bmi business lounge

bmi British Midland International set Chérie City a special assignment – fly to Beirut, take in the sights and culture and report back. A most exciting task, I think you’ll agree…

Our bmi flight to Beirut was at the sensible time of 10.45am, so we still managed to get a good sleep and spend an hour or so relaxing in The Great British Lounge – bmi’s flagship business lounge for international flights.

My first experience of an airport lounge was the bmi London Room (for domestic flights) en route to Edinburgh earlier this year. The Great British Lounge has additional amenities such as showers, slumber rooms, a cosy fireplace, a local British pub, a dedicated study and work space and best of all, a cafe offering cooked breakfasts.

We sat at the breakfast bar and started the day with bacon and egg sandwiches, a selection of mini pastries and waffles with maple syrup and a cappuccino. For business travellers watching their cholesterol, there are more healthy options such as fruit, yoghurt, cereal and porridge.

We used the wifi in The Study to check last-minute destination details and relaxed reading magazines in the Front Room.

The flight was around 4 hrs 30 mins and the time passed quickly as bmi kept us entertained and comfortable. I cocooned myself in the blanket and pillows provided and watched movies, emerging only for pineapple juice served with Penn State pretzels and a delicious lunch of Thai Red Chicken Curry.

When we arrived at Beirut airport, we were welcomed at the Four Seasons Beirut desk and promptly ordered a taxi to the hotel. The taxi ride took less than 15 minutes and our friendly taxi driver Elie told us the city’s best sights.

We checked in at Four Seasons Beirut (read more…) and freshened up before heading down to dinner at the hotel restaurant – The Grill Room.

Then it was on to the newly-opened Whisky Mist at Le Paon Rouge at The Phoenicia. Whisky Mist is just a five minute walk from Four Seasons Beirut, although we had to scramble over four lanes of busy traffic to get there, so take advantage of the hotel’s complimentary limo service and arrive in style.

We were kindly given the VIP treatment and had a reserved table and bottle of Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rosé champagne waiting for us.

After a long day in transit, it was time to get back to our cloud-like bed to dream about exploring the city the next day, and of course, that rooftop pool!

Chérie City was a guest of bmi British Midland International, Four Seasons Beirut and Whisky Mist Beirut

bmi British Midland International has launched their lowest possible one way fares for travel this autumn and winter. Book early and take advantage of great fares – including Beirut from £169 one way from London Heathrow – when booking now for travel between 1 September 2011 and 31 March 2012. The offer closes on Wednesday 22 June, so book today at www.flybmi.com

Facebook fans can win a pair of tickets to any bmi sale destination at facebook.com/flybmi

The Glasshouse, Edinburgh’s leading boutique hotel invited a small group of bloggers to come stay for the night and explore the city. bmi, British Midland International kindly flew us out from London Heathrow to Edinburgh International and gave us access to the super-exclusive London Room and the Business Lounge on the way back. But more about the wonderful, stress-free flights later…

The Glasshouse Edinburgh is one of the Scottish capital’s most desirable five star hotels and has an enviable location, at the foot of Carlton Hill, just five minutes from Princes Street and Waverley Train Station.

Location

Subtly tucked behind the beautiful facade of the former Lady Glenorch Church, The Glasshouse is anything but traditional with wall-to-wall windows, sleek interiors and a chic private roof terrace that stretches two acres and has views of the rugged Edinburgh hills.

The Suite

We were each assigned a Suite on the third floor, which were all named after a type of whiskey. There are 18 suites at The Glasshouse and they are all on the same floors as the roof terrace and the snug. One of the two Deluxe Suites even has its own private jacuzzi and sauna.

My suite was huge and designed in neutral shades with touches of dark wood and floor to wall-to-wall windows. The wooden screen and sections off the living quarters and best of all, the TV actually swivels around, so you can watch in bed or lounging on the huge leather sofa.

The Glasshouse really make you feel at home with everything could possibly need to relax – a CD player, music library, stack of magazines and free WIFI.

The bathroom was quite spectacular with two separate wash areas and powerful underfloor heating. The main part of the bathroom featured a separate bath and walk-in shower and was stocked with a selection of generously-sized bathroom products by Highland Aromatics. The second room acts as a dressing room with a double sink, huge wardrobe and a large mirror.

Another nice touch was a mirror station with a high chair made for styling hair or applying make-up.

But the real highlight of the stay was the huge balcony overlooking Edinburgh City. It was furnished with Philippe Starck furniture – perfect for summer sunbathing or sampling whiskey in the evening.

A stay at The Glasshouse is certainly a boozy one, with a complimentary decanter of fine whiskey in the room, a mini-bar and a well-stocked honesty bar in the snug.

A Welcome Treat

When we arrived back at the hotel after our afternoon boutique tour with Frances of Destination Edinburgh, the Glasshouse had treated us to a chilled bottle of Prosecco, a large bottle of mineral water and a delightful plate of chocolate truffles, biscotti, Scottish tablet and grapes.

Turndown

The bed was also turned down with slippers placed at one side. The king-size bed covered in monogrammed Egyptian cotton was out of this world, literally like floating on a cloud and I only wish I’d spent longer under the duvet.

Breakfast

The bed was so incredibly comfy that I accidentally slept in and awoke to a decadent room service breakfast – absolute bliss!

The Eggs Benedict (made with Parma ham) and pastries were delicious and everything was neatly presented with small pots of jam and a little silver dome of butter.

Surprisingly, The Glasshouse doesn’t have a restaurant, but there is a good room service menu and meals can be taken in the snug or on the roof terrace. There are plenty of excellent restaurants to try in Edinburgh, or you can be really decadent and dine on your balcony, without ever having to leave the room.

Before leaving, we were treated to a wonderful lunch of home-made Artichoke Soup with Roast Pork and Waldorf Salad sandwiches in the snug.

Every year, The Glasshouse has won awards, including ‘Best hotel to get naked in’ by Opodo, and has been voted one of the Top 50 Hottest Hotels in the World by Conde Nast Traveller.

The Glasshouse certainly lives up to its reputation as an ultra-seductive hotel and as exciting as Edinburgh is, you really just won’t want to leave.

Rooms and Suites at The Glasshouse are priced from £165 to £245 (inclusive of VAT and a Continental breakfast).

Leading airline bmi, British Midland International flies from London Heathrow to Edinburgh seven times daily. Economy fares are available from £51 one way (£87 return), including all taxes and charges.

Chérie City was a guest of The Glasshouse and BMI.

All photos by Chérie City.

A Blogger In Beirut: Day One

A Stay At The Glasshouse Edinburgh

Location

The Suite

A Welcome Treat

Turndown

Breakfast