. For bookings or more information contact Monique Van Zyl on banqueting@12apostles.co.za