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Thistle Kensington Palace

Hotel with a 24-hour front desk, steps from Kensington High Street

Reviews

6.0 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Room service
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Bar
  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Restaurant

Explore the area

Map
De Vere Gardens, London, London, England, W8 5AF
  • Kensington High Street
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Royal Albert Hall
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Hyde Park
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • London (LCY-London City)
    ‪33 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

Spaces

Standard Double/Twin

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed OR 2 Single Beds

Executive Double/Twin

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed OR 2 Single Beds

Single room

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Single Bed

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About the area

London

Located in London, Thistle Kensington Palace is in the city centre. Kensington High Street and Oxford Street are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's popular attractions can visit Natural History Museum and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Royal Albert Hall or Stamford Bridge Stadium.

What's nearby

  • Kensington High Street - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Kensington Gardens - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Royal Albert Hall - 7 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Hyde Park - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Natural History Museum - 14 min walk - 1.2 km

Getting around

  • Kensington (Olympia) Underground Station - 4 min drive
  • High Street Kensington Station - 8 min walk
  • London (LCY-London City) - 58 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Bertie's Bar - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Flat Iron - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Zaika - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Min Jiang - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Wagamama High Street Kensington - ‬4 min walk

About this property

Thistle Kensington Palace

Hotel with a 24-hour front desk, steps from Kensington High Street
Along with a restaurant, this hotel has a bar/lounge and conference space. Additionally, concierge services, dry cleaning and laundry facilities are on-site.
Thistle Kensington Palace offers 285 accommodations with coffee/tea makers and a hairdryer. Televisions come with pay-per-view films. Additionally, rooms include free toiletries and blackout curtains. Housekeeping is offered on a daily basis and hypo-allergenic bedding can be requested. Cots/infant beds and Rollaway/extra beds are also available.

Amenities

Restaurant
Business services
Bar
Laundry
Room service
Housekeeping

House Rules

Check in after 2 PM
Check out before noon
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Pets

No pets allowed

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

Frequently asked questions

Is Thistle Kensington Palace pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Thistle Kensington Palace?

Check-in begins at 2 PM.

What time is check-out at Thistle Kensington Palace?

Checkout is at noon.

Where is Thistle Kensington Palace located?

Located in London City Centre, this hotel is steps away from Kensington Gardens and Kensington High Street. Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park are also within 10 minutes. High Street Kensington Station is 8 minutes by foot and Gloucester Road Underground Station is 12 minutes.

Thistle Kensington Palace Reviews

Reviews

6.0
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 2 out of 31 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 31 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 8 out of 31 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 8 out of 31 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 31 reviews

6.8/10

Cleanliness

6.8/10

Staff & service

5.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Bryan, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Good for the price - excellent for location

I thought the Thistle hotel would be in better shape, but it's very much an old style hotel in an old part of time - albeit a very nice part of town (I lived down the road for 6 months so know the area is VERY nice). Don't expect sweeping corridors and state of the art lifts, it's very much an old 1930s style hotel inside. Rooms are clean and comfortable, staff were helpful. I would recommend as it's great value for what you get, and the location. Not homeymoon material though.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Iain, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Great location

The hotel is in a great location on the edge of Hyde Park, the hotel was clean and tidy although it is starting to get very old.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

2/10 Terrible

Pete, Sarasota, FL

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

It's Just OK

The rooms we had were very big for Europe, but that is all. They were old and very little up keep. The Staff was rude at best. The Bed we had was like sleeping on a cobble stone street. You would be much better off at the Kensington Close. They have smaller rooms but much, much, more comfortable and clean and safe. It is also close ( one block ) from the High Street Station.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Traveller, Scotland

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Not The Best

Not the best hotel we've stayed at! Obviously paying for the area and not the hotel. The hotel is in need of refurbishment and upgrade. Our room had missing lightbulbs, dirty nets and holes in the bed throw. The bathroom had broken tiles on the floor and the toilet seat was also broken across the middle. Grubby feel to the whole room. If we had been staying longer than the one night we would definitely have asked to have been moved.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

David, Boston

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great room, great location

We had a beautiful and unexpectedly large room in a particularly nice part of the hotel, on the 4th floor overlooking the Kensington Gardens. Its a 5-minute walk to the Gloucester Road Tube Station and a 2-minute walk from some great little restaurants. Overall my wife and I were very pleased. The room was clean, the service fine, and the location wonderful.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

2/10 Terrible

julian, New York

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Bed

The bed was the major problem.... Old, convexed, sprung etc....... I asked about 3 times for it to be changed... to no avail.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Jon, Cardiff

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Typical business hotel for London

Price is ok considering the location near central london (5 stops on the tube) and the hotel, whilst impersonal, was ok
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Sonia, Cambridge

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Not Impressed

We were staying in London for one night to see a show at the Royal Albert Hall and wanted somewhere close by but not too expensive. On the face of it this hotel ticked the boxes but, when we checked in, we were given the choice of a twin room (non-smoking) or a double room (smoking), despite booking a double non-smoking room. Being non-smokers the smell of stale cigarette smoke was abhorrent so chose the twin room option. Which was horrbile. On entering the room, it was clear that it was in need of modernisation (there were water stains on the wall-monted lampshades) and we had a lovely view of a rooftop. We complained and refused to budge. Reception staff gave us a complimentary upgrade to a 'deluxe double' room on the seventh floor. This too was quite shabby with peeling wallpaper, a broken picture light and a minibar abandoned in the middle of the room. The 'double' bed was two twin beds pushed together. All in all, the best thing about the room was the view of Kensington Palace and the gardens opposite and the location. In summary, the hotel itself is in desperate need of renovation and modernisation.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

James, World roamer in a wheelchair

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort

Not wheelchair accessible

after 2 nights they did find a sister holte North of Hyde park that was accessible. Thistle Kessington Gardens and Thistle Marble Arch's rooms are almost identical, would highly recomment these two Thistle holels. They did give back 50% for thos first two nights.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

alain, france

Liked: Staff & service

qualite prix ok

les chambres meriteraient une mise à niveau
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Mina, New York

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Room for improvement

The hotel is desperately in need of renovation. The fire alarm went off twice during our six night stay. My key card had to be changed four times. The carpet was buckling and held in place by duct tape. The shower curtain fell down and wasn't fixed for two days. One of the elevators was out of service for three days.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Nathaniel, NYC metro area

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice Hotel

The room and bathroom were large (much larger than the typical budget hotel I stay at), coupled with the bargain price I paid, makes the hotel a super deal. It is a five minute walk from High Street Kensington stop on the circle and district lines.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Wolfgang, Düsseldorf

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort

Lage optimal zur Royal Albert Hall, mittelmäßiges Zimmer

Zimmer 512, Ausblick in alten Hinterhof, nicht beeindruckend, Flur mit muffeligem Teppichboden, Zimmer anfangs auch muffelig, mit offenem Fenster aber ok, sauber, im Bad keine Ablagen vorhanden und die Wanne schon ziemlich abgenutzt, wer es altenglisch mag, fuer den sicherlich ok freundlicher Service in der Bar, Einrichtung der Bar mit Hockern und Tischen eher lieblos drei Sterne gerade noch akzeptabel! Empfehlung daher auch eingeschränkt, jein, very british halt
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Bill, Vermont

Liked: Staff & service

Decent value for London

The staff is friendly & helpful, the location is upscale and the room was quiet. Things to look out for: 1) the shower was prone to hot water surges, and 2) although the hotel is listed as having high-speed internet access, we didn't use it as it came with a hefty charge per minute. Try the internet cafe down the street.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

AWi, Fürth, D

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Charm vergangener Tage

+ gute Lage (Kensington-/Hydepark), 15min mit Bus ins Zentrum, 7..8min zu Fuss zur U-Bahn; + Baustil und Ambiente hat was vom "Good old England" - Renovierungsbedürftig (Lichtschalter defekt, Toilettenbrille auf Nachfrage repariert, Fenster Scharnier herausgerissen, Teppiche durchgetreten) - Service des Personals beschränkt sich auf das notwendigste
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Laurent, Grasse-Magagnosc - France

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Idéalement placé, chambre spacieuse et agréable

Hôtel situé en face du parc de Kensington et des rues commerçantes. Idéal pour le shopping et la découverte des monuments historiques ou musées. L'hôtel est de style victorien ; le personnel est compétent et les chambres confortables, spacieuses et propres. Nous n'avons pas testé le restaurant. Nous avons aimé dans l'ensemble.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Tom, Seattle, WA

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Location Great, but nothing else

When we checked in, London was very warm. We were given the Expedia special Rate, and so were assigned a room with no air conditioning. The room was stuffy and warm. The window, which looked out on an air shaft, would only open 12" and afforded us no breeze. As it was warm, over 90 degrees, we wanted to take a shower. We could not as the shower was broken and was not fixed until the next day. When it was fixed, the temperature control and water pressure were quite variable. We requested a fan, and had to make 4 additional requests before one was delivered, 12 hours after the original request. Need we say more?
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Kathy, Western Massachusetts

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Good budget accommodations.

My husband and I spent four nights here in late June. While the carpet is worn and the bathroom facilities dated, the hotel was clean, comfortable, and convenient. The hotel staff were helpful and friendly. I'd definitely stay here again.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Tonya, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Very nice location.

Very nice location, close to everything.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Helen, France

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Would definitely stay here again

Great location, very quiet, lovely room for price.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Wendy

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Find Another Hotel

As a frequent business traveler to London, I want to strongly encourage other visitors to find another hotel at this very convenient location. The Thistle Kensington is outdated and understaffed. There are few services for business travelers. The Kensington High Street neighborhood is terrific with easy transport options and great restaurants. If you're looking for moderately priced accomodation in London, there are better destinations than this poorly maintained property.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

robert, indian trail,n.c.

Disliked: Room comfort

would recommend with reservations

would recommend with reservation,room adquate but the location is wonderful
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Dave, Los Angeles, CA

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Spartan at best

Well located old hotel. Torn, worn out carpeting and an overall run down condition. I thought saving money on a room would be a good idea but I won't do it again. Every day when I came back to my room I was disapointed. More like a two star than the three stars given.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort