WHAT’S IT LIKE? The Royal Garden has been undergoing a £45 million revamp that has seen its bedrooms, public areas, event spaces, restaurants and bars given a fresh, modern look. Rooms on the tenth floor will be complete by the end of the year, marking the completion of the project. The five-star property is a member of Worldhotels and originally opened in 1968. When I checked in there were a couple of famous footballers milling around in the lobby signing autographs, but I headed straight to my room after swiftly being issued with a key from the friendly receptionist.
WHERE IS IT? In west London, on Kensington High Street by Kensington Gardens. The nearest Tube stations are Notting Hill Gate, Gloucester Road (handy for the Piccadilly line to Heathrow airport) and High Street Kensington.
ROOM FACILITIES Standard category Queen rooms feature contemporary décor in an palette of chestnut, cream, oatmeal, coffee and olive. (Note than some are smoking while other are not.) Fittings and amenities include bathrooms with combined tubs and showers and White Company toiletries, flatscreen LG TVs, iPod docks, minibars, air conditioning, triple-glazed windows, robes, safes, small workdesks, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Wired/wifi internet access is £20 for 24 hours.
King rooms are more spacious and have an integrated living area, while Executive rooms and Park Suites – the nicest in my opinion – sport slightly more stylish design with more wood, mirrors and touches of red, plus sofa beds, and a separate walk-in shower. The four Master suites have additional amenities such as Blu-ray players, Bose surround-sound systems, Penhaligon’s Quercus products, rainshowers and huge living and dining rooms. I was staying in a Garden room that benefitted from sweeping views of the park and was bathed in sunshine in the morning.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS Chinese eatery Min Jiang offers a long, striking space with lots of red and black, mirrors, vintage photos, blue and white vases, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the park. I didn’t eat here on this occasion but signature dishes include Beijing duck, dim sum and spicy Sichuan, with options of à la carte and set menus for lunch (12pm-3pm) and dinner (6pm-10.30pm). A four-course “express lunch” is available for £19.80 – good for time-pressed business people. Min Jiang also has bar section for tea, cocktails and snacks.
Bertie’s bar is open 5pm-2am Monday to Saturday, while the lobby-level Park Terrace lounge/bar/restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, pre-theatre dinner, dinner and drinks in a simple, light-filled space. Beverages include cocktails from £8.25, as well as premium spirits such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label for £50 for 50ml.
I ate in the restaurant in the evening and was disappointed with the only vegetarian main course on the menu – a brown suet pudding stuffed with mushrooms that was so salty I couldn’t get through it. My guest enjoyed his grilled West Country Black Label sirloin steak though, which was served with “potato pillows”, polonaise tender-stem broccoli and choron sauce, and having eaten delicious food provided at private events at the hotel in the past, perhaps I just got unlucky.
The pricing is reasonable – £29.50 for two courses or £36.50 for three – and the service was attentive. Breakfast was of an extensive continental buffet (£20.50), with additional options of full English, Oriental or “favourites” such as pancakes or smoked salmon scrambled egg.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES Business Traveller has successfully hosted its annual awards lunch at this property for several years (click here to view last year's results), taking over the 550-capacity Palace Suite (divisible in two) and adjacent reception for welcome drinks. There is plenty of support from staff, as well as remote controlled lighting, a portable stage and screen, and good on-site catering. There are also four syndicate rooms for board meetings, a private street-level entrance and wifi throughout. For small meetings, bedrooms can be hired, while the private dining rooms in Min Jiang (seating 20 people) and Park Terrace (seating ten/40) can be booked for a meal. Bertie’s bar can also be privatised.
LEISURE FACILITIES There is no pool, but guests do have the use of the independently run public Soma health club, which is only accessible by going outside and then taking a scruffy lift down to it (meaning you can’t walk around in your robe). It is open 6am-9pm and you will need to buzz to gain entry. It is far from luxurious, and changing areas are a little rough around the edges. However, there are seven treatment rooms and doctors on-site, as well as a gym with Startral machines and free weights (no natural light though), a sauna and steam room. Guests pay a special rate of £10 for classes but my preference would be a run in the park.
VERDICT The extensive revamp has greatly increased the appeal of the Royal Garden hotel to business travellers. The bedrooms are well equipped and many have park views, it is in a lively, upmarket location and there are numerous spaces for events.
FACT FILE
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 396 rooms across six categories – Queen, King, Garden and Executive rooms, plus Park and Master suites.
ROOM HIGHLIGHTS The views of the park, large flatscreen TV and raised living area.
PRICE Internet rates for a midweek stay in October started from £213 for a Queen room.
CONTACT 2-24 Kensington High Street, Kensington; tel +44 (0)20 7937 8000; royalgardenhotel.co.uk
Jenny Southan
