Airy, graceful, Heritage Rooms and Suites with romantic English design
Afternoon tea served in the hotel's swank and very eye-catching Checkmate Bar
Free breakfast with more than 50 items on the buffet
Well-equipped fitness center with modern equipment and red accent wall
Walking distance to the Natural History and Victoria & Albert Museums
Gloucester tube station just outside the hotel
Side-street and basement rooms can get very noisy
Free Wi-Fi only available in the lobby
There's very little to criticize at this upscale hotel, which is located within walking distance of popular museums and Hyde Park. It offers a generous free breakfast, a somewhat uncommon perk in London. Rooms are airy and elegant; some incorporate lovely Laura Ashley design and have pleasant views of the Victorian-style street below. Expect to see families gathering over a lively breakfast in the hotel's Orchid Room, and more mature travelers enjoying happy hour at the hotel's Checkmate Bar. Wi-Fi is free in the lobby.
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Scene
Victorian elegance housing modern, minimalist luxury
This hotel is owned by a Thai family, and it exudes a very seamless fusion of Victorian elegance and modern, minimalist luxury, inside and out. The design has a bit of a dollhouse feel, but on a much grander scale. Rich furniture accented with elegant draperies, opulent chandeliers, shiny marble floors, a splendid staircase, and a stunning wooden bookshelf in the lobby all come together beautifully. The fresh white and purple orchids scattered throughout are a subtle reminder of Southeast Asian hospitality.
Location
Commercial area with access to plenty of shopping and major sites
The Gloucester area is a perfect launchpad for shopping in Kensington, Chelsea, or Knightsbridge. The hotel is also within a 15-minute walk of Hyde Park, The Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall, and The Earls Court Exhibition Centre. Harrods is just over 20 minutes away on foot, the Gloucester Rd. station is just outside the hotel, and via public transportation, Heathrow can be reached in under an hour. Several higher-end hotels dot the area, though it doesn't feel at all touristy. Despite the abundance of Victorian facades, you'll definitely sense the hustle and bustle of the city, and this is a good part of town to get a more candid sense of the daily London grind.
Rooms
Luxurious, elegant, and tastefully furnished
Standard Rooms are quite minimalist, with light wood or white furniture and white duvets. These rooms are bright and airy, and traditionally furnished in pale shades and neutrals. Upgrading to a Heritage Room or Suite, however, will get you more style. The Kensington Heritage Deluxe, for example, has dark wooden furniture and pastel accents which make the room seem plucked straight out of a quaint English country manor house. L'Occitane toiletries are available in this and other high-tier room categories. Minibar doors are transparent, which provides an interesting touch, and certain suites come with a microwave.
Features
Live music in a lively setting
The Checkmate Bar is stylized to the point where it almost seems like the setting of a "Vogue" photo shoot. While the black, white, and red Alice in Wonderland theme it plays off of may seem outplayed to some, if you're not put off by a red velvet sofa or two, chances are you'll find the space amusing and whimsical. The bar offers live piano music three nights a week and a very swank afternoon tea spread. It can be accessed by a separate, very chic entrance that's clearly preferable to falling down a rabbit hole. For guests who are town more for business than for pleasure, the hotel also has small but very elegant boardroom with a resplendent wooden table as the centerpiece.The mirrored fitness center is adequately equipped, though machines aren't the newest models. The free impressive breakfast buffet is a highlight, and staff is sensitive to guests with special dietary requirements (e.g., gluten-free, lactose intolerant).
