It's just one long summer holiday for this old London bus, after it swopped the smog of England's capital for the sun and sand of Bermuda.

More used to hearing its bell ring for Piccadilly or Leicester Square, this 35 year old topless double decker will now be making all stops on the way to the beach.

The 1964 Routemaster bus was originally in service in London, where they are considered an icon of the capital,. It is now enjoying a sunshine retirement, taking Sonesta guests to the resort's Cross Bay beach.

After a long sea journey from the UK to New York, the 64 seat bus -- the first of its kind on the Island -- arrived in Bermuda on the Oleander , and last week trundled along to its new home.

Sonesta general manager John Murtha said the vehicle, costing around $16,000, was totally restored in the UK by Brakell Omnibus.

One of only 1,400 still in existence across the world, it still features original vinyl seats and is exactly as it would have appeared in the swinging sixties.

"It saw service for many years, we thought it would be a much more interesting way to transport our guests,'' said Mr. Murtha.

The bus will not be competing with Bermuda's pink and blue buses, however, it will only be used off road, to take guests from the hotel to South Road and the beach.

Sonesta managing director Dennis Tucker added: "The Routemaster is just a part of what we are doing to improve the guest experience and generate some fun and excitement at the same time.'' It will begin service after a short testing period and Sonesta officials are confident it will not let them down -- just in case they have secured a load of spare parts to keep it running.

Routemasters were only built between 1958 and 1968, with 2,876 models plying their trade, not only in London, but in countries across the world.

The buses are considered a classic by many and enthusiasts spend thousands of dollars restoring examples to their former glory.

Double decker delight: Visitors at the Sonesta Hotel will now be treated to a unique shuttle service to south shore beaches, riding atop or inside a classic London double decker bus.