The Best Of London & Brussels. The Beaumont and Hotel Amigo

A bevy of our clients are safely gallivanting, bags bulging with wipes, n-95 masks and Covid travel testing kits- so far, nothing but marvelous postcards. Our dear clients began with a Scotland jaunt to indulge their golf obsession on the incomparable and not too crowded Golf Greens. Pop over to London for a week of fine dining, J Sheekey of course, pre-theatre – (Tom Stoppard play is exceptionally good), fancy an afternoon cozy boat voyage on the Thames with a jazz trio? Giggles, dancing and creating lasting memories – Legacy Travel is what we espouse – this gregarious extended family, also known as The Entourage, has been traveling with us since day one!

Le Magritte Bar The Beaumont Hotel

Their favorite hotel in London has always been The Beaumont and we were faintly fretful about fresh ownership and updated décor- fret not!  They loved it – photos propelled through the air, compliments on the always warmhearted and engaging staff, ‘everyone still knows our names’! After pining for travel, what an appreciated treasure, familiarity at your best-loved hotel! It’s been modified, but the cozy elegant charm remains. A new Bar experience – and yes, I received many photos from the VIP clients … Le Magritte Bar & Terrace belongs to the great tradition of American bars that became legendary in London and Paris during the 1920s.

All-American bad boys (and girls) from Hemingway and Fitzgerald to Martin, Sinatra and MacLaine would have felt right at home in its handsome walnut- paneled interior, hung with an eclectic collection of early 20th century paintings and photographs, including the Magritte that gives the room its name.

The Beaumont Hotel is included in many of my London posts, it’s a cozy Art Deco design gem. The five-star Mayfair hotel has 73 rooms, of which 23 are studios and suites. Seamless style and old world aesthetics are apparent in every room and public space – the art collection alone is worth a visit. All the rooms at The Beaumont have been designed in a soft Art Deco style, with a purist’s eye for delicate and pertinent detail without sparing a modicum of guest comfort. Spacious rooms with comfortable period furniture, massive wardrobes for unpacking, enormous bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, large rain showers for those who don’t subscribe to soaking. Do visit the spa, it is spare and glamorous and truly satisfying! Separate post on my spa experience.

The Beaumont

The Beaumont’s Presidential Suite evokes the glamorous era of the great transatlantic liners of the 1920s and 30s. With an expansive sitting room and a separate dining room seating eight, plus a pantry kitchen and a guest bathroom, it features cream lacquer paneling, brass inlaid details and parquet timber floors throughout. Subtly patterned silk curtains, hand-made rugs and period antiques and artworks create a discreet and elegant setting. Hugely versatile and supremely comfortable, the suite has a large terrace offering uninterrupted views towards the City of London, and can be opened up to include up to five bedrooms, incorporating the entire fifth floor of the hotel, in total privacy.

The Colony Grill Room The Beaumont London

Our London VIP team has exceptional excursions, has dined at the newest and finest restaurants and can direct you to a wee champagne, oyster and caviar bar for an afternoon tuck.

Bellamy’s for Oysters & Bubbly – near The Beaumont

May we suggest another plucky Travel Recipe, combine a few important cities, in this case London and Brussels? Europe’s fast trains make a speedy connection in luxurious comfort. Brussels could also be combined with Amsterdam or Paris, a cultural trifecta!

Since the Rocco Forte Rome Hotel de Russie just hosted eleven of our globetrotters, their scrumptious property in Brussels is top of the list for our excursions.

Hotel Amigo Brussels

Rocco Forte hotels are distinctive, and each property is faithful to its surroundings. Inhabiting magnificent buildings in exceptional locations, Rocco Forte properties offer unique design, discriminating dining and exceptional service.

Hotel Amigo, a Rocco Forte property, is as close to the historic center of Brussels as you can get. Many grand rooms look directly onto the roofs of Hotel de Ville, the hotel front door leads straight into the maze of medieval streets that surround the Grand Place. The name “Amigo”, if you don’t know, comes from the nickname for the 16th-century prison on this site when Belgium was part of the Spanish Netherlands. A luxury landmark hotel with historic heritage, offering an excellent Italian restaurant and sophisticated martini bar and adding a local reminder, the hotel has a Belgian-related Tintin and Magritte-themed suites.

From chic rooms to presidential suites, Hotel Amigo effortlessly marries elegant design contemporary creature comforts with fine art and superlative service. Rooms and suites number 154.  All the rooms are spacious, and stylish, with large and well-equipped, marbled bathrooms. The simplest “classic” rooms are 28 square meters, but there are several levels of luxury suites, some with interconnecting doors to neighboring rooms for families with children (who might particularly enjoy the “Tintin Suite”). At the very top or the range is the Armand Blaton (Royal or Presidential) Suite, with a large rooftop terrace overlooking the city.

Hotel Amigo

A marvelous walking city, a cultural haven of Magritte’s, Rubens and fine antiques. Handmade chocolates, beer and moules frites. There are approximately 304 active breweries in Belgium.

Day trips?

A Culinary adventure in the North Sea. Bask in the sunshine on the ship’s deck and savor the salty tang of the breeze as you glide across the North Sea, searching for one of Belgium’s most prized delicacies: grey shrimp. A quintessential element of local cuisine like both waffles and frites, for centuries they’ve been a key ingredient on Belgian seafood menus, usually in the form of classic kroketten (croquettes) or tomaat-garnalen (tomatoes stuffed with shrimp). Ideal for foodie families: hop aboard an authentic shrimping boat as part of this gastronomic getaway offered by Hotel Amigo and learn about this proud Belgian tradition.

On arrival, you’ll be presented with iconic yellow Petit Bateau raincoats to take with you to the port of Ostend, where you’ll be welcomed by the captain and crew of the Crangon. Step aboard, slip on your coats and admire picture-perfect views of the coast as the trawler pulls out into the open sea. Keep an eye out for tell-tale ripples below the surface and watch the crew in action as the ship’s trawling nets start to swell. As the catch is reeled in and spills onto the deck, you’ll learn the tricks of the trade first-hand from the crew as together you sort, rinse, boil and cool your haul.

Once you’ve caught your fill, it’s time to return to Ostend and then back to Brussels. Hotel Amigo’s chefs are experts in the art of transforming fresh ingredients into succulent delicacies, and once handed over, your catch will be expertly rolled and cooked into croquettes for you to sample. Divine day!

If Brussels had a perfume, it would be Chocolate, and yes we can create a Chocolate Trail for Chocolate Connoisseurs.

A Day Trip to Bruges. With medieval architecture, winding canals, Michelin-starred dining, and world-class art, Bruges is an enchanting Belgian city. Just a 40-minute drive from Hotel Amigo, it’s the perfect day trip destination. Stretch your legs with a walk around the city’s historic heart, exploring the cobbled streets and historic sights of Markt and Burg. If you have the stamina, climb the iconic belfry in Markt for sweeping panoramic views across the city. Make sure to pay a visit to the Heilig-Bloedbasiliek (the Basilica of the Holy Blood) while you’re in Burg, to see the vial said to contain the blood of Christ. There’s also a well-preserved 12th century chapel, murals, stained glass, and an opulent treasury.

Bruges - Wikipedia
Bruges

On Kleine Sint-Amandsstraat, a few minutes’ walk from the basilica, you’ll find the intimate De Stove restaurant. Serving freshly caught fish from Zeebrugge, alongside other expertly crafted, internationally influenced dishes, De Stove is just the place for a restorative lunch. Make it an occasion to remember with a glass or two of perfectly paired, sommelier-approved wine.

No trip to Bruges would be complete without seeing its canals. After lunch, take a carriage ride or boat trip to explore this beautiful area of the city. Or stroll alongside the canals, if you’d rather walk off your lunch. Just make sure to take in the Rozenhoedkaai (the Quay of the Rosary) on your way. It’s one of the most photogenic sights Bruges has to offer.

End up the Groeningemuseum (Bruges’ fine arts museum), three minutes’ walk from the Rozenhoedkaai, to take in some Flemish masterpieces, including The Virgin and Child with Canon Van der Paele by Jan van Eyck and the Moreel Triptych by Hans Memling.

Bring the day to a close with a meal at the ivy-clad, Michelin-starred restaurant, Den Gouden Harynck, just a minute away from the museum. In addition to the fine French cuisine, Philippe Serruys’ wine cellar is a place of beauty.

If you have time before leaving Bruges, take in a concert or performance at the renowned Concertgebouw. Otherwise, simply head back to the welcoming surrounds of the Hotel Amigo to relax with a nightcap in your suite after a day well spent.

Local Flavor: Belgians take their tradition of comic strip writing seriously, even giving it its own name, the ‘ninth art’. Their greatest artist is Hergé, creator of ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ and country’s most famous fictional detective. The unforgettable character of Tintin has left an indelible mark on Brussels and everywhere you turn, glimpses of him and his comrades light up the capital, from murals on walls and train stations, to museums, shops and even in the suites of  Hotel Amigo.

Tintin in Brussels | Visit Brussels

Delve into the story of Tintin in Brussels with this comic lover’s guide to the city. Inspirational Locations. Start where it all began in Etterbeek, a municipality of Brussels where cartoonist Hergé (real name, Georges Remi), was born. Explore the neighborhood that raised such a talent before heading to 26 Rue Terre Neuve in Brussels to discover the surprisingly ordinary house on which Tintin’s home was based. Around the corner is La Fleur en Papier Doré, said to be Hergé’s favorite watering hole. A quiet, homely space, it’s easy to imagine him relaxing here while taking a break from writing or perhaps dreaming up fresh ideas over a pint of Belgian beer.

Belgians love comics so much that the capital has a whole museum dedicated to it: the Comics Art Museum. Naturally, Tintin plays a leading role at the institution, which takes visitors through 25 years of comic strip literature. A favorite for families and children, the museum has creative exhibitions dedicated to the adventurer and other famous faces like the Smurfs and Dickie, and a children’s reading room.

Adventure! For those seeking a more outdoorsy experience, it’s hard to beat the incredible natural beauty of Belgium’s vast forests, craggy peaks and meandering rivers. After your arrival, enjoy a scenic drive through the rolling countryside, before arriving at the Skydive Spa in the Belgian Ardennes. Here, suit up and climb into a private plane, which will take off and gain height for fifteen minutes, ascending to an incredible 4000 meters above the mountains. Take in sensational views of the spa town far below, the wind rippling through your hair as you lean out of the door—and let go. Discover the indescribable feeling of total freefall in complete safety as, strapped to your instructor, you reach speeds of up to 200kph before your parachute releases to float you gently down towards the earth. Spot ancient castles, farms and villages from on high as you glide towards your landing spot, where a glass of Champagne will be waiting to celebrate your jump.

The adventure continues with a tour of the countryside in a gleaming 2CV convertible, before lunch at stunning castle Manoir de Lébioles and a chauffeured drive back to Brussels as the adrenaline rush recedes. Are you game enough?

Brussels is famous for being an international hub of politics, having remarkable architecture, and a chocolate store on nearly every street, how can you say no?

As Marcel Proust once wrote, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”.  

Brussels Grand Palace Street View

‘Amazing Hotels, Life Beyond the Lobby’ – Screen Time

Pandemic Preoccupations. Yes, I’ve enjoyed too much Netflix binging, sharing movie and docuseries faves with friends and colleagues – is Poldark a soap opera, yes! Was Ozarks truly terrifying, yet addictive, yes! My son hung up on me when I inadvertently asked a question that would be revealed in the final episode. Fauda, I adore the lead Israeli actor, Lior Raz, the brooding solider at the heart of the series. He had a nontraditional path to stardom; his role is partly based on his personal service in the Israel Defense Forces. How do I know?  He was in my little Cineplex for three hours every night for 2 weeks! I had scarcely returned from Jordan, the predominantly bleached architecture, a skyline punctuated by gleaming domes and minarets and the sandy landscape was identical to my travels, I had learned a few Arabic words, the costumes, the ethereal call to prayer by the local muezzin, the cuisine and background resonated with my Journey. Wanderlust had barely evaporated. During the pandemic, I’ve adhered to a pretty firm rule of no tv before 5 pm, primarily to maintain my personal dignity; pandemic procedures: cocktails after 5 pm, unless in a foreign country, then no rules apply, or garden lunches – Champers is allowed; all screen binging after 5 pm.

Amman Jordan

Grounded in March after an exquisite 2-week exploration and adventure in Egypt and Jordan followed by several days cocooned at Hotel Bel Air, where I plotted a five-star Hotel Lifestyle – truly, I could live in a hotel for a few weeks every month. Aman Resorts invited me to a travel event, how could I say no? Covid-19 cancelled those reveries. It sounds glamorous, our clients know I stay in every hotel I recommend, but do they know I schlepp a few 60-pound bags with me? Drivers transport me across town and I am warmly welcomed everywhere; my online videos sometimes encourage rivalry between hotels – we can best the elegant Queens Suite in London with the classy Presidential Suite with an immense deck. It’s amusing to arrive and enjoy the furtive smile of the GM and team who surprise me with an OTT (over the top) suite. Champers on ice. Yes, it is a difficult life, and I miss it immensely. Not just the sumptuous suites, but the hotel peeps who have all become my friends, dining with my international partners and catching up on their new exclusive client offerings, wandering to museums, shopping, hearing foreign languages. In between, I perform site inspections at new hotel properties, it’s work, after-all!

My Queens Suite at The Dorchester, London, I shouldn’t have ever left!
The Roosevelt Presidential Suite – where I stayed last year at The Beaumont, London. The fav of one of our clients, he texts when he arrives: Thank you! I know exactly where he is staying!

Living in hotels may belong to novels, these alluring lifestyles have uniquely disappeared, a lingering getaway once belonged to eras past; to the well-heeled, faintly neurotic characters of one my favorite authors, F. Scott Fitzgerald in Tender Is the Night. Or the legendary Gilded Age’s ladies of leisure who sailed with custom Vuitton trunks to Europe every season. A few years ago, in New York, Louis Vuitton presented an enchanting exhibit “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez” or, “Sail, Fly, Travel” – a captivating look at the brand’s history. Subsequently a book was published on the exhibit: ‘Travelers Tales, Bags Unpacked’. It is a beautiful description of travel in another era. The garments were all there: day and evening dresses, clouds of tulle, muslin, feathers, kimono jackets, velvet jackets – essential attire for a certain lifestyle.

“Volez, Voguez, Voyagez” or, “Sail, Fly, Travel”. Manhattan

To alleviate my five-star Hotel Lifestyle withdrawal, I’ve discovered a fun British series: ‘Amazing Hotels, Life Beyond the Lobby’. Presented by television host and writer Giles Coren (How to Eat Out) and chef and restaurateur Monica Galetti (Monica’s Kitchen: Exciting Home Cooking for All Occasions), are globetrotters who visit extraordinary hotels across the globe. In addition to giving viewers a glimpse of hotel areas that are rarely, if ever, seen by regular peeps, Monica and Giles spend time with hotel staff to learn about their work, the establishment, its impact and more — and then take on some of the staffing duties. Season 1 episodes find Monica and Giles visiting Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador, Giraffe Manor in Kenya, Royal Mansour Marrakech in Morocco, Fogo Island Inn in Canada, and Icehotel in Sweden; in Season 2 they travel to The Brando in French Polynesia, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in Oman, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland, Ashford Castle in Ireland, The Silo in South Africa, and Hacienda Vira Vira in Chile, plus Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in the Christmas special.

On arrival, before the suite becomes lived in, take photographs for future blog posts and social media, unpack, respond to emails. Test the bed and scrunch the six pillows, yes, six plush pillows, to form a comfy cocoon, who knew we needed six king size pillows? I belong to The Tribe of the Bed Girl, and work in bed. A king size bed offers bountiful real estate for sleeping, mounds of glossy hotel magazines, work and dining. At home, I sleep in an antique French double bed, purely room for sleep and not much else! Hotel Lifestyle will instill a scrumptious pillow addiction. Of course, the linens are perfectly pressed, and someone watches your whereabouts, if you slip out of the room, all is tidy again on return. One pandemic directive I’ve followed: make my bed every day, to feel slightly civilized. Although my Covid-19 wardrobe has been limited…jammies for winter, sundresses for summer, the gate has been locked since March.

Men of Egypt could have been in Fauda!

Hotel Lifestyle: commute time for client meetings is eliminated – close laptop, mosey amid the tree lined paths or the row of loungers, if I’m in my pool suite and pad down to Wolfgang Puck. When I stay in Beverly Hills, I offer clients and friends a generous invitation – breakfast, lunch cocktails or dinner – at my hotel: Hotel Bel Air or Beverly Hills Hotel, I don’t move, once I arrive, I’m in. For a bit of variety, I may take the hotel car between the sister hotels for meals…my darling niece lives a mile away, she plops at the pool with me for hours of catch up and sharing travel fantasies, her first Journey to Africa was with me – oh, the tales we can tell – lions at our door, and in her magazine bag, spitting Cobras whose venom can blind you, and yet we survived!

Brando Island – amazing property

Hotel Lifestyle – Room service – anything you desire will be delivered with a quick call or iPad swipe. My away from home comfort food used to be a hamburger, over the last few years, Club House sandwiches have reigned. Food I never eat at home, who would prepare and serve? Bacon is not a staple of a plant-based diet! I’ve learned to order a CH sandwich before a travel industry event, much easier to sip wine, gather collateral and chat without an intricate balancing act.

Giraffe Manor, a client favorite Karen, Kenya

I have no intention of replicating the series hosts performing work duties, suite inspection is my specialty! It’s a light fun series with stunning hotels interiors and exteriors. Seeing how local Omani’s have adopted the hospitality business is heartwarming, one grizzled old Omani man is the expert in making rose water for a variety of uses in the hotel. Monica, the chef host, goes to the local animal market to inspect and negotiate the sale of goats for a celebration dinner, who knew you should look at their teeth to understand the age of a goat. You will learn how to pry open a goat’s mouth to calculate its age! If you find hotel towel art droll, several hotels have resident experts, who radiate immense pride in this creative skill.

You can find the series on an Appletv app: Journy.

I find travel the absolute essential antidote to everyday routines. Fresh vistas, foreign languages, interesting foods, curious customs, and people in indigenous dress – seeing places I’ve never seen before. A pleasing adventure of searching new locales for client travel, the pursuit never gets old.

Warning: Wanderlust May Overwhelm you. Be safe, we will wander again.

The Brando Hotel – paradise!