FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
2013
GBTA
2013 / December 2013
Nov 18, 2013

ME London

Arrival/Check-In: I arrived at the hotel after a not-too-long early-morning taxi ride from Paddington Station. The hotel is on the site of the Gaiety Theatre, where shows were at one time as famous as the Ziegfeld Follies in New York, and next to Marconi House, the former headquarters of the BBC and the site of the first BBC radio broadcast in 1922. This is where the hotel’s Radio Bar gets its name. The entrance is at the very point where the Strand meets the Aldwych. It is a pleasant surprise as you enter the somewhat austere building to find a Eurosleek edgy interior of black marble and gleaming stainless steel. The reception desk is one level up in what has to be one of the most interesting one-of-a-kind spaces anywhere. It is shaped like the inside of a hollow obelisk that soars nine stories to the top of the building, where a skylight gives you a view of blue sky or clouds. It’s this reception area that sets the tone of your stay, meaning you can expect the unexpected.

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2013 / December 2013
Nov 18, 2013

The Phoenician, Scottsdale

Arrival/Check-In: We pulled into the vast main entrance of The Phoenician a little after 8 p.m. The street lamps offered a glimpse of the exquisite landscaping and expansive grounds of the property. At first it felt like a large, gated community with multiple buildings and driveways, a bit overwhelming for a weary traveler. But before I had to choose a route, I was asked to stop at a small gatehouse where staff directed me to the main lobby and called ahead to let them know I had arrived. A valet took my car, and I was in my room within minutes.