| Standing at 3,770 square feet with over 10,000 ferns, herbaceous plants, and 16 tons of soil, The Rubens at the Palace in Victoria has unveiled one of London’s largest and most colorful living walls.
Located on the doorstep of Buckingham Palace, the wall reaches over 70 feet high and is packed with over 20 seasonal plant species including buttercups, crocuses, strawberries, lavender, spring bulbs, and winter geraniums. The flowers have been chosen to ensure the wall is “in-bloom” all year round.
Affectionately nicknamed “The Green Lungs of Victoria,” the wall boasts significant environmental benefits, such as improving the air quality for those working in and passing through the area and attracting much-needed wildlife such as bees, butterflies and birds. It is also London’s largest living wall dedicated to reducing the risk of urban flooding, which is a challenge in the Victoria area, due to the low absorbency of urban surfaces. The wall will also be a tourist landmark, brightening the popular walk from Victoria station to the Royal residence.
In celebration of Victoria’s impressive new feature, The Rubens at the Palace has launched a Living Wall-inspired menu, designed to incorporate plants and flowers featured in the wall itself. The Rubens’ new Garden Afternoon Tea includes a mouth-watering tea-stand of delicious morsels: wild strawberry cheesecake, honey cream and walnut financier, lavender cupcake, violet ganache and rose petal macaroon alongside the typical tasty finger sandwiches and fluffy white scones with thick cream and homemade jam. The new garden afternoon tea costs from $47 per person.
The bar team at The Rubens at the Palace have also been inspired, and will be serving delicious offerings of their own. A new cocktail menu has been designed, including the English Garden, featuring Bloom gin, elderflower, ginger ale, basil, strawberries and lemon and the Green Goddess packed with mint, lemon verbena, lime zest, Chase vodka and lemonade. The Living Wall-inspired cocktails will cost $18 each.
Given the height and scale of the wall, it graces not only the side wall of The Rubens, but also that of its five-star sister property ’41’, recently awarded Hotel of the Year 2013 by industry authority Caterer and Hotelkeeper, as well as above Victoria’s vibrant cocktail and casual dining haunt bbar & Restaurant.
Malcolm Hendry, General Manager of The Rubens commented: “The buzz about the Living Wall is palpable. People are stopping to admire it, take photos of it, and generally wonder what it’s all about. We wanted to bring some of that excitement through the doors of the hotels and the bar, so we have launched a complementary selection of afternoon tea cakes and cocktails so the wall is living and breathing inside the hotel and out. But the wall has a very serious purpose beyond just looking great – we’re excited to be able to positively impact the people living and working in, as well as the huge amount of visitors passing through, this area by improving the air quality, attracting wildlife and reducing the risk of urban flooding.”
For more information or to book an overnight stay, floral afternoon tea, or know where to come for a garden-inspired cocktail, please visit www.rubenshotel.com, www.41hotel.com,www.bbarlondon.com or call contact reservations at +44 0207 834 6600.
About The Rubens at the Palace
Feel like royalty while being pampered and cared for, and enjoy the selection of deluxe amenities, thoughtful extras, personal touches and services provided for your comfort throughout your stay. The Rubens at the Palace offers 143 deluxe guest rooms, with a selection of elegant rooms overlooking the Royal Mews, eight royal rooms, ten luxurious suites, and a private royal wing offering superior rooms with a British Monarchy theme. A favorite spot for afternoon tea is the magnificent Palace Lounge, a bright open space with panoramic views of The Royal Mews and the Queen’s stables. There is also a Pet Concierge as well as a dedicated Children’s Concierge with a “Director of Fun” to assist families visiting London. Renowned for its passionate team, caring service and stunning facilities, guests return time and time again, knowing they will be treated like “coming home.”
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for Consistently Achieving
Outstanding Traveler Reviews 2013Condé Nast Traveler 2013 Gold List for Best Hotels and Resorts in England
Ranked 14th in Top 35 Hotels in the British Isles in Condé Nast Traveler
Readers’ Choice Awards 2012
Condé Nast Traveler 2013 Gold List for Best Hotels and Resorts in England
Ranked in Top 35 Hotels in the British Isles in Condé Nast Traveler
Readers’ Choice Awards 2012
Ranked second in London’s Best Hotel for Business category
in the Condé Nast Traveler Business Travel Awards 2012
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2012
Consistently voted as one of TripAdvisor’s Top London Hotels
Four-Star Deluxe rating from AA
About The Red Carnation Hotel Collection
The Rubens at the Palace is a member of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, an award-winning collection of five- and four-star family-run boutique hotels in London, Dorset, Guernsey, Geneva, Palm Beach, South Africa, and now Ireland. Each property has its own individual character and unique location that reflects the local environment, culture, and cuisine. They all share the qualities that win Red Carnation so many prestigious awards – splendid luxury, generous hospitality, inventive and traditional cuisine, private art collections, passionate service, and loyal staff committed to creating richly rewarding experiences for all their guests.
For more information about The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, please call toll-free from the USA/Canada 1.877.955.1515; contact the Central Reservations Service toll-free from almost anywhere in the world: + 800.1698.8740; and visit us at www.redcarnationhotels.com or book@rchmail.com.
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media.redcarnationhotels.com.About The TreadRight Foundation
The TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in 2008 by The Travel Corporation(TTC) to undertake conservation work and foster sustainability in the tourism industry.
Collectively funded by TTC’s family of brands, TreadRight supports projects that fall under the themes of water, biodiversity, leadership and community, and which drive the foundation’s vision to preserve the earth’s unique environments and diversity for future generations.
To date, TreadRight has donated more than US $2 million to sustainable tourism projects around the world, in addition to supporting the World Travel & Tourism Council’s ‘Tourism for Tomorrow’ awards. To find out more about the foundation visit: www.TreadRight.org.
Red Carnation Hotels – Because We Care |
