The Queens Gate Hotel

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about The Queens Gate Hotel? It’s one of those London places that actually feels like it belongs in the neighborhood. I mean, you walk up to this row of gorgeous Victorian townhouses on Queen’s Gate, and honestly, you might miss it if you weren’t looking – which is sort of perfect, because it means you’re staying somewhere that feels authentically Kensington rather than some massive tourist trap.

The location is just… well, it’s brilliant, really. You’re literally a two-minute walk from Hyde Park (and I mean the good bit, near the Albert Memorial), but here’s what the guidebooks don’t tell you – you’re also perfectly positioned between South Ken’s museum district and the more residential bits where actual Londoners live. I found myself popping into the little Tesco Express on Exhibition Road for snacks, then wandering through the park to Speakers’ Corner on Sunday mornings. The Natural History Museum is right there, obviously, but what I loved was being close enough to Gloucester Road’s restaurants without dealing with the touristy chaos of, say, Covent Garden. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward – none of that overly formal hotel theater you sometimes get in London. The staff actually seemed to know the area well enough to give decent recommendations beyond the obvious tourist spots.

The rooms have that classic London hotel feel without being stuffy about it. Mine overlooked the street (which, fair warning, can get a bit noisy during morning rush hour – though honestly, it’s just the gentle hum of London waking up, not jarring traffic). The building’s got character – you can feel the history in the slightly creaky floors and the way the corridors curve – but everything’s been updated thoughtfully. The shower pressure was actually impressive for a Victorian conversion, and the heating worked properly, which, let me tell you, isn’t always a given in older London hotels. What really won me over was the breakfast room – it’s got these big windows looking out onto the street, and there’s something deeply satisfying about watching Kensington come to life while you’re working through proper coffee and not the usual hotel nonsense. The whole place just feels… lived-in, I suppose. Like someone put thought into making it comfortable rather than just impressive. At an 8.4 rating, it’s clearly doing something right, and after staying there, I get it – it’s not trying to be the fanciest place in London, just one of the more genuinely pleasant ones.

Rooms

• Twin Room with 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Standard Triple Room with 3 single beds for 3 adults
• Club SuperKing Room with 1 extra-large double bed and 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Single Room with 1 single bed for 1 adult
• Deluxe King Room with 1 extra-large double bed and 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Superior King Room with 1 large double bed and 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Deluxe Queen Room with 1 double bed for 2 adults
• Deluxe Room with 1 large double bed and 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Deluxe Triple Room with 3 single beds for 3 adults
• Deluxe Twin Room with 2 single beds for 2 adults

Facilities