London hotel offers dinner etiquette lessons for children

At London's Kensington Hotel, “Petite Etiquette” lessons now aim to teach basic table manners to children.

Hotels today are offering unprecedented services to set themselves apart, and just recently we’ve seen examples including a “soap concierge,” an animal psychic, and in-room perfume service, to name just a few. The latest spotting? At London’s Kensington Hotel, “Petite Etiquette” lessons now aim to teach basic table manners to children. Having run just twice so far, the Petite Etiquette program targets children between five and ten years of age with dinner etiquette instruction. Specifically, the free hour-long classes are designed to help parents by teaching kids a variety of “easy-to-learn tips and tricks,” the hotel says. Manners expert Jean Broke-Smith is the instructor, and she offers pupils guidance on matters including posture, how to hold a knife and fork properly, and the importance of “please” and “thank you,” according to a recent Telegraph report. The Kensington Hotel plans to host its Petite Etiquette classes on a regular basis during school half-terms and holidays subject to demand, it says. Hoteliers around the globe: how about you? Spotted by: Florent Lesauvage