Look, I’ve stayed at my fair share of London hotels, and Presidential Apartments Kensington hits this sweet spot that’s honestly hard to find. First thing you notice walking up Barkston Gardens is how quiet it gets once you turn off the main road – which is sort of miraculous considering you’re basically a five-minute walk from Earl’s Court tube. The building itself has that classic Kensington white facade thing going on, but it doesn’t feel stuffy or intimidating like some of those posh hotels around here can.
What really got me was the apartment setup – I mean, you’re getting proper space here, not those shoebox rooms you usually find in central London. The kitchenette actually works (I made coffee every morning and it didn’t taste like despair), and there’s enough room to spread out your stuff without living out of a suitcase. The furnishings are pretty standard – think clean lines, neutral colors, nothing that’ll blow your mind but nothing that’ll make you cringe either. You know what though? The windows are properly soundproofed, which matters more than you’d think. I barely heard the traffic from Cromwell Road, and trust me, that’s saying something.
The location is where this place really shines, but not in the obvious touristy way. Sure, you can walk to the Natural History Museum and all that – but honestly, what I loved was being tucked into this residential pocket where you’ve got proper neighborhood spots. There’s this little Tesco Express literally around the corner on Earl’s Court Road where locals actually shop, and you’re close enough to Gloucester Road that you can hit up those Middle Eastern restaurants that don’t make it into guidebooks. The 7.9 rating feels about right – it’s solid, reliable, does what it says on the tin without trying to be something it’s not. Staff were helpful without being overly chatty, check-in was smooth, and I actually slept well, which… well, if you’ve ever tried to sleep near a London main road, you’ll appreciate that. It’s not going to be the most Instagram-worthy place you’ve ever stayed, but if you want space, quiet, and to feel like you’re living in London rather than just visiting it, this works really well.