Admittedly, I arrived at London Heathrow’s Terminal One a bit late for my flight, 26 hours late to be exact.  I did have a good excuse, however: the 35 cm of snow at JFK that delayed my initial outbound flight.   London had snow as well, all flights were delayed, and my scheduled flight was not until 8 p.m. (I arrived in London around noon).  Despite the long lines everywhere, I only had to wait ten minutes on the business class line.  The friendly and helpful agent put me on a …

In good weather, the flight from New York (JFK) to Munich via London can take as little as 12 hours. In bad weather, the trip can stretch to perhaps 15 or 20 hours. But the storm that last week buried much of the East Coast of the United States in a blanket of snow shut down major airports, closed thousands of businesses, and left tens of thousands of people stranded at places other where they wanted to be.
In my particular case, the storm, which set new records in …

As my driver pulled up to the Marriott London Marble Arch, I realized how centrally located it actually was.  I found myself within walking distance to Oxford Street, Hyde Park, and the theaters in London’s West End.
THE ROOM
My room was comfortable, airy, and spacious.  The bed was very comfortable and sported Marriott’s trademark bedding with excellent quality linens.  I was pleasantly pleased to find that an alarm clock was not in the room as it saved me the trouble of having to unplug and deactivate the last guest’s …

The American Airlines terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport never seems crowded, even when it’s running at full tilt, thanks to its airy and open design that keeps passengers moving without long waits.  American offers a quiet, dedicated first class check-in and I only waited two minutes before I was in front of an agent who cheerily greeted me and handed me my boarding pass, wishing me a pleasant flight.  A dedicated priority line for first- and business-class passengers meant that the wait for security was also about two minutes …

Arriving at London Heathrow’s Terminal 2, I found myself on the business class line with only one passenger ahead of me.  After waiting all of two minutes, I was quickly checked in by the agent, who offered to switch me to a window seat and block the aisle seat so I would have an entire row to myself.  He also invited me to wait in the Senator Lounge near my gate.
BOARDING
Approximately 20 minutes before departure, I arrived at the gate as boarding was just starting.  I was told that business-class …

London is the capital of both the U.K. and England; it’s also the largest metropolitan area in the EU with 7.5 million people in Greater London and 12-14 million in the London metropolitan area. Its history goes back to the city’s founding by the Romans.
For a bird’s-eye view of and introduction to the city, book a “flight” on the London Eye, the world’s largest (135 m) cantilevered observation wheel.  A newcomer to the London skyline (it opened in 2000) compared to Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and the Tower of …

Is it worth staying in a hotel where you truly need a user’s manual for the hotel?  In the case of the St. Martin’s Lane hotel in London, the answer is decidedly yes.  It is also a visual delight with dramatic color and shape throughout the property including the guest rooms.  If you make the effort to learn how certain aspects of the hotel operate, you will find it very rewarding.
The hotel’s staff provides personalized service on a level that very few hotels are able to, and the Covent Garden …