Review of The Kensington Hotel

For those wishing to explore the social whirl of London, there is no better location than Queen’s Gate where The Kensington is sited. Close to The Royal Albert Hall for concerts, the Albert Memorial and Kensington Gardens with its Royal palace, the property is also steps away from Harrods, Harvey Nichols and the upscale boutiques and shops of Knightsbridge. Piccadilly is also in the vicinity with The Royal Academy, Piccadilly Circus and Eros, and luxury food emporium, Fortnum & Masons. For museum buffs, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museums are just a good stretch of the legs away.

South Kensington underground station is around the corner from the property (on the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines) as are the neighbourhood restaurants and shops along Old Brompton Road. 

Transfers from London Heathrow Airport can take anything from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. Heathrow is located 20 miles to the west of central London.

The Gatwick Express is the fastest way to travel from Gatwick Airport to central London. The journey time is around 45 minutes, and the service is non-stop to London Victoria Station. Thereafter, it is a short limousine or taxi ride to the property. 

For local drivers, there is a public car park nearby and guests may hire customised bikes to explore the area.

The Kensington boasts 150 guestrooms - eight cosy rooms, 80 classic rooms, 30 deluxe rooms, 17 studio suites, nine luxury studio suites, and three signature suites – The Brompton Suite, The Knightsbridge Suite and The Kensington Suite. 

The rooms have a stylish and elegant simplicity about them with the focus on soothing tones with pops of vibrant colour, sumptuous fabrics and cosy chenille throws complementing chic antique-style furnishings. Rooms feature button back armchairs, statement silk bedheads, an in room entertainment system with 55” Smart televisions and Chromecast, Nespresso coffee machines, complimentary local phone calls, marble bathrooms and delicious Malin + Goetz bathroom amenities. 

The Studio Suites offer more of a luxury form of loft living with quirky artistic wallpaper, bathroom televisions and four poster beds. Suite guests also enjoy fresh fruit on arrival and complimentary daily newspapers. 

There are three signature suites named for smart London locales, with The Brompton Suite enjoying a period headboard of the four-poster bed to the free-standing Victorian roll top bath with floor to ceiling drapes, Waterford crystal chandeliers, a Bose iPod docking station and classical artwork. 

The Knightsbridge Suite has a touch of French chic in its colour scheme and furnishings. There is a circular day bed, two decorative fireplaces and floor to ceiling windows with balcony, flooding the room with natural light. In the bathroom meanwhile, there is a Jacuzzi bath and heated flooring. Signature suites enjoy freshly cut flowers, a daily à la carte breakfast, a complimentary minibar with soft drinks, a dedicated guest liaison, complimentary press of up to two garments per day and one way VIP airport transfers. 

For the ultimate London abode, The Kensington, with 180 square metres of space, has three bedrooms, two living rooms, four bathrooms and twin balconies with street views. Private interconnecting doorways links an existing pair of signature suites with a luxury studio suite to create a super spacious apartment. 

Fully accessible for guests with disabilities.

The 24/7 Fitness Centre is perfect for guests who want to stay fit whilst on the road. Located in the hotel’s basement, the gym offers a range of cardiovascular and strength machines along with free weights. 

For a touch of pampering, Viva Therapies offer a menu of in-room holistic treatments and therapies from around the world, using Temple Spa products. The skincare therapists offer the latest techniques and traditional methods of complete skincare grooming. Hair stylists and makeup artists are also available to offer anything from a simple blow dry to a full makeup. 

Children are welcomed warmly at The Kensington, met with a surprise gift and their favourite magazine on arrival as well as their own toiletries and a specialist concierge service. With so many child-friendly museums and tourist attractions in the vicinity, The Kensington is a natural fit for families who can also choose to stroll through the green open spaces of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens a short walk away. 

The Kensington is a little hidden London gem with one of the best locations in London. Understated yet chicly stylish, the property’s heart is the beautifully furnished Drawing Room which has the feel of a Parisian apartment, with petrol blue velvet sofas, gold armchairs and eclectic original artwork spanning this public space. 

There are ornate fireplaces with roaring flames, soaring ceilings, parquet flooring, back lit bookcases, large bay windows flooding the space with light, antique pieces and marble topped occasional tables, blending cleverly together to give the appearance of a smart, private London home. 

With seamless full liveried yet unobtrusive service, The Kensington offers all the benefits of grand luxury hotel living yet on a boutique scale. No wonder the cognoscenti have it on speed dial. 

Accessed either through its own discreet entrance on Manson Place or via the Drawing Room, the Townhouse restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Less formal dining is also available in the elegantly chic Drawing Room. The hotel has created a menu for all palates with an emphasis on fresh produce drawing on global influences. 

Offering a comfortably elegant home away from home feel, Townhouse is also the perfect place for a delicious Afternoon Tea which features clever, pastry versions of London landmarks and can be taken with a delicious glass of bubbly which tends to hit the spot. 

In the Summer months, the Veranda is an idea spot to enjoy a meal – al fresco. 

The oak-panelled K Bar has a smart club-like vibe with polished brass accents, mirrored walls, deep buttoned velvet bar stools, leather wingback chairs, comfortable sofas, backlit bookshelves and slate floors. There are bespoke wine fridges, artisan gins and fine whiskies from an extensive selection of spirits whilst the expansive cocktail list has both innovative and traditional offerings to keep everyone happy.

The Doyle Collection is committed to ensuring that they operate in an ethically, socially conscious and sustainable manner. Their mission is shaped by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and their drive to reduce their own carbon emissions by 2030. 

The group has an ambitious green roadmap set out and are actively making sustainable changes to achieve those milestones – including already gaining recognition from Green Tourism in the Sustainable Tourism Certification Programme and moving away from single use plastics in their bedrooms by 2022. The Kensington has a bronze hotel award. 

The Doyle Collection works with some of the best local farmers, producers, artisans and makers who appear on their regionally sourced menus. They constantly review their food and drink suppliers, many of which come from a 50-mile radius of the hotel. The group is increasing their organic and vegan wines across the group as well as working to reduce food waste and avoid excessive carbon or water usage amongst their suppliers. 

The Doyle Collections’ four British properties run on a combination of renewable energy and gas that is carbon offset, so each hotel achieves carbon neutral emissions, working in partnership with Savills.