Celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee River Pageant with us on the River Thames

 

Let the countdown begin to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

To celebrate the Queen's Jubilee there will be a 1000 boat pageant from tower bridge to just past Battersea bridge on Sunday, the 3rd of June. 

Hotel Rafayel offers the best vantage points to watch the majestic regatta go by from 9:00 am to 7 p.m. and will offer special packages - from breakfast to lunch to afternoon tea to dinner - all-in-one. So stay tuned to these offers coming your way soon to mark this extraordinary occasion the Rafayel way! 

The Queen is to head a 1,000-strong flotilla of boats during a spectacular River Thames celebration marking her 60-year reign, it was announced yesterday.

The Diamond Jubilee River Pageant will be one of the highlights of a special four-day bank holiday weekend next June created so the nation can mark the monarch's milestone.

The extravaganza, expected to be the largest flotilla created in decades, is the first major public event marking the Jubilee to be announced.

The Queen will be on a vessel at the head of a fleet made up of boats from the UK, Commonwealth countries and the wider world.

More than a million people are expected to flock to the banks of the Thames to witness the celebrations on Sunday June 3 this year which will integrate music, daytime fireworks and special effects.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, speaking ahead of the event's launch, said: "I cannot conceive of a more fitting celebration of Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne than a majestic flotilla of vessels, large and small, winding their way along the iconic River Thames and showcasing our proud maritime history.

"This magnificent pageant will not only provide a terrific focal point for Diamond Jubilee commemorations, but will demonstrate to the world London's pride in its heritage and traditions."

The Queen reached her milestone on February 6 2012 - the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

The flotilla of up to 1,000 vessels is expected to be seven and a half miles long and will feature a mix of historic and modern boats in both private and commercial hands.

Everything from rowing boats and sailing ships to steamers, wooden launches and larger motorised craft will be represented and the public are invited to take part with their own vessels.

The flotilla will be made up of five sections each separated by a "herald barge", the first of which will be a floating belfry of eight new bells cast by the Whitechapel Bell foundry in east London and commissioned by the 17th century City Church of St James Garlickhythe.

Their peals will be answered and echoed by chimes from riverbank churches along the route.

Other barges will feature water jets and sprays, reminiscent of the old Thames firefighting boats, live entertainment and music from the six decades of the Queen's reign, and a pyrotechnic barge which will entertain the crowds with daytime fireworks and a mechanical flame-spitting dragon.

The water-borne parade will include representatives from the Armed Forces and the emergency services and passenger boats carrying up to 30,000 people.

The Government designated Tuesday June 5, 2012 as a bank holiday for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and, to enable a four-day weekend of celebrations, the late May bank holiday has been moved to Monday June 4.

The pageant is being organised by the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation chaired by Lord Salisbury and funded by private donations and sponsorships.

Lord Salisbury said: "We are planning the greatest Thames flotilla for 350 years to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee.

"I believe that we should recognise her 60 years of selfless public service with an event that can properly express our admiration and gratitude. The pageant is just that."

For more information, go to: http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/EventInformation.aspx

Find out more on our offers in our latest Newsletter

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Breakfast at Rafayel - pictures speak a thousand words

It is common knowledge that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We at Rafayel care for our guests' gastronomical sensitivities in this modern era of awareness on health and fitness.  Our buffet offers an array of food and beverage choices - from breads to dairy to fruits to meats to cereals - to suit everyone's palate where they can enjoy a guilt-free breakfast. Bon appetit!

Because your mother is special... express your feelings this Mother's Day - 9-12 March 2012

Hotel Rafayel on the Left Bank | 34 Lombard Road | London SW11 3RF

email: reservations@hotelrafayel.com

Telephone: +44 (0) 207 801 3600

Proud to be the recipient of the tribute paid by MP Jane Ellison

The biggest St. Patrick's Day event in Rafayel history

Save the Date! Saturday, 17th March 2012.

This year's St. Patrick's Day aims to be even bigger and better than before, with plenty of Irish music, drinks and LIVE IRISH DANCES (performed by professional dancers)

Book now and receive a free pint of beer upon arrival

Tickets £20 and for hotel guests £15

London, since 2002, has had an annual Saint Patrick's Day parade which takes place on weekends around the 17th, usually in Trafalgar Square.  The festival is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland. It originated as a Catholic holiday and became an official feast day in the early 17th century. It has gradually become more of a secular celebration of Irish culture.

  
In 2008 the water in the Trafalgar Square fountains was dyed green. Originally, the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick's Day grew.  Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day.

Hopefully the party will be the talk of the town!

Hotel Rafayel on the Left Bank, 34 Lombard Road, London SW11 3RF

email: reservations@hotelrafayel.com

Telephone: +44 (0) 207 801 3600

A new approach for a renewed Battersea

2012 is truly an exciting year to be in London. However, once the world’s attention has moved on from the Olympics the attention of developers, planners, architects and construction industry will shift wholesale to Battersea.

The Mayor's planning framework for Nine Elms includes 16,000 new homes, 2 new tube stations, the new American Embassy and a new Covent Garden Market. A predicted 25,000 new jobs will be created as the area is transformed into a world class residential and business quarter. There is also internet chatter about Chelsea football club relocating to the south side of the river, the redevelopment of Wandsworth Town Centre, and the Ram Brewery Site.

The area has undergone a rapid period of change over the past decade. Despite the recent recession this transformation continues and the next decade will bring even greater changes. Improvements to our infrastructure, the requirement for more homes and better integration of public transport and public spaces will shape the area. Battersea is an exciting place to be now and for the foreseeable future and this is why we have launched our architectural practice One‐world Design here.

The One‐world design view is that there is a link between the economy, society, and our environment and architecture is part of how we can change it for the better‐ architecture should serve the community. We live and work in Battersea and care about what happens here. One‐world design has big ideas and the energy to make them happen and we are putting our manifesto into practice.

Battersea is famous for it’s the Dogs and Cats Home. When the opportunity arose to develop a scheme for 2 new kennel blocks we produced designs for the Home pro‐bono. The proposals were well received and may become part of the Homes long term plans which are undergoing a review. We hope to be able to work with them further in future.

Wandsworth has the most river frontage of any inner London borough, and Battersea has fantastic river side amenities and ample opportunity to create more. With two new hotels, including the award winning Hotel Rafayel, and several restaurants along the river east of Wandsworth Bridge an evening economy is growing along the tranquil riverside walk.

A new connection between Chelsea Harbor and Battersea would be beneficial to the communities, transport links and businesses on both sides of the river. With the support of Hotel Rafayel, Oneworld design and Expedition Engineering have progressed designs for a new bridge. We are aiming to submit The Jubilee Bridge, named due to its timing and its proximity to the departure point of Her Majesty the Queen as she joins the Diamond Jubilee Flotilla, for planning approval by the end of March 2012.

http://www.one-worlddesign.co.uk/