VS023 LHR-LAX 7 JUN 11 (Upper Class)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Well here I am doing a trippy, gee it's been a long time, I am typing this from the balcony of Loews Beach hotel which apparently is crap, but in reality it isn't, in Santa Monica which should be avoided, when in reality it's lovely, lesson to be learned don't believe everything people say on forums who have a twisted nasty little agenda, enough said.

Well our first nights holiday was to be at our old favourite Hotel41 Buck Palace Road, a dream home from home hotel for us. One hiccough they did assure me their limo had access to the CDC area of VA check in, turned out we were turned away even in our nice Bentley, never mind.
Check in was seamless in any case, security was less than a few minutes and straight up to the lounge. We put the names of the people we invited in no problems ( thanks for your advice with this ).

Lounge was busy and the usual oasis of calm and casual sophistication. We sat and had a meal Steve had an amazing burger and I had an equally lovely chicken and leek pie and a couple of cocktails. Whilst we were eating we were discussing Nicole Sherzinger and how fabulous she was on tv the other night and low and behold who walks in sits at the table next to us but the lady herself. She was indeed lovely, pleasant and polite, she certainly gets my vote and she tweeted a thank you to us for wishing her a good flight.

We went down to the gate before call because I don't like a scrum or to get my new LV trolley scuffed lol.

First on board, made use of the little wardrobe opposite and settled in, staff on board very very nice in service and a couple quite easy on the eye too. There was a screamer on the flight but my Bose cancelled it out, all bow to Bose.

Now I am a fan, I hate to see people run VA down but sorry folks the new menu is just crap, no it's crappier than crap. What where they thinking ( and the crew kind of agreed lol ). The Guinnie fowl really was some slop with brown poultry dropped on top. Fortunately for me the nice CC got me chicken breast in cream sauce from the PE section and for this one act of kindness and understanding VA can do no wrong for me.

The service throughout the flight was beyond any criticism well done crew I salute you
( especially the Scott who was easy on they eye )

Straight off and straight through immigration, it was a breeze, someone in another place intimated LAX would be a total nightmare, nothing could have been further from the truth.

That's it really 9 out of 10, one dropped because of the slop on the menu.

Nice to be doing a trippy again, no mention of the unfragranced though, I am easing mysel in gently.

Chris

Glad you had a good flight.

What did your dibb guests think of the CH?

I assume that you or your hotel hadn't contacted VS with the car details hence why you were turned away (the reverse of shame? lol)

Thanks for the TR, very lucky to see Nicole in the CH!

I've obviously completed missed this, but it seems there is someone you don't get along with!

Have a great trip!

Well here I am doing a trippy, gee it's been a long time, I am typing this from the balcony of Loews Beach hotel which apparently is crap, but in reality it isn't, in Santa Monica which should be avoided, when in reality it's lovely, lesson to be learned don't believe everything people say on forums who have a twisted nasty little agenda, enough said.

Eh? Who says Santa Monica is to be avoided? It's the only place in LA where walking isn't frowned upon. Have fun there - we do.

Straight off and straight through immigration, it was a breeze, someone in another place intimated LAX would be a total nightmare, nothing could have been further from the truth.

Ah! But then again we have waited for 2 hours in queues at LAX immigration before....

Who is Nicole Scherzinger?

Who is Nicole Scherzinger?

Ex Pussycat Doll and current beau of Lewis Hamilton.

Thanks for the TR EGGG. I've missed the unfragranced reports and good to see you still enjoy the finer things in life
Santa Monica has never been ugh (but Venice beach has got much seedier of late).
Have a great trip .
DL

[honey lamb]

Who is Nicole Scherzinger?

Ex Pussycat Doll and current beau of Lewis Hamilton.

Surely she would be a belle and Lewis Hamilton would be her beau

Nice TR, EGG. Enjoy your holiday

Who is Nicole Scherzinger?

Ex Pussycat Doll and current beau of Lewis Hamilton.

Surely she would be a belle and Lewis Hamilton would be her beau

Apologies Headmistress Lamb .

I should add for those not in the know the "unfragranced" is not in reference to economy pax, I wouldn't do that.

My first paragraph also refers to no one on this site nor anything said on THIS site, suffice to say advice given about areas / destinations / hotels can sometimes be very inaccurate and cause distress to those looking forward to visiting said areas. In another place for reasons unknown a "person" described to others this area as a place to be avoided and this specific hotel also, given this was written in open fora I consider it fair to put the record straight for the benefit of those that might be considering visiting, and in fairness to this hotel also.

People may wish to speculate but like I say it's not a v-flyer.

[buns]

EGG

Thanks for a welcome return foray into the land of TRs

A little naughty of the Hotel to claim that their car could get into the DTCI, but glad to see the CH did not ultimately disappoint

Enjoy the West Coast

Buns

Hmmm, haven't tried the new outbound menu yet, that comes next week, but it's very disheartening to hear your experience.

Another vote for Santa Monica - the #1 and I stayed Shutters on the Beach for a couple of night two years ago, we loved it, and as people have said, that you can actually walk around!

Glad you enjoyed the flight, I'd be interested if the hotel Bentley can fit between the posts on the ramp up to DTCI - that could be a crunch!

Glad you are enjoying your trip. I've never tried to get a meal from PE but will definately check it out before I go in future just in case....

Thank you for the great TR.

Thanks for the TR Egg. I like your writing style.

Santa Monica is the nice part of LA.

I was sat there last Friday - having just finished a business trip - sipping cocktails as the sun went down. A stroll to the shops on the pedestrianised 3rd St, then to the prom overlooking the beach before hopping in the car and cruising down Lincoln Bvd (which is grotty) to LAX for the 9:15pm VS flight home.

The only wierd part was that London was 26 degrees C (according to the captain as we landed) whereas SM had been 22 degrees C!

Global warming

Cheers

Martin

Just noticed I meant to put 5 stars for crew not 4, whoops.

Thanks EGG . I feared as much about the menu so I'm ordering a kosher special meal. It seems I have nothing lose

Thank you for the trip report. I had read the menu from tinkerbelle and this post now confirm my worst concern. Like the poster above I will book a special meal now for my forthcoming flights and even one of those is to LA. I think you deserve an award to getting through the airport so quickly, it can take us a very long time so hope it has changed.

I had the beetroot pasta as part of the supper tray on my DXB flight last night and have to say despite it's description sounding awful the taste was excellent. I am a beetroot disliker but enjoyed, please give it a try next time you fly!

Thanks EGG. Nice to have you back in TR land.

The only wierd part was that London was 26 degrees C (according to the captain as we landed) whereas SM had been 22 degrees C!

Global warming

Cheers

Martin

Nope, 22C seems about right for the SoCal beachfront north of Long Beach at this time of the year. I like Santa Monica OK, and Venice even better, to be honest, though the latter is definitely more sensitive to economic swings, and generally more of a mixed crowd than Santa Monica has been for a long time. If I am down there, I always stay inland though, have enough of the fog and cool air out here to want to repeat in LA, and I could sit with a book, music and watch the local entertainment at the coffee bean and tea leaf on Melrose pretty much all day long

Thanks for the TR!

Thanks for the informative TR, shame about the food though.

Well here I am doing a trippy, gee it's been a long time, I am typing this from the balcony of Loews Beach hotel which apparently is crap, but in reality it isn't, in Santa Monica which should be avoided, when in reality it's lovely, lesson to be learned don't believe everything people say on forums who have a twisted nasty little agenda, enough said.

My first paragraph also refers to no one on this site nor anything said on THIS site, suffice to say advice given about areas / destinations / hotels can sometimes be very inaccurate and cause distress to those looking forward to visiting said areas. In another place for reasons unknown a "person" described to others this area as a place to be avoided and this specific hotel also, given this was written in open fora I consider it fair to put the record straight for the benefit of those that might be considering visiting, and in fairness to this hotel also.

The problem I have found in certain places is that people seem to get jealous so try to ruin other peoples enjoyment, not only by saying things like this, but making out that they are better than you, go to better places, do better things, more often etc.

People may wish to speculate but like I say it's not a v-flyer.

Hooray! It took a while.