100 Queen’s Gate, Curio by Hilton hotel in South Kensington offers interesting decor, a nifty bar, an Italian restaurant and a small gym.
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100 Queen’s Gate is a well-located hotel just a short walk from South Kensington tube. The hotel sits cheek to jowl with an entire row of tall, stylish, white-washed Regency buildings on what has always been a well-heeled part of London.
This majestic building was once the home of William Henry Alexander, an aristocratic lawyer, who lived here in the late 19th century. His collection of curiosities is worth checking out. They are housed in glass display cabinets and comprise a collection of porcelain and even medical tools brought back from William’s exotic travels to Asia.
The hotel went through a multi-million-pound renovation in 2019 and still looks shiny and new. And cosy. The entrance has three elegant check-in desks, chandeliers and a library to one side filled with curiosities.
Who for:
100 Queen’s Gate is ideally suited to couples or even business travellers looking for a hotel with meeting rooms and stylish accommodation while on a short city break in London.
Accommodation:
Looks can be deceiving because though the lobby has the air of a boutique hotel there are around 228 individually designed rooms arranged over seven floors.
Though no two rooms are the same, they all share a certain understated elegance in their design, such as muted wall colours, with drama offered by the furnishings.
They all have tea and coffee, with some rooms having a Nespresso machine and mini bar, a 49-inch flat-screen Smart TV and free WiFi access.
Mine was room 612, a duplex room. You enter the inviting living room and from there a staircase leads to the bedroom and bathroom. It’s a stylish and nifty arrangement.
Food & Drink
I generally like to have a drink before dinner and their ESQ bar has a fine selection of tipples and cocktails. Their signature cocktail – Exotic Bliss – a mix of Haku Japanese vodka, Chambord, raspberry and cranberry puree and lime juice had several elements that should contradict but live in one glass, it’s simultaneously sweet and sour and fresh and fruity. A sensual sip.
The airy, spacious Cento restaurant serves delicious Italian cuisine serving classics including Chicken Milanese, Lobster Ravioli and our Pinsa Romana.
The Burrata with asparagus salad was fresh and creamy while the Polpette, beef meatballs in putanseca sauce was wonderfully herby, and very flavoursome.
The rump steak was highly seasoned with plenty of pepper. The Chicken Milanese came with smoked mozzarella though I would have enjoyed it even more on its own. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Dessert was a chocolate cake and their signature Cornetto e Gelato with hazelnut ice cream and chocolate sauce. This was downed with a Viognier white and a Rioja red.
The Botanica restaurant located in an atrium opposite is decked out in bright white looking fresh with lashings of daylight pouring in. This is where afternoon tea is served.
Facilities:
When you don’t want to go down to breakfast or dinner, you can order room service. The reception is on duty 24/7 and there’s a gym in the basement. Also, if you have an hour to pass spend it in the library next to the lobby. Choose a vintage book or two and settle into a cushioned armchair and peruse.
What’s nearby
100 Queen’s Gate is around a 20-minute walk from the Royal Albert Hall, and five minutes from South Kensington Station. It’s easy to access Hyde Park, Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and if shopping is n the agenda, the iconic Harrods department store on Brompton Road.
How much:
Doubles start at £240 per night. Breakfast £20 per person.
VERDICT: 100 Queens Gate hotel offers, dapper surroundings, a nifty bar and an appealing restaurant. An all-in-one destination for a city break in one of London’s most stylish areas.
