Lussorian http://www.lussorian.com/ Luxury Lifestyle Resource en Paul Handley Copyright 2012 2012-05-16T15:11:02+00:00 Diamond Jubilee Literati book club with Hugo Vickers http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/diamond-jubilee-literati-book-club-with-hugo-vickers/2012-05-16/ To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, Grosvenor House’s next Literati book club event will be hosted TOMORROW by acclaimed Royal writer and broadcaster Hugo Vickers. Vickers will discuss The Queen and the Coronation, celebrating the life and reign of a much-loved monarch on the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.  Taking the traditional book club idea one step further, Grosvenor House has collaborated with a number of leading authors for the Literati book club. Rather than just bringing people together to discuss a book, Literati hosts a regular stream of authors who lead a discussion of their books. Diamond Jubilee Literati book club with Hugo Vickers - Thursday 17th May 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start Tickets priced at £20 which includes a copy of one Hugo Vickers’s books to take away as a souvenir Welcome drinks and canapés. To book a place or to find all the latest information on upcoming Literati events held at Grosvenor House, please visit the Literati Book Club website,  email literati@marriotthotels.com or call +44 (0) 207 499 6363. Hot Luxury News, Luxury Entertainment, Luxury Events, Luxury Hotels To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, Grosvenor House’s next Literati book club event will be hosted TOMORROW by acclaimed Royal writer and broadcaster Hugo Vickers. Vickers will discuss The Queen and the Coronation, celebrating the life and reign of a much-loved monarch on the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. 
Taking the traditional book club idea one step further, Grosvenor House has collaborated with a number of leading authors for the Literati book club. Rather than just bringing people together to discuss a book, Literati hosts a regular stream of authors who lead a discussion of their books.

image
Diamond Jubilee Literati book club with Hugo Vickers - Thursday 17th May
6.30pm for a 6.45pm start
Tickets priced at £20 which includes a copy of one Hugo Vickers’s books to take away as a souvenir
Welcome drinks and canapés.

To book a place or to find all the latest information on upcoming Literati events held at Grosvenor House, please visit the Literati Book Club website,  email literati@marriotthotels.com or call +44 (0) 207 499 6363.

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]]> 2012-05-16T15:11:02+00:00 Langshott Manor, Sussex - Review http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/langshott-manor-sussex-review/2012-05-16/ A mile’s drive down a little lane by the Surrey-Sussex border lies a stunning country retreat of fairy tale magnificence. Langshott Manor is a luxury 16th century boutique hotel surrounded by three acres of private gardens and an ancient moat. It is a grand Elizabethan building, architecturally stunning and packed with original features. There are genuine oak beams round every corner and splendid thick oak doors welcoming you into almost every room. As I walked into my bedroom, I was hit by the ‘wow factor’ of. A four-poster bed stood proudly in the centre of the room, boasting beautiful ornate carvings. Beyond the bed was a door to a private decked balcony, hanging over a moat. What a perfect way to start the evening, a glass of champagne while watching the resident ducks take a lazy dip in the moat. When I checked the bathroom, I was momentarily in disbelief as I noticed the four-poster bath. Yes, a four-poster bath! Fine Dining, Luxury Food, Luxury Hotels, Tried and Tested A mile’s drive down a little lane by the Surrey-Sussex border lies a stunning country retreat of fairy tale magnificence.

Langshott Manor is a luxury 16th century boutique hotel surrounded by three acres of private gardens and an ancient moat. It is a grand Elizabethan building, architecturally stunning and packed with original features.

There are genuine oak beams round every corner and splendid thick oak doors welcoming you into almost every room.

image

As I walked into my bedroom, I was hit by the ‘wow factor’ of. A four-poster bed stood proudly in the centre of the room, boasting beautiful ornate carvings. Beyond the bed was a door to a private decked balcony, hanging over a moat. What a perfect way to start the evening, a glass of champagne while watching the resident ducks take a lazy dip in the moat. When I checked the bathroom, I was momentarily in disbelief as I noticed the four-poster bath. Yes, a four-poster bath!

image

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]]> 2012-05-16T08:50:00+00:00 Dorsia - The Review http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/dorsia-the-review/2012-05-15/ Dorsia is one of London’s newest and most exciting private member clubs. Sat opposite the natural history museum is a club which offers top class drinks, a fantastic décor and a dining to boot. Dorsia is made up of three floors; the top being a fine dining experience, with a concise, yet tempting menu. If you go one floor down you will find the bar and lounging area – this is a great area for mingling with friends, sampling one of the cocktails or for wooing that special person in your life. Thirdly, the bottom floor is home to the Dorsia Nightclub, where you can let your hair down and enjoy the beginning of the weekend. Dorsia is open Monday-Saturday 6pm-3am and Sunday 6pm-12.30am. From what I could tell, you also have to be highly attractive and not too old, in order to get a membership here; I couldn’t see many people who I would describe as over middle age.   The Cocktails The cocktails menu offers some classic blends and some Dorsia twists, including a Daiquiri Section, Margarita Section and a few contemporary twists. As we were visiting Dorsia, where else could we start, but with the Dorsia Island Iced Tea? (£8) The cocktail is a blend of Bacardi, Absolut Citron, St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, Cuervo Tradicional, Kammerlings with fresh lemon juice topped with peach juice. The peach juice and elderflower liquor form the most interesting part of this take on a classic; they are delightfully refreshing flavours which work well with the citrus vodka, furthermore, the peach juice is a gorgeous twist on the standard coke finish of the Long Island Iced Tea. This drink will open your eyes to iced teas - forget the coke topped Long Island versions you remember. Everybody is a Daiquiri lover, am I right? Well I certainly am, so I next I tried one of the “Light” Daiquiri’s. Sold with the tag line of “Float like a butterfly, sting like bee”, the simple ingredients of Bacardi, lime and sugar, make for a light, refreshing and perfectly balanced tipple. I would be hard to find anyone, even the most adamant t-total, to not enjoy this cocktail. There are various strengths of Daiquiri’s available; you can go all the way up to a “Nuclear”, although it is not for the feint hearted and its absinth base means you can only have one per customer. Unfortunately, I wasn’t brave enough for one of these! Now to a classic, the Mojito. Originating in Cub, this cocktail mixed Bacardi eight years old, lime, sugar and mint topped with soda. This is one of the finest Mojitos I have ever tasted. The Barcadi cut through, but did not over run, the mint flavour, therefore making for a deliciously balanced blend of flavours. I thought I was back in Cuba, on holiday! But my favourite drink, and by quite a long way too, is the Porn Star Martini( £10).  The drink is a wonderful concoction of Absolut vanilla vodka, passion fruit and vanilla sugar with Moet & Chandon on the side. I absolutely adore passion fruit in cocktails and this was perfect. The ability to move between Moet and the sweetness of the passion fruit was a joy. I would recommend having these all night. Another drink that includes Moet is the “Bateman is a Shot” (£8). The drinks is composed of Grey Goose, pomegranate, strawberry and crème de mure, topped with Moet. This is a drink that combines sweetness with a stern vodka undertone – lovely. One cocktail that we did not find at all pleasant, was the “Violence” – it certainly did conflict with our taste buds! It is a blend of tanqueray, violet sugar, lemon juice and apple juice… Just give it a miss! Bearing in mind the decent value of the cocktails on show, the long drinks sold at Dorsia seem contrastingly pricey and begin at approximately £8 for a single Absolut Vodka and Coke. In short, go for the cocktails, because of their great taste and fantastic flavours, they offer much better value and are far more satisfying.     Downstairs at the Dorsia - The Night Club As mentioned previously, Dorsia has three floors and we were lucky enough to venture downstairs, to the lower ground Night Club. For us, this was a mixed bag… On the positive side, the downstairs area can hold 100 people, and carries on the glamorous and lavish feel of the upstairs bar area. A narrow set of Carrera marble stairs sweep down to the club, where you can find black granite floors a bar constructed of solid lit onyx. Visually this is a fabulous area for a dance, a chat or even parties.  The music is also fantastic; an in-house DJ also nestles within the club and played some great tracks from all genres. In short, good music, plush finishes and an array of dazzling decorative flourishes. In the night club you can also purchase a great selection of spirits, mixers and beers, if you are so inclined. On the negative side… there were a couple of very rude members of staff downstairs; we were sat in one of the seating areas when, without any explanation, we were asked to move from the seat without being told why. This was a shame, as the rest of the evening was highly enjoyable and we were a little shocked by this.   http://thedorsia.co.uk/membership/ Fine Dining, Luxury Drinks, Luxury Food Dorsia is one of London’s newest and most exciting private member clubs. Sat opposite the natural history museum is a club which offers top class drinks, a fantastic décor and a dining to boot. Dorsia is made up of three floors; the top being a fine dining experience, with a concise, yet tempting menu. If you go one floor down you will find the bar and lounging area – this is a great area for mingling with friends, sampling one of the cocktails or for wooing that special person in your life. Thirdly, the bottom floor is home to the Dorsia Nightclub, where you can let your hair down and enjoy the beginning of the weekend. Dorsia is open Monday-Saturday 6pm-3am and Sunday 6pm-12.30am.


From what I could tell, you also have to be highly attractive and not too old, in order to get a membership here; I couldn’t see many people who I would describe as over middle age.

image

 

The Cocktails

The cocktails menu offers some classic blends and some Dorsia twists, including a Daiquiri Section, Margarita Section and a few contemporary twists.


As we were visiting Dorsia, where else could we start, but with the Dorsia Island Iced Tea? (£8) The cocktail is a blend of Bacardi, Absolut Citron, St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, Cuervo Tradicional, Kammerlings with fresh lemon juice topped with peach juice. The peach juice and elderflower liquor form the most interesting part of this take on a classic; they are delightfully refreshing flavours which work well with the citrus vodka, furthermore, the peach juice is a gorgeous twist on the standard coke finish of the Long Island Iced Tea. This drink will open your eyes to iced teas - forget the coke topped Long Island versions you remember.


Everybody is a Daiquiri lover, am I right? Well I certainly am, so I next I tried one of the “Light” Daiquiri’s. Sold with the tag line of “Float like a butterfly, sting like bee”, the simple ingredients of Bacardi, lime and sugar, make for a light, refreshing and perfectly balanced tipple. I would be hard to find anyone, even the most adamant t-total, to not enjoy this cocktail. There are various strengths of Daiquiri’s available; you can go all the way up to a “Nuclear”, although it is not for the feint hearted and its absinth base means you can only have one per customer. Unfortunately, I wasn’t brave enough for one of these!


Now to a classic, the Mojito. Originating in Cub, this cocktail mixed Bacardi eight years old, lime, sugar and mint topped with soda. This is one of the finest Mojitos I have ever tasted. The Barcadi cut through, but did not over run, the mint flavour, therefore making for a deliciously balanced blend of flavours. I thought I was back in Cuba, on holiday!


But my favourite drink, and by quite a long way too, is the Porn Star Martini( £10).  The drink is a wonderful concoction of Absolut vanilla vodka, passion fruit and vanilla sugar with Moet & Chandon on the side. I absolutely adore passion fruit in cocktails and this was perfect. The ability to move between Moet and the sweetness of the passion fruit was a joy. I would recommend having these all night.
Another drink that includes Moet is the “Bateman is a Shot” (£8). The drinks is composed of Grey Goose, pomegranate, strawberry and crème de mure, topped with Moet. This is a drink that combines sweetness with a stern vodka undertone – lovely.


One cocktail that we did not find at all pleasant, was the “Violence” – it certainly did conflict with our taste buds! It is a blend of tanqueray, violet sugar, lemon juice and apple juice… Just give it a miss!


Bearing in mind the decent value of the cocktails on show, the long drinks sold at Dorsia seem contrastingly pricey and begin at approximately £8 for a single Absolut Vodka and Coke. In short, go for the cocktails, because of their great taste and fantastic flavours, they offer much better value and are far more satisfying.

 

image

 

Downstairs at the Dorsia - The Night Club

As mentioned previously, Dorsia has three floors and we were lucky enough to venture downstairs, to the lower ground Night Club. For us, this was a mixed bag…


On the positive side, the downstairs area can hold 100 people, and carries on the glamorous and lavish feel of the upstairs bar area. A narrow set of Carrera marble stairs sweep down to the club, where you can find black granite floors a bar constructed of solid lit onyx. Visually this is a fabulous area for a dance, a chat or even parties.  The music is also fantastic; an in-house DJ also nestles within the club and played some great tracks from all genres. In short, good music, plush finishes and an array of dazzling decorative flourishes. In the night club you can also purchase a great selection of spirits, mixers and beers, if you are so inclined.


On the negative side… there were a couple of very rude members of staff downstairs; we were sat in one of the seating areas when, without any explanation, we were asked to move from the seat without being told why. This was a shame, as the rest of the evening was highly enjoyable and we were a little shocked by this.

 

http://thedorsia.co.uk/membership/

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]]> 2012-05-15T00:01:19+00:00 Dirty Martini, Hanover Square, London - Review http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/dirty-martini-hanover-square-london-review/2012-05-13/ Dirty Martini is one of the most unique, enjoyable and fun cocktail bars around. The drinks were beautiful, the décor is beautiful and the people are also… well, beautiful. It is located in the heart of fashionable Mayfair, nestled between Oxford Street and Bond Street and surrounded by top end restaurants. Open till late most evenings, Dirty Martini’s can be found in both Hanover Square and Covent Garden, although, the latter is currently under refurbishment. The members of staff are really good value for money; their cocktail making and bar skills are mesmerising affairs and make for a nice touch. This made for quite a nice distraction from a queue at the bar.     Dirty Martini describe their décor as an “Aladdin’s cave”. I would have to agree. Small booths make pockets of comfort, where couples can cuddle up and feel alone. In other areas, the décor is dazzlingly bright and is a feast for the eyes, making for a fun and buzzing environment. In others, it is seductively dark and intriguing.  There is a place for everyone, where they can feel comfortable and at ease, whatever the mood!   The drinks! The cocktail menu is a relatively concise exploration of cocktails old and new. There offering is a satisfying blend of sweet cocktails, sharp cocktails and cocktails which have that extra punch. There is also a wide selection of wines, beers, champagnes and other delicious tipples.     I tried one of my favourites and an all-time classic - Long Island Iced Tea. You can often tell how good a cocktail bar is by who it does the classics, so I gave it a whirl. The cocktail was well balanced, kept it’s refreshing flavour and cleansed the palate after dinner. I would say that it needed a little extra oomph, but that is just me. On the whole, it was an almost perfect tonic to a hectic London day. We also tried the New York Dandy which contained the following: elements 8 rum shaken with apricot brandy, fresh orange, lime juice and then topped with prosecco.  The fresh fruit elements perfectly complemented the rum and made for a gorgeous drink. One criticism I would have is that there seemed to be a lack of prosecco, but that is probably down to me being greedy! You may also be interested to hear that Dirty Martini hosts events and singles nights throughout the year, so there really is something for everyone. For more information click here: http://dirtymartini.uk.com/ Luxury Drinks, Luxury Experiences, Tried and Tested Dirty Martini is one of the most unique, enjoyable and fun cocktail bars around. The drinks were beautiful, the décor is beautiful and the people are also… well, beautiful. It is located in the heart of fashionable Mayfair, nestled between Oxford Street and Bond Street and surrounded by top end restaurants.


Open till late most evenings, Dirty Martini’s can be found in both Hanover Square and Covent Garden, although, the latter is currently under refurbishment.
The members of staff are really good value for money; their cocktail making and bar skills are mesmerising affairs and make for a nice touch. This made for quite a nice distraction from a queue at the bar.

image

 

 

Dirty Martini describe their décor as an “Aladdin’s cave”. I would have to agree. Small booths make pockets of comfort, where couples can cuddle up and feel alone. In other areas, the décor is dazzlingly bright and is a feast for the eyes, making for a fun and buzzing environment. In others, it is seductively dark and intriguing.  There is a place for everyone, where they can feel comfortable and at ease, whatever the mood!

 

The drinks!

The cocktail menu is a relatively concise exploration of cocktails old and new. There offering is a satisfying blend of sweet cocktails, sharp cocktails and cocktails which have that extra punch. There is also a wide selection of wines, beers, champagnes and other delicious tipples.

 

image

 


I tried one of my favourites and an all-time classic - Long Island Iced Tea. You can often tell how good a cocktail bar is by who it does the classics, so I gave it a whirl. The cocktail was well balanced, kept it’s refreshing flavour and cleansed the palate after dinner. I would say that it needed a little extra oomph, but that is just me. On the whole, it was an almost perfect tonic to a hectic London day.


We also tried the New York Dandy which contained the following: elements 8 rum shaken with apricot brandy, fresh orange, lime juice and then topped with prosecco.  The fresh fruit elements perfectly complemented the rum and made for a gorgeous drink. One criticism I would have is that there seemed to be a lack of prosecco, but that is probably down to me being greedy!


You may also be interested to hear that Dirty Martini hosts events and singles nights throughout the year, so there really is something for everyone. For more information click here: http://dirtymartini.uk.com/

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]]> 2012-05-13T00:01:02+00:00 Thai Square, Trafalgar Square - Review http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/thai-square-trafalgar-square-review/2012-05-12/ You can find Thai Square just seconds away from Trafalgar Square and it is the perfect place for a tasty lunch, a candle lit dinner or just a lovely bite to eat. Serving authentic Thai food across London, and other parts of the UK, Thai Square is a fabulous collection of yummy eateries. We left feeling full, satisfied and eager for more.   The décor is in the style of the orient, without being overly tacky and stereotypical. Additionally, the service was very attentive and not too intrusive - a perfect balance. The restaurant had a comfortable and inviting feel – we spent over 3 and a half hours there on our visit, so we must have felt at home! We tried one of the starter selection platters, filled with classic Thai delights, such as: prawn toast, thai dumplings and satay chicken. This is a great starter for prawn lovers, but steer clear if you aren’t! Aromatic duck and many other oriental delicacies can be found on the menu, but we were very happy with our choice. To complement the mains we also tried two of the soups on offer; one a spicy chili soup, the…, the other a coconut soup with a light chili undertone. Both were packed with flavour and they acted as the perfect bridge between the starters and the mains.   So, to the mains…   My main, named “The Weeping Tiger” was to die for. I want to go back every day and try one of these again, and again, and again. The weeping tiger is a sliced sirloin steak with an oriental twist and it was delightful. Also, my partner sampled the Massaman Curry and this was a really generous and flavoursome dish. A rich blend of spices enclosed a sumptuously soft lamb shank, making for a really powerful dish. It was so gorgeous, that I finished it off for her!  Both mains cost well under £15 each – a bargain!     To drink, we ordered a bottle of the house Sauvignon Blanc and one of the non-alcoholic cocktails. One criticism I would have is that the non-alcoholic cocktail we tried, the Forrester, was far too sweet and it was a very disappointing. I would easily recommend this Thai Square to anyone looking for some flavoursome, honest and filling food. Furthermore, its great location leaves you no excuse not to visit, so give it a go! For more information: http://www.thaisquare.net/ Fine Dining, Luxury Drinks, Luxury Food You can find Thai Square just seconds away from Trafalgar Square and it is the perfect place for a tasty lunch, a candle lit dinner or just a lovely bite to eat. Serving authentic Thai food across London, and other parts of the UK, Thai Square is a fabulous collection of yummy eateries. We left feeling full, satisfied and eager for more.

image

 

The décor is in the style of the orient, without being overly tacky and stereotypical. Additionally, the service was very attentive and not too intrusive - a perfect balance. The restaurant had a comfortable and inviting feel – we spent over 3 and a half hours there on our visit, so we must have felt at home!


We tried one of the starter selection platters, filled with classic Thai delights, such as: prawn toast, thai dumplings and satay chicken. This is a great starter for prawn lovers, but steer clear if you aren’t! Aromatic duck and many other oriental delicacies can be found on the menu, but we were very happy with our choice. To complement the mains we also tried two of the soups on offer; one a spicy chili soup, the…, the other a coconut soup with a light chili undertone. Both were packed with flavour and they acted as the perfect bridge between the starters and the mains.

 

So, to the mains…

 

My main, named “The Weeping Tiger” was to die for. I want to go back every day and try one of these again, and again, and again. The weeping tiger is a sliced sirloin steak with an oriental twist and it was delightful.

Also, my partner sampled the Massaman Curry and this was a really generous and flavoursome dish. A rich blend of spices enclosed a sumptuously soft lamb shank, making for a really powerful dish. It was so gorgeous, that I finished it off for her!  Both mains cost well under £15 each – a bargain!

 

image

 

To drink, we ordered a bottle of the house Sauvignon Blanc and one of the non-alcoholic cocktails. One criticism I would have is that the non-alcoholic cocktail we tried, the Forrester, was far too sweet and it was a very disappointing.


I would easily recommend this Thai Square to anyone looking for some flavoursome, honest and filling food. Furthermore, its great location leaves you no excuse not to visit, so give it a go!


For more information: http://www.thaisquare.net/

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]]> 2012-05-12T00:45:41+00:00 The World’s top 20 Luxury Eco Hotels http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/the-worlds-top-20-luxury-eco-hotels/2012-05-11/ Not sure where to get away this Summer? Kiwi Collection have selected the world’s top 20 luxury eco hotels, which may assist you in your search for the perfect luxury hotel. Kiwi Collection is the world’s largest and most diverse curated collection of luxury hotels, with over 2300 hotels in 132 countries. Enlisting the help of the one of the world’s foremost experts in eco-tourism, Hitesh Mehta, Kiwi’s list of the top 20 luxury eco hotels makes good reading. “Most hotels today partake in some sort of environmentally friendly initiatives, said Jean Marie Healy, Chief Marketing Officer of Kiwi Collection, “but we want to applaud those who go above and beyond and this list is exactly that.”  The list of the world’s most eco-friendly luxury hotels and resorts highlights luxury properties from around the globe which demonstrate outstanding commitment to sustainable operations, conservation and preservation, both on-site and in their communities. On top of that, they look superb! The Kiwi Collection luxury eco hotels list is set to grow, with more locations added once they make the grade. The full list is below. For more information, click here. Go Green, Hot Luxury News, Luxury Experiences, Luxury Holidays, Luxury Hotels Not sure where to get away this Summer? Kiwi Collection have selected the world’s top 20 luxury eco hotels, which may assist you in your search for the perfect luxury hotel.

Kiwi Collection is the world’s largest and most diverse curated collection of luxury hotels, with over 2300 hotels in 132 countries.

image

Enlisting the help of the one of the world’s foremost experts in eco-tourism, Hitesh Mehta, Kiwi’s list of the top 20 luxury eco hotels makes good reading.

“Most hotels today partake in some sort of environmentally friendly initiatives, said Jean Marie Healy, Chief Marketing Officer of Kiwi Collection, “but we want to applaud those who go above and beyond and this list is exactly that.” 

The list of the world’s most eco-friendly luxury hotels and resorts highlights luxury properties from around the globe which demonstrate outstanding commitment to sustainable operations, conservation and preservation, both on-site and in their communities.

image

On top of that, they look superb!

The Kiwi Collection luxury eco hotels list is set to grow, with more locations added once they make the grade.

The full list is below. For more information, click here.

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]]> 2012-05-11T08:01:56+00:00 The best luxury spa in Surrey? http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/the-best-luxury-spa-in-surrey/2012-05-10/ Recently, we reported on the wonderful 4 star Runnymede on Thames hotel. The service, food, rooms and general feel of the hotel left us very impressed. But there was one thing we missed out, possibly the best luxury spa in Surrey. The Runnymede is a hotel designed for leisure, with an emphasis on relaxing. This luxury hotel near Heathrow has an abundance of leisure activities – indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, whirlpool bath and eucalyptus steam room, to name a few. The luxury spa itself is an oasis of calm and perfectly compliments the hotel and its ethos. Set on the left wing of the hotel, with the indoor pool and gym nearby, you could spend days in here. The treatments offered include facials, manicures, pedicures and massages. Heavenly massages. My partner and I were lucky enough to have a neck back and shoulder massage side by side. My partner was full of clicks and the massage helped soothe a fairly painful back injury for me. I just stayed awake, any more and I would have been in the land of nod. After the massage, we retreated to one of the private ‘recovery’ rooms, with comfortable furnishings, chilled music and low lights. To be honest, we needed this time to regroup – we were a little dazed. The best luxury spa in Surrey? For me, it’s a cert. In keeping with the family feel to the hotel, there are even teenage spa treatments available. I just love this hotel! Leisure, Luxury Experiences, Luxury Hotels, Tried and Tested Recently, we reported on the wonderful 4 star Runnymede on Thames hotel. The service, food, rooms and general feel of the hotel left us very impressed. But there was one thing we missed out, possibly the best luxury spa in Surrey.

The Runnymede is a hotel designed for leisure, with an emphasis on relaxing. This luxury hotel near Heathrow has an abundance of leisure activities – indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, whirlpool bath and eucalyptus steam room, to name a few.

The luxury spa itself is an oasis of calm and perfectly compliments the hotel and its ethos. Set on the left wing of the hotel, with the indoor pool and gym nearby, you could spend days in here.

The treatments offered include facials, manicures, pedicures and massages.

Heavenly massages.

image

My partner and I were lucky enough to have a neck back and shoulder massage side by side. My partner was full of clicks and the massage helped soothe a fairly painful back injury for me. I just stayed awake, any more and I would have been in the land of nod.

After the massage, we retreated to one of the private ‘recovery’ rooms, with comfortable furnishings, chilled music and low lights. To be honest, we needed this time to regroup – we were a little dazed.

The best luxury spa in Surrey? For me, it’s a cert.

In keeping with the family feel to the hotel, there are even teenage spa treatments available. I just love this hotel!

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]]> 2012-05-10T08:24:16+00:00 Colossus Security – When you need to feel safe http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/colossus-security-when-you-need-to-feel-safe/2012-05-03/ Lussorian wanted to highlight the services of Colossus Security, not your run of the mill security agency. Sure, the company provides the usual manned guarding, door supervision and general security in London duties, but it is more their Close Protection (body guarding) service that is of interest. Highly trained SIA standard licensed officers are on standby for close protection UK clients for peace of mind when required. Colossus Security’s bespoke, individual protection is perfect for high flying execs that need to focus on the job, not their environment. The security service eradicates risks that are in evidence in today’s world. The service incorporates all of your needs, whether it is residential protection or constant security on the go, Colossus ticks all the boxes. Celebrities, CEO’s and politicians have all used Colossus for their close protection service. Maybe, if you have any doubts about your personal security, you should try them too?  Hot Luxury News, Rich And Famous, Unusual Luxury Lussorian wanted to highlight the services of Colossus Security, not your run of the mill security agency.

Sure, the company provides the usual manned guarding, door supervision and general security in London duties, but it is more their Close Protection (body guarding) service that is of interest.

Highly trained SIA standard licensed officers are on standby for close protection UK clients for peace of mind when required.

image

Colossus Security’s bespoke, individual protection is perfect for high flying execs that need to focus on the job, not their environment. The security service eradicates risks that are in evidence in today’s world.

The service incorporates all of your needs, whether it is residential protection or constant security on the go, Colossus ticks all the boxes.

Celebrities, CEO’s and politicians have all used Colossus for their close protection service. Maybe, if you have any doubts about your personal security, you should try them too? 

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]]> 2012-05-03T09:18:47+00:00 Sundance Film Festival comes to London. http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/sundance-film-festival-comes-to-london/2012-05-02/ By Lussorian’s roving reporter - Toby Rose The legendary alternative film festival arrived at London’s 02 from its snowy mountaintop USA perch. And it was graced with royalty. Hollywood royalty in the shape of Robert Redford, and the House of Windsor version – HRH the Prince of Wales. “Sundance London marked our first time hosting an event in the UK, and we are grateful to all our supporters and collaborators for the reception we received. These four days have seen features, documentaries and live events with insightful filmmakers and musicians, as well as passionate audiences in attendance.” Said Robert Redford, President & Founder of Sundance Institute, Musically themed, the festival showcased the vital contribution of the musical score to the cinema experience. And it was not just theory. The Q and A with Robert Redford was hosted by Nick Hornby, whose novels include High Fidelity which is a tribute to the music fan. His fellow guest was soundtrack legend T Bone Burnett who is known for his atmospheric musicial scores notably for the Coen Brothers, O Brother. Sharing the stage with the Hollywood legends was the band, the Guillemots. In tribute to the star guest of the evening and founder of Sundance they performed a choppy up-tempo version of ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’ - the signature theme of ‘Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Very fitting. Other musos in attendance included musical siblings Martha and Rufus Wainwright. The singer once created an entire stage show around an homage to Judy Garland. You don’t get more Tinsel Town than that! The festival closed with an intimate performance by Rufus and Martha Wainwright following the World Premiere of Sing Me The Songs That Say I Love You ~ A Concert for Kate McGarrigle, Lian Lunson’s film about the music of their mother, folk singer Kate McGarrigle Sundance in London brought to a local audience many of the highlights of this year’s Sundance in Utah. One of the big favourites was ‘Queen of Versailles’ which told of the story of a billionaire brought low by the credit crunch. The documentary told the bitter sweet story of how his lavish plans to create a Versailles style home turned to dust. On a more serious note was ‘Chasing Ice’ a dramatic documentary about the pioneering work of photographer James Balog who charted the retreating glaciers of Greenland, Iceland and Alaska. His efforts to position to motion capture cameras in some of the wildest and most beautiful locations in the world were breathtaking. Aside from this dramatic landscape there was the personal courage of James Balog who was battling with a knee injury. Sundance was a showcase of the cream of the Sundance crop. A welcome and exciting arrival on the festival circuit. Luxury Entertainment, Luxury Events, Rich And Famous By Lussorian’s roving reporter - Toby Rose

The legendary alternative film festival arrived at London’s 02 from its snowy mountaintop USA perch. And it was graced with royalty. Hollywood royalty in the shape of Robert Redford, and the House of Windsor version – HRH the Prince of Wales.

“Sundance London marked our first time hosting an event in the UK, and we are grateful to all our supporters and collaborators for the reception we received. These four days have seen features, documentaries and live events with insightful filmmakers and musicians, as well as passionate audiences in attendance.” Said Robert Redford, President & Founder of Sundance Institute,

image

Musically themed, the festival showcased the vital contribution of the musical score to the cinema experience. And it was not just theory. The Q and A with Robert Redford was hosted by Nick Hornby, whose novels include High Fidelity which is a tribute to the music fan. His fellow guest was soundtrack legend T Bone Burnett who is known for his atmospheric musicial scores notably for the Coen Brothers, O Brother.

Sharing the stage with the Hollywood legends was the band, the Guillemots. In tribute to the star guest of the evening and founder of Sundance they performed a choppy up-tempo version of ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’ - the signature theme of ‘Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Very fitting.

Other musos in attendance included musical siblings Martha and Rufus Wainwright. The singer once created an entire stage show around an homage to Judy Garland. You don’t get more Tinsel Town than that!

image

The festival closed with an intimate performance by Rufus and Martha Wainwright following the World Premiere of Sing Me The Songs That Say I Love You ~ A Concert for Kate McGarrigle, Lian Lunson’s film about the music of their mother, folk singer Kate McGarrigle

Sundance in London brought to a local audience many of the highlights of this year’s Sundance in Utah. One of the big favourites was ‘Queen of Versailles’ which told of the story of a billionaire brought low by the credit crunch. The documentary told the bitter sweet story of how his lavish plans to create a Versailles style home turned to dust.

On a more serious note was ‘Chasing Ice’ a dramatic documentary about the pioneering work of photographer James Balog who charted the retreating glaciers of Greenland, Iceland and Alaska. His efforts to position to motion capture cameras in some of the wildest and most beautiful locations in the world were breathtaking. Aside from this dramatic landscape there was the personal courage of James Balog who was battling with a knee injury.

Sundance was a showcase of the cream of the Sundance crop. A welcome and exciting arrival on the festival circuit.

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]]> 2012-05-02T06:39:34+00:00 SUDA Thai - Review http://www.lussorian.com/luxury/comments/suda-thai-review/2012-04-28/ The food at SUDA Thai is beautifully fresh, flavoursome and loveable. I would go back to SUDA again, and again, and again. Furthermore, the restaurant is located in the fantastic St. Martin’s courtyard, which is just a stone’s throw away from Covent Garden, all of the top London theatres and the buzzing Leicester Square. We visited on a busy(ish) lunch time and the external excitement transferred from the London streets, to SUDA’s serving floor. Honestly, it was a fabulous place to eat.   Drinks at SUDA are a real treat. The drinks menu consists of super fresh smoothies, for the healthier among us, and lavish alcoholic cocktails, for the slightly naughtier. We found the mix of beverages to be eclectic enough for all tastes and palates. I tried the Signature SUDA passion -Rum with fresh passion fruit muddled with bitter lemon and sweet oranges topped with soda. This cocktail really packed a punch and was a great way to kick off the meal. And it was a bargain at £6.50! My partner tried one of the “Non Dairy” smoothies – a blend of apple juice, coconut milk, with banana and fresh Thai ginger, and it was gorgeous. Again a bargain at £3.50!   Starters are a modestly sized affair; we were served these smaller dishes that are perfect for sharing and perfect for everyone around the table to begin their journey into SUDA’s Thai cusine. I would recommend picking a few of these dishes and swapping them around, this will ensure you get a complete feel for the fantastic food on show. We went for the Signature SUDA wrap, a fresh rice wrap with braised duck and Thai herbs. This was utterly delicious and stunningly fresh – a real delight. We also went for the more generic option of satay chicken skewers, an extremely tasty traditional dish. In short, the starters menu is extensive, exciting and packed full of flavour. Next time we may go for a few more than one each – they were simply that good!   For mains, we tried the infamous and delectable Massaman curry, a Thai favourite, which oozed warm, fulfilling spices. It is one of the tastiest curries in the world and SUDA does it beautifully. I could eat a bowl of it right now! I would also recommend the fabulous coconut rice – unlike some types of cocunt rice, this is lovingly steamed in coconut milk for maximum depth of flavour. This side really added another dimension to the mains. Other tasty options are available, such as traditionally steamed jasmine rice and wok fried rice. The location is fantastic, the food is scrumptious and the overall feel of SUDA is just perfect. I can’t wait to go back! If you are looking for a light lunch or an exotic meal, then this is the place for you. To make your booking, click here: http://www.suda-thai.com/ Fine Dining, Luxury Drinks, Luxury Experiences, Luxury Food The food at SUDA Thai is beautifully fresh, flavoursome and loveable. I would go back to SUDA again, and again, and again. Furthermore, the restaurant is located in the fantastic St. Martin’s courtyard, which is just a stone’s throw away from Covent Garden, all of the top London theatres and the buzzing Leicester Square. We visited on a busy(ish) lunch time and the external excitement transferred from the London streets, to SUDA’s serving floor. Honestly, it was a fabulous place to eat.

image

 

Drinks at SUDA are a real treat. The drinks menu consists of super fresh smoothies, for the healthier among us, and lavish alcoholic cocktails, for the slightly naughtier. We found the mix of beverages to be eclectic enough for all tastes and palates.

I tried the Signature SUDA passion -Rum with fresh passion fruit muddled with bitter lemon and sweet oranges topped with soda. This cocktail really packed a punch and was a great way to kick off the meal. And it was a bargain at £6.50! My partner tried one of the “Non Dairy” smoothies – a blend of apple juice, coconut milk, with banana and fresh Thai ginger, and it was gorgeous. Again a bargain at £3.50!

 

Starters are a modestly sized affair; we were served these smaller dishes that are perfect for sharing and perfect for everyone around the table to begin their journey into SUDA’s Thai cusine. I would recommend picking a few of these dishes and swapping them around, this will ensure you get a complete feel for the fantastic food on show.


We went for the Signature SUDA wrap, a fresh rice wrap with braised duck and Thai herbs. This was utterly delicious and stunningly fresh – a real delight. We also went for the more generic option of satay chicken skewers, an extremely tasty traditional dish. In short, the starters menu is extensive, exciting and packed full of flavour. Next time we may go for a few more than one each – they were simply that good!

image

 

For mains, we tried the infamous and delectable Massaman curry, a Thai favourite, which oozed warm, fulfilling spices. It is one of the tastiest curries in the world and SUDA does it beautifully. I could eat a bowl of it right now!


I would also recommend the fabulous coconut rice – unlike some types of cocunt rice, this is lovingly steamed in coconut milk for maximum depth of flavour. This side really added another dimension to the mains. Other tasty options are available, such as traditionally steamed jasmine rice and wok fried rice.


The location is fantastic, the food is scrumptious and the overall feel of SUDA is just perfect. I can’t wait to go back! If you are looking for a light lunch or an exotic meal, then this is the place for you.

To make your booking, click here: http://www.suda-thai.com/

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