British Airways increases flights from London City

British Airways is expanding its aircraft fleet and route network at London City Airport where it is now officially the largest operator with the highest number of routes and customers.

The airline is to take delivery of another Embraer 190 in the late summer, bringing the total fleet size to 14 aircraft.

It will be used for new year-round flights to Venice and to increase frequency to the key business destinations of Frankfurt from March and Glasgow from September.

The new route means even more choice for customers wanting to take holidays in Venice, the gateway to Northern Italy, when the flights launch in September and there will be one extra flight a day to Frankfurt and Glasgow.

The news comes as British Airways is about to start brand new services from the Docklands airport to Mahon in Menorca, Quimper in Britanny and Angers in the Loire Valley in France from May.

As the airline continues to grow its network, passengers now have more choices of leisure destinations when they fly from London City on one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the business. A total of 22 destinations in the UK, Europe and the USA will be served by British Airways from London City Airport.

Peter Simpson, managing director British Airways wholly owned subsidiary airline BA CityFlyer, said: "We are very excited about the arrival of our 14th aircraft which will add frequency to existing business destinations and has opened up new flying possibilities to popular leisure destinations. Our customers love the quick and easy service at London City, just 15 minutes from curbside to airside, making the most of their valuable time.

"We have some very competitive all inclusive fares to all our destinations, which include a generous free 23kg luggage allowance, free on-line check-in and seat selection 24 hours before departure and complimentary food and drink on board."

In the UK for the Olympics? Let Rabbie's help you

Following nearly 20 years of success in Scotland, independent small-group tour operator, Rabbie’s Small Group Tours, has turned its sights to London by launching its first range of tours departing from the Capital in May 2012, just in time for the Olympics.

Rabbie’s will offer London ’s visitors the perfect opportunity to explore some of the country’s most iconic and spectacular scenery. Destinations of their new two to five day tours include Oxford , Snowdonia, Dartmoor, Bath, the Cotswolds, Devon and Cornwall .

Travelling in comfort in luxurious Mercedes mini-coaches and with a maximum of just 16 passengers, the new intimate tours will take guests off the beaten track to experience the real England , its people, history, legends and culture. All brought to life by one of Rabbie’s knowledgeable and entertaining, local driver-guides.

A truly authentic experience, visitors will find themselves off the traditional tourist track, throughout their break staying in a choice of local B&Bs, hotels or hostels (as budgets allow) and all pre-booked by Rabbie’s. Time off the bus is very important and the Rabbie’s team has personally researched and experienced every stop on their routes to ensure visitors are seeing the very best of what the region has to offer.

Rabbie’s promise to put its customers in touch with the people, places, history and legends of all its destinations and deliver a unique and memorable experience to last a lifetime. – Or your money back.

Having won many tourism and green awards, Rabbie’s take care of any environmental and carbon footprint concerns, working hard to su pp ort local communities in some of UK ’s most remote areas. Rabbie’s offer a huge range of tours throughout Scotland , England and Ireland , lasting between one and 16 days.

For more information on Rabbie’s and their new 2012 tours from London , please visit www.rabbies.com

Holiday rentals company onefinestay unveils its 300th stylish London home

 onefinestay is celebrating its 300th member’s distinctive and upscale home in central London. Following the company’s launch in May 2010, the service has grown from six members to over 300, supported by a full time team of over 60 staff. The Index Ventures backed start-up has doubled its number of homes available in under six months, from 150 in October 2011.

Greg Marsh, onefinestay’s CEO and co-founder, says “This is a period of rapid growth for us. The company’s success has proven that people with beautiful homes are keen to have guests to stay in them while they’re away. Reaching this milestone of 300 homes is a great achievement for the onefinestay team, adding further anticipation around our international launch announcement later this year.”

onefinestay redefines the experience of visiting London: live like a local by staying in a distinctive home while the owner is out of town, with a service which offers all the convenience and comfort of a hotel. Guests enjoy luxury amenities like 5* hotel linens and toiletries from The White Company as standard.

Every guest is also loaned an iPhone for the duration of their stay which is filled with local tips and helpful videos recorded by the home’s owner, and from which they can make free local calls. Members benefit by earning an income from a house or flat which would otherwise sit vacant, without the risk or hassle associated with alternatives like holiday rentals or short term letting.

There are now 300 homes to choose from, at prices which range from £150 a night for a comfortable one bedroom apartment in Marylebone W1, to over £1,000 a night for a grand townhouse in South Kensington. Other stylish options available through onefinestay include a historic stay in St. Pancras Chambers, a four bedroom family home in Hampstead, a bachelor pad in trendy Shoreditch and a palatial home in luxurious Knightsbridge. This service suits everyone - from regular business travellers to London, couples seeking a more authentic experience, and families with children looking for the comforts of a real home.

onefinestay's early success was spotted by leading European venture capital firm Index Ventures which led a $3.7m funding round. Other angel investors include Brent Hoberman, co-founder & CEO of Lastminute.com, Andy Phillipps, co-founder of ActiveHotels, and other leading figures from the travel and hospitality community.

St Christopher's Inns Launch Exclusive Accommodation Offers Ahead of the 2012 London Olympics

St Christopher's Inns – providers of backpacker hostel and budget hotel accommodation across Europe – have released a number of special Olympic deals – available exclusively through their website.

Duncan Robertson, Digital and Communications Director said: “It’s great to have the opportunity to reward anyone staying with us in the summer of 2012, with deals that offer superb value for money, during this incredible sporting event.”

The exclusive deals include two-night, three-night and seven-night packages at the St Christopher’s hostels in Greenwich, London Bridge, Camden, Shepherd’s Bush and Hammersmith. The deals can be viewed online now:

www.st-christophers.co.uk/specials/olympics

St Christopher’s Inns are part of Beds and Bars Ltd, a leading operator of tourist accommodation and entertainment venues in Europe with 26 backpacker hostels,
bars, nightclubs, and restaurants in seven countries.

Recently opened venues include the Mosaic House hostel and hotel in Prague, and La Rotonde bar and brasserie in Paris. Additional accommodation and bar venues are currently under construction in Barcelona and Paris.

Jet operator calls for industry to promote time saving, not luxury to business clients

Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, the CEO of London Executive Aviation (LEA), one of Europe’s biggest business jet charter operators, is calling on the business aviation industry to promote time-saving benefits rather than giving out 'luxury messages' in its marketing this summer.

Speaking ahead of the annual meeting of the British Business & General Aviation Association (BBGA) later this month, Margetson-Rushmore says: “After a very tough recession, private jet charter operators stand to do good business this summer, thanks to Euro 2012 and the Olympics. However, we risk squandering the chance of a sustained recovery after these events if we don’t portray ourselves intelligently.

“The BBGA and the European Business Aviation Association do a great job in communicating the invaluable benefits we offer, namely efficient and convenient travel. But there is still a temptation for many operators to emphasise ‘the champagne lifestyle’ in their marketing, which is self-defeating folly given the general public mood,” Margetson-Rushmore continues. “The Zeitgeist is still very critical of excessive City bonuses, so it is vital we distance ourselves from so-called ‘corporate greed’. We should instead promote the true value of business aviation, which is all about saving precious time, an important ingredient for the economic recovery that will benefit us all.

“After the ‘tarring and feathering’ our reputation received during the credit crunch, there is a lot of PR damage our industry has to repair,” he says. “The BBGA can lead the way, but can only succeed if we present a united front. Only once we have detoxified the public’s perceptions of chartering an aircraft can a sustained industry recovery truly get underway.”

According to Margetson-Rushmore, the Olympics offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the public’s understanding of business aviation. “The fact is we have an essential role to play in the south-east’s overstretched air transport system. The Olympics will bring a huge number of people into London and our major airports will struggle to handle this volume.

"Heathrow Airport operated at 99.2% of its annual limit for flights in 2011 and has severe capacity issues. On its busiest days during the Olympics, Heathrow expects to handle 138,000 passengers, a 45% increase over normal levels. This increase is despite takeoff and landing slots at Heathrow being reduced during the Games from around 43 to 36 per hour. Therefore, not only will business aviation allow many to visit London without delays, but we will also be taking an important share of the strain on London’s travel infrastructure. This is a story we should be promoting.”

Euro 2012 gives operators another chance to promote messages of time-saving and value, according to LEA’s chief executive. “Fans travelling abroad face significant challenges because of where the matches are to be played, and these problems could worsen if England is as successful as we hope. Fans may need to shuttle between Donetsk and Kiev in Ukraine to support the team in the group stages, which could be a challenge as the cities are more than 400 miles apart. If England make the semi-finals, supporters may have to fly to Warsaw to watch the match. And, if the team gets to the final, fans may need to fly back to Kiev.”

With limited options for scheduled air and ground transportation, this situation is almost a case study for why business aviation is so invaluable, says Margetson-Rushmore. “Rather than losing days or weeks out of the office, fans chartering aircraft with their friends could fly out to see all the live action and be home again within hours. Splitting air charter costs between six or eight passengers could make the expense per person very attractive, especially when you factor in savings on hotels and ground transportation. Explained in this way, the financial attractions of what we offer become far clearer and less elitist to potential critics.

“Summer 2012 offers us all a great showcase for what we do as an industry,” Margetson-Rushmore concludes. “I hope we take advantage of the opportunity in a way that yields us the maximum mutual, lasting benefit.”

St Christopher’s Inns Reward Loyal Customers with Exclusive Offers Ahead of the 2012 London Olympics

St Christopher’s Inns,  providers of backpacker hostel and budget hotel accommodation across Europe,  have released discounts exclusive to previous customers – travelling to London for the 2012 Olympics.

Duncan Robertson, Digital and Communications Director said: “It’s great to have the opportunity to reward our loyal customers with deals that offer superb value for money, during this incredible sporting event.”

The exclusive and competitive Olympic accommodation offers will be available to loyal customers of St Christopher’s Inns throughout February 2012. As of March 1, 2012, the deals will be made available to the wider public.

St Christopher’s Inns are part of Beds and Bars Ltd, a leading operator of tourist accommodation and entertainment venues in Europe with 26 backpacker hostels, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants in seven countries.

Recently opened venues include the Mosaic House hostel and hotel in Prague, and La Rotonde bar in brasserie in Paris. Additional accommodation and bar venues are currently under construction in Barcelona and Paris.


www.st-christophers.co.uk/specials/olympics

Hotels outside London. Why not launch an Olympic Getaway package?

The perceived wisdom is that everyone is really excited about the Olympics and if they can't get tickets to any Olympic event (it doesn't matter which one, just so long as it is an Olympic sport!) will demand TV and radio coverage of all things London 2012 24/7.

It might be considered to be heretical to express this opinion but what about the rest of the population? What about those who might sneak the odd glance at a race, or who might follow the medal tally in a desultory fashion or even those who dislike how the Olympics takes over all broadcast channels, even when it is abroad, let alone in Britain?

If you own a hotel or a guesthouse outside of London, why not launch an Olympic Getaway Package?

You could make sure to have TV channels available that do not cover the Olympics, organise tours of the local beauty spots, visits to country pubs or other watering holes that do not have TV, etc. 

Choice Hotels' survey reveals mixed views on whether hotels outside London will benefit from this summer’s events

Choice Hotels Europe, the company behind the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands, has revealed the findings of its hotelier survey into which hotels are most likely to benefit from the games in London this summer.

The survey was conducted amongst 30 UK-based Choice Hotels owners, operators and general managers and just over half (51%) believe that all UK hotels will benefit from the increased inbound tourism expected in the summer. However, 29% think only hotels in London will benefit, while 18% believe that the games won't bring any benefits at all to hotels outside the M25.

Duncan Berry, UK CEO, Choice Hotels Europe commented: "Our survey reveals mixed views on whether hotels across the whole of the UK will see a benefit from the inbound tourism expected from the games."

Earlier this year Choice announced the opening of the Comfort Inn Hyde Park, bringing the number of Choice-branded hotels in London to eighteen. Other Choice-branded properties well-positioned for easy access to venues include Quality Hotel Coventry city centre (football) and Quality Hotel Reading (rowing).

Choice Hotels Europe franchises nearly 500 hotels across Europe alone. Brands operated by Choice Hotels in Europe include Clarion which could be described as four-star, Quality, which sits in the three-star bracket and provides a mid-scale full service offering and Comfort, the largest Choice Hotels brand worldwide, known for value and reliability.

www.choicehotelsuk.co.uk

Make money from the Olympic boom

* iStopOver makes participants an average of £3,000 a year
* £2bn in tourist revenues expected to come to London
* Not enough accommodation to cater to expected 7 million visitors
* iStopOver to fill the shortfall of missing hotel beds

Approximately 7 million visitors are expected to converge on the UK next year as the Olympic Games come to London. The majority of these millions are expected to stay in London but, as recent figures show, there simply isn’t enough room! But iStopOver, widely regarded as event specialists, is showing how we cash-strapped Brits can make money by renting our spare rooms to visitors during the games. Potentially making Londoners £millions and solving the Olympic accommodation problem.

For homeowners, iStopOver is a proven way to generate supplementary income by offering travellers home-away-from-home accommodation. Listing flats or rooms for rent during the London Olympics is a proven method of earning extra money.

iStopOver estimates that there are 2 million empty spare rooms in London alone with many more in the UK as a whole. With Brits struggling to handle the rising cost of living, it makes sense for homeowners to make extra money by providing much needed beds for the Games. iStopOver gives homeowners an easy way to market, book and profit from their empty bedrooms or properties.

Anthony Lipschitz, CEO of iStopOver explains: “As we’ve seen at previous events like the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the World Cup in South Africa, fans travelling to see the games are aware that local hotels and traditional B&B’s hike up their prices, which makes the trip unaffordable for most people. Renting from a Host can provide you with a unique stay, whether or not the Host is rooming with you. This has proven to be a good way for visitors to get well-priced accommodation – which will be almost impossible to find – but, more importantly, a brilliant way for those with room to make some much needed extra cash.”

“It also solves the pretty pressing problem of how to accommodate the amount of visitors to the UK’s capital. This is a serious issue which, if not addressed, could cause chaos. There is space for everyone; we just need to unlock it, which is why we encourage locals to list their properties with us – and it’s free to do so.”

*iStopOver stops individuals from profiteering by encouraging them to list for a reasonable price.

iStopOver Hosts have had tremendous success with global sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Deon Botha, from Johannesburg, had never thought to list his property for rent, “Because we had many rooms that weren’t being used – my wife and I thought that we should rent them out. We found iStopOver on Facebook and decided to list our space. It was the first and only listing I did.”

Shortly after listing with iStopOver, Deon made over 20 bookings during the month long tournament, “It went so well that we had to make more rooms to accommodate more bookings!” he explained.

Deon was able to generate enough money from the World Cup booking to pay for an extension on his house, “We used the extra income to pay the builders on our house! It’s unbelievable – we’re continuing to build on our success from iStopOver.”

iStopOver has seen interest in London accommodation triple in the last month alone. “The demand for London accommodation is already overwhelming,” says Lipschitz. “iStopOver has dedicated an entire team of customer representatives to help those who wish to list their UK properties – should they need help in the process.”

The support team is accessible various ways:

• Hosts can start with listing their flat here: http://www.istopover.com/short-term-rentals/post_listing
• Access the support team by clicking on the ‘Got A Question?’ tab located in the bottom right hand corner of the webpage to connect and chat in real time with a representative.
• Email: support@istopover.com with any questions.

Terms of Participation

Listing a flat on the site is free of charge – once a booking is made, there is a 3% fee to the Hosts to help with administrative costs and marketing. Homeowners stand to make well over a few months’ rent during the Olympic Games. Hosts have access to the site’s social media tools to help promote their listings via the Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/iStopOver) or tweeting about their location.

FACTFILE:

Established in Toronto in 2009, iStopOver (www.istopover.com) offers its Guests great accommodations in 92 countries around the globe, thanks to its large variety of unique spaces for everyone, at any price point. Acting as the clearinghouse between Host and Guest, the company matches those with excess space with people looking for short-term accommodations whether for vacation, business or any other purpose. The company’s peer-to-peer network and security features ensure privacy and peace of mind at every step along the way.

For more information visit http://www.istopover.com/ or contact:

Mint Hotel Tower of London Launches In-Room Spa Treatments

Guests at Mint Hotel Tower of London can enjoy spa treatments without having to step foot outside their door, following the launch of in-room services in conjunction with mobile spa specialist London Serenity.

In addition to the service being available to residents, companies holding meetings and conferences at Mint Hotel Tower of London can also organise treatments for delegates during breakout sessions. Treatments are available at a supplement to existing delegate packages offered by the hotel.

Paolo Dalla Fina, company director of London Serenity, remarked: “We are very pleased to be working with Mint Hotel Tower of London. Guests appreciate having instant access to our dedicated services and mobile masseurs, beauticians, hairdressers, make-up artists and personal trainers.”

“We always go the extra step to deliver what our guests want,” added Patrick O’Connell, General Manager at Mint Hotel Tower of London. “These new services will leave guests feeling even more refreshed and invigorated after a stay or meeting at the hotel.”

Guests can choose from a wide range of massages, or enjoy a facial, reflexology, aromatherapy, manicure, pedicure, waxing treatments, or a make-up lesson. Hair stylists are also available. In addition, guests can keep fit with personal training, yoga and Pilates, either in-room or outside in the nearby Trinity Square Gardens. Bridal packages and pamper day sessions are also available.

Reservations can be made through www.minthotel.com/our-hotels/london-tower-london

FACTFILE:

Mint Hotel Tower of London opened on 20 December 2010. Located in the City of London, it is perfectly positioned for business and leisure travellers and is a mere 6.3 miles from City Airport.

Mint Hotel Tower of London features a dedicated meetings floor above the hotel’s impressive atrium, offering flexible spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows, natural daylight and complimentary Wi-Fi, which is available throughout the hotel.

Skylounge, Mint Hotel Tower of London’s destination bar, is a chic city cocktail lounge and à la carte restaurant whose outdoor terrace commands panoramic views of the River Thames and London’s cityscape. City Café is the hotel’s signature restaurant and focuses on locally sourced ingredients and seasonality, while Fenchurch Lounge offers a relaxed environment and outdoor terrace for drinks and snacks.

A design highlight of Mint Hotel Tower of London is the Living Wall, which is the tallest living wall on a live building in Europe, reaching 11 storeys in height.

Mint Hotel is a dynamic, innovative and award-winning city-centre hotel brand, co-founded in 1995 by Sandy Orr, Executive Chairman, Donald McDonald, Vice Chairman, and David Orr, Chief Executive, with Bill Crerar. Mint’s portfolio of seven UK hotels – in London (Westminster and Tower of London), Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds Manchester - and one international property, Mint Hotel Amsterdam (opened May 2011), offers 2,783 rooms and now employs over 1,500 people, with 600 jobs created in the last eight months alone.

Mint Hotel is the only hotel brand offering iMacs in all guest rooms as standard and has free, fast Wi-Fi throughout. All guest rooms are ergonomically designed and embrace natural daylight from floor-to-ceiling windows that can be opened. City Café is Mint Hotel’s award winning destination restaurant, serving contemporary British dining using locally-sourced ingredients. All eight restaurants have outside terraces for al fresco dining in the city. Mint also offers modern, versatile meetings and event rooms with unique spaces for private dining, including its rooftop Skylounge* bar, with outdoor terraces and exclusive private dining.

Find out more about Mint at www.minthotel.com

*Skylounge is available at Mint Hotel Amsterdam, Mint Hotel Leeds, Mint Hotel Tower of London, Mint Hotel Westminster, Mint Hotel Manchester.

Choice Hotels reveals London summer offers at Choice Hotels!

Choice Hotels Europe, the hotel group behind the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands, brings to you offers of special summer packages at the following properties in London and the South East specially designed for travellers who want to make the most of sightseeing, shopping and all the capital can offer:

For those who want a stay in a design-led hotel located close to London's West End, the Quality Hotel Maitrise Maida Vale is offering a package for two adults sharing a double room that includes full English breakfast each morning, a three course dinner on one of the evenings in Rafkins restaurant, and a Zones 1-2 London Travelcard for one day.

Richard Bristow, General Manager of Quality Hotel Maitrise Maida Vale, said: "We are delighted to offer this special summer package as London has so much to offer during the summer months including outdoor concerts and theatrical productions as well as the world-class museums and attractions."

Guests who opt for a summer package at the Comfort Inn Edgware Road will enjoy a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates on arrival. The offer is available for two adults staying in a double room for a two-night stay, including continental breakfast, and also includes a Zones 1-2 London Travelcard for two days.

And near to the Oval cricket ground is the Comfort Inn Vauxhall which is offering a summer package for two people staying for two nights in a double room, including a bottle of wine on arrival, continental breakfast and a one-day Zone 1-2 London Travelcard.

Recently re-branded, the top class and award-winning Clarion Collection Croydon Park Hotel is located in the heart of Croydon town centre with easy access to Central London and the South East. The hotel is offering a two-night stay for two adults with a full English Breakfast each morning, a sumptuous five course dinner on one evening, and a day travel card each to visit nearby London.

Guests also benefit from free parking as well as access to a health and fitness centre that boasts a pool, separate children’s pool, hot tub, sauna, solarium, gym and squash court.

These offers are, of course, subject to availability, and offered for a limited time, so travellers interested in making it a special summer in London should make their bookings on the Choice Hotels Europe site at www.choicehotels.eu as soon as possible.

LEA Warns Olympic Fans To Book Flights Early For London 2012

If you want the most convenient travel to and from the London Olympics next summer, chartering a business jet is the natural choice – but early booking will be essential.

Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, chief executive of London Executive Aviation (LEA), one of Europe’s largest executive aircraft charter operators, says heavy demand for airline seats and airspace restrictions surrounding the Olympic Park will limit last-minute travel decisions.

Margetson-Rushmore says: “From July 13 to September 12 2012, there will be an inner prohibited airspace zone and an outer restricted zone, about 60 nautical miles across, centred on the Olympic Park. Business jet passengers, who ordinarily expect to be able to charter a flight at very short notice, should be warned that such flexibility may not be possible in these exceptional circumstances. If customers are serious about chartering next summer, we are urging them to book early to ensure an aircraft is available and that there is time to have the flight approved.”

Only aircraft operating commercial services and meeting strict security requirements, such as LEA’s diverse charter fleet of 25 jets, will normally be permitted to fly in the prohibited zone. Even aircraft operating in the wider restricted zone will need to satisfy certain requirements to ensure clear identification and monitoring by air traffic control.

Margetson-Rushmore continues: “For an operator like LEA, we must understand the consequences of the airspace restrictions and then communicate those consequences to customers. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), air traffic control provider NATS, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Department for Transport (DfT) are among the many bodies with whom we will be liaising to ensure we operate safely and efficiently within the restrictions.”

LEA operates seven bases around London, so Margetson-Rushmore says: “Despite the challenges, if somebody suddenly needs to travel to – or especially from – the Games, LEA will be able to offer a far better and faster option than a fully-booked scheduled airline or a business jet operator based in mainland Europe.”