You know what struck me first about Cheval Thorney Court? Walking up to this red-brick Victorian building on Palace Gate, it doesn’t scream “luxury hotel” from the street – which is honestly part of its charm. It’s tucked into this gorgeous row of period buildings that locals actually live in, so you feel like you’re staying in someone’s incredibly posh Kensington home rather than a tourist trap.
The location is absolutely killer if you know London at all. I mean, you’re literally across from Hyde Park (like, 30 seconds to the gate), but here’s the thing most people don’t realize – Palace Gate is this quiet residential street that runs parallel to the madness of Kensington High Street. So you get zero of the tourist chaos but you’re still a five-minute walk to the tube station. The Natural History Museum is right there too, and if you cut through the park early morning, you’ll hit Speaker’s Corner before the crowds arrive. I actually discovered this brilliant little Italian place called Zafferano just around the corner that the concierge mentioned – definitely not somewhere you’d stumble across on your own.
What really sets this place apart is how they’ve done the apartment-style setup. These aren’t hotel rooms, they’re proper serviced apartments with full kitchens (Sub-Zero appliances, if that matters to you), and honestly, the space is just ridiculous by London standards. I had friends over for drinks on the terrace and it felt completely natural, not like we were cramming into a hotel room. The building’s got this wonderful old-school elevator – one of those cage-style ones that makes you feel very Downton Abbey – though fair warning, it’s not the speediest thing if you’re running late. The staff genuinely seems to know the neighborhood inside and out, which makes such a difference when you need restaurant recommendations or want to avoid the tourist crowds at certain times. And parking – well, it’s London, so don’t expect miracles, but they do have arrangements with nearby spots that won’t completely bankrupt you.