Stylish portfolio of properties perfect for film & tv crews

Posted: Wed 28 August 2019 at 11:10

Accommodation Windsor Ltd has a stylish portfolio of around sixty properties available for short let by film & tv crews.  It is perfectly situated for locations in the South East within easy access of Shepperton, Pinewood and London film studios.  Because all our properties are owned or fully managed by us, our staff know the property you are staying in and can quickly and efficiently deal with any issues you may experience.  Our properties all come fully furnished with the following as standard:- (more…)

Slough Trading Estate at 97 per cent capacity

Posted: Fri 11 January 2019 at 12:44

Slough Trading Estate, which is home to a large number of major businesses, has announced it is at nearly 100 per cent occupation, after securing new lease agreements over the past few months.

Business travellers staying in Windsor serviced apartments often make the short journey over the River Thames to Slough on a daily basis. Slough is home to the headquarters of a range of national and international businesses and Slough Trading Estate has long-been a popular location for businesses operating in the South East of England particularly.

Paul Lewis, the Trading Estate’s manager, has revealed that 11 existing clients with premises at the Estate have expanded over the past year. In the meantime, it has ‘welcomed’ 23 new businesses. Lewis stated that the economic and political environment does not seem to be having much impact on the demand for business premises in the area. He said:  “overall our customers are cautiously optimistic about what 2019 holds for Slough and our regional economy and are determined to get on with the job.”

Capacity at the trading estate now stands at 97 per cent and this is despite the fact that the launch of the much-anticipated Crossrail line has been delayed. Lewis said that, although the delay was disappointing, Slough Trading Estate is supporting its clients in calling for the opening of the line to take place as quickly as possible. Crossrail, once opened, will significantly reduce the time it takes to get from Slough to Central and East London.

He added that the rail link will be a “huge boost” for Slough businesses. It is also likely to make Windsor an even more appealing location for business travel accommodation.

Business travel market to be worth £1.34 trillion by 2023

Posted: Thu 20 December 2018 at 11:59

The business travel industry globally is set to be worth some £1.3 trillion by 2023. This is according to a new report on the topic by Allied Market research.

The report predicts that, as more and more businesses spend cash on sending their workers all over the world to do business, the value of the market is set to grow by 4.1 per cent between  2017 and 2023. It seems that despite the growing popularity of conference-calling and working remotely, face-to-face contact is still very important to industries competing in the global workspace.

The results of the report reflect those of an earlier study by the Global Business Travel Association, which said it expected the value of the industry to rise to £1.34 trillion by 2022.

Big business is still the main driver of the growth in business travel, according to the report. It found that some 64 per cent of the spend was accounted for by the corporate industry segment of the market. In addition, it seems that spending on food and accommodation is really booming, with growth in these areas rising by an impressive 4.7 per cent over the five-year period.

The report also found growth in the number of businesses sending their staff out to travel in groups. This helps to save money and also encourages teamwork while away on business. Other recent studies have found that serviced apartments are growing in popularity with businesses looking to put up two members of staff, as a two-bed apartment is often far cheaper than two separate hotel rooms.

Stay put in Windsor this Christmas if you want to avoid traffic jams

Posted: Mon 17 December 2018 at 14:09

Experts have warned that the rush to see friends and family will begin this week and worsen on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st, causing massive traffic jams on some of the UK’s busiest roads.

Anyone visiting the UK this Christmas, and planning to get around on the roads, should take into account the advice from traffic experts. Traffic insights business, Inrix, has warned that Thursday 20th could be the peak day when compared with a regular day on British roads.

Drivers hitting the M25 from Windsor or elsewhere, on a regular thursday, might find some minor delays, but on Thursday 20th, there is likely to be huge numbers undertaking the ‘great Christmas getaway’, as it’s been dubbed by the tabloid papers.

Inrix’s Joshua Kidd, explained: “With most drivers setting out mid-morning, traffic will become heavier over the course of the afternoon and stay congested into the evening.”

He added that there are other factors at play that could add to the congestion on the 20th and 21st, such as the fact that delivery firms and Royal Mail workers will still be out and about making last-minute deliveries. In addition, huge numbers of us will still be hitting the shops this week as there are few chances after the weekend.

The worst-hit roads are expected to be the M25, the M6 and the M40, all of which are better avoided if you have the option. Why not stay put in Windsor instead and enjoy everything the town has to offer at this time of year instead!

Serviced Apartments Proving Increasingly Popular With Business Travel Bookers

Posted: Tue 11 December 2018 at 13:29

Almost one in three business travel buyers said they booked serviced apartments as their accommodation more frequently this year than last year, according to new research carried out ahead of the Business Travel Show.

In addition, a further 35 per cent said they used serviced apartments the same amount as last year.

The serviced apartment sector was the only category of accommodation that saw growth in its use over the year.

The reasons given for choosing serviced apartments over other types of accommodation were numerous, but the top reason was ‘value for money.’ The conveneince of having self-catering facilities came in as the second most frequently given reason, followed by the opportunity to experience the destination like a local. Many also said they liked the fact that serviced apartments gave them a better long-term option for their business travellers.

In a further testament to the growing popularity of serviced apartments for business travellers, only 32 per cent said they don’t use this option at all, down from 42 per cent last year.

David Chapple the event director at the Business Travel Show called the figures “pretty extraordinary,” while the CEO of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers, who carried out the survey, also welcomed the results. He stated: “This year, in particular, we have found that more and more companies are booking two-bedroom or two-bathroom apartments, as colleagues will often share the apartment, making it a more cost-effective choice as well as giving employees working away from home some companionship. A two-bedroom option also provides privacy and collaboration space under one roof.”

Christmas comes to Windsor Castle

Posted: Wed 5 December 2018 at 11:24

Have you ever wondered how the Royal Family spend Christmas? Well, a trip to Windsor Castle over the coming weeks will give you peek inside the Queen’s favourite home during the festive season.

You know it’s officially Christmas at Windsor Castle when the magnificent Christmas Tree in St George’s Hall has arrived. The beautiful 20ft Nordmann Fir tree takes centre stage in the great hall and took a staggering 13 hours to decorate! You can watch a timelapse video of the entire process on the Castle website.

But it’s not just the tree that’s worth visiting the Castle for this Christmas, there are a several other festive events happening in and around the castle over the coming weeks, including workshops and activities for small children each weekend in December.

There are chances for little ones to make their regal own arts and crafts projects, including tree decorations to take home. The workshops are to be inspired by the pantomimes the Queen herself used to stage during wartime at Windsor Castle as a child.

Talking of pantomime, you can buy tickets for a magical storytelling and pantomime performance in St George’s Hall and in the Waterloo Chambers, where the Queen staged her own pantos. The performances run until Sunday 9th December so get your tickets fast.

Finally, around Christmas time, the changing of the Guard takes on a very festive tone, with the band playing popular Christmas songs to the gathering crowds.

Our Guide to Visiting the UK at Christmas

Posted: Tue 4 December 2018 at 11:54

If you are visiting the UK at Christmas and are wondering what us Brits do at this wonderful time of year, look no further!  We’ve put together this little guide just for you.

What do British people do at Christmas time?

The British Christmas is a hybrid of European and American approaches to Christmas. And we also have many traditions that are unique to us. We enjoy very traditional aspects of the typical European Christmas, like Christmas trees, Christmas markets and mulled wine. However, unlike much of Europe, we exchange gifts and eat our Christmas lunch on Christmas day itself, rather than Christmas Eve. We also eat an American-style Christmas lunch of turkey – but we finish it off with the uniquely British Christmas pudding!

As the big day itself approaches, anyone visiting the UK will have more than enough Christmas events to keep them busy. Let’s have a look at some of the most popular British festive pastimes.

Christmas fairs

From major cities to tiny villages across the UK, Christmas fairs will be held. Everywhere from school halls to exhibition centres will play host to these traditional fairs. A christmas fair is usually aimed at families and will involve games, competitions, activities and crafts. You might play games of skill to win sweets, or draw a ticket and see if you win a hamper of goodies (usually wholly useless, but hey, it’s Christmas!). Children may have their face painted or decorate a cookie. They’ll certainly eat their body-weight in sugar.

Fairs like these are popular and plentiful and usually raise money for local charities, so go along and do your bit to support them if possible.

Pantomime

The annual Christmas ‘panto’ is, perhaps, the most typically British of all Christmas traditions. These amusing and shambolic theatre shows are as popular as ever with audiences of all ages. They famously appeal to very small children (mainly due to a lot of falling over) while including enough tongue-in-cheek humour and popular culture references to keep the adults happy.

Going to see a pantomime as a non-British visitor will certainly be a eye-opener. There’s always a man dressed as a woman ( the ‘Dame’) and the audience are encouraged to shout at the actors. Give it a go!

One of the most-loved pantomimes in the South is at Windsor’s Theatre Royal. This year, it’s putting on Dick Whittington, featuring legendary children’s entertainers Basil British and Kevin Cruise.

Christmas markets

Many towns and Cities around the UK now host traditional European-style Christmas markets, complete with carols, mulled wine and traditional crafts. This is a relatively recent addition to our Christmas list of pastimes, but they are gaining popularity fast.

Here’s our choice of the best ones to visit this year:

Bath Christmas Market

You don’t need an excuse to visit the beautiful English town of Bath, but during the Christmas market season, the town is even more magical than usual.  Craftspeople sell their wares from traditional Bavarian-style wooden cabins in the town centre and there’s plenty of delicious and warming snacks and drinks on offer too. This year, the market is only running until 9 December, so you will need to get there quick. For more details, check their website.

London’s Southbank

One of London’s must-visit areas for tourists is the South Bank of the Thames. Right outside the Royal Festival Hall this year is its annual Christmas market, bringing a taste of the Bavarian Black Forest to the capital. You can visit the market right up until 27 December, so there’s plenty of time to enjoy the festivities. Why not make a full day of it by taking in everything else the South Bank has to offer and walking all the way down to the Tate Modern for a touch of world-class modern art to top of your visit.

Edinburgh

For anyone visiting Scotland this Christmas, you’re in for a treat if you make your way to Edinburgh. The City is laying on a mountain of festive events, including a traditional Christmas market and funfair in East Princes Street Gardens.

Traditional pubs

Historic English pubs are simply enchanting at this time of year. You’ll never get a better taste of traditional Britain than when you snuggle up next to a roaring fire in an atmospheric beamed pub with a real ale, glass of wine, or hot chocolate. Check out our guide to the best Windsor pub to visit this Christmas.

Christmas shopping

Not exactly a tradition, but shopping is a necessity at Christmas. The British High Street is struggling to survive in the face of a growing reliance on online shopping but you’ll still see large numbers of panicked shoppers out and about in the days running up to Christmas, desperately trying to find that perfect gift or pick up their turkey and mince pies.

Food markets and farmers markets can be fantastic at Christmas time, with shoppers filling their baskets with produce straight from the grower or maker. Shopping at a traditional department store can also be a fantastic experience at Christmas. Windsor’s own Daniel department store offers a whole host of special events over Christmas and children can even visit Santa at his grotto in store throughout December.

Whatever you get up to when visiting the UK at Christmas, you’re bound to have a very merry time. If in doubt – just grab a mince pie and glass of something warming and you’ll find yourself very much in the British Christmas spirit!

Heathrow Airport strengthens its tech ahead of expansion

Posted: Fri 30 November 2018 at 12:06

Anyone living close to Heathrow Airport will be aware that it is planning to expand with a third runway in the not-to-distant future. It has now teamed up with a company called Copenhagen Optimization to upgrade the technology that forms the backbone of its services in preparation for this expansion.

Copenhagen Optimization offers a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service solution for airports to help them automate processes and better deal with various scenarios. Moving to the cloud-based solution means that Heathrow will be able to cope better with different challenges that its expansion might create. It also means that, for travellers, there are less likely to be delays and the movement through the airport could be quicker and more effective.

Heathrow’s Mark Burgess, the Head of Operational Planning, Performance & Transformation, said the new upgrade “will allow us to decrease wait times and continue to improve operations and passenger experience, as we prepare for the future of airport experience.”

Copenhagen Optimizations managing partner, Kasper Hounsgaard, explained that the ‘Better Airport’ system will mean that Heathrow will be prepared for anything. He said: “With Better Airport, the skilled planning team at Heathrow can optimise and automate their current planning processes, including the ability to quantify any what-if scenarios with hard numbers, which will lead to better resource allocation and higher cost savings. Heathrow is ready for significant future growth.”

Heathrow currently sees some 78 million passengers pass through each year and this is set to increase to a staggering 130 million passengers in the near future.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle set to move to Windsor

Posted: Tue 27 November 2018 at 10:29

A move to Windsor is on the cards for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex come the New Year, according to the Royal household.

An official statement from Buckingham Palace explained:  ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will move to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate early next year as they prepare for the arrival of their first child.’

It was widely reported that the Queen had gifted Adelaide Cottage to the couple as a wedding present and that the pair were very fond of Windsor as a place to live and raise children. However, it has now been confirmed that the more modest Frogmore Cottage overlooking Frogmore House will be their first home as a family.

Living away from London, in a more private setting, will help them stay away from unwanted press attention. the couple will also have the pleasure of living within a short walk of the venues for both their wedding ceremony (St George’s Chapel) and their evening wedding reception (Frogmore House) back in May 2018.

The official statement continued: ‘Windsor is a very special place for Their Royal Highnesses and they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate.

Frogmore cottage is reportedly undergoing renovation in preparation for Harry and Meghan’s move in early 2019. The premises has five bedrooms and has recently been split into separate homes to house Royal staff. Therefore, the renovation is necessary to return the cottage to a single household.