As the nation eagerly awaits the new 007 adventure ‘No Time To Die’ – release date 30th September 2021 – we take a look at the most glamorous hotels embracing the theme and making you feel like a secret agent.
Feeling like James Bond at the Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, France
‘Get the ultimate 007 treatment at Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, with exclusive experiences with Bollinger – the ‘Official Champagne of 007’
Where better to dress up as smart as a secret agent and sip on the finest Champagnes, than in the very heart of Champagne itself? The world’s greatest wine region took on a new dimension with the launch of Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, located right in the middle of the vineyards that stripe the hills of Epernay, the capital of Champagne, and the historic city of Reims. In line with the launch of new James Bond film, No Time To Die, Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa has created the ultimate ‘007’ package for guests to enjoy the luxuriousness of the slick, smart hotel in true Bond style.
Guests will enjoy three nights in the lavish ‘007 Royal Junior Suite’, which boasts panoramic views of the vineyards and will have the very best Bollinger Champagne bottle ready and waiting to pop open and enjoy with the view upon arrival – dubbed the official Champagne of Bond. To add to the Bond-style extravagance, visitors can start the evening with one of Bond’s favourite cocktails at the Bar: the Vesper or Dry Martini (shaken, not stirred, of course), before enjoying in a gastronomic dinner at one-Michelin star Le Royal restaurant, with its signature menu carefully curated by chef Jean-Denis Rieubland.
The hotel boasts an enviable location close to where many of the local Champagne houses are headquartered, and, for ‘00’ secret agents, the hotel’s dedicated Champagne concierge can arrange exclusive access to nearby Bollinger Champagne House with a private tasting. For those looking to relax amongst the vineyards, Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa is also home to the region’s first world-class destination spa, spanning 16,000ft2, and guests can indulge in a Royal Spa one-hour candle massage treatment for two.
How: Rates for the ‘Feeling like James Bond’ package at Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa start from €2,252 (currently approx. £1,931), based on two sharing, including three nights in a Royal Junior Suite, one round of cocktails at the bar, one signature menu dinner at Le Royal, one bottle of Bollinger Champagne in-room on arrival, an exclusive tour of Bollinger Champagne House and a Royal Spa treatment for two. royalchampagne.com
Experience the art of bond at The Milestone Hotel, Kensington in London
Guests are invited to join the five-star Milestone Hotel for a Bond experience complete with roulette, Champagne and an Ian Fleming inspired five-course meal
Bond fans are invited to experience an evening of opulence and extravagance with five-star The Milestone Hotel on 25th September in celebration of the release of the much-anticipated new film. The Milestone Hotel is delighted to partner with Linda Hugo of Beyond Curated and Richard Bagnold to present ‘Casino Royale’, an extra-special experience which will begin with a cocktail and canapé reception in the hotel’s beautiful Conservatory, before guests are escorted to the Windsor Suite for a pre-dinner flutter.
Visitors can then take a spin on the roulette table with professional Mayfair-trained croupiers who are happy to assist and share their experience of London’s most prestigious casino clubs. Next on the menu is savouring 2005 Vintage Taittinger Champagne, before taking a seat to dine like Bond, enjoying the very meals experienced by the character himself in the spectacular setting of Cheneston’s. Guests will journey through a one-of-a-kind Bond menu of delicious courses, inspired by the original Ian Fleming novels and expertly recrafted by Richard and executive chef Daniel Putz. Each plate, taken from a different Fleming novel, has its own tale to tell.
How: The Bond experiences will take place on 25th September 2021, from 6pm at The Milestone Hotel & Residences, 3 Kensington Court, London, W8 5DL. Prices start from £340 per person. For more information and to book, visit milestonehotel.com.
Martini Masterclass at the Egerton House Hotel, Knightsbridge in London
Learn how to mix the perfect martini with expert mixologists at the Egerton House Hotel, whose martinis are never shaken nor stirred
In the heart of Knightsbridge, the five-star Egerton House Hotel is home to an unrivalled Martini Masterclass. Despite the hotel having its very own Picasso and Renoir lithographs, the work of art they’re most proud of is their signature cocktail and all-time Bond favourite: The Martini. The Egerton’s expert mixologists start with a frozen glass, chilled to -22°C. A dash of vermouth first, followed by gin as cold as the glass, and then poured all the way to the rim so that there’s only one way to drink it – the trademark Egerton Slurp – the only way to avoid spilling a single drop, and then finished off with a single squeeze of lemon rind – nothing more, nothing less.
Times have changed since the first martini 130 years ago, so if guests prefer vodka to gin, the hotel team are only too happy to make the switch. However, the experts advise one thing: whatever the spirit, treat it gently. As far as they’re concerned, martinis are never shaken and never stirred, always perfect. A truly unique way to taste the hotel’s signature martini is to take part in its Martini Masterclass. Led by The Egerton House Hotel’s talented resident mixologists, guests will learn the history and origins of the martini, as well as divulge in the mixologist’s top tips to be able to shake up the perfect martini.
Each guest will have the opportunity to taste their magnificent martini creations and enjoy homemade canapés of tomato and mozzarella bruschetta, smoked salmon with crushed avocado on cape seed loaf, and coronation chicken on brown bread.
How: The Martini Masterclass is £45 for two people. For more information, visit egertonhousehotel.com.
Experience decadence and glamour in true James Bond style at Gleneagles, Scotland
Explore exhilarating outdoor pursuits and sip on traditional ‘Glen Martinis’
To celebrate the release of the new Bond, The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland offers guests luxury and glamour that Bond himself would approve of. Famously known as the ‘Glorious Playground’, the estate offers guests 850 acres of beautiful Scottish countryside for seclusion and adventure, with the chance to explore an array of thrilling outdoor pursuits. From off-road driving, fly-fishing, clay pigeon shooting, archery and the Lairds ‘Walk with a Hawk’, visitors can experience the traditional Scottish landscape in true Bond style.
Dinner at the iconic Strathearn restaurant is a decadent affair, with traditional gueridon service from bespoke dining trollies bringing excitement and energy to the room as a selection of classic dishes are finished at the table. There is Gleneagles and Co whiskey barrel smoked salmon, Scottish halibut or flambé a ‘Steak Strathearn’ to savour on request. The intimate American Bar, decorated in glamourous deep tones with Champagne gold-leaf topped tables is the perfect spot to enjoy a ‘Glen Martini’, deserving of one’s most elegant, glamorous attire.
For an added slice of luxury, The Royal Lochnager Suite beckons, with uninterrupted views across the rolling Glendevon Hills. Those in residence are treated to their own private marble entrance hallway, as well as an elegant lounge and dining room which showcase the magnificent views. This warm, charming and characterful home from home allows guests to completely relax while soaking up the style, glamour and exceptional service for which Gleneagles is famed.
How: Room rates at Gleneagles start from £475 per night based on two people sharing on a bed and breakfast basis. gleneagles.co.uk
