New hotels coming to London and further afield.

As we all know (and if you don’t where have you been hiding, can we hide too?) the London Olympic Games are just around the corner and the capital is preparing itself for an influx of athletes, trainers, spectators and those who just want to suck up some of the inevitably buzzing atmosphere.  The hotel industry has reacted to the massive increase in demand by opening a number of new establishments in London as detailed in our previous blog, but it won’t all be over when the Games close.

For those of you who want to avoid the heaving crowds and visit later, here are some new hotels due to open when London gets back to normal.

The Wellesley

Affluent Knightsbridge is already home to an array of luxurious 5 star hotels and will soon be gaining another when The Wellesley opens towards the end of 2012. Opening in November, the hotel’s 36 bedrooms will give it an exclusive feel, while the Cigar Lounge, Crystal Bar and Jazz Lounge will allow guests to travel back to a time in keeping with the Art Deco design. The hotel promises to be the perfect mix of 1920s elegance and contemporary style.

11 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7QS  Phone: 020 7235 3535

Trocadero Pod Hotel

This one is more exciting that your usual hotel launch as it sees London becoming home to its first Japanese-style pod hotel.  Long-time haunt of gamers and cinema-goers, the Trocadero Centre in Piccadilly is to become the site of this innovative accommodation. As it’s a Grade III listed building, the outside of the Trocadero will remain the same, but the inside will house 495 cabins. These windowless rooms will measure between 12 and 17 metres square and provide quirky, affordable accommodation for visitors to the capital. The rooms may be tiny, but each one will house a 42” plasma TV, double bed and en-suite bathroom.  The Pod Hotel will also feature a roof top bar and restaurant which, unlike the bedrooms, will have windows and a view of the city!

Piccadilly, St James’s, London W1J 9EY  Phone: 020 7420 4953

Shangri-La Hotel London

When this hotel opens in 2013, it will bring a lot of London firsts with it. It will be the first Shangri-La hotel in the city, Europe’s first CHI spa and has the unique selling point of being the first hotel to occupy the top of the new Shard building in London Bridge and will be an impressive 245 feet higher than One Canada Square on Canary Wharf.  The Shangri-La will boast 195 rooms, amongst which will be 170 deluxe guestrooms and 25 suites. Those after a very luxurious and extravagant break can opt for the two speciality suites or the presidential suite, which each feature amazing, enclosed winter garden balconies.  With patented Shangri-La beds moulding to the contours of guests bodies, an infinity swimming pool offering panoramic views of London and the aforementioned CHI spa, the Shangri-La is sure to become the place to stay.

32 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9SY  Phone number not available as yet.

Of course, although London is packed full of places to see and things to do, other parts of the UK are equally rich in heritage in culture. Scotland and Wales both have their fair share of beautiful scenery, iconic architecture, bustling cities and relaxing countryside. Here are just a couple of hotels, perfect for a stay outside the capital.

Hotel Du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow 

One Devonshire Gardens is renowned for being one of Glasgow’s most luxuriant hotels. Set in a leafy terrace in the West End of the city, the hotel exudes Victorian charm.  A recent makeover refurbished the bedrooms and added a bistro and bar to the list of facilities; managing to do so without losing any of the character which attracts visitors to One Devonshire Gardens. Spreading throughout all five townhouses in the charming terrace, the hotel offers luxury, easy access to the city centre and a stunning Conservatory Suite overlooking the private gardens.

One Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow, G12 0UX  Phone: 0141 339 2001

Castell Deudraeth, Portmeirion, Wales 

Portmeirion itself is famed for being a beautiful location and Castell Deuderaeth is the perfect base for exploring it. Upon entering Portmeirion, you will spot an imposing, 19^th century castellated mansion – this is Castell Deudraeth. Beyond the original exterior, guests will find a beautifully contemporary, modern hotel. Clean lines, neutral colours and local materials are the order of the day. Enjoy full access to the village of Portmeirion, including the peninsula, gardens, woodlands and hidden coves. Guests can dine in either the hotel or the nearby Hotel Portmeirion.

Portmeirion, LL48 6EN, Wales   Phone: 01766 770 000

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners. We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us anticipate your needs so you can live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life.

Countdown to Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

Details of 1,000 vessels revealed

Repertoire for all 10 music barges announced

Large parts of Central London riverside and bridges pedestrianised

Battersea Park tickets on sale to the public

The organisers of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant have released the final details of the 1,000-boat tribute to Her Majesty The Queen’s 60-year reign.

The largest public event of the Diamond Jubilee weekend and potentially the largest live public event ever held in London, the Pageant will take place on Sunday 3rd June on the river from above Battersea to below Tower Bridge. The flotilla itself will be over seven miles long and – including mustering, dispersal and the avenue of sail – will include some 25 miles of Thames river bank. The flotilla will pass under all 13 Central London river crossings, from Battersea Bridge to Tower Bridge, and will take at least 75 minutes to pass any given point.

This unique spectacle, inspired by a rich history and tradition of entertainment and theatre on the Thames, will include up to 20,000 participants on the water and up to a million spectators on the river banks and public spaces. The major broadcasters expect the global audience to number in the billions. Details of the boats participating in the Pageant are published at www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org.

Lord Salisbury, Chairman of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation, said: “The Pageant on 3rd June will be a unique occasion to celebrate a British Monarch. Our organising team, the hundreds who have entered their boats, the thousands on the river, the hundreds of thousands lining the banks and the many hundreds of millions watching on television, will want to pay a fitting tribute to The Queen for her 60 years of service. The Pageant will be an event that will fulfil this ambition.”

Also revealed is the final repertoire for the ten floating music barges that will take their places throughout the flotilla. The headlines are:

§ Royal Jubilee Bells : Peal of bells travelling the length of the central London flotilla route, with riverside Churches returning the peals as the floating belfry passes by

§ Academy of Ancient Music: Handel’s Water Musicand Music for Royal Fireworks

§ Herald Fanfare Trumpeters : Six trumpeters from Her Majesty’s Royal Marines perform trumpet herald fanfares to each of the Thames bridges to herald the arrival of The Queen

§ The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth: Nautical airs and sea shanties includingRoyal Salute, Gibraltar, Jolly Roger, Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantasia of British Sea Songs

§ The Jubilant Commonwealth Choir: 13 traditional folk songs sung by a choir drawn from across the Commonwealth countries

§ Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band and Dhol Ensemble: Indian-Scottish pipe band playing eight Bollywood tunes and 19 traditional melodies

§ The New Water Music : Eleven of the UK’s foremost composers have been commissioned to write short pieces of inspirational music for the Pageant inspired by Handel’s Water Music, to be collectively called The New Water Music

§ The Mayor’s Jubilee Band: Brass band of young musicians playing a new commission by Rachel Portman and a range of popular music including famous show tunes

§ Rhythm on the River : An ensemble of 16 musicians and three vocalists led by renowned composer Guy Barker performing 12 songs composed during The Queen’s reign including music from The Beatles

§ London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir: Playing a repertoire of patriotic music including Crown Imperial, Land of my Fathers, Flower of Scotland, Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory, I Vow to Thee My Country and, of course, theNational Anthem

 

The London Philharmonic Orchestra will also be playing pieces relevant to buildings it passes en route, including the theme music to the James Bond films as they pass the MI6 building and the march from the 1955 film The Dambusters as it passes the RAF Memorial. Details of the full repertoire for all ten music barges are included in the news section of the website.

It is the intention of the Pageant organisers to return the River Thames and its immediate environs to the public for the day, with large parts of the central London embankments and many central London bridges effectively pedestrianised. A detailed interactive map is now available at: www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org

This map also contains the location of up to 50 large viewing screens in London, designated areas for disabled access, historic landmarks, public transport information and public conveniences. For more specific travel and traffic information, the public are advised to visit www.tfl.gov.uk/diamondjubilee. Driving in central London on Sunday 3 June is not recommended.

Organisers have made bridges available to the riparian London Boroughs for allocation to local residents and also to a number of charities associated with the Pageant. These initiatives have helped organisers to make secure all or part of every bridge as The Queen and the Royal Squadron passes underneath. The precise bridge arrangements are:

§ Battersea and Chelsea bridges will be open for pedestrians from 0700hrs until early evening. Both bridges will be closed to traffic and are expected to be very crowded.

§ Albert Bridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians starting from 0700hrs until early evening and is designated for invited guests from charities and the riparian boroughs.

§ Tower Bridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians from 0700hrs until early evening and will host guests from the riparian boroughs as well as private events hosted by the City of London.

§ Millennium Bridge and Jubilee footbridges will be closed and will host guests from the charities and riparian boroughs as well as members of the media

§ Vauxhall, Waterloo and London bridges will be open to traffic and pedestrians, apart from central section bridge closures as the flotilla passes underneath them at points between 1500 and 1730. They are all expected to be very crowded.

§ Southwark Bridge will be closed to pedestrians, but not to traffic.

§ Lambeth, Westminster and Blackfriars bridges will be closed to traffic and pedestrians, but each will have north and south facing viewing screens, with both ends of each bridge open to the public. However, members of the public will need to be counted on to the bridge to comply with capacity and subject to bag searches to maintain security.

 

While some bridges are open to moving pedestrians and traffic, only members of the public, invited by the charities and the riparian boroughs, who have been security accredited in advance, will be able to use them as spectator areas.

The bridges and riverside areas along the Pageant route will be decorated with flags and bunting for the event. The Pageant organisers are encouraging riverside properties – both business and residential – to ‘dress’ their buildings with Jubilee decorations, to add to the celebratory atmosphere on the day.

Vessel mustering will take place from mid-morning between Hammersmith and Putney Bridges. Boats at the head of the flotilla will be passing under Putney Bridge at around 14:30. The Pageant will officially start at around 14:40 as the Royal Jubilee Bells start ringing and the floating belfry slips its moorings in the Battersea Park area and takes its position as the lead vessel. Immediately behind them is the man-powered section with 265 rowed vessels including Gloriana , rowed by 18 oarsmen and women including Sir Matthew Pinsent, Sir Steve Redgrave, Paralympic champions and disabled British Servicemen. The man-powered section ‘toss oars’ in salute to The Queen as they pass her.

Her Majesty The Queen and other senior members of the Royal family will embark the Royal Barge – the Spirit of Chartwell – at Cadogan Pier at 14:30; they join the flotilla immediately behind the man-powered section at 15:00. They will have travelled from Chelsea Harbour on board HMY Britannia’s R oyal Barge attended by Paul Ludwig, The Queen’s Bargemaster. The rest of the flotilla, all motor powered sections, will form up behind The Queen, travelling at a speed of four knots. At 15:00, bells in churches along the riverside – and up and down the country – will ring out in response to the Royal Jubilee Bells in their floating belfry.

The Royal Barge will halt when she reaches the Royal Naval Research base, HMS President, just down river of Tower Bridge at around 16:15, and Her Majesty The Queen will watch the rest of the flotilla as it floats past. The bascules of Tower Bridge will open in salute and will stay open for the rest of the Pageant.

The Pageant will be brought to a close with a fitting finale at around 17:30 as the last vessel in the flotilla, the Symphony, carrying members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir and playing rousing patriotic music, floats between the historic boats in the Avenue of Sail and passes under Tower Bridge.

May Newsletter

We’ve changed our look. What do you think? Is there anything you’d like to see in the newsletter or the blog? Get in touch via info@cushiontheimpact.co.uk and let us know.

GO

to visit the Queen!
The Diamond Jubilee Pageant celebrates the Queen’s 60 year reign and will be taking place over three evenings at Windsor Castle. The Pageant is due to showcase a fantastic array of international performers and equestrian displays from around the world. It is to be hosted by Angela Rippon and Alan Titchmarsh.

Your tickets will also allow you entry to some of the Horse Shows being shown this weekend. May 10th – 13th.
Details and tickets are available at the website or at Windsor Castle itself and range from £30 to £100.

Dumbfest: Founded in 2010, this music and comedy festival supports Teenage Cancer Trust. The event brings a heady mix of new bands and comedy talent. This year see the likes of Dodgy and Simon McDonald. Tickets are available on the website at between £10-£20.
The Phoenix Theatre & Arts Centre, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 0LR

to see The Crypt Gallery. If you enjoy things a little spooky try this gallery at the Crypt of St Pancras Church. The site was used for coffin burials from around 1822. In 2002 the crypt became a housing for 21st century artists and now shares year-round exhibitions. From 10-16th May BERLIN: The Forger’s Tale is being shown, following the life of Twentieth Century forger Georg Bruni, exhibiting his drawings made from banknotes. Free entry. 12 noon – 7pm.
St Pancras Church, Euston Road, London, NW1 2BA

DO

 Renew your passport before the rush. If it’s been a while since the last time you saw your passport have a quick check on the expiry date before you book your summer holiday this year. Remember that you can apply to renew your passport as early as 9 months before it expires, and also some countries insist upon a further 6 months remaining before you travel. On average a normal renewal will take around 3 weeks. Full details are on the DirectGov website. Don’t be caught out!

Ever wondered what happens in a museum at night? Well once a month at the National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street Edinburgh you can find out by attending their RBS Museum Lates evenings.

May 9-15th is Universal Family Week, and what better way to celebrate than to spend time together. Stresses and strains of modern life can take their toil. So pledge an hour or 2 hours a day this week to take time out to enjoy your family. Even just a small outing for an afternoon or an hour to chat. Play a game or bake cookies together.

SEE 

and sing-along to Oliver at the Southbank on May 5^th. Full of favourite songs such as Consider Yourself and Food Glorious Food, this screening includes a vocal warm up led by a top voice coach and there are prizes for the best fancy dress. Certain members of staff are very upset they won’t be able to sing Food Glorious Food at the top of her voice!

Dreamboats and Petticoats. Featuring songs by Roy Orbison, Eddie Cochran and Chuck Berry this fast-paced rock’n’roll musical is set in 1961 where Norman and Bobby compete to win a National songwriting competition. Tickets are between £32 and £66.50. Showing at The Playhouse Theatre.
Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2

Something fantastic in the the next few months;

Cannes Film Festival 16th – 27th May

Kanye West & Jay Z  18th – 22nd May

Monaco Grand Prix 24th – 27th May

Henley Royal Regatta 27th June – 1st July

Silverstone Grand Prix 

Wimbledon 11th June – 8th July

Royal Ascot 19th – 23rd June

Wireless Festival 6th – 8th July

V Festival 18th – 19th August  Stone roses, Killers, Snow Patrol, Noel Gallagher and many more (see you there! Andrea will be at this one)

BUY

If you love one-off beautiful jewellery pieces then feast your eyes upon Shelia Fleet’s collection. She is one of Scotland’s leading designer-makers of gold, silver and platinum jewellery. If you are looking for something really special for a loved one or maybe to treat yourself I suggest you take a look here first.

If you have an extended family and would love a picture of all of your loved ones this unique photo collection is ideal for you. The family tree is a large picture where you can place 12 photographs of all your family on a pretty tree. This hand-printed picture would look lovely taking pride of place in a hallway. £39.

EAT

Be patriotic and try the second branch of Jamie Oliver’s chain, Union Jacks now opened in Chiswick. With gorgeous starters such as ham hock terrine and potted prawns you will be clawing your way back there in no time.219-221 Chiswick High Road,London,W4 2DWTelephone: 020 3617 9988

Restaurant Mark Greenaway is part of No 12 Picardy Place. Head Chef Mark can currently be seen competing in The Great British Menu on TV and his innovative and wonderful food is definitely worth taking a trip into Edinburgh for 12 Picardy Place Edinburgh0131 5570952

Tuk Cho is an amazing new restaurant inspired by the flavours of South East Asian street food. This new dining experience is now open in Ealing. Diners are welcomed to traditional curries, salads, noodles and more.
28-30 New Broadway, Ealing, London, W5 2XA  Telephone: 020 8567 9438

Angels From Heaven

How we helped…

Jeni and her family were moving back to the USA after living in London for 5 years. Their company organised most of the shipping, but cushion the impact was bought in to help with the logistics of leaving: cancelling  various utilities: broadband, gas, electricity, water Sky and BT; closing bank accounts and stopping direct debits on the Oyster Cards and ‘Boris Bikes’.

Also, the family was moving only some of their furniture back to the USA. Other items, such as electrical goods which would not work in the USA, and various pieces of furniture and cookware they no longer wanted, were sold or given away. Jules, their Relocation Buddy, helped organise an ‘open house’ sale, advertised locally and through their children’s school. We helped price the items and set aside goods to be taken to charity shops, recycled or just thrown away. On the day of the sale Jules helped with showing people around the house.

For the actual move to the USA Jules sorted out the logistics of packing up and shipping the goods. There were two properties for the goods to be sent to: NYC and Houston, Texas. Part of our remit was to create a spreadsheet for the shipping company so they could see what item was to be sent where, and the values of the items for insurance. Jules also labelled the items separately for each end location and filled out the shipping and customs forms and made sure that all paperwork was OK from the shipper’s point of view.

Jeni kindly wrote this from her new home in New York…

‘Jules was an Angel from Heaven sent to me in preparing for our move back to the U.S. It was a complicated international move with some of our things going to New York and other remaining items going back to our home in Houston. On moving day the movers showed up 2 hours early! I was still in my pyjamas!  The movers continued to exclaim all day how it was the most organized move they had seen and that without Jules help that would have never happened.  I highly recommend the services of Cushion the Impact to everyone!’

cushion the impact’s New Relocation Buddy Service

Relocate the easy way with cushion the impact‘s personalised and efficient Buddy service.

Whether you are moving to the UK for the first time, moving out of the family home or just moving to a new place, cushion the impact provides practical expertise. Our bespoke Buddy service merges home search consultant, PA and concierge so you have a pain free transition to your new home. Once you’re in, we can help with its smooth running.

Working alongside you, your PA, your real estate agent, your relocation company or HR professional, your cushion the impact Buddy will provide support whether hands on in your new home or remotely from our offices.

Here’s a list of relocation worries an American client sent us… we helped with them all.

• local schools – which ones are good, application requirements, entry exams, ethos, which ones have specialization in sport, science etc
• will you be one of those babel fish that sit in your ear and translate stuff (**cushion the impact is happy translating languages or cultural differences but we have yet to  dress up as a fish to sit in or even near someone’s ear!)
• where to buy “home” food
• maps of London & the underground & Oyster cards, do the kids need them?
• what about services like telephones? Cells? Utilities?
• can you set up a couple of driving lesson for a standard shift car?
• a tipping guide – who to tip and how much
• a guide to things to do around town when we get a free evening/weekend & trustworthy babysitters
• can you get some groceries for when we arrive, will you be there on the day?
• can you organise things for us to do the first week so the kids don’t get too homesick
• help with finding decorators, handymen, electricians & the going rates too
• a kind of “must see” list of the UK – how to get there, where to stay, what to see

A few months later, the same client gave us this testimonial

“I contacted cushion the impact and I’m pleased I did. They buddied me through the whole moving process and settling in afterwards. I love London but I love it more now I know these guys are a call away.”

Contact us for a free no obligation consultation and we’ll turn what’s traditionally one of the most stressful life experiences into one of the most stress free experiences of your life!

Call us on 0845 269 6922 for more details on how we can buddy you!