Elite British Tours: An English Extravaganza Awaits

Polly Singer is a noted milliner hailing from and based in Georgetown, Kentucky. Her passion for hats, tea, England, and travel will come full circle June 14 – 19th, 2021. That’s when her newly formed company Elite British Tours, will be conducting its maiden sojourn to England. The tour’s highlights will include a visit to Royal Ascot and a private tour and tea at Highclere Castle, the setting for the hit TV series Downton Abbey. These, plus many exclusive British gems await. (The tour was cancelled this year due to Covid19.)

Singer talked about how she put the itinerary together, and tailored it to be a “bucket list,” luxury adventure for her guests.

Polly Singer, Elite British Tours

Christine Chagaris: What inspired you to create Elite British Tours? How did you pick the events and venues for the tour?

Polly Singer: I have always loved England and the royals, and I have a lifelong love of the movie My Fair Lady and the scene at Ascot. I love Audrey Hepburn and the clothes she wore (for the film). I know so many people who share my love of England, Ascot, and things royal and British, so it excited me to put something like this together. I wanted it to be a special, elite experience. Something magical and different. We’ll get to see the Queen in person at Royal Ascot. I was able to get tickets for the Queen Anne enclosure, which is right under the Royal enclosure. We will see her when she comes by in her procession. Also, my group will have a tea and a private tour of Highclere Castle. These are just two parts of the many exciting things planned.

Christine Chagaris: How did you choose the Stoke Place Hotel?

Polly Singer: A lot of tours stay in London, but I wanted to find a manor house where we’re out in the country, where we could wake up and go back in time. Kind of like being characters in a Jane Austen book, but also have present day conveniences, like indoor plumbing! (Laughs) I’ve gone to England six times, so I know my way around. I started scouting locations for us to stay last year. I stayed in this hotel, looked at all the rooms and started assigning them for the trip. The hotel was originally built as a mansion in the 1600’s by Master Chef Patrick Lamb, who served King Charles II, among other monarchs.

Christine Chagaris: Royal Ascot blends so nicely with your love of hats, especially since so many colorful and unique ones are on display there. Have you made a special hat for the event, and have you had hat requests from guests? Also, since afternoon tea will be a prominent part of the tour, give us a little background on what made you such a tea connoisseur.

Polly Singer: I designed an all white hat for myself, and have had requests from some of the guests. A lot of them like the sailor hats, and one or two want a fascinator. As for tea, I’ve always loved it. We didn’t have coffee in my household; my mother always made tea. And, being from the South, we had iced tea as well. The great thing about the custom of having tea is you can really get dressed up and make it an occasion. Our tea in London will be at a smaller, upscale hotel, the Town House Kensington. We’ll go to Fortnum and Mason afterwards to shop for tea.

Christine Chagaris: Will Elite British Tours be offering trips in the future? What do you hope your guests will take away from this experience?

Polly Singer: I have thought about future tours. I’ve always wanted to do Christmas shopping in London – kind of a Dickens feel. Also, perhaps a visit to Scotland and maybe tack on a few days in another country, like France.

I hope to create a wonderful memory for people on the tour. A friend of mine had a great catch phrase for it, “The Crown Comes to Life.” I want guests to feel pampered and special, and gain more of a love and appreciation for England that inspires them to travel more.

For more information, visit elitebritishtours.com.

For hat information, visit hatsandveils.net.