SQUIB: a : a short humorous or satiric writing or speech; b : a short news item. (Merriam-Webster)
This Travel Squib is as British as tea, crumpets, Wimbledon and every other cliche I’d just as soon avoid.
During a recent media trip to sample the more classic elements of English culture, the folks at Mantis (managers of a collection of privately owned hotels) invited travel writers to enjoy a couple nights at the Draycott Hotel in the Cadogan Gardens area of Chelsea – near Sloane Square, Mayfair, St. James’s Park, Kensington and other prime areas of Central London.
The Draycott offers wifi, gourmet meals, HD TV and all of the comforts necessary in a modern, top shelf hotel. But, the echoes of its past are embraced with classic, respectful service and many preserved historical touches.
For example, every room still has windows that can open onto the London day. By night, a gas fireplace holds the damp at bay. Complimentary tea and homemade biscuits are served promptly at 4:00 pm, with champagne at 6:00 pm and hot chocolate at 9:30 pm. If all of those libations aren’t enough for you, there’s always tea, soft drinks and adult beverages in the sitting room’s honor bar.
There’s a total of 35 rooms, each themed with a particular piece of British pop culture. I stayed in the Charles Laughton room, adorned with classic signs and programs from West End theater.
After a day’s touring, I retired to my suite with a cup of tea. As a cold and rainy London night crept outside, I put my feet up in front of a cozy fire and realized I was getting more than a comfortable night’s stay at the Draycott. I was getting a lesson in the forgotten luxuries of decades past.
