Lancaster Gate 36, London, United Kingdom | (618) 248-8274
Restored
Victorian townhouse with hip, contemporary interiors
Quiet residential location one block from Hyde Park
Five-minute walk from Lancaster Gate Tube station
Contemporary rooms with flat-screen TVs and Nespresso machines
Smart, modern
bathrooms with walk-in showers
Free continental
breakfast
Lounge has small bar
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Some rooms
are small
No in-room minibars or mini-fridges
No parking available
No gym or spa facilities
The 40-room Arbor Hyde Park
Hotel is a chic, upper-middle-range boutique set in a traditional Victorian townhouse
occupying a typical residential square. Its Bayswater location near Hyde Park means easy
access to central London and Heathrow airport via dependable local transport links.
While often small and on the spare side, rooms are smart and
contemporary with free Wi-Fi and Nespresso machines, plus sleek bathrooms that have walk-in showers. A free continental breakfast is served in a simple breakfast room. Although it's all rather
easy on the eye, the lack of facilities makes the rates feel a bit high; the nearby Best Western Mornington Hotel is often cheaper and has a small fitness room.
Scene
Hip, upper-middle-range boutique with quirky touches, set in a typical Victorian townhouse
The upper-middle-range Arbor Hyde Park
Hotel sits on the corner of a row of grand, white Victorian townhouses
lining a typical London square. A traditional portico
marks the entrance to this traditional, heritage-protected building, and the
contemporary interiors are a pleasant surprise. The reception desk has an unassuming position in a high-ceilinged room with fine parquet floors, which leads
through a glass bar area to the quirky lobby lounge, featuring hip and colorful
designer furniture. The hotel was fully renovated in 2014 and has been
beautifully restored throughout, with period features blending seamlessly with
modern styling. While most of the hotel has a light and airy, modern-luxe feel, the basement breakfast room with bars on the windows can seem
a little dark. The hotel attracts largely tourists looking for
easy access to the Royal Parks and the attractions of the West End.
Location
Set in a leafy residential square just a block from Hyde Park
Located in
the leafy West London neighborhood of Bayswater, this hotel is set in a
traditional residential square
with Spire House in its center -- a 19th-century church that was partially demolished
and rebuilt as housing in the 1970s (the original spire remains). The closest Tube
station to the hotel is Lancaster Gate (five
minutes' walk), with
trains into central London taking four minutes. Exhibition Road -- with its
selection of world-famous museums -- can be reached in 10 minutes by car or a
brisk 20-minute walk through Hyde Park,
just a block away. The hotel is
also only a
10-minute walk from Paddington Station, which connects to Heathrow Airport in 15 minutes by train, making it a convenient location for international travelers.
Rooms
Contemporary rooms with high-end amenities and walk-in showers
The 40
individually styled rooms and suites are all contemporary in design with clean
lines, crisp white bed linens, and colorful throws and cushions, although the
absence of any art on the walls can make them feel a bit spare. Standard
amenities include free Wi-Fi,
40-inch flat-screen TVs, Nespresso machines, and
bathrobes and slippers. Some rooms can be small with very
little space around the bed, and some are split-level with daybeds as well as
desks. Some rooms look over the
square, while others face the back and other buildings. Bathrooms are modern and bright, with smart subway tiles, and most feature walk-in rainfall showers. The Executive Suite has a clawfoot bathtub.
Features
Free continental breakfast with cooked-to-order option
A decent
continental buffet breakfast
is included in the rate and there are cooked-to-order options available for a fee.
Drinks and light snacks are available throughout the day and can be taken in
the colorful, contemporary lounge area. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout, but note that there's no parking on-site. The small, boutique nature of the property results in an extra emphasis on service.