The Kensington

We have stayed at The Kensington over many years and it has always been our preferred hotel when we stay in London. Unfortunately, our recent stay at the hotel did not match our previous experiences in a significant way. There were many things that happened during our stay that would never have happened previously, starting with the absence of a welcome drink on arrival. Our room was not ready when we arrived at 2pm and the receptionist said he would telephone us when it became ready. Unfortunately, no call was received so, unprompted, we returned to the hotel several hours later. There was no turn- down service with complimentary chocolate as had usually been the case previously. The toilet seat in the bathroom was broken on arrival, and, although a repair was attempted, it still did not function perfectly. The light in the wardrobe turned on spontaneously during the night waking us up on several occasions. We had initially booked breakfast for 3 mornings but cancelled this when we checked in and also during our stay. Despite this, when we checked out, we were initially charged to 2 breakfasts although this was subsequently taken off the bill. We requested that our invoice was emailed to us. Unfortunately this was not done and required a subsequent call to obtain the invoice. We then discovered that we had been overcharged and are awaiting a refund for this. We also found that that a "discretionary" service charge of 5% had been added to the bill without discussion. Our past experience with the Kensington was facilitated by an excellent, friendly service from staff, often with emphasis on the hotel’s Irish connection. Unfortunately, our recent experience suggests that this no longer appears to be the case. We have always enjoyed staying at The Kensington but unfortunately it is unlikely that we will return again.

Beautiful hotel with top notch service. We especially loved the lobby staff- Harvey and George made us feel like VIP’s!

Visited for one night. GHA discovery Titanium status. First impressions were excellent. The building is imposing and well maintained with impressive facades and interiors. The warm greeting from the front of hours staff made me feel very much at home on my first visit to this hotel. I had a lot of time to kill in London on the day of check in and had called up in the days before my reservation to see if I could use my status benefits for an early check in and to flag the double room upgrade. My request was noted and I was happy that my room was ready for me when I arrived at 1pm(ish). There was confusion about the room upgrade and my status level but the front of house manager stepped in quickly and took care of the issue. I was upgraded to a studio which I believe is the smallest suite category room. The room was a decent size with a very good sized bathroom. I found the bed very comfortable and the A/C worked properly which isn’t often the case in many hotels. It was a hot day in London and the cool room was very much appreciated. Apparently the suites benefit from an ‘enhanced turn down service’ but I couldn’t see any evidence at all of a turn down service. Not a problem really, but if you suggest something potentially a bit special and you don’t deliver then it’s going to cause a small amount of disappointment. All amenities in the room were of good quality and everything worked. The bar was a highlight. Great staff, really friendly yet professional. Enjoyed tasty cocktails and cold beers. A lovely place to chill with a drink. I had a club sandwich in then lounge area which was served on its own. No fries, no garnish. Looked a bit sorry for itself on the plate but still enjoyed it. I didn’t have breakfast but walked through the lounge where some guests were having breakfast and it all looked delicious. Worth noting that some rooms may suffer from noise both from the road and also from the corridors. These older buildings do not have the sound insulation of modern hotels and it might be worth letting the housekeeping staff to bear that in mind. I’m looking forward to staying again.

A lovely hotel just a few minutes walk from South Kensington tube. Perfect location for the museums and countless restaurants and the shops of Knightsbridge. I grew up in this neighbourhood and thoroughly enjoyed staying at The Kensington. The staff are so helpful and the room was very comfortable and quiet. Breakfast was excellent and the lounge/tea/drinks area is a relaxing place to meet friends and have a drink.

I have mild mobility issues due to arthritis in the knee so was delighted to see the handrail at the entrance and a doorman. I was there to meet friends for afternoon tea in the Townhouse. One of them was already in the beautiful lobby area. We were given a large comfortable table overlooking the whole of the restaurant. Service was excellent and it was perfectly OK to ask for coffee as I don’t drink tea. The cakes were unusual and the server explained to us what they contained. Our coats were taken in a seamless fashion.