3 Course Dinner with Prosecco at the Swan at The Globe and River Cruise for 2 Review
Reviewed by Joanne Hughes
A Thames Delight
Whether you’re looking for that something extraordinary for a loved one, a day out with a difference for a special friend, or a fantastic experience for you and your family, Buyagift has a great variety of inspiring ideas.
I had the lucky opportunity of reviewing a ‘ Three Course Dinner with Prosecco at the Swan at The Globe and River Cruise for Two’. Upon receipt of the voucher through the post it was easy to redeem online, simply enter the voucher codes to find the details on how to book the restaurant – there was no need to book the cruise but to redeem the voucher at the ticket booth.
Making the reservation with the Swan was easy with a quick telephone call – they had plenty of availability for the day we wished to go, and applied our voucher number to the reservation with ease. When we had to cancel and rebook due to work commitments, the restaurant staff were wonderful and simply transferred our booking over. In addition, they were very accommodating and allowed us to make an earlier reservation than the timings stated on the voucher, in order that we could make the last train home, as they advise it is a two hour sitting.
On the day we were able to go, we had fabulous sunshine, so we were looking forward to a cruise on the Thames. On arriving in Victoria station, it was a pleasant twenty minute walk past Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament to the Westminster Pier to join the City Cruises boat. The timing of the next trip was displayed on the ticket booth, and the cruises go every forty minutes between 10am and 6pm. Our voucher allowed us a hop-on hop-off ticket for two which was valid for 24 hours. Following an initial hiccup with the voucher, due to having been sent a combined voucher for both the cruise and the restaurant (this was easily resolved by the manager, but it had meant we had to wait for the manager to arrive, though we didn’t miss the next boat), we joined the queue to board.
On-board we found a seat by the window so we could take pictures as we cruised along. After purchasing a glass of wine each from the on-board bar, which had a good selection of snacks and beverages at reasonable prices, we settled in to enjoy the trip to Tower Pier. The cruise took forty minutes and we passed by the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the London Eye, the Shard, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tower of London and ended our trip just before passing under Tower Bridge. There was a very informative commentary given during the trip, which included lots of anecdotes to make you smile. Unfortunately, we were limited for time so were only able to do the one trip, as it would be lovely to have been able to spend the whole day in London and really appreciate the 24-hour hop-on hop-off ticket.
From Tower Pier we made our way west on foot, crossing over the Thames to the south side and stopping at a lovely bar with outside seating next to the river, at which we met a lovely American couple who were very interested in hearing about the Buyagift website, and the offers that it has. We then continued on to the Swan restaurant/pub at Shakespeare’s Globe. This fabulous restaurant is housed in a lovely historical building next door to the Globe Theatre, and is furnished with twentieth century classic-style furniture (I later discovered that they also aid the funding of the Globe Theatre charity, which is great). The staff greeted us warmly and led us upstairs to a table by the window, affording us a spectacular view of the Thames river. We were limited to the Theatre Menu but the selection was not disappointing. After taking our order, the waitress quickly brought us our glass of Prosecco and we raised a toast to our wonderful half-day out. The food came quickly, and was delicious – cooked by the fabulous chef Allan Pickett, I later discovered! The staff were very attentive and conversational, and we had a very enjoyable evening. We would highly recommend this restaurant – great location, fabulous views, exquisite food, and terrific staff.
Buyagift offers flexibility and great value. They have a thirty day refund policy, or you may exchange or extend your voucher if necessary. We had a lovely day thanks to Buyagift, though it would be more suitable if there were earlier timings for the restaurant to allow people living a little further from London the opportunity to enjoy this experience and still make their way home at the end of the day.
So whether you are looking for a great day out, a relaxing spa, or a racing car driving experience, it’s worth visiting their website to book one of their extensive, great-value choices – and enjoy!!
Rating: 4/5
RRP: £88
Available to buy from buyagift here.
