28th May 2013

LONDON GUESTHOUSE NAMED AA GUEST ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR FOR LONDON 2013

The Windermere was today named AA Guest Accommodation of the Year for London 2013. The prestigious honour was announced at the AA Bed and Breakfast Awards held at St Ermin’s Hotel in London.
This annual Awards event recognises and rewards the excellent services provided by the UK’s very best B&B establishments and the winners are nominated by the AA’s team of hotel inspectors.

The Windermere is a family run business with Nicholas and Sylvia Hambi who have been running the hotel since 1987 now joined by daughter Emily. Centrally located within walking distance of famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament and the Royal Parks, The Windermere is the ideal base for guests to explore the Capital. With 19 rooms over five floors the Hambi family has strived to reinstate and maintain the hotel’s original features many of which were lost during the Blitz. Guests can enjoy breakfast and dinner in the Windermere Brasserie and bar while taking in the beautiful features of this historic building.

Speaking of receiving their award Emily Hambi said, “We feel truly honoured to have been awarded AA Guest Accommodation of the Year for London 2013. This means a great deal to us, given the high standard of competition in this great city. We wish to share this award with our wonderful team and all our loyal guests. We promise never to give up on our commitment to excellence.”

Simon Numphud, AA Hotel Services Manager said, “A great example of a family run business that has continued to re-invest in the property ensuring it remains relevant to the modern day traveller whilst retaining a friendly and welcoming ambience”

Media Contact the AA Press Office on 01256 492895 or press.office@theaa.com

AA Guest Accommodation of the Year London 2013 – 2014

We are extremely pleased to announce that the AA has named us Guest Accommodation of the Year 2013 – 2014 for London.

“This award is the pinnacle of achievement for guest accommodation providers, recognising all aspects of the experience from the hospitality and service to the accommodation.”

We are truly honoured to receive this high honour from the AA, who has also awarded us for a second year in a row, a highly prestigious “4 Gold Stars” rating.

We would like to share this award with our great team of staff who help us realise our vision for The Windermere. We thank each and every one of them for their hard work and passion. All of us here at The Windermere take great pride in our work and aim to give our valued guests the best experience possible during their stay with us. Whilst this award may be the pinnacle of achievement, we retain our commitment to excellence and will never cease to innovate and improve our hospitality experience and service.

We hope to welcome you soon to The Windermere, “your home away from home” in London.

Our warmest wishes to you all,

Nicholas, Sylvia and Emily Hambi

Keep in touch by following us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also use the following hashtag on Instagram: #thewindermere

Click ‘Book Now‘ for our best available offers, and we look forward to welcoming you soon to “your home away from home”.

Facebook: TheWindermereHotel

Twitter: TheWindermere

Instagram: #thewindermere

Our wonderfully central location is popular with our guests. Most of London’s iconic landmarks are walking distance and Victoria station (Underground, Rail, Bus, Coach) is only a short walk from The Windermere. This means that you will find that nothing is too far and many London attractions, landmarks and hidden secrets are easily accessible.

The following exhibitions are taking place at local galleries and museums.

Tate Britain:

The Turner Collection

Saatchi Gallery: 

Gaiety Is The Most Outstanding Feature Of The Soviet Union (until 09 June)

New Order: British Art Today

Collect: The International Art Fair For Contemporary Objects (10-13 May)

Festival Des Métiers – A Rendezvous With Hermès Craftspeople  (21-27 May)

The National Gallery:

Barocci: Brilliance And Grace (until 19 May)

Birth Of A Collection: Masterpieces From The Barber Institute Of Fine Arts (22 May – 01 September)

National Portrait Gallery:

George Catlin: American Indian Portraits

Scandal ’63: The Fiftieth Anniversary Of The Profumo Affair

Victoria & Albert Museum:

David Bowie Is

Treasures Of The Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts & The Russian Tsars

Keep in touch by following us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also use the following hashtag on Instagram: #thewindermere

Click ‘Book Now‘ for our best available offers, and we look forward to welcoming you soon to “your home away from home”.

Facebook: TheWindermereHotel

Twitter: TheWindermere

Instagram: #thewindermere

Hello to you all from The Windermere, London.

To state the obvious… it’s May. This is the time of year when London thaws from a long and cold winter, the sun comes out, the temperatures heat up and London comes to life. This really is a magnificent city at any time of year, but London truly is beautiful when the sun shines. May is usually a busy month for us and London, as many annual landmark events, such as the Chelsea Flower Show, take place. This year however London is revving into high gear. Following on from 2012, a year of sporting glory, major sporting events come to town.

To call this post a “snapshot” is an understatement, given the number of activities taking place this May… but here is the “highlight reel” for you…

Tuesday 07 May – Sunday 29 September: London Wonderground, a thrilling line up of circus acts, cabaret, family shows, musical performances and various other acts.

- Taking place around Southbank, the Royal Festival Hall and the London Eye.

Friday 10 – Sunday 12 May: Basketball – Euroleague Final Four at The O2

- Click here for tickets.

Saturday 11 May: FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium

- Wigan Athletic v. Manchester City

Sunday 12 May: The World on Regent Street – Carnival comes to London! A diverse mix of cultures are showcased along a uniquely traffic free Regent Street. This proves to be a feast for the eyes and ears. Be sure to sample the traditional dishes of the participating countries (including Argentina, China, Egypt, Great Britain, Turkey and Trinidad & Tobago).

Sunday 12 May: Covent Garden May Fayre & Puppet Festival celebrating Punch’s 351st birthday… of Punch and Judy.

Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 May: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. This is a big year for the RHS, celebrating 100 years of the Chelsea Flower Show.

Thursday 23 May – Sunday 26 May: UEFA Champions Festival at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Saturday 25 May: UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium

- Borussia Dortmund v. FC Bayern München

Keep in touch with us by following us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also use the following hashtag on Instagram: #thewindermere

Click ‘Book Now‘ for our best available offers, and we look forward to welcoming you soon to “your home away from home”.

Facebook: TheWindermereHotel

Twitter: TheWindermere

Instagram: #thewindermere

The Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the instantly recognisable and locally adored Chelsea Pensioners is a 15 minute walk from The Windermere. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1692, this little gem in the heart of Chelsea is worth a visit. Entrance to the grounds is free with various sections of the Hospital being open to visitors throughout the year: 10am-12pm & 2pm-4pm. The beautiful South Gardens and Ranelagh Gardens are also open to the public throughout the year.

The Chelsea Pensioners frequently host a variety of different events and exhibitions within their charming grounds, including the Chelsea Flower Show. Most recently Chelsea AutoLegends returned for their annual automotive event. The selection of cars was impressive ranging from much loved classics to modern day supercars. It was also exciting to see the red suited Chelsea Pensioners walk around the grounds and mingle with the rest of the petrol heads.

The Royal Hospital Chelsea will host more events this month, including Decorex 23 – 26 September, which is part of the London Design Festival.

On Wednesday 26 September, the Navarra Quartet will be playing in the latest of the RHC Concert series. Tickets are available through the RHC website. These musical events continue through to December;

10 October: Gould Piano Trio

24 October: London Serenata

7 November: The Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital

21 November: Dame Felicity Lott

13 December: Carol Service

Click ‘Book Now‘ for our best available offers, and we look forward to welcoming you soon to “your home away from home”.

Please contact us for further information, or click “Book Now” to make a confirmed reservation today.

Award winning Billy Elliot The Musical, seen worldwide by over 7.5 million people, is currently at Victoria Palace Theatre (a 10 minute walk from The Windermere).

One of the most celebrated, award-winning musicals on stage today, Billy Elliot has been dazzling London’s West End since 2005, and has gone on to captivate audiences around the world.

Set in a northern mining town, against the background of the 1984/’85 miners’ strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy’s struggle against the odds to make his dream come true. Follow Billy’s journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever.

With unforgettable music by Elton John, sensational dance and a powerful storyline, this astonishing theatrical experience will stay with you forever.

Award winning musical Wicked is currently showing at The Apollo Theatre located a 10 minute walk from The Windermere.

Pimlico Road Farmer’s Market is on every Saturday, 9am-1pm located in Pimlico’s hidden Orange Square aka Mozart Square (less than 5 minutes walk from The Windermere Hotel)

Image: Raw Life Change

After a routine hotel inspection by Visit England in the summer of 2012, we were awarded the Gold Award to sit alongside our 4 star Guest Accommodation rating.

We are proud to have maintained our Silver Award all these years, but it is with great pleasure that we have been awarded the prestigious Gold Award. The Gold Award is in recognition of exceptional quality of accommodation and customer service, and for even outperforming our 4 star rating.