KR arriving at Raffles at The OWO Hotel

We travelled down to London earlier this week in the middle of Storm Darragh, which laid waste to much of the UK.  Conditions were torturous and made worse by news of 50,000 people demonstrating and marching through London to protest against antisemitism.  All roads surrounding our destination, my favourite hotel – Raffles at The OWO – were closed by the Metropolitan Police.

The positioning of Raffles (smack on Whitehall next to Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace) is usually viewed as being brilliant, but is in the eye of the storm when demonstrations take place.  The ever-vigilant, thoughtful Guest Experience Leader Joanna, warned us in advance of the problem and advised us to get to Westminster Bridge (which would be closed) but hold our position there and call the Hotel who would find a work-around solution.

When we finally made it through to Westminster Bridge, it was indeed closed with four Metropolitan Police cars stationed to stop all traffic.  I asked one of the cops for advice and he could not have been more friendly (despite the lefty, woke media constantly criticising the UK Police).  He introduced me to a very well dressed, suited and booted man underneath an umbrella.  He turned out to be José, the Head Concierge of Raffles, who had decided to come out on the Bridge to help incoming Raffles guests over the last 10 minutes of their journey.  He explained the Hotel house car had special permission to cross the Bridge and was on its way right now.  Two minutes later, he said the car was caught in a major traffic delay on the other side of the Bridge, but Raffles had found a solution.  He guided me over to one of the cops who opened the door to his car and put me in the back seat (where prisoners are normally accommodated).  He then drove me, in some style to the Hotel, telling me en route that I was staying at the best Hotel in London and that he hoped I enjoyed my time there.  He then explained he had 21 years’ service with the Metropolitan Police and would retire in four years at age 45 and move to Casablanca with his Moroccan wife and family.  He could not have been more pleasant.

It was my first time ever in a police car and a young boy’s dream coming true.  (When I was eight years old, my dream was to join the police force as I was inspired by a local copper who lived on the street next door to me.  And this felt like a dream coming true to me.)

I’ve travelled in some cool vehicles in my life, but nothing will ever beat crossing Westminster Bridge, with no traffic whatsoever, in the back of a Metropolitan Police car chatting amiably to the cops as a friend (not as a prisoner).

Philippe Leboeuf and Joanna were waiting for me in stitches and couldn’t wait to give me the attached Raffles CCTV of the footage showing my arrival.  Unforgettable and an incredible example of delivering customer love and guest delight.  Talk about never giving the customer what they want, but giving them what they never dreamed possible.

Thank you Philippe, Joana, José, and the Metropolitan Police for making even the bad times good.

KR arriving at Raffles at The OWO Hotel