052_TTGB air/hotel reviews2 13/11/08 14:31 Page 52
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reviews:hotel & airline
Grand Hotel Europe, St Petersburg Air Baltic, business class
L50480L50480FIRST IMPRESSION: massive world-class art L50480L50480FLIGHT: London only advantage seat-wise is
Grand is writ large: the collection which is almost Gatwick-Vilnius, Lithuania the section tends to be
imposing block-long facade, overshadowed by its home, emptier, so you can spread
regal uniforms, impeccably the Winter Palace. 10/10 L50480L50480CHECK-IN: Separate out a bit. 5/10
restored gilt-and-marble check-in desk for business
interiors, and hulking body- L50480L50480CONFERENCE class passengers in the L50480L50480FOOD AND DRINK:
INFORMATION:
guards stationed outside FACILITIES: Wide range of
Gran Hotel Europe
south terminal. No queue Ghastly – hot salmon in
oligarchs’ suites. 9/10 options for high-end events,
Nevsky Prospekt,
at the desk. 7/10 mustard sauce with spinach,
with a maximum capacity
Mikhailovskaya Ulitsa 1/7,
cauliflower and dubious
L50480L50480ROOM: A bewildering of 250. The conference I
St. Petersburg, Russia.
L50480L50480LOUNGE: The prawns. It smelt unpleasant,
array of room and suite attended featured excellent Tel : +7 812 329 6000 Servisair VIP lounge at and I could barely eat any
categories. My upper-mid catering and memorable
grand-hotel-europe.com
Gatwick leaves a lot to be of it. Service was attentive
range Belle Chambre room is evening entertainment – desired – from grim pub and friendly throughout. A
big, elaborate and comfor- how about opera singers
Air Baltic
carpets to the £1-for-10- choice of drinks including
table: plush sofas, polished and a state orchestra in a
Tel: +370 5 235 6000
minutes internet terminals. OK-ish French wine were
wood, paintings, marble Tsar’s palace? 8/10
airbaltic.com
But it’s not all bad – peace offered. When I asked for ice
bathroom with heated floor and quiet, a well-stocked for my none-to-chilled white
and stuffed with all amenities. L50480L50480RESTAURANTS & bar, snacks, cookies and wine, they’d run out. 3/10
Plenty of workspace with BARS: Six restaurants, cakes and a good range of
WiFi (£21/day). Push a including the Caviar Bar. magazines and papers. L50480L50480OVERALL: It is a good
button and a plasma screen L’Europe Restaurant offers Going the other way, the service on this route – it’s
TV rises from a faux-antique fine dining in historic art smart, pleasant business just that once airborne
cabinet, and there’s a funky nouveau surroundings. lounge in Vilnius airport there’s only the free meal
espresso machine and an There’s Italian, Chinese, a features the usual amenities (see above!), drinks and a
eye-wateringly expensive chic mezzanine cafe and a including free internet, newspaper to differentiate
drinks cabinet. 8/10 delightful gentlemen’s club- international magazines, between the classes.
style bar. One lunchtime bar and snacks. 6/10 Depending on price
L50480L50480LOCATION: In the buffet included the best difference, a travel manager
heart of the city. Some Stroganoff I’ve ever had L50480L50480CABIN AND SEAT: could be better off giving
rooms have views of the and, alarmingly, bear The black leather seats are his flyers a lounge pass
remarkable Church of the parmienter (I must admit it the same width and pitch as and a tenner for drinks on
Spilt Blood or Nevsky was delicious). 8/10 economy, only separated by the plane.
Prospect. The Grand is a the moveable curtain set-up.
10-minute walk from the Total 86% So no extra legroom, unless Total 52%
incredible Hermitage – a By Paul Revel you grab the front row. The By Paul Revel
ttgbusiness.com a79 november 2008
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