THE ITINERARY WAS POTENTIALLY CHALLENGING AND EXCITING IN EQUAL MEASURE: TO TRAVEL TO LONDON, REVIEW A 5 STAR HOTEL, VISIT COVENT GARDEN, AND ATTEND THE RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW, AND FIND INTERESTING PLACES TO EAT IN BETWEEN THE MANY DISTRACTIONS.

His & Hers magazine takes us to many fascinating places: it means we travel on the West Coast Line regularly and we were delighted to discover that it’s possible to upgrade to first class on Virgin Trains for as little as £10 to £15 each way, on weekends, and bank holidays. We travelled in great comfort, had access to free Wi-Fi (subject to availability), and enjoyed complimentary drinks and snacks, including a delicious Danish pastry and, alternatively, depending on times, a satisfying bacon muffin is part of the deal. It takes all the hassle out of travelling, and we arrived at Euston ready to enjoy every moment of our stay. The First Class experience with Virgin Trains on the West Coast Mainline goes beyond the train. Waiting for our train on the return journey, (tired and laden down) we escaped the crowds and relaxed in the tranquil environment of the First Class lounge at Euston where we picked up Fairtrade hot and cold drinks, snacks, Wi-Fi, and weekday newspapers. And it’s all free. I can’t recommend it enough. We had a delicious light meal on the return journey (which was a week-day). The service is impressive: the staff go out of their way to make passengers feel pampered.

On arrival, we started with a fabulous lunch at Covent Garden, and then took the tube to Knightsbridge. Harrods is literally around the corner. It’s a short walk from the Tube, through a part of London that is steeped in history, with impressive classical architecture at every turn to reach The Capital, which is a 5 star hotel that waves the flag for comfort and elegance. A golden metallic Ferrari was parked outside (which made us smile), and there were hotel staff waiting to welcome us with the sort of care and attention that seems like second nature, but makes all the difference to a guest. The only disappointment was that we couldn’t dine at Outlaws as we arrived on a Sunday night (Nathan Outlaw is a renowned chef) and it’s a Michelin starred restaurant, famous for its sea-food, but I brought back a signed copy of Nathan Outlaw’s cookery book, which is the next best thing.

The lobby is understated elegance: and the bar looks very well stocked, and immensely welcoming, in equal measure! My bedroom was decidedly spacious, furnished in great style: my favourite piece was a beautiful antique writing desk, and I felt instantly at home. The king sized bed was blissfully comfortable, and the bathroom was state of the art (yet classic in design). I was assured that I could ring room service, if I needed anything, and that breakfast could be brought to me (which seemed a tad decadent).