6/8 hr Flight from Dubai

September 1, 2023 by monica Leave a Comment

The Hari hotel London – a luxury boutique hotel in Belgravia

Discover the Hari hotel in London, an elegant, contemporary place to stay with all the comforts of home.

The Hari hotel London – what’s it like?

The Hari h otel is the brain child of Dr Aron Harilela whose family is well known for high standards in hospitality both in London and Hong Kong.

If you like your hotels to feel like comfortable, stylish home from homes with warm, personal service then you’ll love the Hari hotel in London.

Although it opened in 2016, I just discovered it on our recent trip this summer. Come with me to see why it’s definitely worth a visit.

Where is the Hari hotel located?

Located in London’s Belgravia, the hotel is perfectly positioned for you to get practically anywhere you need to in central London with the added bonus of being nestled in a beautiful micro locale.

Knightsbridge station on the Piccadilly line is the nearest tube then it’s a short walk down Sloane Street with the hotel located on Chesham Place adjacent to the gorgeous green space of Chesham Place Garden.

Accommodation at The Hari

The hotel has around 80 rooms and 12 suites. Internationally acclaimed architect Tara Bernerd designed the interiors of the hotel and the result is a stylish, ultra cool but accessible feeling space.

We loved the bathtubs next to the full size windows overlooking the park. Where would you find that in a hotel in central London?

Anyone who knows London will tell you how desirable any outside space is luckily the Hari has it’s own bijoux, all weather roof terrace.

This is a great place to have a drink or host a private event. The fact it’s so private is really special given we’re in the middle of London.

How’s the food at The Hari London

We had a selection of taster dishes from the hotel’s Italian restaurant Il Pamper o located on the ground floor.

This would be a destination restaurant all on it’s own, but equally good for a light meal or breakfast before shopping in Knightsbridge or Chelsea.

You could also eat a snack and or have a drink at the elegant Hari bar. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back for drinks or food.

Apart from the high quality food and drink we loved the space and serene feeling we got while we were at the hotel. A great place to just wind down; we never felt rushed or hurried.

What can I do within walking distance

Plenty! As we said earlier the hotel is located in a micro community that’s very cool. No chains of boring shops here, Waitrose doesn’t count though! It opened in 2018 in a heritage building that’s 180 years old.

Walk towards Motcombe street and take in the vibe of the pavement cafes and independent shops.

We loved the Rachel Vosper candle shop just opposite the iconic Saloos of London. Rachel was in fact commissioned to develop a signature scent for The Hari. Just follow your nose! It’ll hard to come out without buying something. Great idea for a Diwali or Christmas gift.

Peter Jones and all the shops of Kings Road are also within easy reach and do get on a bus to the Designers Guild outlet store to pick up fabrics to bring back to Dubai. Fabulous at sale time.

Of course Harrods and Harvey Nichols are a 10 minute walk away towards Knightsbridge where you’ll find the recently opened Kinoya from Dubai. We recommend the sumptuous thali meals at Madhu’s Brasserie in Harvey Nichols – a bargain at £30 and apparently you can share too!

You must also check out all the Anya Hindmarch outlets 2 minutes walk from the hotel, always a buzz around there with people coming from a long way for a photo opportunity.

Art at the Hari

The Hari hotel collaborates with A Space for Art initiative whereby young artists can apply for a generous award.

The prize includes a one month residency at the hotel with the wining work exhibited in common spaces throughout the following year. Read more about the collaboration and this year’s winners of The Hari Art Prize here.

Would I recommend a stay at The Hari London?

Yes I would, a welcoming, luxurious, elegant hotel that’s not too big and very well located for all the poshest bits of London.

Disclaimer 
This review was written in collaboration with The Hari, but the views are all my own.

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September 1, 2020 by monica 10 Comments

TRAVELLING TO LONDON FROM DUBAI July 2020

Should we be travelling to London from Dubai ?

3 Sep 2020 update TRAVELLING ANYWHERE FROM DUBAI

Covid Tests, required for travellling, are available in a number of clinics in Dubai, some are 24 hour walk in clinics such as the Dubai London Clinic in Jumierah. ⁠
Prices range from around AED 300 to AED 370. ⁠
You have to QUARANTINE till you get your result, usually within 24 to 36 hours or so, regardless of whether you display any symptoms. We’ll keep UPDATING THIS POST, PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR DETAILS. ⁠
Need a visa? Check here first.

UPDATED 29TH AUGUST

It’s now compulsory to have evidence of a covid negative test result 96 hours before you fly to Dubai.

Let’s look at the detailed requirements:

On first contacting Emirates, I was told an NHS test would in no way be accepted. On a subsequent call I was told YES an NHS test would be accepted BUT it had to be an email, NOT an SMS
The NHS doesn’t always guarantee you an emailed result, sometimes it’s just an SMS you receive.
We know the NHS emailed results are accepted as friends have gone through fine with these. The advantage is of course they are FREE.
Private providers such as clinics and even pharmacies in the UK also undertake covid tests as in the PCR swab test that requires a swab of your nose and throat. The sample is sent to a lab and the results are emailed to you, usually within 24 hours. Labs seem to be working 24 hours to keep up with demand, at least in London as I understand.
The timing of the test is critical, so Emirates requires you take your swab pcr test no longer than 96 hours before your flight departure time. So that’s from the time you submit or go for your test, NOT from when the lab receives your sample.
It’s tricky as you need to leave enough time to receive your result as well.

You also must have an approval form to return back to DXB. If you give your approval number to Emirates once you have your form, they will update it in the system for you.

LINK from Emirates with new requirements FOR RESIDENTS is

HERE

LINK from Emirates with new requirements FOR TOURISTS OR VISITORS is

HERE

UPDATED 8TH AUGUST

HERE IS THE LINK TO MORE COUNTRIES ADDED TO QUARANTINE LIST FROM BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

UPDATED 4TH AUGUST 2020

As we expected, changes to travel rules all the time, now it’s compuslory for anyone travelling TO DUBAI to carry a covid negative certificate that’s valid for 96 hours. So no earlier than 4 days before your departure date.

If you’re coming from certain countries, then certificates must be obtained from certain designated facilities. Approval to return is still needed and applied for in the same way.

All the new information that came through from Emirates today is in this LINK here. Please share with anyone who needs to know.

There were so many uncertainties regarding travelling to London from Dubai during this time, but I did it and am sharing my honest experience as clearly as possible in this post.

Please share with others if you think it will help. Time of travelleing is around 3rd week of July 2020, so things may change very soon. Please check with your airline and official government sites from your country of origin and destination before you decide to travel. It’s a calculated risk that depends on your personal situation.

Making the booking with Emirates

I booked my flight a week before my departure. I reserved a seat by phone with Emirates : tel is 04 214 4444 and I asked if I needed to show an a “successful” approval to return Dubai form before booking.

I was told yes I should do this but as a Dubai resident, there would be no problem with getting the approval. But they offered to reserve my booking and “block or hold” the booking for 6 hours.

Do you need to complete an approval to return to Dubai form BEFORE you book?

The operator at Emirates said yes to me on the phone, but the second time I rang I was told no approval is needed for you to BOOK A FLIGHT WITH EMIRATES. You do NEED APPROVAL TO RETURN TO DUBAI ITSELF though.

But it seems you don’t have to apply for it before you travel. The validity of approval I received via email in a couple of minutes was for 4 weeks. If you travel for longer than that, you can re apply on line.

Here is the official link for applying for approval

You need your PASSPORT for your file number and an email address and date of birth. Very easy form to fill in and submit.

48 hours before you go

You also need to download and complete an extensive landing track and trace form giving details of your stay in the UK. You HAVE to show this form when you arrive at Dubai airport before travel AND again at Heathrow airport.

It’s a 3 page form that you can fill in online and print off and or save on your phone and have emailed to you. I did all 3 and kept the printed version with me. The UK border DID ASK to see it. Officially it’s called a Passenger Locator Form.

There are many countries and categories of people who are exempt from quarantining for 14 days on arrival in the UK, BUT as I write, the UAE is not on on the exemption list, so you do have to quarantine.

Here is the link to fill in the ARRIVAL IN THE UK FORM.

You CANNOT DO THIS MORE THAN 48 HOURS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL. The link won’t give you access to do so, as I understand.

At the airport in Dubai

Dubai airport was much quieter than usual but it was much busier than when we dropped off our daughter on June 23rd. That was the date when covid tests before leaving Dubai were going to be compulsory. But as we know that didn’t happen.

Most airport staff are in full protective aprons and masks of course. Gloves are not compulsory. You are asked to show your arrival in the UK form when you check in.

Security is the same as usual, but overall, there are far fewer people travelling than what we’re used to so the whole process is very, very quick. You are told to get to the airport 3 hours before hand though.

Is Dubai Duty Free open?

Yes it is! So you can have a wander around the shops. There are some discounts around but they aren’t obvious, just ask if there are any offers, you may be pleasantly surprised!

I upgraded my seat to Business using miles so I had access to the Emirates Business Lounge. While the lounge is open, the experience is very different to normal! Firstly it was almost deserted, very quiet with more staff than passengers at about lunch time. The lounge opened on the 1st of July.

There is no open buffet or hot food of any kind at all. Ordering is done via a QR card and a very limited menu is on offer.

Travelling to London From Dubai DoinDubai Deserted Business Class lounge — Business Lounge is deserted

There is the choice of a vegetarian or non vegetarian box that contains a salad, a wrap and some processed, white rolls. Hot beverages are dispensed in paper cups. But everything arrives on a silver tray and you are served at your table. Everyone was very polite. There is also a small menu of alcoholic beverages you can choose from.

There are no magazines or newspapers of any kind on any stands neither are they available on request, so do take your own reading material for longer flights.

There are toilets of course, but fewer than usual, the facilities were extremely clean and being refreshed on a regular basis.

The lounge is open for customers for sure, but this is not Business as Usual, by a long shot. I did feel totally safe at all times at Dubai airport and on the flight too.

During the flight

Crew are in full aprons that cover their uniforms and they wear masks throughout the flight. It’s compulsory for passengers to wear masks for the duration of the fight apart from while eating or drinking. The flight took off and landed roughly according to schedule. It was about half full, or half empty!

Again there is no reading material on board the cabin. I was served a hot lunch and an afternoon snack. There is a huge amount of real cutlery that comes with each meal. I counted a total of 6 knives, forks and spoons! Tea and coffee were dispensed in china mugs whenever you needed a drink.

There was no cheese board as an alternative to the dessert on the tray for the business class meal.

Arriving at Heathrow

We arrived at Terminal 2, the Queen’s Terminal, not the usual terminal we would have exited from. Only Terminals 2 and 5 are open at Heathrow at the moment due to the much lower number of aircraft in circulation.

At immigration you can opt to exit via the e-gates if you have a British passport, but a number of people who tried the gates, including your reporter, were denied access via the electronic gates and asked to Seek Assistance.

That meant a long wait in a line to reach the one immigration officer on duty in that section.

You are asked to show your completed passenger locator form, it’s a long, but uncomplicated form so do it before hand. Some people were filling their’s up while standing in line!

I ordered a private taxi to take me home, and on the way was struck by how much faster the journey was but also at the number of places that were closed. I kept another mask on throughout my journey. You do have to quarantine for 2 weeks on arrival in the UK if you are coming in from the UAE.

Coming back to Life after Lockdown. From London's Marylebone. NEXT POST

Masks will be compulsory to wear in all shops, cafes and restaurants including take away places in the UK from Friday 24th of July.

What are your feelings about travelling this summer?

Please let me know in a comment below and do share this post with anyone thinking of travel. It’s an honest account of how things stand at the moment. Thank you.. Monica.

October 1, 2019 by monica Leave a Comment

ARTESIAN BAR AT THE LANGHAM

Travel

THE ARTESIAN BAR AT THE LANGHAM

THE ARTESIAN BAR

The Artesian Bar at the Langham isn’t just another London hotel cocktail bar. It’s a special place serving award winning, well thought out drinks and high quality food in a sophisticated but accessible setting.

The word Artesian

The word Artesian in Artesian Bar literally means flowing from underground to the surface, that’s where artesian wells get their name. But interestingly there is a cocktail kitchen laboratory complete with thermomix, sous vide, dehydrator and even a centrifuge machine in the basement. This laboratory serves to generate the cocktails in the Artesian bar up above on the ground floor. So there is a flow from underground to the surface here too.

What is my favourite cocktail at the Artesian Bar?

Definitely the Gentiane Grey Goose vodka with rhubarb sparkling wine. A light pink, icy drink served in a wine glass. It tasted fizzy, slightly spicy but was incredibly smooth and a bit summery all at once. Interesting to note, as I never choose to drink vodka based drinks at all, but this was and will be an exception. I would definitely have this again. The rhubarb sparkling wine is not an English wine but sourced from Latvia and tasted amazing as an alternative to champagne.

…Brilliant for a special occasion or for whenever you need to feel better about your situation in life.

Food at the Artesian

We were surprised at the variety and quality of the bar food menu. You could almost say our snacks comprised of a mini meal that perfectly accompanied our drinks. Expect plump chicken gyozas, bite size ham and cheese toasties and specially cured gravadlax salmon on rye bread.

Meet me at the Artesian Bar

Get a feel of the vibe of this place.

Prices at the Artesian

Chicken Gyozas 9 pounds

Whiskey cured salmon on pumpernickel bread 9 pounds

Ham and Cheese toasties with tarragon 10 pounds

All cocktails are 20 pounds.

There are non alcoholic versions available too.

snacks are served from 5.30 to 1.00am

Location

where is the Artesian Bar

very near Oxford Circus tube

This review was written in conjunction with the Langham Hotel London. Would I spend my own money for a cocktail and a snack here? Yes absolutely, without a doubt, and I would highly recommend the experience. Thank you to the Langham for introducing me to the Artesian.

Monica Kapila

as seen at the Artesian

Passing shot

If you want to know what it would be like to stay at the Langham, then read our review of a stay at the Langham in London.

Note: They also have a cookery school called Sauce where you can learn the building blocks of excellent cooking.

Thank you Monica.

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August 25, 2019 by monica 1 Comment

COOKING LESSONS in LONDON SAUCE by the Langham

Immerse yourself in some cooking lessons in London Sauce by the Langham.

A classy, interactive, fun, cooking workshop where you’ll hone your culinary skills regardless of the level you’re currently at.

Building Blocks of Good Cooking

The cooking school is called Sauce and the lessons are all about the building blocks of good cooking. I tried their Stocks and Sauces course one Saturday in July.

The workshop includes lunch with wine, a tour of the Roux at the Landau kitchen, all your instruction, ingredients to replicate everything you’ve watched being made and you get to take home your creations too.

Coffee and gorgeous snacks are also included to help you get through the day.

What do you learn in your cooking lessons in London Sauce by the Langham

We learnt how to make chicken stock, chicken jus, a sauce Antiboise, Hollandaise sauce and variations on that as well as a superb Crème Anglaise sweet sauce.

How do they teach you

We watched a very informative, practical demonstration by the Kitchen Manager Millie Simpson for each dish and then returned to our fully equipped cooking stations to replicate what we had seen but under some expert guidance. We didn’t have to clear anything away or wash up. You do need to keep your station tidy though.

Do you need to know how to cook

No, you don’t need to know how you cook, but you must have a keen interest in cooking and you probably do cook a bit yourself at home. Millie showed us classical, but accessible French methods to make our stocks and sauces. There aren’t really any short cuts. You do have to be quite energetic, not be afraid of sharp knives and quite quick at your workstation. There is a fair amount of cooking involved in the workshop so you get great value for money.

I learned how to:

expertly cut onions (banana shallots, always hold at the root)

concasse tomatoes (blanche with a slit, peel, petal and dice)

make a good crème anglaise from scratch (and I know how to rescue if needed)

make a chicken jus

make a sauce Antiboise

we were shown MUCH MORE than the above, but I am confident at trying all I have listed having done the lessons with Millie!

What was the most impressive dish

The brown chicken jus:
I would never have believed such a tasty, classy chicken jus could be made by simply starting to roast chicken wings in their own fat in the oven, lot’s more to do after that of course, but that’s how you start.

The crème anglaise:
Even the one I made (that needed rescuing in a water bath) was a good French restaurant quality custard. Creamy, not too sweet, milky and infused with vanilla pods, I served mine cold the next day with warm rhubarb crumble dessert.

I have also learnt that there is a logical order involved in sauce making:

It’s Alcohol followed by Stock followed by Fat

REMEMBER

ALCOHOL THEN STOCK THEN FAT

Course details

The class started at 9.15am with a light breakfast. It finished with lunch and wine at about 2.15pm.

Cost £150.00 per person.

It’s a great, group activity. Go with some mates and combine with a cocktail at the award winning Artesian bar on the ground floor before you leave.

Sauce is located on the first floor of the Langham hotel in London.

Disclaimer: This post was written in conjunction with the Langham but the views are all my own. Would I do a class here again? I would definitely do the pasta making cooking lessons for sure. Some of the participants in our class had already done it and highly recommended it.

Monica

Editor