The Kensington Hotel has been recently renovated and looks fantastic. It’s only a ten-minute walk from South Kensington’s museums, so it would be easy to combine a morning trip to the museum with a relaxing afternoon tea. The hotel is actually four large connected Victorian houses and there are many period features to admire.
Considering the hustle and bustle of museums, a visit to the Kensington Hotel’s Drawing Room is an oasis of peace and quiet.
Afternoon tea information
Place:
Lounge at the Kensington Hotel,
113 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington,
London SW7 5LR.
Nearest Tube Station: South Kensington.
Use Journey Planner to plan your route on public transportation.
Dress code: smart casual.
Reservations: Book online
Photography: Allowed. The staff will help you.
Children: welcome.
Music: background, lounge music.
revision
The hotel was easy to find and Queen’s Gate seemed like a very quiet street considering the busy area.
Personal
This hotel really knows about customer service and the staff were smart, efficient and polite, and capable of accommodating unusual requests. Their welcome was sincere and they took the time to explain how they serve afternoon tea here so we felt comfortable and able to relax.
The drawing room
This spacious room has a variety of seating options for different sized parties and each area felt almost like a private room; not because of the walls, but because of the clever position of the chairs, so no other group was in our line of sight and everyone chatted as if no one else was there. The Persian rugs, English and Chinese paintings, and the fireplace, with a roaring fire, make the room feel very homey, but the high ceilings and chandeliers keep things great.
We sat by the window in large dark red armchairs with a circular marble table, but we didn’t feel like we were in a ‘goldfish bowl’ – that is, we were constantly overlooked by passersby on the street. As there was a well-placed window box so passers-by could see the chandeliers and the walls of the room, but not the guests.
The music was kept on a background level to encourage conversation, and the volume turned up and the lights dimmed towards night.
Tea selection
There are thirteen teams listed on the menu with helpful descriptions. Staff can also give recommendations. If tea is not your thing, then you can have coffee or hot chocolate. Tea is served in a white teapot and a large pot is available if you are sharing. The tea is a loose leaf in the pot and although it cannot be removed, the tea was not ‘stewed’ so the correct amount of tea was used for the size of the pot. On the table is a rotating tea strainer with a drip bowl like the one I first saw at The Wolseley.
After a pot of Earl Gray, my partner and I had three pots of White Moon tea! White Moon has very long tips (about 3 cm) with a subtle peach flavor.
Afternoon tea at The Kensington Hotel is served as three courses and not all at once at a three-tier cake stand. Sandwiches come first, and the serving staff are adept at placing plates on the table so that everything fits.
Sandwiches
Expect small, square, and stunning sandwiches on a variety of bread with interesting fillings, plus a spring roll. It needed vegetarian fillings and my dining partner had an allergy but even though we hadn’t warned the hotel, there was no problem. The staff checked with the kitchen and immediately reported that special options would be prepared immediately. All fillings were carefully described and unusually pea shoots were used for garnish, which was delicious and inspired me to plant pea seeds in my garden when I got home.
Buns
Four homemade buns arrived after our sandwiches were devoured, wrapped in a napkin so warm when we cut them in half. The two plain and two raisin buns were not crumbly and very tasty even before the cream and jam were added. The scones are served with Cornish clotted cream, lemon-passion fruit curd, and strawberry jam.
I was still a little disappointed not to have a three tier cake stand until the treats hit a delicious miniature cake stand with two fancy tiers to share. No need for arguments here as there were two of everything. The apple rhubarb crumble was spicy and delicious and the mini carrot cake muffin was divine. We also enjoyed shortcake, a darling fresh fruitcake and 1 square inch of Victoria sponge.
Conclution
We were there for three hours and I think that says a lot. Would I have stayed that long if I wasn’t enjoying afternoon tea? Of course, no. The Kensington Hotel has every right to be proud of its afternoon tea and its staff is a real credit.
