I hit the big 40 and my other half planned me a great 72 hours away to enjoy it. The first stop on this stay was at the Hotel Indigo London - Kensington. I'm a big fan of the IHG Chains of hotels. Holiday Inn and the Holiday Inn express are my favourites when out on the road. "Most" of the time you know what you are going to get and frankly that's all you need and want when travelling with business.
However slightly less known in the IHG brand is the Hotel Indigo chain. These are fewer in their number in the UK but I love them for their styling and that they don't conform the usual standard hotel room. They all have a bit of charm and character and all offer something a bit different.
The Hotel Indigo in Kensington doesn't differ from this. The front looks like a grand fronted large opulent London house. The moment you walk into the foyer of the hotel you sense that it's something a little different from the run of the mill hotel. It plays on the local area with photo's from around the area along with some artistic and interesting art around.
We had a warm welcome from the reception who laid on a bottle of champagne for us on our arrival - always a nice treat!
A short trip up in the lift to the first floor and they styling that greets you in the foyer through the hotel carries through to the bedroom area. I just loved the doors to the rooms which gave the appearance of the traditional "front door" with the numbering to go with it. The corridors boast little styling clues that continue into the rooms themselves.
London much like New York especially in these mews type hotels never have huge rooms. The rooms are built into old town houses and work around the buildings character. Some mike find these therefore small - but for me it's all part of the charm staying in these sorts of buildings!
The room we were given was smart, designer and really stylish. I just loved it. A nice high ceiling does help with the room feel bigger. A nice sumptuous bed along with some nice furniture greeted us. I thought the mural/wallpaper on the wall really helped draw the room into the local area and made sure you knew exactly where you were! A small shower room with dark tiles kept the feeling of designer styling although it also made the room feel smaller.
Wifi in the hotel is free and there are the usual Iron and Ironing board in the room. There is a small mini bar also in the room as well. Obviously this was stocked with the champagne 😉
Due to having a big night out I can't comment on the following morning's breakfast.... However the hotel is in good proximity to Earls Court Tube station and all the shops on the high street.
Gripes? Well I think it all revolves around the bathroom. Firstly I think that it was a little on the small side which meant you could basically only spin around on the spot. Secondly the following morning we didn't really have any hot water. This was fine the night before as we had showers before we went out, but the morning whilst not cold it wasn't warm. Of anything that matters to me - it's this! Such a shame...
If you liked this review why don't you catch some of my other reviews?
Summary
Hotel Address: Hotel Indigo London Kensington, 34 - 44 Barkston Gardens, Earl's Court, London SW5 0EW
Wifi: Free, and good speed
Sockets by Bed: Yes (also with USB points)
Parking: No Parking as part of the hotel - some parking spaces outside.
Shower: ok - but it went cold on the following morning....
Price: From about £120 per night
Official Star Rating: 4 Stars
TS Rating: 4 stars
TS Comment: Nice Boutique hotel in London and an affordable price point. Good tube connections give it the plus point. Properly felt let down by the size of the bathroom and that the shower was cold in the morning... Not what you needed with a hangover!
More info: https://www.hotelindigo.com/
