Home Hotel reviews Review of The Kensington hotel in South Kensington

Review of The Kensington hotel in South Kensington

by Sarah Bridge
Kensington Hotel London review

The Kensington hotel in South Kensington is one of the closest hotels to the National History museum, V&A and Science Museum, but is far removed from the school trips of my past.

The hotel, part of the family-owned Doyle Collection, has 126 guest rooms and 24 suites, as well as a gym and restaurant, and is in South Kensington near the museums, South Kensington tube station and the green open spaces of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

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kensington hotel london exterior

The Kensington Hotel is on a wide, tree-lined street just a short walk from South Kensington

Bedrooms at the Kensington Hotel

I was staying in a suite for the night which was very pleasant, comprising a lounge with a vast, squashy sofa, a small but smart bathroom and a opulent bedroom with a four-poster bed. Having been in the area for lunch, I arrived at 2pm, a good hour earlier than expected, but the friendly receptionist was unfazed and allowed me to check in immediately.

kensington hotel london review

My studio suite came with a separate lounge…

kensington hotel london review

… which contained a TV, coffee machine and large sofa

kensington hotel london review

My bedroom with its four poster bed and ornate wallpaper

The room was quiet and a perfect retreat from the outside world if a break was what you were looking for, although I suspect most people would head straight out for either a spot of culture for the aforementioned museums or to explore nearby Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

Book The Kensington on Booking.com

Visit The Kensington on Tripadvisor

kensington hotel london review

The irresistible window display at Maitre Choux

There are some lovely shops and cafes in South Kensington too – I was particularly taken by Maitre Choux just around the corner – and for people who don’t want to leave the hotel at all, there is a very nice lounge area downstairs where various business meetings were taking place, as well as families having afternoon tea, and several people just relaxing over a book or a drink.

kensington hotel london review

The light and airy lounge downstairs which is ideal for business meetings or just relaxing

kensington hotel london review

There is a large and well-equipped gym in the basement

Room service at The Kensington hotel

The room scored highly on having power points right next to the bed, solving the usual night-time hunt for somewhere to charge my phone, and the Caesar salad I ordered arrived promptly.

kensington hotel london review

I was initially told 40 minutes for room service but it arrived within 10

There was a smart espresso machine in the room, but no fresh milk, and when I asked for some to be brought up, it arrived with room service bill for £2.50 (the hotel manager later said that was an error).

kensington hotel london review

The bathroom was very smart although the size meant it was quite awkward reaching the bath taps without actually climbing into the bath first

The bar at The Kensington Hotel

Thankfully the bar downstairs was as good as I remembered it and it was good to meet acclaimed mixologist and new manager at K Bar, Ben Manchester, again. The cocktails themselves were excellent. My friend Ciara and I started off with an Aviation – gin, Luxardo Maraschino, violet liqueur and lemon juice – and a Final Letter, also gin, but with Green Chartreuse and St Germain elderflower.

kensington hotel london review

The newly refurbished K Bar at the Kensington Hotel

kensington hotel london review

Two cocktails – two very different sizes

The atmosphere at the bar is perfect for both pre- and post-dinner drinks and I’d certainly recommend checking it out if you’re looking for a nice bar for after-work drinks.

Two minor quibbles though would be that there are no handbag clips for people sitting up at the bar, so you either have put your bag out of reach on the floor, or put it on your lap or the bar – not ideal. And a hint on the menu as to the size of cocktail would be good, as it’s easy to end up with something vast when you’re hoping for something small and dainty.

Kensington Hotel London review

The restaurant was very impressive, with excellent food and lovely decor

Dinner at The Kensington hotel

Dinner was a very slick affair, with excellent service from our waiter Mattio and extremely good food. We started with Dorset crab on toast with watercress and apple, and Balmoral Estate venison carpaccio with creamed horseradish – both were delicious.

Kensington Hotel London review

Balmoral Estate venison carpaccio with creamed horseradish to start

Kensington Hotel London review

Seared scallops with pork belly and broccoli

Kensington Hotel London review

Dark chocolate fondant with vanilla ice-cream

The high-quality of the food continued into the mains, where we both opted for fish: seared scallops and a whole sea bass with samphire. However there was a good choice of meat too, from roast pheasant and coq au vin to fillet or rib-eye steak done on a Josper grill. Desserts of creme brulee and dark chocolate fondant were also first-class.

A luxury turndown service

Turndowns might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I’m glad I said yes to the service at the Kensington hotel as I returned to my room – after a nightcap back at the K Bar – to find the curtains drawn, lights dimmed, slippers by my bed, chocolates on my pillows and even a freshly-brewed pot of tea brewing away in the lounge.

Kensington Hotel London review

A pot of freshly-made herbal tea was waiting for me in my room on my return

Breakfast at The Kensington hotel

Breakfast the next day was a very healthy affair to make up for the previous night’s food and alcohol excesses, but it was still very indulgent, with a huge buffet spread out across two tables, and a good selection of cooked options.

Kensington Hotel London review

There was a large buffet laid out for breakfast the next morning

Having tried some green cocktails last night it seemed fitting to continue the theme, this time with a London Greens juice – pear, spinach, cucumber, basil, lime and coconut water (£6.50) – from its extensive juice menu – and an egg-white omelette with chia seeds and spinach.

Kensington Hotel London review

My rather healthy breakfast – freshly-squeezed juice and an egg-white omelette

A short stroll took me back to the office and reality, but I’ll certainly be back. The Kensington’s bar and restaurant are too good just to be enjoyed by tourists.

Hotel information and to book Kensington hotel

The Kensington
109 – 113 Queen’s Gate
South Kensington
London SW7 5LR
Tel: +44 20 7589 6300

Book The Kensington on Booking.com

Visit The Kensington on Tripadvisor

The Kensington luxury hotel in South Kensington is part of the family-owned group The Doyle Collection, which also owns The Marylebone, The Bloomsbury and The Westbury in Dublin. Rooms start at £234 a night. 

If you liked this review of the Kensington hotel in South Kensington then you might like to read about its sister luxury hotels in central London: The Marylebone and The Bloomsbury. So here they are! My stay at The Marylebone: a penthouse room with a view; A cooling terrace and a cocktail at The Bloomsbury hotel, central London

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