Castles, Crown Jewels and a capsule on the London Eye, all privately guided.
Four nights in London with a private guide, planned for children and the adults with them. The Tower's gates unlocked by a Yeoman Warder before opening and first in line for the Crown Jewels, the Ceremony of the Keys at 9:30 p.m., the Churchill War Rooms behind the glass before the doors open, and the tomb of St Edward the Confessor with an Abbey verger.
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Days 1 to 5 · four nights
A private capsule on the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey with a verger for Poets' Corner, the royal tombs and the tomb of St Edward the Confessor, which general visitors cannot reach. At the Tower of London, the gates unlocked by a Yeoman Warder before the public arrives, then first in line for the Crown Jewels; late one evening, the Ceremony of the Keys at 9:30 p.m., booked when tickets are released at the start of the month before. Borough Market and street art, the Churchill War Rooms on a private tour before the doors open, a family quest in the British Museum before it opens, tracking the thief who has stolen the Rosetta Stone through the empty galleries with codes, trackers and lockboxes, a visit for young fans of a certain boy wizard, and St Paul's, with a look into the cathedral library and the Great Model, Wren's original design. By special arrangement, Tower Bridge can be raised as you sail beneath it on a privately chartered historic wooden sailing barge, with a picnic on board. At Horse Guards, the director of the Household Cavalry Museum can lead a private tour of the museum of the regiments that guard the Sovereign and the royal palaces. On the river, HMS Belfast can open after closing for a private tour with one of the Ship's Company, behind the barriers and into the Gun Turret Experience of the Battle of North Cape, and at Shakespeare's Globe a private demonstration of Elizabethan stage combat can be arranged on the stage itself. One day out at Windsor Castle and St George's Chapel, cycling in Windsor Great Park.
Where you stay
The Savoy has stood beside the Thames near Covent Garden since 1889, and many of its rooms and suites look out over the river or the city. Families have two-bedroom rooms, babysitters, children's menus and child-size robes, and everyone has the atrium pool, the Savoy Grill and the American Bar.
A Yeoman Warder and a soldier unlock the Middle Tower gates before opening, and the 50 guests a day go straight to the head of the line for the Crown Jewels; child tickets from five, under-fives free; offered in season, with dates confirmed at booking.
Private one-hour tours for up to 10 people between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m., before the museum opens, with access behind the glass into the rooms where Churchill and his War Cabinet worked.
By special arrangement, Tower Bridge is raised as you sail beneath it on a privately chartered historic wooden sailing barge, with a picnic served on board.
A 90-minute verger-led tour, Monday to Saturday, to parts of Westminster Abbey not open to general visitors, among them the tomb of St Edward the Confessor.
A private tour of the ship after public closing hours with one of the Ship's Company: behind the barriers, the Gun Turret Experience of the Battle of North Cape and the interactive Operations Room.
A private demonstration of Elizabethan stage combat, on the stage of Shakespeare's Globe, by arrangement.
Subject to availability.
This is a sample. The hotels, the pace and the order are where we start, not where we finish: every journey is designed around the people taking it.
Most travel is bought. This is designed.
Before anything is booked, we talk: who is travelling, how you like to spend a morning, and the hotel preferences below the obvious, from the kind of bath you like to the time you wake and how much daylight you need in a room. You see options where options matter and clean recommendations where they don't.
The same person remains your point of contact from the first reply to the trip after next. No handovers. No team.
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