We were invited to spend the evening enjoying their Sunset experience, and made our way to London Victoria to start our journey through the Surrey Hills. As the train pulled onto the platform, we experienced the true beauty of the train and the steam began to fill the air. There's something so nostalgic and special about getting dressed up for an experience that transports you back in time and I donned a three-piece linen suit and felt this fitted in with the surroundings.
The onboard team directed us to our carriage, and the experience got underway. Pullman Dining is the epitome of refined indulgence, and guests get to experience white glove service in a luxury setting from their spacious armchair seating, arranged around splendidly dressed tables of two and four. The lovingly restored vintage carriages add an ambiance of old-world charm and the clatter of the wheels and the scenic vistas take you out of the modern day world.
We started with a glass of champagne before looking over the 4-course dinner menu. The onboard sommelier helped us to select a bottle of wine to accompany our dinner, created from classic British ingredients. Before we knew it, the towering inner-city surroundings were in the distance, and the much green landscape of the Surrey Hills were rolling by our window.
Served by a dedicate team, the dinner service flowed well and our needs were attentively met. Although this experience is one of luxury and elegance, there wasn't a stuffy energy and the staff were extremely personable and only added to the overall experience. They also have a wonderfully restored bar cart, so we made our way through the train to enjoy a martini, expertly made by their bar team. With a cocktail list of elegant classics, I couldn't help but feel like a character in an Agatha Christie novel, sipping on a cold creation a the train made it's way through the golden-hour lit hills.
As the journey came to an end, and we reentered the modern world, I knew this was an evening that we'd want to relive. They offer a number of different routes and experiences, with a range of price points depending on the desired class. This would make the perfect special occasion gift, or the ideal date night experience and for that, we have our sights set on one of their Christmas market experiences.
