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Dave

My favourite airline: Virgin Atlantic – Scott Pawley

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Scott Pawley, Managing Director of Global Travel Management shares his favourite airline and tells us why Virgin Atlantic.  

Charismatic, fun and cheeky: Virgin Atlantic was built in the image of its founder, Richard Branson

The best airline depends on the destination you’re travelling to and the level of service you expect.  So, in choosing my favourite airline I took note of the range of destinations covered and the which airlines ‘go the extra mile.  And, taking account of those two criteria, Virgin Atlantic can rightly claim to be a great airline.  

Since 1984, when Richard Branson expanded his empire from music and entertainment to the aviation industry, the Virgin brand has competed for passenger traffic on some of the most popular routes.  And, as Scott says, they set about changing the way customers saw airlines.  

They had a culture of simply giving passengers everything they wanted and needed – a clubbed together several minds that knew exactly what people want.  Not surprising from a brand that launched Culture Club and Simple Minds. 

They gave legitimacy to having a business with a cheeky personality; but always managed to stay the right side of ‘over the top’. 

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson shows off a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-XWB at Farnborough Air Show

Onboard massages and seat-back video games were among the offers that got Virgin Atlantic noticed and kept them at the forefront of people’s thought. 

Scott also drew parallels between Virgin’s airline brand and Global Travel Management.  

It’s a company that embraced innovation, offered a great service and competed with much bigger, established competitors.  It’s exactly how we at GTM have approached the business travel industry: innovating, providing the best-possible offering and showing how an independent, smaller travel management company can provide a better service than some of the venture capital-owned agencies.  

Although Scott didn’t extend the similarity much further. 

I haven’t flown hot air balloons, abseiled down the Matterhorn or launched people into space.  Yet.  

Scott explained some of the things that sets Virgin Atlantic apart:

The Wander Wall in Virgin Atlantic’s Premium cabin is one of the little things that keeps the airline’s passengers happy in flight

The Wander Wall is an innovative idea from Virgin Atlantic which offers Premium Economy passengers the opportunity to choose from a selection of snacks and soft drinks mid-flight; I’m not aware of any other airline offering such a facility to its Premium Economy passengers.

Also, the Clubhouse. The design and layout are a divergence from the normal type of Business Class lounges at airports all over the world. For example, there is also the Clubhouse Retreat, a relaxation area where passengers can relax prior to their flight, or, go to the opposite extreme and jump on a Peloton.

But what’s most important for business travellers is whether an airline can get them to the place they need to go. Virgin’s network of destinations means that passengers travelling to many parts of North America and Europe can find a route on Virgin or one of its joint venture partners, Delta Air Lines, Air France and KLM.

Contact your GTM Account Manager next time you’re flying to a Virgin Atlantic destination.

Dave

My favourite hotel: The Sloane Square Hotel – Paul Baker

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Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management shares his favourite central London hotel and tells us why The Sloane Square Hotel provides the perfect central London accommodation.

Location

As Paul says, ‘you can’t get a better location that this’.

The Sloane Square Hotel is not just in London, it’s at the very heart of central London. Nestled into the north side of Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

It’s a perfect location for business travellers. It’s in the middle of the very best locations in central London, surrounded by world-leading businesses, Kensington Olympia, High Commissions and Embassies.

But it’s also a perfect base from which to extend a business trip into some leisure time, as it’s so close to great shops, museums, the V&A, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the Saatchi Gallery; West End theatres; Kensington Palace.

It’s no surprise that we’re often asked to extend midweek business trips to include a weekend with families.

And, importantly, it’s handy for a couple of football clubs: the best team in the area, Fulham, and some other team that plays in blue.

Rooms

The Sloane Square Hotel is located in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The hotel offers 100 bedrooms, with an array of room types, overlooking Sloane Square, or the quiet calm of rooms opposite Holy Trinity Church.

The Junior Suite is great. 27 square metres, including a seating area in a bay window overlooking the Square; Wi-Fi; complimentary min-bar soft drinks; luxury bathroom; Nespresso coffee machine; neck and back massager; safe; television and, to celebrate a successful business trip, Champagne.

The Superior rooms are exactly that: with an excellent range of amenities and about 23 square metres of space.

And the Club Family room is really popular for business trips that are extended to include family, with accommodation for two adults and a child.

Design

The hotel was completely renovated and redesigned in 2005/6. But it retains plenty of the character of the hotel that has stood on the site for more than 120 years.

It’s no surprise that the hotel has welcomed some of the most stylish people, especially during Chelsea’s swinging sixties.

The Beatles are said to have stayed at the hotel. I can understand why. But you won’t experience a hard day’s night here.

Staff

I have always had a great welcome from all the staff at The Sloane Square Hotel.

If you can judge a hotel on its staff alone – and there’s much, much more to this hotel than just the staff – then this hotel is worth every single one of its stars.

The Junios Suite at The Sloane Square Hotel has a seating area in bay window overlooking Sloane Square. a bathroom with a free-standing bath and separate shower and a luxury King size bed with high-quality linen to make you feel special.

The Sloane Square Hotel has been a favourite of Global Travel Management’s for sometime now. It is ideal for leisure and business travellers, in part because of its location and for its access to no fewer than twelve London Underground stations, on the Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & Fulham and Piccadilly Lines. The Côte Brasserie restaurant offers an imaginative French inspired menu at great prices.

When you’re next visiting central London contact your GTM Account Manager to book the best rates at The Sloane Square Hotel.