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Don't Expect To Be Able To Tweet Your Royal Sightings At The Technophobic Goring

Where: 15 Beeston Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

An interesting fact we learned last week – looks like Kate Middleton isn’t a geek, techie or social media addict. How do we know? Because when we rocked up to her fave hotel, The Goring, just round the corner from Buckingham Palace and where she stayed the night before her wedding, and partied the night of it, we were confronted by this sign in the lounge, where they serve breakfast.

The Goring Lounge is a place for you to relax and unwind. So we ask you to help us preserve your fellow guests’ sense of tranquility…
Please…
· switch off your mobile telephone
· let us look after your computer
· hide away all those business papers
· sit back and relax!

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Prince Harry and The Curious Case of The Goring Hotel Balcony Jump

Where: Beeston Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

Did Prince Harry jump from a balcony at The Goring Hotel the night before the Royal Wedding? The Daily Mail sure hopes thinks so, citing an anonymous source who said Prince Harry was the life of the party until 3am when he leaped off a balcony from the hotel's veranda.

The paper has even created a helpful diagram to show us how Hot Ginger may have done the act. But apparently, he was not so suave in pulling off the feat. The hotel waiter source tells the Mail:

He had struggled to climb up the railings to get into position, so when he jumped over the edge he did so rather unsteadily and landed awkwardly next to a flower bed.

'He flinched for just a moment before he stood up, rubbing his ankle. Then he looked up, smiled and waved to a roar of cheers before disappearing on to the lawn where there was a secret exit.

Royals, they are just like us! They do stupid things at rehearsal dinners too, making them unbearably hungover for the big day.

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Will the Royal Couple Make Suite Love at The Goring?

Where: Beeston Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

It was rumored that Kate Middleton would be spending her last night as a free lady at The Goring and now it seems she may even spend her first night hitched there. There are rumors floating out there—indeed a little more than a rumor—that this year's most-toasted couple may hole up in the five-star hotel before flitting off on the real honeymoon.

And why wouldn’t they? After all the hotel is on the brink of debuting a special Royal Suite in April, just in time for the big nuptial event. The new suite, designed by hot hotel designer of the moment Russell Sage, will be spread over the whole top floor of the hotel; the idea being it's like someone’s home rather than a hotel room. Further details include that the suite will have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study, a baby grand piano and Juliet-style balconies.

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Kate Middleton's Royal Bachelorette Party May Go Down at The Goring

Where: Beeston Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

Looks like princess-to-be Kate Middleton is thinking about spending her last night as a free lady at The Goring. Bachlorette party! We wonder if the royal stripper will pay her a visit on the evening before the big day.

Middleton is mulling over spending the night at The Goring on the eve of her April 29 nuptials to Prince William because it's where her family and pals will shack up for the wedding extravaganza.

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Next On Our List of London Hotel Tea Times: The Goring

Where: Beeston Place, Grosvenor Gardens, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

Next time we're in London and looking for the best afternoon tea in town, we know where we'll try next: The Goring.

We just happened to stroll past the proud facade of the stately hotel recently, and sitting as it does around the corner from Buckingham Palace, we hear that taking tea here comes with a slight chance of being in the company of royals. Of course, it'll cost ya. Afternoon tea service here runs from 25 GBP ($38) per person for the regular selection, or 34 GBP ($52) per person for the whole deal with a glass of champagne. And we haven't even talked about room rates yet, which occasionally dip as low as $450 a night, but that's if you're lucky.

Perhaps we'll return when the outdoor terrace opens up in mid-May, and then we have our tea and our royals and our champagne and our sunshine, too.

[Photo: HotelChatter]

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Get Your Goose Properly Cooked Next Month At The Goring

Where: Beeston Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

There’s nothing like obscure traditions to liven up a hotel stay. So this one at the posh Goring in London should be fun. This September, it’s going to be serving "Michaelmas Goose"—or, to you and me, goose, because it’s Michaelmas.

In days gone by, it was traditional to eat roast goose on St. Michael’s Day (September 29, to you and me again), to mark the end of the harvest. So, although the hotel will not be harvesting anything this year, they’ll be serving up roast goose in the restaurant from Monday, September 28 to Saturday, October 3. Apparently this makes them “one of very few places” to serve Michaelmas goose. We ain’t surprised.

If you’re up for roast goose with all the trimmings, you can choose from lunch (£35 for three courses) or dinner (£47.50). in the mean time, we might just place a bet on what they’ll come up with next. Maybe a spot of hunting in the back garden?

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It's Hot Time For Tea Al Fresco At The Goring

Where: Beeston Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

Two weeks ago, the Met Office declared that Britain was in for a scorcher of a summer. Great for the holidaymakers among us, but for those of us who have to work through it in London, the temperatures (up to 40 degrees has been predicted) are not such welcome news.

But here's something to make us feel a little brighter. The Goring hotel (in mega-posh Belgravia, local of the royals and all that) is launching a special Country Garden Tea from next Tuesday until the end of August.

On the menu: your usual scones and sarnies (guineafowl and wild mushroom, anyone?) but also things like lavender crème brulee, elderflower and strawberry tartlet, and apple jelly and blackberry foam with crumble. Yum.

And how's this for a setting? Said tea is taken on the terrace overlooking the garden – or rather the largest private hotel garden in central London. That, plus the new Summer Sting champagne cocktail with apple juice and nettle cordial, will do us nicely.

The tea is available May 19th to August 31st, and costs £32.50. Make your reservations now.

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Toast the Queen at The Goring On Thursday

Where: Beeston Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1W 0JW

Not that the Brits are always ones to be patriotic, but it's St George's Day on Thursday. And while for most of us that means a day in the office as usual, the Goring Hotel in London has other ideas. And it involves stuffing our faces.

Of course, if there was one hotel to celebrate St George's, it would be the Goring. It's 'round the corner from Buckingham Palace and has regular royal visits, as well as counting Margaret Thatcher and Tory leader David Cameron among its clientele.

For Thursday, they propose an all-English lunch menu. And it's not half bad either: home-made potted shrimps, then roast rib of beef and Yorkshire pudding, and rounded off with baked rhubarb and custard tart, with crumble ice cream. Looks like the only foodie stereotype they’re missing is fish 'n' chips.

Not that we're complaining – it sounds delish. As well it should, for £40 a head. We're telling ourselves it's our patriotic duty to go. It's the Queen's birthday today and everything, so there's a double excuse.