Welcome to Claridge’s
There are welcomes and welcomes, and some luxury hotels get it absolutely spot-on. Memories include the fresh lemonade, with a personalised – with photo! – label at Four Seasons Miami, and the made-in-front-of-you Daiquiri, complete with mixologist, at W Escape Koh Samui.
As one might expect, the discreetly-stylish Claridge’s in London gives the gal what she wants, a beverage, whole fruit with a banana – and knife and fork – and a hand-written card, in an envelope sealed with wax (though I do appreciate that actually busy travellers also like a simple card, no envelope to open, the card stuck in a slotted holder on the desk top). On the fruit side, by the way, Shangri-La is to be commended for giving proper fruit knives that really cut, and anyone who includes lots of fresh berries, in my case, gets extra marks.
We all know welcomes we do not want, so congratulations to those who get it right. That is one qualifier for luxury status that all hotels should note.
