nuptse

I am trying to decide between a one bedroom apt at the Somerset Queensgate or at 130 Queensgate. We are travelling with our 2 year old, so we want an apartment. 130 Queensgate is cheaper, but got mixed reviews on Tripadvisor. Any advice from people who have stayed in these places?

Nicol

We stayed at Somerset Queensgate last January with our small child and it was perfect. We had a one bedroom apartment which was small but fine for three. We had a double bedroom with TV and DVD player, and there was a fold out sofa in the lounge room (plus a second TV, table and chairs and tiny kitchenette). There was also a little 'study' room attached which we used for storing luggage. The breakfast in the cheery little breakfast room was wonderful. There was also free washers and dryers in the basement which if travelling with a child for any time, are BLISS!! (you can tell I have no life)

The best thing about Somerset is the location. It is just around the corner from the Science museum, the natural history museum and the Victoria and Albert. It is also a short stroll to the world's most amazing playground: the Princess Diana Memorial one in Kensington gardens. There is a bus stop just outside the Somerset, and a tube station one block away. There is also a Waitrose supermarket across the road with lots of pre-prepared meals which are great to take home and microwave up. I havent stayed at the 130 Queensgate, but made a mental note to look for it when we were there (I tossed up between the two myself.) The 130 was a bit further to walk from them museums and tube.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Italiaphile

hi, we've stayed at the Somerset a couple of times. The second time we were given a awful room (even though we had booked ahead). It was downstairs near the laundry room, and below street level. The windows weren't double glazed, so it was very noisy all night. Also, I would not rely on the breakfast room - every morning, it was a zoo. They ran out of plates, juice and coffeee on different mornings and it wasn't worth it. We walked around the corner to a coffee bar on our last day there. But the location is perfect, and the rooms are spacious with nice beds and duvets - as long as you can ask them for a bedroom on one of the upper floors, it would be fine.

tudorprincess

We stayed at the Somerset in March and loved it. Nicol is very accurate in her description of the area and the rooms. I'm trying to get rates to book it again next February but they aren't published yet.
As for the breakfast room we noticed that depending on the time you went down or whether it was a weekday/weekend it tended to be more crowded. The staff were never far away and always refilling baskets of food.
You can't beat the location. I haven't stayed at 130 so I can't comment there. We stayed in a 1 bedroom, #107 that faced Cromwell Rd. and it had a balcony.

Holldoll

I stayed at 130 about two years ago. It was adequate. We needed a two-bedroom flat on that occasion, and the space was good with a nice size lounge. It was a bit shabby by my standards, but my British friend thought it was fine. There is no breakfast room. The location is excellent. The reviews here of the Somerset quite frankly sound nicer. But I will say this--I popped into the John Howard Hotel on Queensgate and it looked really nice. I would definitely consider that in the future. It's about four doors down from Ken High Street, just south of the Albert Consort Memorial. Not as close to the tube (but actually close to both Ken High and Gloucester Rd). Just another suggestion.

Holldoll

Sorry, should have mentioned--the John Howard has apartments too!