Thistle Kensington Gardens - London, United Kingdom 

"Loved it"
Posted: Mon, Nov 23 2009
We stayed in this hotel for the weekend, I was worried about it over the reviews but I couldnt have been happier. The room was non smoking and large enough for two to have lots of room (210) The view was well terrible but it didnt matter to us. It is over a petrol station but you wouldnt even notice in fact its handy to get snacks. The location is really great, next to the tube and across from the park. Over all I would recommend it to anyone. A great base to see the best of London - book a show if you can!

Robbed!! Stay Away!!
Posted: Wed, Jul 23 2008
After reading an earlier review where another customer said they were robbed in this hotel, I was a bit worried, but had no choice but to stay here because I was staying here as part of a large group. I made sure every day to bring all personal belongings with me (i.e. cell, passport, money...). My friend, however (staying in another room) did not and was robbed of almost all his personal posessions while we were out seeing a show, gone only a few hours! Anyway. Here are a few things you should know about the hotel: Since I was staying with a large group I saw many different of the basic rooms (all costing the same). If you have to stay here and have a choice, I would TRY to get a room on floor 8. The rooms on floor 4, while they have American electricity plugs which are handy, are quite a bit smaller for the exact same price, ESPECIALLY in the bathroom department. The elevators are very small, even by European standards, and rarely work. On the plus side, I got quite a workout while staying here. The only plus side I would say is the morning breakfast buffet. Its really cute and offers a nice view of Hyde Park. Staff is friendly but could do more to fix problems in the hotel, it seems like a lot was broken (our window, for example...the sliding glass door...the elevators!!). Walls were cracked and damaged. The interior of this hotel is dated. Don't be fooled by the photos online. I would not stay here again, and I would advise unless you REALLY had to, to not either.

Almost Fawlty Towers.
Posted: Wed, Jul 09 2008
I have recently had the displeasure of staying at Thistle Kensington Gardens for almost two weeks. I was shocked by the unpleasant manner of almost all of the staff I dealt with throughout my stay. There was no hairdryer in the 'hairdryer' drawer. After waiting for an hour and a half, I called reception to ask where my requested hairdryer was and they said they were waiting for me to call back as they'd forgotten which room had asked for one. This example was very typical of almost daily issues encountered. Also - I thought 'do not disturb' was a pretty simple request to follow but at 8am on a Saturday morning, apparently not. I expected a lot more for 4 stars. The room was comfortable. The staff, however, made me feel uncomfortable and very very annoyed. Try to stay anywhere BUT the Thistle.

It Stinks - Literally!
Posted: Fri, Jul 04 2008
We stayed at the Thistle Kensington Garden for five nights in June for an average of 90 pounds a night. I would not recommend this hotel due to the strong musty/mouldy smell in the hallway and room. We deliberately tried not to spend any time in the room due to the smell which seemed particularlay bad in our section of the building. Overall, our room could have been cleaner and a top sheet for the bed would have been nice. There are a few redeeming features of the hotel. The staff at reception were pleasant upon check-in and upgraded us to a better room for no extra charge. We ended up with a room on an upper floor overlooking the park. It was a great view! Perhaps the biggest advantage of the hotel is that it is a short walk to two tube stations on different lines, providing great access to the city. There are also some shops and restaurants only a few short minutes from the hotel, which was very handy. I would not stay at this hotel again.

Not a Bad Hotel
Posted: Wed, Jul 02 2008
I booked this hotel through British Air with three nights for the price of two with breakfast thrown in. As others have said, it doesn't impress from the outside, though it is in a very good location. I had a tiny room on the 9th floor, which was fine though I thought the bath was a bit unsafe as some of the handholds were gone, and it was high one. The staff were all very helpful and courteous, and the breakfast was very nice though I would not have paid for it had it not been included. It was where I wanted to stay in London this time; so I was satisfied with my choice.