June 8th 2020
BUSINESS TRAVEL
With Zoom shares up more than 200%, it’s fair to say video conferencing is having its day. But some business travel is simply unavoidable. For those planning business trips to London, the question is how to make it as safe and comfortable as possible. We asked Pippa Mitchell, Co-founder of Pippa & Benoit Luxury London Apartments, to give the top line on the situation as it stands.
WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL RULES FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL?
To ensure people travel to the UK safely, from 8 June 2020 all visitors will be required to:
- Provide journey and contact details when travelling to the UK
- Complete a 14 day quarantine in the place you’re staying. This means not leaving the property except in very limited situations (e.g. for urgent medical treatment or essential supplies that cannot be delivered to you)
Those who refuse to give details could be fined £100, and anyone found to have not self-isolated could be fined £1,000. However, the government is under pressure to change the rules, widely branded as unenforceable – with only 20% of visitors expected to ever receive a spot check, and others pointing out that £100 is a small price to pay for anonymity.
WHAT’S THE SITUATION WITH FLYING?
There are also rules to be followed at the airport and in the air. Airlines will of course have their own specific policies, but generally speaking:
- You’ll need to arrive 4 hours before departure for a health screening
- Only travelling customers may enter the terminal
- You must wear gloves and a facemask throughout your journey
- You must observe social distancing rules
Naturally, this extra layer of procedure has made for longer waits, which is why private jet companies enjoyed a bumper month in May – a trend we expect to intensify in the summer months. If possible, we’d recommend flying private.
WHERE CAN YOU STAY?
With hotels out of the question – serviced apartments in London are definitely your best bet for Mayfair accommodation. Whether that’s single apartments for solo business travel or renting an entire building of apartments to house your whole team.
The bulk of our luxury accommodation in London is located plum in the middle of the West End – right by Mayfair, St. James’s, and the City of London. But beautiful private apartments in great locations aren’t the only benefits of staying with us.
From Covid testing kits to fresh pastries and coffee upon your arrival, we’ll make sure you have everything you need throughout your stay to make you as comfortable as possible.
Is it safe?
Absolutely. As part of our Covid-19 Protection Policy, every serviced apartment we manage is deep cleaned and left vacant for 72 hours between stays to give our guests complete peace of mind.
Is anything even open though?
While business travel may be the primary reason for your trip, more and more businesses are opening by the day so you won’t be short of food, drink or shopping. Everyone from Deliveroo to The Dorchester have offsite offerings available now, before they open up again properly from the 4th of July. The likes of Selfridges and Harrods opened to limited shoppers this week, but caveat empor – there are serious queues!
What’s next?
It’s a developing situation, with things changing day by day, but Pippa & Benoit are always on hand to help guests enjoy their stay to the full.
The PA of a mutli-billion NYC fund manager recently booked a stay for her CEO with us. Despite making the reservation less than 48hrs prior to arrival, within an hour of booking all details for the self-check-in were provided and any special guest requests confirmed. Priding themselves on five-star service Pippa & Benoit were delighted to receive this feedback:
“Pippa & Benoit, thank you so much –loved the place, and you made the whole process so easy. I just heard from my CEO and he has said the apartment is brilliant. Thank you for everything!”
AYU members receive 15% off when booking with Pippa & Benoit. To become a member of AYU click here.
About Pippa & Benoit
Pippa & Benoit is a luxury serviced apartment firm that specialises in Prime Central London. It was co-founded in 2017 by Benoit Gallaga, formerly of Harrods Estates, and Pippa Mitchell, an investor and consultant involved in super-prime property development. Today, Pippa & Benoit welcome guests from all over the world – offering the comfort and privacy only a home from home can provide, but with the five-star service usually reserved for London’s finest hotels.
The Mayfair Mews Suites by Pippa & Benoit
View details and enquire here.
Click here to see their full range of properties.
Want to feature on Hedgebrunch? Click here.
