March 9–16, 2024
London and Oxford, England
C. S. Lewis surmised, “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” With this spirit, we invite you to join Victoria Editor Melissa Lester and Associate Editor Leslie Bennett Smith for an unforgettable week in England centered around the complementary pleasures of reading and teatime. From our accommodations at five-star boutique hotel The Milestone, explore London before escaping to Oxford, where we will settle in at landmark hotel The Randolph before immersing ourselves in the City of Dreaming Spires. Highlights of the trip include private events at Blenheim Palace and Highclere Castle, as well as a visit to the countryside for creative workshops with former Artist-in-Residence Annie Sloan and gardening expert Arthur Parkinson. Save plenty of room in your suitcase for collected treasures and signed books!
What’s Included
- Three nights at five-star boutique London hotel The Milestone
- Four nights at landmark Oxford hotel The Randolph
- Exclusive private events at Blenheim Palace and Highclere Castle
- Creative workshops with 2020 Artist-in-Residence Annie Sloan and gardening expert Arthur Parkinson
- Guided tours of the V&A Museum, Westminster Abbey, and The Kilns
- A private showing of antique and vintage jewelry by art historian and gemologist Zuleika Gerrish
- A lecture by the foremost C. S. Lewis scholar in the world in the library of the beloved author’s former home
- Daily breakfasts, four afternoon teas, and some lunches and dinners
- Travel by private coach to all excursions
What’s Not Included
- Airfare/travel to and from London
- Airport transfers
- Some lunches and dinners
What’s Included
- Three nights at five-star boutique London hotel The Milestone
- Four nights at landmark Oxford hotel The Randolph
- Exclusive private events at Blenheim Palace and Highclere Castle
- Creative workshops with 2020 Artist-in-Residence Annie Sloan and gardening expert Arthur Parkinson
- Guided tours of the V&A Museum, Westminster Abbey, and The Kilns
- A private showing of antique and vintage jewelry by art historian and gemologist Zuleika Gerrish
- A lecture by the foremost C. S. Lewis scholar in the world in the library of the beloved author’s former home
- Daily breakfasts, four afternoon teas, and some lunches and dinners
- Travel by private coach to all excursions
What’s Not Included
- Airfare/travel to and from London
- Airport transfers
- Some lunches and dinners
Limited spots are available for plus ones, with the retreat attendee participating in all excursions and a traveling companion included in the welcome tea, the closing dinner in Oxford, and activities on travel days.
What’s Included
- Three nights at five-star boutique London hotel The Milestone
- Four nights at landmark Oxford hotel The Randolph
- Exclusive private event at Blenheim Palace
- Guided tour of Westminster Abbey
- Daily breakfasts, two afternoon teas, one lunch, and one dinner
- Travel by private coach between hotels
What’s Not Included
- Airfare/travel to and from London
- Airport transfers
Have a question about the Live Your Bliss Retreat? Contact Us.
JOIN OUR WAITLIST
If you’d like to join our waitlist, please email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com.
In case of a vacancy, we will reach out to interested parties in the order of emails received.
Please include first and last name, address, phone number, and your destination of interest in your email.
Saturday, March 9:
Arrive in London and settle into The Milestone Hotel & Residences, a luxury five-star hotel located in the heart of one of London’s most culturally vibrant boroughs. Enjoy a welcome afternoon tea at the hotel so you can meet Victoria Editor Melissa Lester, Associate Editor Leslie Bennett Smith, and your fellow travelers. After our teatime, you are free to explore the city at your leisure.
Sunday, March 10:
After breakfast, enjoy a quiet morning before exploring the sites of London with Melissa Lester and Leslie Bennett Smith. Travel by private coach to the Chelsea location of Peggy Porschen, recognized as one of the prettiest cafés in the world, for a light lunch of regional fare. Art historian, gemologist, and proprietor of Parkin & Gerrish Zuleika Gerrish joins to dazzle us with her collection of antique and vintage jewels, along with tales of their provenance. Enjoy shopping along posh King’s Road before heading to the Victoria & Albert Museum, where we will enjoy a private tour of tea-related museum sites. When we return to The Milestone, you are free to enjoy the rest of the evening at your leisure.
Monday, March 11:
After breakfast, check out of The Milestone to travel by private coach to Blenheim Palace, a magnificent country estate in Oxfordshire. During this outing, enjoy coffee and pastries upon arrival, a private tour of the State Rooms, and a guided walk through The Winston Churchill Exhibition. Stroll the Churchill Memorial Path before sitting down to lunch in The Orangery. In the afternoon, collect your complimentary guidebook and depart for nearby Oxford, known as The City of Dreaming Spires. Settle in at The Randolph Hotel, a historic landmark nestled within the University of Oxford, before gathering in the Lancaster Room for a chef-prepared afternoon tea. Contributing photographer Jane Hope, who captured the coronation of King Charles III for Victoria, joins as our special guest for the day’s events. Bring a lovely edition of your favorite book for a fun exchange, along with a book club–style discussion of beloved titles, led by Melissa and Leslie. At the close of teatime, you are free to enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Tuesday, March 12:
After breakfast at The Randolph, depart via private coach for a day of creative inspiration at British interior designer Josephine Maydon’s Ashbrook House, a former farmworkers cottage nestled within the peaceful surrounds of English meadows dotted with sheep. The morning begins in the venue’s airy workshop space, where 2020 Artist-in-Residence Annie Sloan will demonstrate techniques using her signature paints, brushes, and other products before leading us in decorating a keepsake box. Private caterer Matilda Carr—known for petal-strewn organic fare and lovely tableaux—will provide a light lunch as well as morning and afternoon refreshments in the main house. Afternoon unfolds with English gardening guru Arthur Parkinson, author of several books, including the forthcoming Planting a Paradise, which he will sign and illustrate for attendees. At the close of this delightful excursion, return via private coach to The Randolph, where you may enjoy the evening at your leisure. For those who would like to attend Choral Evensong, walk with Melissa and Leslie to Christ Church Cathedral to enjoy this reverent service.
Wednesday, March 13:
After breakfast at The Randolph, depart via private coach for an excursion to Highclere Castle, site of filming for beloved costume drama Downton Abbey. With the country estate closed to the public on the morning we arrive, our party will be greeted in the Saloon—a room at the heart of the castle with a 75-foot-high glazed ceiling, a magnificent open fireplace, and a Gothic-style minstrel gallery—for a brief welcome before we embark on a private guided tour through the seventeenth-century castle’s state rooms and bedrooms. Next, descend to the cellars to explore the Egyptian Exhibition, which highlights the centennial of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Afterward, enjoy chef-prepared refreshments in the Coach House Tearooms. Following our teatime, explore the gardens and collect your signed copy of Lady Carnarvon’s book At Home at Highclere. In mid-afternoon, return via private coach to The Randolph, where you may enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.
Thursday, March 14:
After breakfast at The Randolph, set out on foot for a guided walking tour of Oxford sites relating to C. S. Lewis. Following lunch on your own, depart via private coach for The Kilns, the beloved author’s former home. Following a guided tour of the property, gather in the library for a lecture from literary critic and theologian Dr. Michael Ward, who is recognized as the foremost C. S. Lewis scholar in the world. As the sun begins to set, depart for The Randolph. Our evening culminates with a dinner of regional fare at The Ivy Oxford Brasserie.
Friday, March 15:
After a breakfast, check out of The Randolph and depart via private coach for London, where we will enjoy afternoon tea in the elegant environs of The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. Continuing our theme of tea and books, shop loose-leaf blends at Fortnum & Mason before perusing the volumes at London’s oldest bookshop, Hatchards. The afternoon holds a visit to Westminster Abbey for a special coronation-related guided tour. Afterward, we will depart for The Milestone, and you may enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Saturday, March 16:
Depart for home with a heart brimming with memories and a suitcase full of signed books and collected treasures.
Accommodations
Experience the pampering luxury of The Milestone in London and The Randolph in Oxford.
Registration
To ask questions or initiate registration, email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com. Messages will be answered in the order received, and a Victoria staff member will take your payment by phone.
Booking
Fifty percent of your balance is due at booking, with the remaining balance paid by November 15, 2023. We accept payment by American Express, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Amazon Pay. Trip prices are in US dollars.
Travel to and from London
Guests are responsible for travel to London, England, and The Milestone on March 9, 2024, when the retreat commences. Guests will be responsible for getting themselves from The Milestone to the airport or their next destination on March 16.
Costs
Single-occupancy, double-occupancy, and “plus one” guest rates are available.
The price of the trip includes hotel accommodations for March 9–16, all breakfasts, lunch at Blenheim Palace, afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason, and transportation by private coach throughout the retreat. Single- and double-occupancy rates also include afternoon tea at The Randolph, plus excursions to Highclere Castle, Ashbrook, and The Kilns. The “plus one” guest package allows for one participant in all retreat events and a traveling companion who shares the hotel stay, daily breakfasts, transportation to Oxford (including a visit to Blenheim Palace) and travel to London (including afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason) but will not attend other excursions.
Your credit card will be charged by Hoffman Media, the parent company of Victoria.
Cancellation
Since the trip is nonrefundable, we suggest buying trip insurance.
If you don’t purchase travel insurance, you agree to indemnify us against any charges that might otherwise be covered by your insurance. You further agree that we are not responsible for any costs of cancellation or costs related to COVID-19. Due to COVID-19, there may be limitations relating to activities. Certain services and amenities may be reduced or unavailable as a result of changing circumstances. Please know that we are working closely with our partners to plan and execute a safe retreat for our guests, but there is an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 when traveling. By booking this retreat, you acknowledge and assume these risks associated with travel. Please note that we will be monitoring travel advisories related to the COVID-19 pandemic closely.
Have a question about this Live Your Bliss Retreat? Email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com.
Can I extend my stay at the hotel?
If you’d like to inquire about additional nights at the hotel, please email victoriaevents@hoffmanmedia.com.
Is breakfast included?
Breakfast will be included in your stay at The Milestone in London and The Randolph in Oxford.
Are children able to attend this retreat?
All participants must be 18 years old or older to attend this retreat.
What should I plan to wear during retreat events?
Attire for the welcome tea will be smart casual. Daytime excursions will be smart casual with comfortable walking shoes. In March, average temperatures in London range from the upper 40s to mid 50s, so please dress comfortably for the season and current forecast. Retreat events will proceed, rain or shine.
Are the workshops hands-on?
Our workshops with Annie Sloan and Arthur Parkinson will include both lectures and hands-on activities.
Will we have any free time?
You will have free time to rest or explore London on Saturday evening, Sunday morning, and Friday evening. In Oxford, evenings will be free on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with the option of joining Melissa and Leslie for Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesday evening.
I want to bring my travel companion but they don’t want to participate in excursions or workshops. What can they do?
We invite your travel companion to join us for breakfasts and excursions to Blenheim Palace and Fortnum & Mason on the way to and from London. During our other excursions and during afternoon tea at The Randolph, your travel companion can explore on their own.
