Kensington Close Hotel
 

Anyone stay at this Hotel lately? I sure would appreicate any info on the Hotel and the surrounding area. Seems to be near Kensington Palace. I would love to know where some good restaurants and bakeries are nearby. Thanks for you help.

Theresa in Detroit

When they named it "Close" they were right. The rooms are tiny. Ours was so small that I could stand in the middle of the room and come within about 7 inches on either side of being able to touch both walls at the same time The width of the room was no more than 7.5 feet.

The bathroom was also small, very long and narrow.

In the area we found one good place to eat on Kensington Church Street. It had an Italian name, but for the life of me I cannot remember it. Fairly good food for the money.

Breakfast by the way was not included in our room rate.

We went to a bakery just up the street toward the High Street and bought a breakfast from it.

I haven't stayed at the hotel, but have stayed at the nearby Copthorne Tara and normally stay in the area.

It's very close to the High Street Kensington tube station. And there is a shortcut from the tube station to the hotel. As you exit the tube station into the mall area, turn left towards the Boots store. Just before you get to Boots, there is a door leading to what looks like an alleyway. If you go through the door and follow the pavement through a little garden area, you'll end up right across the street from the Kensington Close and Copthorne Tara hotels.

And if that doorway happens to be closed, it is quicker to cut through the Boots store and exit on Wright's Lane than it is to exit on to Kensington High Street.

There is a small restaurant called the Muffin Man on Wright's Lane that does breakfast. There's also a Pret a Manger in the tube station if you want to pick up something. Also a Marks & Spencer food hall adjacent to the tube station.

There is an EasyInternet cafe on Kensington High Street, as well as lots of shops, restaurants, coffee shops, etc... It's really a nice area - my favorite in London.

and some of the buses running down high street take you right past all the monuments into victoria station area. it´s like getting a tour before you start your day!

Hi
I stay here when in London for work, and we all like the place - the rooms are small but I have stayed in many London rooms where they are smaller.
A few minutes walk away in a really nice place to eat called The Britannia. Here's the website -
www.britanniakensington.co.uk

Wow, Thanks everyone...

Small rooms, great. I am on a european tour with 50 teenagers and some adults. I will be sharing my room with a lady. We were told that our room is a double. So maybe that means a fancy single room ;)And our breakfast is included with the room. The tour company has told us there are restaurants in the Hotel but I'd much rather eat out on street so Thanks for the info about the area. I have been using google earth to try and track the area out and I did see what looked to be an alley is.

I found a GREAT website. Londontown, and it maps out the entire area and all that's around it. I'm really happy were staying in that area. It also gave some short story about the Diana Walk. Some of the Girls going on this trip wanted to go to the Diana Park so this maybe something they'd like too. It showed a map of all the places the Princess went to in that area since she lived right there at Kensington Palace.

I made a reservation at Oscar Boxcar restaurant is that very far from Kensington Close?

Thanks for all the info, And I'd appreciate as much as possible.

Theresa in Detroit.

Another nice restaurant in this area is Maggie Jones. It's on a little cul de sac off Kensington Church Street, which turns off the High Street right at St. Mary's Church, near the tube station. This is 3 floors of scrubbed pine tables with candles, etc., and a typical English menu. We had steak and kidney pie and wood pidgeon--enjoyed it very much.

The hotel is very near the church of St. Mary Abbot, one of my favorite London churches. It contains some sculptures by one of Queen Victoria's daughters and a charming children's area with paintings at child's eye height. The churchyard is one of the most delightful small gardens in the city. And some of your students might appreciate the entrance to the church school.

I'm not familiar w/ an Oscar Boxcar restaurant (but that doesn't mean a lot)

But just a hunch - could you possibly mean Foxtrot Oscar? There are at least 3 Foxtrot Oscars - none of which are particularly close to your hotel. The one in Chelsea is the nearest but is a tube ride and then a bit of a hike from the Sloane Sq tube station.

Hi Theresa, I'm in Detroit (Shelby Twp), too. :)


Check out this site, too - you can take a virtual stroll down Kensington High Street. It's a nice shopping street, the girls will like it. Many of the same shops that are along Oxford Street but not nearly the huge crowds.

http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/

About your double room - that usually means one double or queen bed. You may want to check to see if a twin (two twin beds) room is available if you prefer two beds.

Kayb

I am so loving the map/web you suggested. I have sent it to our group. Wow, that is a fantastic web for info. Girl, you rock!