________________________________________________________

With the London Olympics fast approaching The Caledonian Club is now able to offer accommodation and dining facilities to our Reciprocal Club Members around the world.

The Club is ideally situated just off Hyde Park Corner and within walking distance of many of the Olympic Events taking part in the centre of the city. The Jubilee Underground Line which goes to the Olympic Park, can be accessed from Green Park, again only a short distance away.

The Club offers a variety of room types to suit your length of stay and the rates include a full Scottish breakfast to set you up for the day ahead. During the Games period the rules regarding dress code and use of electronic equipment are also being relaxed to allow guests the freedom the use the facilities without having to worry about bringing a suit !

Our rates per room per night for the period are :

Single Room                           £ 145.00

Double Room                        £ 180.00

Twin Room                             £ 180.00

Junior Suite                           £ 199.00

Suite                                         £ 240.00

Master suite                          £270.00

We do ask that for this period a 50% deposit on accommodation is paid by credit card to confirm the booking as we expect this to be a very busy period.

If you would like further information on the Club please feel free to contact us direct on Olympics@caledonianclub.com

Some further links which may help you prepare for your visit :

www.london2012.com/olympic-stadium

www.london2012.com/visiting

“Royal Scottish Country Dance is the most formal and correct version,” explains Alison, “while reeling is more fluid and less ‘ballet-like’…. a stickler for form might regard reeling as a lazier form of Scottish Country Dancing!

“Reeling is not dissimilar to the dances of the 17th century while hands behind backs and ‘shouldering’ hark back to its links with the military. Less defined and precise, céilidh dancing is similar to a barn dance, with a ‘caller’ to pitch the dancing at the appropriate level of dancers’ ability. Some of the simpler dances – the Gay Gordons and the Dashing White Sergeant – tend to be associated more with a céilidh.
The Caledonian Club hosts its Ceilidh and Reeling evenings twice a year – usually in March and October. “We always have a ‘caller’ and so at our events the distinction between reeling and céilidh does tend to blur slightly – it’s really about gathering people together for a fun and lively evening of Scottish dancing without being too purist!” sums up Alison.

Transcending all ages and dancing ability – and avoiding the embarrassing ‘dancing Uncle’ scenario! – céilidhs or reeling parties are enjoyable social occasions with a buzz that has guests enthusing about it long afterwards!

“Any guest at a Burns Supper will be following in the footsteps of Robert Burns’s own friends who, shortly after he died, decided to keep his memory alive by celebrating his birthday,” explains Ian Campbell, Club Secretary of The Caledonian. “A Burns Supper organised in a lively spirit will be a highly memorable event and The Caledonian is in poll-position to steer Burns Supper ingénues in through its traditions.

“Certain rules are non-negotiable for any self-respecting Burns Supper,” points out Ian, “so do  include Robert Burns’s ‘Selkirk Grace’ and ‘Address to a Haggis’ plus, of course, a speech and a toast to the ‘Immortal Memory’ of Robert Burns. A toast to ‘the Lassies’ (unless a ‘stag’ event) by a gentleman  and then a response from a lady,  recitals of Burns poetry and everyone singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’, are optional based on an audience’s wishes.”

The evening begins with the haggis being piped into the dining room. A piper leads the way, parading round the room, as the chef follows behind holding the haggis aloft.  Then the ‘haggis bashing’ follows with an animated performance of Burns’s ‘Address to a Haggis’ before the haggis is ceremonially slashed with a ‘skean dhu’ – the Highland dress knife that ‘kilties’ have tucked into their socks.

“Some ten minutes will be devoted to a serious and thought-provoking aspect of Burns’s life or work as his ‘Immortal Memory’ is honoured,” explains Ian Campbell. “To instil some levity next, at the poetry stage, you might be best to opt for a recital of “To a Mouse’ at just over 3 minutes rather than “The Cotter’s Saturday Night” lasting nearly 27 minutes!” As the strains of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ strike up, remember that this is the song which was spontaneously sung by the crowds who gathered outside the poet’s home in his final hours.”

Where space is available (as it is at The Caledonian), Scottish country dancing ensues. While sometimes seen by sticklers for form as being more of a Highland tradition, there’s no doubt that dancing adds great jollity to the evening, drawing everyone in together. Beginners,  particularly, will appreciate the step by step instructions provided by a ‘caller’.

As Burns Suppers are the perfect antidote to the post-festive season lull, we find ourselves honouring Robbie Burns across January and into early February… and sometimes into March! Our members and guests tend to place less emphasis on marking the exact date, preferring instead that a top class and truly Scottish event with the best possible performers be guaranteed at some stage around this time. If the consumption of a metric tonne of haggis and over 2,000 nips of whisky in January 2009 is anything to go by, they do just that!