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Hotel Group Focus - Red Carnation Hotels: 'Blooming Marvellous'

Address:	Red Carnation Hotels, 39 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1
Tel	0845 634 2665
Email:	Contact by email
Website:	Visit their website

Hotel Group Focus - Red Carnation Hotels: 'Blooming Marvellous' Information:

The diverse Red Carnation Hotel collection makes business a pleasure, says Annica Wainwright

It comes as no surprise that Red Carnation Hotels is a privately owned group. Indeed, you only have to set foot in one of its properties to notice the attention to detail that can only stem from a truly dedicated management. Every room in every hotel has been individually designed and it is clear that not a penny has been spared in making each as comfortable as possible.

This is particularly evident when it comes to doing business in one. Where other hotels settle for providing paper and pencils in its meeting rooms, Red Carnation serves up a stationary kit full of office goodies. The same is true for ‘business ready’ bedrooms, where guests can also record their own voicemail and have complimentary business cards printed especially for their stay.

While most properties within the group have an olde worlde charm, neither of them feels outdated or stuffy. Quite on the contrary, the chain’s trademark contemporary take on tradition can extend as far as video-conferencing on plasma screens and there’s always a modern detail – a fresh flower arrangement, say – to catch your eye. Speaking of flowers, the group’s admirable staff/guest ratio (2:1 in most hotels) even allows time for such fine details as placing a fresh red carnation in every single room of every single property, every single day of the year – that’s some 238,710 blooms and one very strong commitment to service. Very Red Carnation.

THE MILESTONE HOTEL & APARTMENTS
Red Carnation’s London flagship sits on the edge of Kensington Gardens, just a few minutes’ stroll from Royal Albert Hall (the Conservatory is a great spot for pre-show hospitality). Unmistakably a five-star, it offers the traditional feel of a stately home while taking a contemporary approach to service. With video-conferencing and a generous screen that can be hidden in the ceiling, the beautifully wood-panelled Windsor Suite is both a cutting-edge meeting space and stunning private dining room – use it in conjunction with the cosy, next-door Map Room. Alternatively, check into one of the suites or apartments, which boast space for business as well as entertaining. Also onsite is an excellent restaurant, a bar and a small health club. 1 Kensington Court, W8, tel: 020 7917 1000.

THE MONTAGUE ON THE GARDENS
This handsome Bloomsbury townhouse overlooks a secret garden square and offers no less than three outdoor areas for events: two terraces and a large wooden deck. The latter has direct access to the hotel’s largest function room, allowing organisers to combine early evening sunshine drinks with late night dancing. The events space is otherwise located on a single floor with all rooms done out in the same style so that they’re easy to combine – check out the Boardroom, which has a beautiful antique table. Used to cater to anything from barbecues to wedding breakfasts (the hotel has a civil license), the talented kitchen also runs two small onsite restaurants. Many of the bedrooms have recently been refurbished. 15 Montague Street, WC1, tel: 020 7637 1001.

THE CHESTERFIELD MAYFAIR
Spread across what were once three private residences and famed for its friendly service, the four-star Chesterfield Mayfair has a very personable feel – a quality appreciated by the couples who make use of its civil wedding license. Also a great spot for meetings, all onsite function rooms have natural daylight and there’s a sunny conservatory for break-outs and receptions. Individually styled bedrooms include those with a Saville Row theme (think pinstripe walls and antique Vanity Fair prints). 35 Charles Street, W1, tel: 020 7491 2622.

THE RUBENS AT THE PALACE
Located right opposite Buckingham Palace’s Royal Mews, just minutes from Victoria Station, this four-star property (the largest of the Red Carnation lot) is unsurprisingly popular with tourists. Among its most valued features is the Old Masters Restaurant and its traditional lunchtime carvery, which of course also caters well to groups (served perfectly rare with all the trimmings, the rib of beef makes a fabulous mid-meeting treat). A second restaurant offers more intimate surrounds, while five onsite conference rooms are available on their own or in various combinations, seating up to 90 in a single space. Come bedtime, treat VIP out-of-town visitors to a suite in the exclusive Royal Wing – we bet they’ll be impressed. 39 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1, tel: 020 7834 6600.

41
A boutique-style five-star with only twenty rooms, all decadently done out in black and white with working gas fires, 41 feels like a real ‘home from home’ despite its grand surrounds. Frequent travellers will delight in homely comforts like the 24-hour ‘plunder the pantry’ policy and cordless phones that work throughout the hotel as well as in The Rubens next door, leaving guests free to roam even when they’re expecting a call. Most choose to settle in the comfortable central lounge (a great space for a reception if you’ve booked the hotel for exclusive use) where you can relax in an enormous armchair or do some business on the mezzanine. Adjacent to the lounge is a beautiful wood-panelled boardroom with video-conferencing facilities. 41 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1, tel: 020 7300 0041.

BBAR & RESTAURANT
With an extravagant safari-style decor and upbeat party atmosphere, this South African-themed bar and restaurant is a great space in which to unwind after a day of meetings in neighbouring siblings 41 and The Rubens. Delicious cocktails and wines from an impressive list come complemented by well-executed modern European food. The site, which can accommodate up to 150 guests, is split over two levels, though the upstairs bar is only available to hire at the weekends. 43 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1, tel: 020 7958 7000.

Dorset dream
The latest addition to the Red Carnation family is Summer Lodge (01935 482000), located in the picturesque Dorset Downs village of Evershot. With gorgeous bedrooms, an award-winning restaurant and a brand new spa, it has already won plaudits as an indulgent weekend destination, but did you know it also has events facilities? Perhaps best suited for weddings, the hotel’s wood-panelled meeting room has a civil license and converts beautifully for private dining, seating up to 26, while the entire property can be booked for exclusive use. The tucked-away Ivy Cottage with its private garden and hot tub makes a perfect honeymoon hideaway.

Further afield
Given the traditional English look of many of its properties, you’d be forgiven for thinking Red Carnation Hotels was an exclusively British operation, but there are also a few international links in the chain. Closest to home is the five-star Hotel d’Angleterre (+41 22 906 5555) in Geneva, which makes for a luxurious pit stop on the way to the slopes (the restaurant boasts views of Mont Blanc), while also being a suitably discreet business destination. Beautifully situated right on Lake Geneva, the hotel lures secretive guests with the promise of soundproof bedrooms, a feature also enjoyed by the function suites, the largest of which can seat up to 80. Meeting facilities (for up to 90 delegates) are also available at The Twelve Apostles Hotel outside Cape Town (+ 27 21 437 9000). That said, it would almost be a shame to do business in a location so focused on pleasure: with two pools, an award-winning spa and stunning views over the mountains and ocean, this place is all about relaxation. Over in America, Red Carnation fans will feel right at home in The Chesterfield Palm Beach, Florida (+1 561 659 5800), which replicates the feel of the Mayfair property, albeit with a pool (and much nicer weather).

Square Meal - Venues & Events Magazine Feature, Summer 2005