Hyde Park Boutique Hotel

The hotel is set is a gorgeous Victorian house, which is now Grade 1 listed -- meaning it's of exceptional historic interest. Many of the original features remain, such as the ornate ceilings, but decor throughout has been given a modern makeover. The main hall has a classic black-and-white tiled floor that leads to the carpeted staircase with original ornate iron stair railings. The lobby has laminate wood flooring, a wooden reception desk, and a decorative chandelier. There's a flat-screen TV on the wall and a stand of tourist brochures beneath it. The breakfast room is equally modern, with the same flooring and chandelier plus contemporary black tables and chairs. The hotel attracts a range of tourists and some business guests, though there’s no elevator, so anyone with mobility issues should check ahead before reserving a room here. 

A row of Victorian townhouses line the quiet street where the hotel resides and the front door is just a five-minute walk from Queensway and Bayswater Underground stations. Paddington Station is a 10-minute walk from the hotel for rail connections directly to Heathrow Airport in under 30 minutes. London’s beautiful Hyde Park is 10 minutes away on foot and there are a number of popular attractions in and around the park. Kensington Palace and Gardens are a 10-minute walk from the hotel, as are the Princess Diana Memorial Playground and the Serpentine Gallery. Whiteleys of Bayswater, a shopping mall that's loaded with restaurants and services, is just five minutes away on foot. 

There are several room configurations available here, though sizes vary enormously -- some are extremely cramped while others are large and feel more like apartments than hotel rooms. Rooms are modern and bright, but decor is plain, with soft blues and neutral tones throughout -- some rooms have high ceilings with ornate ceiling roses and cornicing. Walnut veneer headboards and furniture have simple, contemporary lines, and rooms all have brown carpeting, with pops of color in bird-motif throw pillows, giving them a homey charm. Past guests have complained that the mattresses are lumpy or thin, and there is no air-conditioning in any room. Every room is equipped with free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, and tea- and coffee-making facilities, but other amenities like hairdryers and irons have to be requested from reception. Bathrooms are contemporary and stylish, with white tiles, black flooring, and rainfall showerheads. There are no bathtubs, but shower stalls are fairly spacious. Some guests have reported hearing noise from neighboring rooms. 

Guests tend to stay at the Hyde Park Boutique for the location and the rooms rather than the on-site facilities, which are fairly thin. There’s no restaurant or bar, but there is a breakfast room where guests can help themselves to a cold continental buffet in the mornings. It’s not included in the room rate, though, and the selection is fairly limited: mainly toast, pastries, fruit, and cereal. Porters are on hand to carry luggage up the stairs, as there isn't an elevator. Wi-Fi is free throughout the building, and the signal is good.