London England’s Kensington Hotel
By Caroline Tapp-McDougall
With affluent 19th century mansion style and modern-day boulevard elegance, The Kensington Hotel has earned a special place in my heart, an intimate home-away-from-home, in one of London’s most desirable neighbourhoods.
Family-owned, The Kensington is a member of The Doyle Collection—eight distinct boutique hotels—each one housed in authentic, landmark buildings in ‘tony’ cosmopolitan neighbourhoods.
Comfortable, warm and genuinely welcoming, without stuffiness or pomp, the hotel’s grand stucco façade, period heritage décor, dazzling high ceilings, open fires, and hospitable service all help conjure up the relaxed ambiance of a much-loved private club. For business or pleasure, it’s just the ticket. Breakfast in bed, drinks in the laid-back lobby bar, an afternoon meeting in the Town House drawing room, there’s nothing that can’t be arranged by the delightfully attentive service team.
The hotel offers on-site dining for all meals and room service, the handsome K Bar, a spa suite and 150 modern rooms. Spend an overnight or two in a suite or a month, or two in a studio. Our timeless favourites—The Brompton, The Knightsbridge and The Kensington.
Centrally located at 113 Queens Gate in South Kensington, the hotel is delightfully within a 5-minute walk of Victoria & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum and a quick drive in the house car, or a ten-minute walk to Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge, Kings Road, Sloane Square, Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gardens, and Hyde Park. For the more adventurous…British roadster bikes by
Pashley complete with flowers on their baskets are parked outside for guests to borrow.
South Kensington and Gloucester Road Tube Stations are minutes away and within a 10 to 15-minute tube or taxi journey: Paddington Station (Heathrow Express), Victoria Station (Gatwick Express).
Slice of the city…
Now that I’m a grandmother 5 times over, the Kensington’s concierge’s fabulous list of nearby children’s boutiques surely caught my eye, really worth a visit: Amaia Kids with matching looks for boys and girls, Trotters on Chelsea’s Kings Road and Little Boat’s (Petit Bateau’s) anniversary underwear and playful luxury line, Marie Chantal—London. The most recognizable label in town from the Crown Princess of Greece.
