While in London for a weekend with friends, I stayed at the Kensington Marriott. A hotel that doesn’t make you dream but that offers a very solid service for its price when you know the rates charged in the English capital.
As a reminder, all the articles related to this weekend in London
| Review # | Type | Post |
| #1 | Hotel | Courtyard by Marriott Roissy Central |
| #2 | Flight | Paris-Frankfurt – Lufthansa – Business class |
| #3 | Flight | Frankfurt-London – Lufthansa – Business Class |
| #4 | Hotel | Marriott Kensington London |
| #5 | Restaurant | Gordon Ramsay Grill London |
| #6 | Restaurant | Le comptoir Joel Robuchon London |
| #7 | Lounge | Salon Singapore Airlines Londres Heathrow |
| #8 | Flight | London-Frankfurt – Lufthansa – Business Class |
| #9 | Flight | Frankfurt-Paris – Lufthansa Business Class |
Booking
I booked this hotel via the Marriott app about 10 days before my stay. I took a standard room at around 220 euros per night. Expensive? Yes, but for London it’s very reasonable and the location of the hotel suited my needs perfectly.
On the morning of my arrival the app will notify me of an upgrade to an executive room with access to the lounge.
Location of the hotel
The Kensington Marriott London is located close to South Kensington but, more importantly for me, not too far from Chelsea where I was to spend most of my time.
Plus it’s on the Piccadilly Line, which connects Heathrow to the city centre – perfect for me arriving by plane.
The area is also very pleasant.
Arrival at the hotel and check-in
I had checked in online the day before and walked from Earl’s Court station which is a 5 minute walk away.
I enter the rather dated but renovated lobby and go to the reception.
The welcome was extremely courteous, I was informed of my upgrade, thanked for my loyalty and given the keys to my room.
The upgrade was a bit cheap as there were still suites available and I had lounge access anyway due to my status, but in London it doesn’t surprise me at all.
The room
This executive room does not have much more than a standard room but is nicely decorated.
It is also a very decent size.
There is a real big office, which I like.
The bathroom is also very suitable.
The toiletries are of good quality.
No mini bar but the usual offer of tea and coffee. Bottled water will also be offered and renewed daily.
So much for this room. What to think about it?
It is overall nice and pleasant and looks very much like a recent renovation. This contrasts with the state of the corridors and lifts, which are not only dated but also sometimes worn out.
So in the end the impression was half and half: a comfortable and pretty room in a rather dated hotel with absolutely no charm.
Facilities
The hotel has a gym located outside, about 20 metres from the entrance. This is actually an independent business to which guests have access. I won’t try it.
Catering
The hotel has a bar and a restaurant/grill which I will not try.
But I will try the lounge one evening before dinner.
The place is blind and quite dated.
The cold offer is reduced to its simplest form.
The hot offer is consistent from a quantitative point of view. Qualitatively it’s not too fancy but it fills a stomach and is eatable.
The next table will spend its time serving itself plates full to the brim. Gourmets? No, the pilots of an unidentified airline who save their per diems instead of going to the restaurant.
As for drinks, there is a soft drink fountain, fruit juices, drinkable wine but not more and a beer tap.
The atmosphere was quite noisy when I arrived and then the lounge emptied.
A lounge without charm but which does a minimal job.
The staff and the service
For the few interactions I’ve had with it, quite friendly.
Check-out
I will check out on the Marriott app without having to go through the reception again. Easy and efficient.
Bottom line
A good old Marriott: no charm or personality, dated, but a nice room and given the prices in London I’ll settle for it.
Articles similaires
