In the know

Our favourite rooms: We love Asian-inspired Studio Suite 115, mainly for its uplifting yellow, purple and blue colour scheme. It comes with gold-coloured hardwood floors, light-flooding windows and an enormous bathroom with double sinks and a TV built into the end of the bath. We also like the huge Corner Suite 123, with its green velvet chairs and access to a terrace, and high-ceilinged Standard Room 121, which comes with bold red flower-patterned curtains and matching satin pillows.
Packing tips: When the downstairs nightclub opens, you’ll need to pack some serious party clothes – the royal-rubbing Boujis crowd around the corner are sure to make this their second (or third) home.
Also: The huge brass doors in the Aubrey Bar have been taken from Dublin’s General Post Office, scene of the infamous 1916 Easter Rising. Keep an eye out for bullet holes.

London hotels: The Kensington Hotel, need to know

Current offers

Smith card offer: 20 per cent off the Aubrey restaurant and bar

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The Kensington Hotel

London, United Kingdom[view map]

Style: Fit for a Queen (’s Gate)
Setting: Sumptuous South Ken

Situated in beautiful townhouse, just off London’s Old Brompton Road, the Kensington Hotel is a relaxing spot in which to escape the bustle of SW7’s museum land. Style is taken incredibly seriously here, and everything from its handpicked furniture to the light installations that dominate its communal areas ticks the right fashion-magazine boxes. And it’s incredibly spacious – even the smallest rooms feel positively suite-like.

Need to know

Rooms: 150, including 20 suites.
Rates: £350–£540, not including taxes. Continental breakfast is an additional £15 a person.
Check-out: Midday, though this is flexible subject to availability; earliest check-in, 2pm.
Facilities: Gym, CD/DVD library, free WiFi, laundry service, valet parking. In rooms: flatscreen TVs, minibar, air-conditioning, free bottled water, CD/DVD players on request, Temple Spa toiletries, Nespresso machines in some rooms.
Poolside: There is no swimming pool at the Kensington Hotel.
Also: Smokers will be pleased to hear that lighting up is allowed in some of the bedrooms.

Food & drink

Hotel restaurant: The Aubrey Restaurant is where chef Russell Ford serves up wonderful English cuisine – peppered sirloin steak, roasted lemon-and-thyme chicken, and rhubarb and apple crumble – to a food-savvy crowd. Diners sit on green leather chairs at round wooden tables, and are free to move from the dining room into the bar whenever they feel. The atmosphere is casual.
Dress code: Comfortable, low-level glamour.
Top table: Try to secure one of the long, leather banquettes for genuine comfort eating.
Last orders: The Aubrey Restaurant stops taking orders at 10pm; the Aubrey Bar carries on serving till midnight.
Room service: Sandwiches, burgers, salads and other light dishes – and, of course, drinks – are available 24 hours a day.
Hotel bar: With its wood-panelled walls, six gorgeous glass teardrop chandeliers and enormous brass doors, the Aubrey Bar has a wonderful step-back-in-time feel. Sink back into one of the comfy dark-purple couches and send waiters scurrying to and from the mosaic-covered, semi-circular bar to bring you selections from the extensive cocktail menu. We recommend the Queen’s Gate Garden.

Also worth knowing

Children: Kids are welcome at the hotel, and baby cots are provided free of charge. Extra beds can be put into rooms for £20 a night, babysitting is available for £10.50 an hour (plus £25 booking fee) and there’s a children’s menu in the Aubrey restaurant.

Smith Members offer

20 per cent off the Aubrey restaurant and bar

If you're a member of Mr & Mrs Smith, you can get special privileges at every Smith hotel you book through us. Just show your Smith card at check-in to claim the offer featured on every hotel page (like the one above).

Click here to become a Mr & Mrs Smith member

Smith travel team

If you'd prefer to talk to someone, or don't want to book online, call our travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee you’ll get the best available rates, and we don’t charge a booking fee.