A group of travel and hospitality writers, including Independent Hotel Show PR Director Nicola Macdonald, were invited to take part in the “Guilty Bleisures” press trip, a full-day exploration of four prominent central London hotels hosted by CUSTARD and Clermont Hotel Group. Against the backdrop of elegant Victorian architecture, contemporary meeting spaces and sweeping river views, the tour served as both a showcase and an opportunity to explore how the concept of 'bleisure' is shifting in today’s post-pandemic travel landscape.

Bleisure, once a buzzword for extending a business trip by a day or two, has matured into something more complex. Increasingly, professionals are integrating work and leisure and, with 82% of bleisure travellers staying in the same hotel for both purposes, they are looking for hotels which can provide a range of facilities and experiences to meet all their needs. 

The itinerary began with breakfast and a tour at The Clermont London Victoria, a 160-year-old landmark that blends heritage architecture with modern hospitality. Directly connected to Victoria Station, the hotel offers both excellent connectivity and a suite of refined meeting spaces including the Orient Suite, which retains its original stained-glass windows and fireplaces. With amenities such as wellness-focused rooms, retro sweets, and complimentary minibars, the property epitomises how hotels are increasingly expected to cater to guests’ personal and professional needs in tandem.

The group then moved on to the Marble Arch Hotel by Thistle, a contemporary property with vintage touches located just off Oxford Street. With over 690 rooms and a dozen meeting spaces named after iconic London locations, the hotel caters to both transient business travellers and long-stay guests. Large, bright event spaces overlooking Hyde Park underscore the increasing demand for inspiring yet functional venues that enable productivity without sacrificing atmosphere.

This was followed by lunch at The Clermont London Charing Cross, another heritage railway hotel that has been meticulously restored. Here, the interplay between old and new was particularly striking, from its grand Victorian staircase to modern event spaces that support everything from corporate meetings to film shoots. Guests also had the opportunity to explore the hotel’s lesser-known architectural features, such as its original 19th-century footbridge connecting two wings of the building.

The final stop was The Royal Horseguards Hotel, a property steeped in history and political significance. With views of the Thames and proximity to Whitehall, the hotel is particularly well positioned for executive stays and high-level events. Its event offering, ranging from the 252-seat Gladstone Library to the ornate Reading & Writing Room, reflects a growing trend towards venues that blend historical gravitas with state-of-the-art facilities.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in challenges and discussions aimed at interrogating what bleisure means in 2025 and explored new innovations such as the Obvlo tool which uses AI to make reccomendations to customers based on what they desire to experience during their stay. With 68% of UK workers finding business travel more appealing when they can incorporate leisure, the industry is witnessing a shift from “work-life balance” to “work-life integration.”

There are also broader cultural and environmental considerations. Bleisure is increasingly seen not only as a personal lifestyle choice but also as a strategic response to workplace flexibility, sustainability, and travel efficiency. A single trip with multiple purposes can reduce travel frequency and carbon impact, particularly relevant as 93% of global holidaymakers express a desire to make more sustainable travel choices.

For hoteliers and destination marketers, this evolution requires a reimagining of product and service design. It is no longer sufficient to offer proximity and convenience. Guests now expect immersive experiences, flexible meeting formats, and wellness-driven spaces that allow for both connection and disconnection. Properties that deliver on this will be better placed to capture a growing and lucrative segment of modern travellers.

The “Guilty Bleisures” press trip served as a timely reminder that the lines between work and leisure have fundamentally changed. As London cements its position as the world’s second-ranked bleisure destination, the capital’s hotel sector, led by groups such as Clermont, is rising to meet this demand with agility and ambition.

In today’s fluid professional environment, where hybrid working and flexible travel have become the norm, hotels that invest in multi-purpose spaces and curated guest experiences will be the ones that truly succeed. Bleisure is arguably no longer a fringe trend, it is a defining feature of contemporary business travel and one that hoteliers have to contend with.

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