These are pics of the 'Deathtrap' marquee.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Noel Coward Theatre Kills with 'Deathtrap' - The Venue
Click here for a brief background about the Noel Coward Theatre when 'Avenue Q' played the venue.
These are pics of the 'Deathtrap' marquee.
These are pics of the 'Deathtrap' marquee.
First Thing Eaten (with The Queen's logo?)
The first thing I ate on vacation was candy. After taking a longer nap than I wanted after unpacking at the hotel, it was a rush to arrive at the Noel Coward Theatre in time for the 7:30pm curtain of 'Deathtrap'. I hurried myself along High Holborn and then Shaftesbury Avenue to Charring Cross Road to St. Martin's Lane and almost lost my way a couple of times. It was my first night upon returning to London and you have to realize that many blocks in central London are not square or rectangular in shape. This means the streets and roads will intersect at odd intervals which can sometimes make for a confusing trek in any direction. Bottom line I arrived at the theatre with three minutes to spare and this is the first thing I ate during this visit to London: After Eight Chocolate Straws. There was no time to even hit a cafe or to find fast food.
Manufactured by Nestle and not sold in the United States, the candy was sold in the theatre. Two pounds please....I mean the cost of the candy not the gain in weight.
By the way if you notice, the packaging includes the Queen's coat of arms at the top. The wording reads: 'By Appointment to her Majesty the Queen'. This means that the company carrying the 'by appointment' notice is allowed to call itself an official supplier of goods or services to the Queen (or the palace) and can thus display her coat of arms on the signage. Similarly, rights are also granted by the Prince of Wales and certain other royals.
Go to aftereight.co.uk to learn more about this sophisticated chocolate.
Renaissance Chancery Court: Amenities & Wi-Fi
The amenities for a deluxe room at the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel is fairly standard with other London hotel rooms. One thing missing was the ubiquitous pants press. No matter, I never got quite into the habit of using it. The coffee service includes a variety of coffee and teas but the bonus was the complimentary cookies which made for the perfect quick snack.
In the bathroom the amenities provided by The White Company is from their bath and body collection. Both soaps and bath/shower gel are offered whereas most hotels only have either available. A sewing kit, shoe shine and shower cap completed the set. The mini bar secured in the television armoire was available for a fee. For you neat freaks there is an iron and ironing board tucked away and more than enough wooden and silk-covered hangars for two to three hotel guests.
Only two of each bath, hand and washcloth towels were placed in the bathroom. But with housekeeping servicing twice a day, the towels were refreshed nonetheless even if they were not left on the floor or in the tub to let housekeeping know they should be replaced.
In room Wi-Fi was available which I purchased for a fee of £75 (US$120) for seven days. This was unlimited service and a bargain compared to the iPad
international plan. The iPad options from AT&T were expensive at $24.99 (20MB), $59.99 (50MB), $119.99 (100MB) and $199.99 (200MB). My hotel was located near the business district and I had actually purchased the 50MB plan before leaving the States. But there was no signal. I immediately contacted AT&T (with some effort) to cancel the plan. So in a way it kind of worked out since I would have burned through the 50MB quickly. The Wi-Fi signal at the hotel was always strong and consistent.Other room amenities included an electronic safe and a soft luxurious duvet. Four drawers with a dressing mirror was situated next to the closet. The windows kept any noise from outside traffic to a minimum; if there was any noise in the hallway it rarely carried into the room.
Related Review Posts of the Renaissance London Chancery Court Hotel:
A Knock on the Door at the Renaissance
Shortly after checking-in to the Renaissance Chancery Court, there was a knock on the door. To my surprise it was room service delivering two complimentary bottles of water, one still and one sparkling. This was a treat. One thing we forget is how dehydrated we become traveling especially after a ten-hour flight. Feeling tired and needing rest until the play I would be seeing this evening, the service was refreshing indeed. Finally with hotels attempting to profit where possible, it's becoming increasingly rare to find anything in the room that doesn't come with a price tag.
My recommendation is upon arrival to a hotel after a long flight is to drink a lot of water and to take a shower. I always found this to help relieve some jet lag. Of course a nap doesn't hurt either. Little did I know that taking a nap would affect how my evening would begin.
Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel: The Room
When using hotel points, the room that is offered is indicated as "standard" at the property so no suite can be expected. But from the envelope of my room key the word "deluxe" preceded the room number so maybe it a was little more than standard.
This is the most spacious room I have ever stayed in at a London hotel. Most Americans are often surprised at the cramped quarters London hotels offer compared to rooms in the States. There was no such problem here. I could do without the double sinks since it reduces the counter space. The oval window was unusual but after a few minutes it felt like it added a uniqueness to the room. The room does come with a full bath tub/shower.
Additional posts will be forthcoming about other aspects of this property since the hotel is often one of the things most people are curious about. My general thought about a hotel is this is your home away from home and coming home at night should sometimes be a treat.
Related Review Posts of the Renaissance London Chancery Court Hotel:
Embarrassing Moment: Where is the Light Switch?
Entering the room with no lights on I felt the wall for the light switch. The porter asked me for my hotel card and placed it in the slot on a wall-mounted module and voila! There was light. As often as I have stayed at hotels, this is the first time I have encountered one of these energy saving devices.
Ever left the hotel room with the lights on? Well it may become more common for the industry to install these energy management devices in every hotel room. It turns all lights off once the hotel key card is pulled and in essence saves energy and reduces costs for the hotel. It's a great idea although it took a couple of mornings searching for my key card before leaving the room only to remember it was stuck in the wall.
Right now there is no common simple name for the device, although one brand is called a wattstopper.
London Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel
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| The striking hotel courtyard |
Among Marriott's London properties, this falls in category 7 of 8. This means this hotel is one category shy of being one of Marriott's most elite properties. Being I never stayed at this hotel this before and even with the pictures and reviews online, one always worries it may not live up to expectations.
From arrival in the elegant courtyard and lobby, somehow I had the feeling this hotel was going to be special. Even before I finished paying my taxi driver, my bags were already taken inside by the hotel staff. And yes I am impressed when there are not one but two doormen to greet you and open your way into the hotel lobby.
While checking-in a sealed envelope was given to me. It was a greeting from the hotel management with a certificate for a complimentary spa treatment and a drink at the hotel bar. Since I had no single pound notes to tip the bell staff, the front desk was able to exchange a five pound note into five single pound coins then a porter with my bags in tow served as my guide to the elevators and to my room.
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| The spacious and elegant hotel lobby. Related Review Posts of the Renaissance London Chancery Court Hotel: |
Video: Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel
Official video to promote the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel. (Note: Video may be slow to load. Best viewed with a high-speed internet connection.)
Related Links to Renaissance London Chancery Court Hotel:
Heathrow Express: From Airport to City
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| Trains will stop for a good couple of minutes for your to stow your bags and find a seat. |
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| First Class seats offer passengers more room. |
Some on a budget may use the Piccadilly Line that takes you to London via the underground. It is much cheaper but inconvenient for two reasons. It takes you to the nearest tube stop and with the rush of possibly hundreds of people at major stations, it will be a struggle to navigate the the tunnels and escalators or steps with your bags becoming an obstacle to other passengers. Secondly the underground trains are not designed to have lots of storage places for large pieces of luggage.
With that said the Heathrow Express costs more and even thought the trip from the airport to London Paddington is a quick 15 minutes, the price ultimately is for convenience. Taxi or private car is the most expensive method to travel to London with costs from £70-£85 (US$105-$130) each way.
Below is the ticket chart as of September 2010.
Heathrow Express Ticket Prices
Travelling between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport
| Ticket Name | Adult Fare | Child Fare* |
|---|---|---|
| Express Class Single online From ticket machine/office Purchased onboard | £16.50 £18.00 £23.00 | £8.20 £9.00 £11.50 |
| First Class Single online From ticket machine/office Purchased onboard | £26.00 £26.00 £26.00 | £13.00 £13.00 £13.00 |
| Express Class Return online From ticket machine/office Purchased onboard | £32.00 £32.00 £37.00 | £16.00 £16.00 £18.50 |
| First Class Return online From ticket machine/office Purchased onboard | £50.00 £50.00 £50.00 | £25.00 £25.00 £25.00 |
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| The bustle of London Paddington Station. |
Outside of peak times, just line up in the taxi queue. From exiting the Heathrow Express trains, walk up the platform to the exit and turn right then another right until you see the exit to the taxi stands. Taxis are expensive in London. With tax and tip my taxi fare (about 2 miles) from Paddington Station to my hotel was £18 (US$27). It is customary to tip your driver.
Click on the following subject titles below for previous posts from 2007:
Padding Station
London Taxis
Heathrow Express
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| Exit the trains to the taxi stand or underground. |
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| On board staff will verify your ticket so enter the cabin based on the class of service purchased. |
Fast Track through Heathrow Immigration
Another perk of American Airlines Flagship service is this fast track pass through immigration. This pass is already waiting for first class passengers beside their seat upon boarding. In my previous visits to London, immigration lines were horribly long. By the time I completed immigration, my checked bag was already riding the baggage carousel.
By the way you must give up the pass before you are able to stand in the fast track line. This prevents you from re-using the pass again or offering the pass to someone else. For the first time I arrived at the carousel before any checked bags were delivered to arriving passengers.
Click here for my previous post about the almighty ball-point pen for travel.
Almost There - London Here I Come!
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| View on approach to London Heathrow. |
Some would often say watching the monitor to view the flight's progress is one of the worst things to do on a long-haul flight. Watch it long enough and it appears the plane is not moving across the map.
Others just revel in the view out their window of the environs on the approach to the airport. Watching ocean lead to land to countryside to major airport. For this hopeful traveler, monitor and window viewing were both a must.
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| Flight map over the south of Wales. |
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Flagship Suite Service
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| Menu choices for dinner. |
One of the personal touches is your name, first or last, used during service. It helps to feel that even if you're not a regular first class passenger that you belong here. The gentleman who sat across me was obviously a regular traveler on these flights. He indicated that he planned to sleep during the flight and will skip all meal service.
Throughout the flight, my glass was never empty as the flight attendants made sure to refill or offer other drinks. A menu lists entree choices as well as the other courses, the wines & spirits and pre-arrival food service. For dinner I opted for the lamb with squash and risotto which was pretty good. Not fabulous like a restaurant but definitely a hearty entree. The ice cream sundae capped the meal and then it was definitely time to sleep.
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| Salmon and shrimp appetizer. |
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| Salad greens with chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes. |
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| Lamp shank, risotto and squash. |
The 777 Flagship Suite: LAX to London Heathrow
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| View of suite across the aisle. |
The big attraction of the suites are the seats that lay flat to a 6'6" bed. My height is 5'10" so it should be comfortable. It took a few minutes to figure how everything works but for the life of me I couldn't find how to turn on the overhead lights to read. The flight attendant showed that the light control was on the monitor remote in the armrest.
The length of the suite includes three windows, personal overhead space to stow carry-on bags and a monitor to watch movies and other videos that slickly pops up at the touch of a button. Boise noise-canceling headphones that must be returned are offered as well. I opted to use the JBL noise-canceling headphone I brought with me instead. I couldn't get quite used to the sound the Boise headphones produced.
So the big question was the seat comfortable? Completely flat there is a slight bump in the middle where the seat meets the lumbar but reducing the recline fixed that. The oversized pillow and plush duvet does make the seat feel almost like a bed. The flight was an overnight to London and this is one of the few times, if not the first, I actually fell asleep for part of the journey. A ten-hour flight was never so pleasant.
Click here for an animated view of the Flagship Suite or here for an overview of American Airlines First Class.
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| View of cabin with sixteen flagship suites. |
View from a Lounge at LAX
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| Staring out the lounge windows. |
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| View of walkway to terminal gates from Admiral's Club. |
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| Upstairs Admiral's Club service counter. Flagship Lounge entry is to the left. |
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| Still staring out the windows. |
Flagship Lounge at Los Angeles International
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| Boarding passes, key card to Flagship Lounge and card for wi-fi access. |
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| "open sesame" to the Flagship Lounge |
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| Part of the 'tranquil' Flagship Lounge floor. |
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| Starting off with some simple bites. |
But for me the best perk was the complimentary flow of drinks. There was no bartender or server. Everything was self-serve. There were three fridge doors filled with all sorts of drinks (alcholohic, non-alcoholic and water) and a bar with multiple choices of potent wines and spirits. I have to admit I was loading up my carry-on with bottles of Evian water. Not to sound poor but bottled water is one of the first things I need upon arrival at the hotel and a dollar saved in London can be better used elsewhere.
Since my flight was not leaving until 7pm, I had a good four hours to enjoy the luxury of this benefit and by the time of my flight I had packed five plastic bottles of Evian in my bag. Hope they don't leak.
I've heard stories that if celebrities are lurking in the airport, the Flagship Lounge is likely where they may be found. They will remain stories as I did not see any celebrity in the lounge.
Click here to learn more about the Flagship Lounge or here about the Admiral's Club.
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| The buffet, dining area and fridges with drinks. |
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| The self-serve bar. |
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