Five Reasons To Travel To London With Adams & Butler

I have had the fortune of visiting London more times than I can count and even lived in the dynamic city for a study-abroad semester during my senior year of college. I thought I had seen it all, done it all and knew a lot— especially since I’m a travel writer and make it a point to unearth the lesser-known gems in addition to the major touristy sites in any destination I’m in.

But then, I planned a trip to London with the luxury Dublin-based travel company Adams & Butler, and it was almost as if I saw the city for the first time. I went with my pre-teen and teenaged daughters, and our itinerary gave us a new lens into a familiar place that yielded a trove of discoveries and had us enjoy an unparalleled level of service and luxury.

Siobhan Byrne founded and owns the company. She’s very hands-on with her clients and collaborated with me to plan our trip. But before putting forth any suggestions, she took the time to ask me about what me and my children were interested in, what kind of pace we wanted to travel at and the kinds of restaurants we preferred. Our itinerary was customized for us down to the last detail.

Rather than keep praising without giving specifics, let me tell you five reasons you should plan your next London getaway with Adams & Butler.

The Bespoke Service and Customization

As I’ve already shared, our itinerary was bespoke to the tee. Siobhan questioned me like a good reporter and delivered a “story” that was spot on. As she says, “We do our best to arrange for clients unusual private experiences when they visit London. The itinerary can also evolve as the client is traveling, and often the itinerary is a reveal, with each new layer being an experience within an experience. We pride ourselves on offering privileged access to private places and people. We want our clients not just to see and do, but rather to feel and engage.”

Besides the personalization, the great thing about Adams & Butler was the instant access to a staff member who was on-hand to troubleshoot if I ran into any issues (thankfully, I didn’t). “Call anytime,” Siobhan said, “and rest assured, we’ll be there.”

The Relationships

You know the saying that you have to know someone to get VIP treatment and insider access? Well, that someone is Adams & Butler. The company has incredible relationships with hotel owners and managers who treat clients like celebrities- think upgrades, sizable amenities, freebies such as food and beverage credit and more.

Siobhan shares the following example: “Recently we had a client who had to change the date of their trip, but one of their family must-dos, was the Chocolate Afternoon Tea at the One Aldwych Hotel. Sadly, their new dates in London did not coincide with the days that the Afternoon Tea was held, we were so happy when the hotel agreed to open and offer the family an exclusive private Chocolate Afternoon Tea so the daughter’s wish would come true at no extra expense!”

Tell me, when would that ever happen without having an inner connection?

The Guides

The guides that Adams & Butler relies on to lead clients on its excursions aren’t just your cookie-cutter tour guides who give you a standard experience. They really know their stuff and are a treasure trove of knowledge which they share with you in an exciting, interactive way.

Case in point: my two jet-lagged daughters were fully engaged during every excursion despite being tired and a bit out of sorts. In another example, I have some food allergies including gluten and allium, and one guide actually visited- not just called- a pub that he wanted us to try for lunch to make sure that the kitchen could accommodate.

That pub turned out to be a keeper with the best food.

According to Siobhan, “Our guides are the jewel in our crown – they make us look good. It is they who spend right hours a day with our clients, not us. All our guides are carefully handpicked so that they are an extension of ourselves. They are interesting, charming people who have lived real lives. They tell you anecdotes and interesting facts that they would not reveal with other people. They engage with you, and they share their own story. They are the moments clients member fondly afterwards with raw emotion. “

The Experiences

The company’s tours are incredible: we got a private tour of the Drury Theater, the oldest continuously operating theater in the world , that was more akin to watching a gripping play, toured less traversed parts of touristry Greenwich, got private access to the opening ceremony of the Beefeaters at the Tower of London (we were the first ones in!) and saw the inner workings of a royal jeweler.

We also got a tour of the area around St. Paul’s and learned about London’s Roman roots and saw a hidden amphitheater where gladiators once entertained crowds. Who know that it even existed?

“As well as private visits we can also arrange some amazing day trips,” Siobhan told me. “All clients are different. However, one of my favorites without a doubt would be a tour of Burroughs Market with the renowned chef Celia Brook. It’s what Londoners do at the weekend, it’s a buzzy, vibrant place and can be customized to suit clients’ particular tastes, loves and dislikes. I have done it four times and the visit is always different as new purveyors are included and the tours keep on evolving.”

“Another favorite is one based on a Winston Churchill theme. He was such a character, and itineraries based on his life are always popular with young and old, whether history buffs or not. Clients love visiting the War Rooms privately and Blenheim Castle his family home, and discover his favorite tipples and haunts. Clients love visiting Chequers, the country estate of the serving Prime Minister, and accessing the inaccessible. A lot of clients with military and naval interests also enjoy a visit to Greenwich to visit the Naval Museum and to see a hidden lesser-known dateline on a suburban street.”

The VIP Airport Service

Anyone who has flown in and out of Heathrow knows that it’s no easy airport to navigate. The distances between check-in and the gates are far— sometimes a 20 minute walk. The lines are long, and the security is super, super strict. With the VIP airport service from Adams & Butler, however, we zipped right through. Our airport concierge or greeter, as they are called, contacted us the day before departure through What’s App, gave us his name and told us to contact him with any questions.

He met us at the curb when we were dropped off, led us to the head of the security line because of his relationships with the staff and held our carry-ons while we shopped. He stayed with us all the way until we boarded and was a godsend.

“Adams & Butler can provide a VIP service on arrival and departure which whisks you through the airport to ensure a seamless transition, skipping the queues,” Siobhan says.

I can tell you from personal experience, it’s true.