Where did you holiday this year, and why?
I recently took some well-deserved time out since our opening earlier this year and headed to Greece to spend a week near Athens with friends. It was chance to switch off a bit and reconnect with loved ones, ready to come back and plan the last months of the year and 2020.
What is your ‘must-have’ item to pack in your suitcase?
Bose silent headphones – a must for long flights!
Where is your favourite al fresco drinking or dining spot?
Locally to Belmond Cadogan Hotel, I always try grab a sunny spot outside Colbert, the French brasserie on Sloane Square. It’s the perfect spot for a post-work drink and bite to eat and ideal for people spotting. Otherwise, Chelsea Physic Garden has a wonderful café in the conservatory and I often enjoy a glass of rosé in the garden - it’s a very peaceful and serene place and you can forget you’re in the midst of a busy city.
What is your holiday read this year?
Oscar: A Life by Matthew Sturgis, a gripping biography on Oscar Wilde who in fact used to reside at the Cadogan Hotel from time to time in the late 1800s.
Have you ever had a ‘lightbulb’ moment related to your business or career while taking some downtime?
Before Belmond Cadogan Hotel opened, I was travelling on business and desperate for a cup of tea first thing in the morning at a hotel I was staying at. As I was calling Room Service to order tea, an idea came to me to deliver a small bottle of milk to guest rooms... This is something we have made happen in Chelsea: each morning, a guest receives a newspaper with a bottle of their preferred milk in a leather holder placed over the door handle.
www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/london/belmond-cadogan-hotel
