Update Jan 2015: Caxton Grill , reviewed below, does indeed have fabulous food and service, as well as an atmosphere that’s buzzy but not too loud. However, there are a couple of things to look out for:
1. The tables have balls on the end of their legs which meant I had to sit 12″ (approx) away from my plate as my wheelchair could not get round them. The manager immediately moved us to a larger table with normal legs and all was OK. 2. The journey to the disabled toilet is very long, so don’t leave anything to the last minute, as you have to exit the restaurant, go through the bar and then across the hotel lobby. Once there the toilet is definitely equipped with the appropriate bars and qualifies as a disabled toilet! A couple of issues but the staff were very helpful and it didn’t detract from an enjoyable visit so they keep their 2.5 BBS Ticks as the food is truly exceptional.
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This week Lieutenant No. 1 took his wife to the Caxton Grill as he fell in love with a chocolate dessert that he saw on Master Chef The Professionals 2013, head Chef Adam Handling was favourite to win and he got to the final. He’s also listed as one of the ‘30 under 30’ to watch in The Caterer & Hotelkeeper’s 2013 Acorn Awards. Looking at his menus and accolades you can see why.
Although the dessert, much beloved by No. 1, wasn’t available he still had a great meal and the beef was ‘amazing’ . They also found the nibbles before the meal very inventive, especially the ‘Parmesan Madeleine With Chicken Butter’. The atmosphere of the place reminded him of the Angler restaurant at South Place Hotel (reviewed here) – ‘buzzy & light’ with good music in the background. They also keep bees on the rooftop and you can have a ‘Bees in the Burbs’ beekeeping workshop to add to your culinary experience.
As far as accessibility is concerned there are stairs at the restaurant entrance but you can access via permanent ramps at the St. Ermin’s Hotel, the Caxton Grill, Bar & Terrace are all part of the hotel. Similarly the disabled toilet is next to the bar in the hotel and the flooring in the restaurant is all wood. On the Lieutenant’s recommendation we’re giving Caxton Grill 2.5 BBS Ticks.
Next this week, there’s been a new hotel opening in Soho – Ham Yard Hotel – part of the group that owns The Charlotte Street Hotel (we love their bar see here). Always on the lookout for accessible & trendy London hotels this certainly fits the trendy brief as (in their own words) it has,
“………a distinctly urban village feel. The hotel revolves around a unique tree-filled garden……….” and “Alongside the hotel’s 91 individually designed bedrooms and suites are 24 residential apartments, 13 personally selected retail stores and an airy restaurant and bar with outdoor dining and drinking. There is a sumptuous drawing room and library as well as the Soholistic Spa and Gym, 188 seat theatre, several spacious private dining and event rooms including a 50’s style bowling alley. For hotel guests there is a rooftop garden with sweeping views of the London skyline”.
Wow, but what about their accessibility I hear you say, well they told us that access to the hotel is flat and there’s a dropping off point for cars just outside. However, getting into the hotel there’s a 5cm step and a portable ramp, there’s no grab rail either but the doorman will help if needed. There’s wood flooring throughout the ground floor and carpeting in the rooms and corridors. Just past reception there’s a conservatory/bar called the ‘orangery’ and this is where the disabled toilet is located.
There are a staggering 5 disabled rooms but the showers are not ‘wet rooms’ as they have 3cm ledge to negotiate but there are grab rails, emergency chords and a shower seat available if required – lets hope you don’t have to share it with the other 4 disabled guests?? There’s also an accessible roof terrace that’s available to guests when there’s no event taking place. One other issue is there’s no braille on the lift buttons.
So we’re not too sure if this is really an ‘inclusive ‘ hotel so I’ll be checking it out in the next few weeks, but if anyone has been let us know what you find (contact us). In the meantime they get a provisional 2 BBS Ticks.
One thing the Ham Yard does have is a screening room featuring a World Cup offer to watch matches at £55/head – I think I’d rather see it on a giant screen outside even if it does rain. But on that subject look out for our Accessible Guide to World Cup viewing coming soon……….however, Paris St. Germain’s (PSG) stadium won’t be included after I saw this piece on the BBC regarding ‘disability abuse’ by their fans. Disabled Chelsea fans had to sit with the PSG fans and had all manner of things thrown at them including a bottle!!…………I admit that at Spurs we sat with the opposition and it wasn’t a problem until the lady next to me decided show off her Spurs tattooed, prosthetic leg……..Made me drop my coffee!?!
On that note we’ll see you next week after my visit to the Electric Diner and a meeting with a guy who has an exciting app that translates menus for the visually impaired.