The Credentials
For a full day of museum-hopping or shopping til you drop, you couldn’t be better located than the 100 Queens Gate Hotel in the heart of South Kensington. Behind its elegant 19th century Victorian façade, you’ll find a hotel that is in fact bang-up-to 21st century modernity. With unique and quirky stylings everywhere you look, the 100 Queens Gate has the feel of a boutique with all the elegance of a a grand 5-star hotel. From the moment you walk in the door, the hotel looks like the interior-design Pinterest board of your dreams (or at least for those like me that dream of modern Victoriana maximalism). Not a beige wall or forgotten corner in sight; every corner/wall/nook/ceiling of this hotel is styled with an elegant array of objet d’art, antiques, and statement prints. Exuding warmth and a home-from-home feel without a hint of stuffiness, the 100 Queens Gate Hotel is certainly an Instagrammers delight and a wonderful spot to relax in the heart of one of London’s tourist hotspots.
Sleep
With 90 bedrooms and 11 suites on offer 100 Queens Gate has something to suit every guest. Each has its own unique styling – no two rooms are the same – so come expecting as much design delight as you can find in the hotel’s pubic areas. Think rich jewel tones, plush velvets, fireplaces and antiqued mirrors (or at least that was what we found in the Robert Scott suite where we stayed)! The bed was comfortable, the views over the Kensington rooftops delightful, and we found it extraordinarily quiet for a hotel in such a busy bit of London. The bathrooms may need the same facelift that the rest of the hotel seems to have recently enjoyed, but that is a small complaint in an otherwise beautiful building.
Dine
There are three dining and drinking options (for those like me who have bottomless stomachs, certainly worth visiting them all). For a full three-course dinner there is Cento – the hotels signature restaurant with an emphasis on Italian cuisine – or for smaller bites ESQ – the basement bar, with the option of bar snacks/lighter dinner and delicious cocktails inspired by the property’s history – and finally the simply beautiful Botanica – where you can sample a full afternoon-tea service.
As with the rest of 100 Queens Gate Hotel the three dining spaces are simply breath-taking; from the floral femininity of Botanica to the New York basement chic of ESQ. The afternoon tea at Botanica deserves a special mention; the accompanying cocktails (especially The Starling which I tried) were delicious, and the pastry chef didn’t put a foot wrong from buttery cannelloni through to sourly scrummy raspberry tarts.
Out & About
As already mentioned the 100 Queens Gate Hotel couldn’t be better located! The V&A and the Natural History Museum are practically on the doorstep, as is the shopping mecca of Brompton Road. And with several tube stations so close by the whole of London is your oyster.
The Crowd
A healthy mix of business and pleasure; breakfast seemed to see a cross-section of single folks on business trips to the capital, alongside well-heeled travellers from abroad (and a few from closer to home). The elegant stylings of the hotel lends itself more to couples and mature folks, than large families; but for those looking to relax this may be no bad thing.
The Worst Thing
The bar snacks at ESQ were sadly something of a low point, and it was a little disappointing that breakfast was buffet only (and wasn’t perhaps the most generous/delicious of spreads).
The Best Thing
The styling of the entire property; I want the interior designers number on a silver tray please (alongside another helping of delicious cannelloni)!
The Details
100 Queens Gate Hotel, 31-34 Queen’s Gate SW7 5JA London
An overnight stay costs from £284 for two sharing a Queen Room.
To book, visit www.100queensgate.com or call 020 7373 7878
