Each month we feature a business operating within the SW1 area. Please click on the links below to see past features and please contact us should you wish your business to be featured in the future.
Contact Rozanne Shipman, Stakeholder Engagement Officer by email: Rozanne Shipman
August - September 2010
: Rubens at the Palace Hotel
The Victoria BID's John Hodgkiss met Malcolm Hendry, General Manager at The Rubens at the Palace, 41 Hotel and bbar and restaurant, and discovered more about The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, a hugely successful luxury collection of thirteen five and four star family-run boutique hotels, with three businesses operating from the heart of Victoria.
It’s an understatement to say that hospitality and the hotel industry is in Malcolm’s blood. Beginning his career in the industry 25 years ago in Scotland, his work brought him to London, managing hotels in Bloomsbury, Mayfair and Kensington, before arriving at The Rubens and 41 nine years ago.
The Rubens building has a fascinating history dating back to 1882, when it was used as a Ladies finishing school for London Debutantes. It was here that they resided when attending Buckingham Palace. The Rubens began construction in 1912 and opened in 1915. It has been operating as a four star hotel ever since, comprising of 161 bedrooms and suites, two apartments, restaurants, bars, conference facilities and a lounge overlooking the Buckingham Palace Mews, apart from a brief period during World War II, when it was commandeered for the headquarters of the Polish forces in England. Charles De Gaulle also stayed at the Hotel in 1940.
The Rubens eventually became part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, undergoing major refurbishment projects to modernise the building. The Rubens sister hotel, 41 is a five star residents only hotel located next door, occupying the 5th floor of The Rubens, yet operating independently, and was once the grand ballroom. With the accolade of being No.1 hotel in the UK by TripAdvisor in the People’s Choice Awards 2009, comprising of 30 bedrooms and suites and boasting an Executive Lounge with glass conservatory roof. It certainly is a unique way of experiencing a luxurious lifestyle in the heart of the Capital.
JH: What is the secret of great Customer Service?
MH: The key to great Customer Service is all about exceeding our customer’s expectations and clear and effective communication from within the team. It’s true to say that we have a service culture throughout the organisation where ‘no request is too large, no detail too small’ from our owner and founder, Mrs Bea Tollman, through to our frontline staff’. Consistency is vital, as well as understanding our visitors as individuals and what they require to make their stay special to them. From booking through to checkout, we aim to offer a tailored and bespoke stay for our residents whether they are staying with us for leisure or business. It’s paramount to us that our guests leave us happy, having received a service and stay to remember.
What makes The Rubens a special place to stay for families visiting London?
Here at the Rubens, we have a specialised team who focus on families and the children who stay with us. We have a designated Children’s Concierge who is an expert on all of London’s top children’s attractions. We aim to make their experience as welcoming and friendly as possible. We have a series of interconnecting bedrooms and apartments specifically for family groups, with a Kids Menu available all day, as well as special packed lunches for our junior guests. We strive to make family breaks with us as stress free and comfortable as possible. We even offer parents a break with a bespoke childcare service as well as the opportunity of cooking lessons with Vincent our Pastry Chef.
What can we expect from the ‘Afternoon Tea’ experience at The Rubens?
From the moment an afternoon tea guest arrives at the Rubens, we strive to make it a memorable occasion. Each guest is personally welcomed by our Afternoon Tea Host and is then able to choose between our spectacular range of cream teas, sandwiches, pastries and scones, all of which are made fresh to order throughout the day. Of course, our unique location means that our guests are able to luxuriate whilst overlooking the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace – the best seats in the house! It’s an experience that we genuinely want our guests to thoroughly enjoy and remember for a long time.
What in your opinion are the most effective ways that the Victoria area can ensure a successful future?
One of Victoria’s greatest assets is of course its location. You are never more than a five or ten minute walk from anywhere in the area. We have the privilege of being the gateway to London for thousands of tourists and business visitors, welcoming them in via train, Underground and the Gatwick Express.
However, Victoria is so much more than a transport hub and arrival point. We have some of the Capital’s top attractions right here on the doorstep. It’s very difficult to think of many London locations better placed than Victoria. It’s so important to market what we have to offer here within Victoria, marketing and communicating this well and capitalising on this in the future. Quite simply, we have some of London’s finest hotels, bars, cafes, historical sites, theatres and shops. The key to success is getting the message far and wide and really shout about what we have to offer. I am confident that if we continue to successfully attract visitors to the area, they will want to stay for as long as possible and will come back again and again.
You have 24 hours to spend in Victoria and the clock is ticking, how would you spend the day?
Well, I’d start the day by filling up on a hearty breakfast at the Old Masters Restaurant in the Rubens, followed by a leisurely stroll through St James’s Park, taking in the Regal Duck Ponds and the spectacular views of Buckingham Palace. The Changing of the Guard can’t be missed, so I’d take in the warm up on Horse Guard’s Parade followed by the ceremony itself at the front gates to the Palace.
I’d then watch the ‘world go by’ by enjoying an al fresco coffee and one of Victoria’s superb outdoor cafes, followed by a spot of retail therapy at Cardinal Place and the Station, taking in the incredible atmosphere of one of London’s busiest and colourful stations.
Of course, it would then be time to relax back at the Rubens with a sumptuous afternoon tea and the odd glass of champagne, overlooking the Mews at Buckingham Palace before popping back to my room to freshen up in time for a pre-theatre dinner and cocktails at bbar, rounding off the day by enjoying one of London’s premiere musicals, Wicked or Billy Elliot.
24 hours in Victoria is simply not enough...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE RUBENS AT THE PALACE HOTEL
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 41 HOTEL
Or take a look at one of our past features below
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