A short walk from The Other House, the Royal Albert Hall is one of London’s most iconic venues. Here, we sit down with their Head of Partnerships and Hospitality, Davina Sasha, to discuss upcoming festivities, what’s in store for 2024 and why partnering with The Other House is in keeping with the brand’s ethos of creating truly memorable guest experiences.
Why do you think Londoners and global travellers alike, have such an affinity for the Royal Albert Hall?
When you come to see an artist that you love at the Hall it is hard to compare the experience to any other. The Hall is large enough to generate an atmosphere of a much larger venue but still intimate enough that wherever you are sitting you feel part of the performance and you can see everything on stage. I really feel that this creates an emotional connection in a way that few other performance spaces do. The building itself is truly magnificent and so your entire visit feels special from the moment that you walk up towards our doors.
Every year you host the Royal Albert Hall Christmas Carols – how did this iconic festivity start?
The Hall has hosted Carol concerts for over 100 years and they now form part of our annual Christmas season of festivities. The first Carol concerts took place with the Royal Choral Society in 1913.
What makes them such a long-standing and stand-out performance?
What I love most about Christmas Carols at the Hall is the feeling of togetherness within our incredible auditorium with guests enjoying their favourite festive songs. We have over 5,000 attending each of our 15 Carol concerts across the season, so it is a very impressive chorus! We are proud that it has become a tradition of many, some families have been coming for over 20 years, which makes the Hall feel like family to them with the experience extending far beyond our walls.
You have all of the behind-the-scenes info. What performances are you looking forward to the most in 2024?
The new year sees the return of Cirque du Soleil, for their 27th year at the Hall. This year it is the European debut, Alegria: a new light that promises to whisk audiences away to a mystical world sprinkled with acrobatic extravagance. Later in the year, we have Swan Lake being performed in the round which is always an amazing spectacle with 60 ballerina swans filling the auditorium. I am also excited for the Poets Revival we are having in May with our Associate Artist, Rhael ‘Lionheart’ Cape, reigniting the prominence of contemporary British poetry with the help of the most culturally-relevant and accomplished performers of their generation.
What excites you the most about partnering with The Other House?
The Other House’s vision is in synergy with our own; to be able to offer our guests a truly memorable experience. We are both inspired by South Kensington’s rich history of creativity and innovation and have shared values of excellence and a commitment to creating extraordinary immersiveness within our spaces to diverse audiences. We are delighted that this partnership will offer the Hall’s audiences an opportunity to extend their visit in the area when visiting the Hall, with a stay at The Other House.