Royal Afternoon Tea at The Cavendish and Concierge Interview

Welcome back to Access London, thank you all for your continued support of this blog and helping to promote disability access and awareness.

London has been enjoying some beautiful weather over the last few weeks, so plenty of opportunity for people to get out and enjoy the capital at its best. As I write this post, thousands of people are running the London marathon, raising lots of money for charity and good causes, I wish them all the best and hope everyone enjoys the day.

Regular readers may remember a post that I wrote last month about The Royal Afternoon Tea at The Cavendish Hotel (Access London's recommended hotel for 2011) that is running throughout April. Access London was lucky enough to enjoy this delicious tea last week and I would highly recommend it to our readers.

The Cavendish is in Piccadilly/Mayfair, on the prestigious Jermyn Street and opposite Fortnum and Masons. To celebrate the Royal wedding in a couple of week's time, The Cavendish have developed a Royal version of their afternoon tea to commemorate the big day.

The tea costs £15 per person and can be enjoyed in the beautiful and tasteful setting of the hotel's first floor lounge. Diners can enjoy the likes of smoked salmon sandwiches, fresh, warm scones with jam and cream, Prince William pear and almond tart, wedding fruit cake and Katie's chocolates.

The staff at The Cavendish are all extremely helpful, warm, welcoming and happy to assist in any way they can.

For those who use a wheelchair, mobility scooter or cannot manage stairs, the hotel can be accessed on Duke Street where there is also a drop off point. From here, the reception area is all on one level and the lifts to the first floor are close by. Upon arriving on the first floor, the lounge is directly in front of you and is all on one level. There is also a disabled access toilet near by.

Here is a short video Access London took of the lounge area and the beautifully presented Royal Afternoon Tea.



Access London were lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview the concierge at The Cavendish who do a fantastic job, ensuring the happiness and comfort of all the guests. To find out what they had to say....read on.

AL: Who are you and what is your role at The Cavendish?
MC: My name is Mo Charane and I am the concierge at The Cavendish Hotel.

AL: What services do the concierge team provide to guests?
MC: The service that we provide to our guests is to greet them on their arrival and then assist them throughout their stay. We make recommendations based on their needs and then provide all the information that they need and require. This information includes: travel routes, tours, dining, limousines and car hire, hairdressers, shopping, flowers, champagne, after hours haircut appointments, spa treaments, private jets, trips abroad and much more.

We make suggestions that best suit the guests and deliver the highest level of customer service. Our role is to provide a service that goes beyond the guest's expectations and offer them an unforgetable stay. We are the first and last point of contact at the hotel for our guests.

AL: What hours does the concierge team operate?
MC: We operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

AL: How do you and the team ensure that you are best informed about London and its attractions to best serve your guests?
MC: We keep up to date with what is happening in London by trying it ourselves, for example, visiting a new restaurant. More often than not, we are recommending from personal experience.

AL: If a couple were planning a special, long-weekend break to London and stay at The Cavendish, what would you recommend that they see and do? How could you make it special for them?
MC: We try to take as much information as we can about the couple so that we can better understand them and what they enjoy doing so we can assess how best to make it special for them. This could be a very romantic dinner or special afternoon tea followed by one of London's best shows, or recommending the best places to shop. I always do my best to make it memorable for them.

AL: In 5 words, how would you sum up The Cavendish experience?
MC: Welcoming, Friendly, Innovative, Green, Accessible



Access London would like to offer a huge Thank You to Mo for taking the time to answer our questions and also to Fabricio Torres for helping to arrange the interview.

To book for your Royal Afternoon Tea, please contact The Cavendish on: 020 7930 2111 or email: restaurant@thecavendishlondon.com or see their WEBSITE

Please note that after April, The Cavendish will finish their Royal Afternoon Tea but guests can still enjoy their delicious Traditional Afternoon Tea.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, we hope you will return soon. Please feel free to post a comment, follow the blog and spread the word about Access London.

The Royal Wedding - Disabled Access

Hi Everyone. This is just a short, extra little post for this week, based on an article on the DirectGov website.



This month, the country, and London in particular, are all buzzing about the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton on Friday 29th April. The day has been created as an extra Bank Holiday to celebrate and many will be journeying into town to help the couple celebrate.

As you can imagine, London will be packed and even more busy than usual on this day. Many people are hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royal couple. This will be difficult enough for able bodied people, as there will be large crowds along the whole route, but for people with disabilities, it seems an even more daunting experience.

DirectGov have issued details of locations along the route that have been reserved for people using a wheelchair and a carer (1 carer per disabled viewer will be allowed entry into these areas). There are several areas along the route, including Horse Guards Road, Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park.

For details on all the designated locations and the times that you can access them (they are generally accepting people on a first come basis from 07.30 onwards) then here is the link to the Direct Gov website and the article: The Royal Wedding


Access London would like to wish the couple a happy and special day.

If you are travelling up there for the day, have a fantastic time and enjoy the celebrations.

Royal Afternoon Tea at The Cavendish

Welcome back to Access London, thank you once again to all my readers. I am pleased and proud to say that this blog has been recognised on Twitter last week and awarded the Bronze Helper Badge. Thank you very much to @twithelpme for this award.



Whilst this blog is about London, its amazing sites and attractions and the access it provides to those with disabilities, I would just like to take a moment to say that my thoughts are currently with all of those in Japan after the terrible earthquake they suffered last week. After finding out my own family were safe out there, I have been thinking of others who are not.



Today's post focuses on Access London's recommended hotel for 2011, The Cavendish, and in particular, the splendid Afternoon Royal-Tea that they are running to celebrate Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding next month. Throughout the whole of April, you can enjoy a touch of Royal-Tea at this stylish, central London hotel in anticipation of the Royal event.

The Cavendish is located on Jermyn Street, Piccadilly, in the heart of London (it can be found opposite Fortnum and Masons). If you are disabled, there is a drop off point and accessible entrance to the hotel located on Duke Street Saint James's. From reception, you can take one of the lifts up to the first floor to the welcoming and relaxing lounge area. This is where "A Taste of Royal-Tea" will be served. Once in the lounge, it is all on one level, so they are no access issues in this venue.

Not only can you enjoy this tasty and stylish afternoon tea, but for the whole of April, you can enjoy it for the spectacular price of just £15 per person.

A touch of Royalty is not new to this fantastic hotel: "The Cavendish has a rich history of serving Royalty. Our former proprietor Rosa Lewis - the famous British chef who ran the hotel from 1902-1952 - cooked for several Royal occasions. Her clients included Queen Victoria's son Edward VII and Winston Churchill's family" (Ciaran Fahy, Managing Director at The Cavendish).

The staff at The Cavendish are some of the most warm, welcoming and friendly in any London hotel. The service is impecable and every effort is made to cater for individual needs.

The Royal-Tea includes:

Traditional scones, Cornish clotted cream and homemade strawberry jam

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Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
Cucumber Sandwiches

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Traditional fruit cake with Royal icing
Victoria sponge
William's pear and almond tart

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A selection of Katie's chocolate truffles

As you can see, the menu follows a traditional and Royal theme as you would expect when celebrating a lavish Royal wedding.

The Cavendish is one of the most eco-friendly hotels in London, receiving the Most Sustainable Business Award from Visit London in 2010 and three gold stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Whether you are staying in London or simply visiting for the day, Access London definitely recommends a visit to The Cavendish next month to enjoy their afternoon Royal-Tea, in relaxing and sophisticated surroundings. Afterwards, why not stroll through the park to Buckingham Palace or walk down towards Westminster Abbey to complete your Royal Day?

To make a reservation for the afternoon Royal-Tea and even treat yourself to a night's stay at The Cavendish, please call: 020 7930 2111. Remember, this fantastic price of £15 per person for Royal-Tea is only on offer throughout April 2011.
Visit The Cavendish Website Here

COMING NEXT: The National Gallery
COMING SOON: Love Never Dies, The British Museum

The Rainforest Cafe - Part 2

Welcome back to Access London. If this is your first visit, please feel free to browse through my other posts which include videos, interviews and pictures from: Phantom of the Opera, The Cavendish Hotel, The British Museum and The Gielgud Theatre, plus many more.

As promised in my last post, I had the opportunity recently to interview someone from the fabulous Rainforest Cafe - a fun and exciting restaurant in the heart of London (Piccadilly Circus). To find out more about the restaurant, including viewing a video I took last weekend, please see my last post. So, without further ado, on with the interview....

AL: Who are you and what is your role at The Rainforest Cafe?
MA: I am Mark Ager, Sales and Marketing Manager at the Rainforest Cafe: London's largest family restaurant, located just 2 minutes from Piccadilly Circus.

AL: Can you briefly explain how The Rainforest Cafe is accessible to those with mobility problems and disabilities?
MA: At the time of booking, we ask if there are any mobility issues that we need to be aware of and send across to them an 'Access Statement' that gives instructions of how to access the jungle. If someone just arrives at the restaurant, a Manager will be notified and we provide assistance and advise of the entrance/access point for entry into The Rainforest Cafe. For us to remain compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, we are only permitted to have two wheelchairs in the venue at any one time.

AL: What is it about The Rainforest Cafe that makes it unique and a great night out?
MA: A fully themed oasis, located in the heart of the West End, with Theatreland on your doorstep. With tropical rainstorms, animatronics and a funky-themed menu, the restaurant is suitable for the whole family.

AL: How would you describe the menu at The Rainforest Cafe?
MA: American European with a wild tropical twist!

AL: Do you cater for vegetarians and those with allergy and free-from diets?
MA: Of course! Our entire menu is highlighted with its suitability for various diets, allergies and intolerances. Our staff are fully trained on this and even when taking reservations we ask if there are any allergies or mobility issues that we need to be aware of. Again on arrival, our Safari Guides (our Waiters!) will ask if it's a special occasion and if there are any allergies that we should be aware of and we can then guide you through the menu accordingly.

AL: Being named after one of the most endangered landscapes in the world, what is The Rainforest Cafe doing to help with the preservation of the world's rainforests?
MA: A lot! Since 1997 and up until December 2010, Rainforest Cafe has made donations to the World Land Trust 'Buy an Acre' Fund to purchase, protect, manage and replant 785 acres of threatened tropical forest in Ecuador. This equates to 785 football pitches or an area almost 2.5 times the size of Hyde Park!

This has been achieved via a number of ways including, a donation from certain dishes on the menu and the money thrown into our 'ponds' is washed and given to the World Land Trust.

We also run Education Tours for schools and frequently do talks about the rainforests and how important they are to the world.

AL: If people visit the Rainforest Cafe to celebrate a special occasion, what can be done to help make it a really special night for them?
MA: We can arrange a cake (currently a Triple Chocolate Layer Cake), get the crew to sing Happy Birthday - this can be done for all ages (my dad of 80 was very pleased about this!) and provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere for everyone. Or, simply, something sparkly in the desert and again the crew can sing Happy Birthday. We do of course offer birthday party packages for the under 12's, which includes pary invites, activity packs and all sorts to make them smile :)

AL: Can you sum up in 5 words, The Rainforest Cafe Experience?
MA: Our tag line is 'A Wild Place to Shop and Eat!' Themed Fun, Central Location, Great Menu, Unique.

Access London would like to offer a huge thanks to Mark Ager for taking the time to answer our questions and also to all the team and safari guides at The Rainforest Cafe for helping us to enjoy a fun and unique evening.

To make a reservation at The Rainforest Cafe and/or to discuss any Access requirements, please call: 020 7434 3111.

COMING NEXT: 'Royal-Tea' at The Cavendish to celebrate the Royal Wedding
COMING SOON: Love Never Dies, The National Gallery