Couples evenings, one companion made welcome by two

The first message can come from either partner, but the desk will want to know that you are both happy with the plan. Describe the evening you imagine, the pace you enjoy and anything either of you would rather leave out. Couples new to this often begin with drinks and dinner, expecting nothing more than good company, and decide on the night whether they would like more time together. That is a perfectly lovely way to start.

A typical couples dinner date begins with a drink beneath the art deco lamps of the American Bar at The Savoy, a pianist playing somewhere in the corner. Your companion meets you both there, and the first glass is simply for finding a rhythm as three. If either of you feels a little nervous, a busy hotel bar is the kindest place to settle in, because three people sharing a drink there needs no explanation at all.

Dinner follows somewhere warm with a touch of theatre, J Sheekey tucked into its alley in Covent Garden, perhaps, or Bibendum in the old Michelin House in Chelsea. The evening then closes wherever the two of you are staying, with a nightcap and conversation that by now flows easily.

Michelle, 173 cm and curvy, her dark brown hair worn long and straight, has a real gift for making strangers feel at home, and lives in Chelsea near Sloane Square. Nancy, golden blonde with blue eyes, is sunny, talkative and wonderful at keeping a table of three laughing.

Luna, with long dark auburn hair and a sharp nose for wine, brings an adventurous spark to dinner, and Tina, athletic and quick with a joke, knows the cocktail bars along the Strand well. Michelle, Nancy and Luna all appear in our curvaceous collection.

Browsing the profiles side by side is part of the fun. Each one gives her height, her hair, the district she calls home and the things she loves, from sailing to wine to stand up comedy, and those interests are often the surest guide: a couple who cook will get on famously with someone who talks food, a couple who love the theatre with someone who knows the West End by heart. Shortlist two or three in the girls, send the names to the desk, and it will come back to you with whoever is free that evening.

At a hotel, a couples booking works like any other visit: the desk confirms the name the room is under, the hotel and the room number. At home, the address is confirmed once in the same way. If you would rather meet somewhere public first, choose a bar near where you are staying, perhaps on Kensington Church Street in Kensington or off the King's Road, and let the night unfold from there.

In a couples booking everyone's comfort counts equally, the companion's included. She follows the lead of both partners, not only the one who sent the message, and it is always her choice to keep things to drinks, dinner and conversation. Being clear and kind with one another, before and during the evening, is what makes it memorable for all the right reasons.

For a couples evening at a hotel or home, a quarter of the fare, 25 percent, goes ahead by bank transfer. If the plan includes an event or an overnight, the deposit becomes 50 percent, with its travel share non-refundable. Weekends are worth arranging a few days early, while midweek often works on the day itself. Plans that change are treated gently: three hours of notice costs nothing, and a cancellation inside two hours costs half the fare. Every length and its fare appears on our rates page.