London, Baby! Yeah!
Vintage Mini Coopers in ruby, emerald, sapphire, ivory, and onyx were lined up like jewels in the Queen’s crown, ready to take our V.I.P. guests on a tour of London like none other. Our London & Paris Retreat was starting with a bang! With only a few days to showcase the glittering possibilities of an incentive trip to London, we swooped like spitfires through Union-Jack lined streets, our incredible driver-guides affably educating us on the iconic sites and history of this bustling British capital. From buttoned-up views of Big Ben and Tower Bridge, we dipped down to the technicolor explosion of street art that is Leake Street Tunnel. If London is hiding this cool place in its heart, what else could we find here?
A Wild Goose Chase
And so the Wild Goose chase began on foot. Literally, a company by that name broke us into teams, gave us iPads, and sent us on a scavenger hunt to collect pictures and answer questions about iconic London locations. Hilarity, competition, and connections ensued. We found ourselves counting lightbulbs in the sign above the Ritz and snapping pics with Queen Victoria’s voluptuous chiseled form. Later at the hotel, the WildGoose Company presented the most entertaining options to make an unforgettable London group itinerary.
Refined, Unstuffy Luxury
Speaking of our hotel, nestled in the heart of Mayfair near Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace, The InterContinental Park Lane is the definition of service and luxury. There are many reasons we love partnering with InterContinental when hosting our V.I.P. clients—sumptuous rooms, renowned restaurants, and location, location, location. But maybe best of all is the personal service they provide…especially this trip when it meant connecting our clients with a certain brusque cusser of a chef. But more on that in a minute.
Exploring London
Day Two dawned with an exploration of not only some of London’s best-known attractions but also some mind-blowing possible venues for group events. Imagine private tours of Westminster Abbey with a wing set aside for your groups’ private dinner. The Tower of London may be a fabled fortress and infamous prison, but it could also be the location of your gala event, tables scattered amongst the Crown Jewels (Yes, that’s actually possible!). Or envision hosting an elegant feast at the lesser-known but perhaps even more opulent Wallace Collection on Manchester Square with its striking red walls lined with masterpiece paintings. London simply has some of the most incredible venues for hosting group gatherings, and it was incredible showing our clients these unique opportunities.
But we didn’t just want to show them what was possible during those carefully orchestrated group events. We also wanted them to see ways they could turn their people loose to explore on their own. The Borough Market has something for everyone—cuisine from every nationality, fresh local produce, and quaint shops. We had the most British of dishes—fish and chips—at Fish!, sausage rolls from The Ginger Pig, and cream-filled doughnuts from Bread Ahead. Absolutely delicious! And no trip would be complete without a little retail therapy, so we headed Regents Park and Oxford Street for a decidedly English shopping experience.
The Best F-ing Food in London with Chef Ramsay
Okay, now back to that foul-mouthed chef. We had a group reservation at Gordon Ramsay’s Heddon Street Kitchen, the perfect post-shopping place to eat a gourmet burger al fresco on their terrace. Our awesome liaison from the InterContinental hotel spotted Mr. Ramsay and took the initiative to explain that our guests were in London on a familiarization trip to decide if they should bring their companies there for their next incentive event, and would he be so kind as to pose for pictures with our group. He did it, and very few f-bombs were dropped in the process. He was incredibly gracious and the food was amazing!
And how did we end the night? Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theater. That, my friends, is what you might call a mic drop.
So how do you top meeting a famous chef and seeing a wickedly delightful play? A speed boat tour along the River Thames with Thames Rockets gave us a thrilling and unique perspective of the city and delivered us dryly and swiftly to the base of the London Eye. We boarded our private capsule and enjoyed unparalleled bird’s-eye views as the observation wheel made its 35-minute circuit. Next, we slipped into the city to explore Regent Street, Soho, and Chinatown. We graced the National Gallery, taking in the Rembrandts, Van Goghs, Monets, and da Vincis, landing at the Kimpton Fitzroy for dinner, the dining room almost an exact replica of the one on the Titanic since it was designed by the same architect in the early 1900’s. Then London was ours to do with as we wished.
The next morning, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace was the perfect farewell for the London portion of our retreat with the clipping of the horses’ hooves along Constitution Hill, the red coats, bear-fur caps, and serious expressions of the soldiers in front of a real-life palace belonging to an actual Queen—-the quintessential London experience.
Enchanté Paris!
A relaxing two hour ride on the Eurostar train across the English Channel led us to Paris where, in a mirror of the Mini Cooper experience, we were met by a fleet of vintage, convertible French Beetles, more officially known as the the Citroën Duedueche—basically a VW Bug with headlights perched like a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles on its nose. Ever with an eye towards fashion, our Parisian driver-guides were wearing classic black and white striped shirts, some sporting thin mustaches and berets. With great wit and wisdom, they showed us the sites, ending the tour at Champ de Mars across from the Eiffel Tower. Sun streaming down, perhaps the most iconic structure in the world pointing heavenward behind us, we enjoyed delicate pastries while snapping once-in-a-lifetime pics.
In Sleep He Sang to Me, in Dreams He Came
With the Eiffel Tower in our rearview mirror, we headed to our 5-Star accommodations at the InterContinental Le Grand situated right across from the Palais Garnier, home of the Paris Opera and its infamous Phantom. They gave us a tour of their luxurious suites with their balconies overlooking the heart of Paris during a rose-gold sunset. You could almost hear “the Music of the Night” as each couple stepped out onto the balcony for a picture with this incredible backdrop.
Paris is known for its cuisine, and the InterContinental Le Grand houses one of the best restaurants around—Café de la Paix. Their mouthwatering french onion soup and tender filet mignon are not to be missed. Later that night, not wanting to bid this day adieu, a small group of us ventured to my favorite place for a crepe—La Crème de Paris, just a ten-minute stroll from our hotel. Fruit and creme-filled crepes, waffles topped with savory meats and cheeses—everything there is delicious!
Art, Histoire, Culture
We awoke excited for the prospect of a private tour of the Louvre. The stunning architecture of this place is only outdone by its unsurpassed collection of art and artifacts—Metruvian Man, Winged Victory, and Mona Lisa’s enchanting smile. The glass pyramid at the heart of the Louvre hints at the 8,000 year old artifacts it houses from ancient Egypt. But more than these things, we wanted to show our V.I.P.’s what an incredible private group venue this most famous of museums can be.
We also wanted to showcase the types of activities that can happen if you divide the group and create incredible rotating stations. For this, we went to the gorgeous Galeries Lafayette. To call this a mall or a shopping center is like calling the Palace of Versaille a house. Glittering with golden arches (definitely not the American kind) and an exquisite glass-domed roof, this place was the perfect setting for creating two hands-on, quintessentially French experiences. While one group was learning about perfume making and then combining their chosen essential oils and fragrances to create a custom perfume at Fragonard, the other group was learning the art of making colorful and delicious french macaron cookies. Then they switched places.
Off-the-Beaten-Path
Along those same lines, the following day we entered the Saint-Germain des Près, which has the most creative and bespoke feel, and rotated through three incredible experiences. In one we tried unique and tasty jams in the coolest bottles with homemade labels at La Chambre aux Confitures. At the famous chocolatier Patrick Roger’s shop, we saw gigantic chocolate sculptures and sampled ornately artistic, over-the-top delicious chocolates. And at Compagnie Francaise des Poivres & des Epices, we discovered freshly ground spices to bring that famous french cooking to life back home. Combine all that goodness with the experience we had at Mariage Frères Tea Room earlier in the day, and you could say we truly immersed ourselves in the Paris boutique culinary scene.
Let Them Eat Cake!
That same morning we toured the jaw-droppingly opulent Palace of Versaille with its expansive and ornate rooms and halls and its even more impressive gardens. This is yet another incredible venue for hosting a group gala or culminating event. We ate lunch at the 5-Star Ore restaurant there overlooking the main palace and gardens. Very modern and very french, this restaurant provides a unique contrast to the opulent baroque design of the palace, making it the perfect place to host a swanky group event.
For dinner that night, we took a Don Juan river cruise down the Seine at sunset, sailing toward Notre Dame. As night fell, the Eiffel Tower lit up like a million sparkling diamonds, making the perfect backdrop for romantic pictures and an exquisite farewell kiss from the City of Lights.
Au revoir
It was such a privilege to host this amazing group of business leaders on this London & Paris 2019 Retreat and to show them just some of the possibilities for hosting their incentive travel or group event in these fantastic capital cities. Having hosted many groups in these locations in the past, it is always exciting to team up with our tried-and-true partners in the travel industry to showcase what these breathtaking cities have to offer. There is no better way to decide on a destination than to test drive it through one of our three or four yearly retreats. We make memories, connections, and partnerships that last a lifetime. Cheers and Au revoir until next time.
