Visiting London for the first time for a few days and are trying to stay there on a reasonable budget. We found some surprisingly normal priced hotels in Earls Court (such as Nadler Kensington) and some more expensive hotels in S. Kensington. We'd like to get feedback on these two areas, including why is Earls Court cheaper than Kensington and is it worth it to pay a premium to stay in Kensington.
Thanks!
Kensington has a bit of cachet, Earls Court hasn’t so much. About 20/30 years ago it was a bit run down and full of Australian bar workers. But it’s now a very nice area.
The Nadler is a lovely hotel. Small rooms but very comfortable. I happen to be staying there right now! It’s in a quiet side street a short walk from Earls Court tube and lots of bustling restaurants and pubs around Earls Court.
It’s a very good choice. No restaurant in the hotel but you get a mini-kitchen in a cupboard with a fridge, sink and microwave.
We always stay in S. Kensington when in London. From the Gloucester tube stop to the Earl’s Court stop is only a 10 minute walk. There are plenty of hotels between the stations. We generally stay at Rydges or the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt. A friend of mine recently stayed at The Bailey’s Hotel and my sister stayed at the Ashburn. All the hotels I mentioned are very close to the Gloucester tube station. Can’t say why Earl’s Court is cheaper.
This is kind of strange.....but.....I am also writing this from my room at the Nadler Kensington.
I am biased. This is like my second home. In the past two years I've spent over 100 nights at this hotel. The rooms are small but they are clean and comfortable. Maria and her staff go out of their way to give great service. I travel a great deal so having the kitchenette means I don't have to eat out every night.
Earls Court is going through a true gentrification. In the early 1990's I remember the area as the place you came to watch the drunken Aussies. No more. Last year, a row of refurbished townhouses around the corner from the Nadler each sold for 2-3 million pounds as single family homes. All around you see flats being renovated and rented out on sites like AirBnb.
Kensington and South Kensington are two different areas. Kensington is posh.
But there are very few hotels. Lots of hotels in the South Kensington/Gloucester Road areas. I've stayed in all areas and when compared they are now pretty much the same.
Let me put it in Los Angeles terms......Kensington is Brentwood. South Kensington/Gloucester Road/Earls Court is Santa Monica around Montana.
Earl's Court, as mentioned earlier, was a big place for Aussie backpackers (and if you draw a line on the District Line down towards Wimbledon, you'll find even more around Parson's Green as they're priced out of their former stomping grounds). Young, on a budget, looking for a bargain to stretch out their finances.
The only bad experience I had with a hotel in Earl's Court was when staying there in early October and the weather was unseasonably cold. Earlier in the day, reception at the 3-star hotel told us there was maintenance work on the heating system but they had spare blankets. When we got in that night and asked if we could have extra blankets, the answer was, "no. We don't have any left." So we put coats on the bed and 'made do' with what we had.
If you're going during a very cold snap, it all depends how warm your coats are!
Now: Kensington & Chelsea is the exclusive well-heeled area of the city. The term "Sloane Rangers" was coined for yuppies (Young Urban Professionals) that lived around Sloane Square in the area in the 1980s. The song "West End Girls" by the Pet Shop Boys tells the story of upper-class West End girls mingling with the rough-and-ready East End boys, and Kensington & Chelsea is the west end (to Mile End and Stepney Green's east end). Princess Diana is synonymous with the area.
You get the idea!
Hi Frank II! waves
Earl's Court = Kangeroo Court. But not any more. The entire area around the Kensington Tube stops (South Kensington,West Kensington, Kensington High Street, and including Gloucester Road) has grown posh enough to send rents skyrocketing. In my favorite pub, the Hereford Arms just south of Gloucester Road Tube station, it's more common to hear French accents when that very large population turns out for the Sunday "roast" dinner. Tourists can enjoy the access to the traditional museum corridor from Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall south to the Nature and Victoria and Albert museums. With easy mass transit, I choose whichever hotel has a discount because they are all expensive.
Thanks so much for the comments!
Hi Jane and Frank II - Are the fur-like brown blankets in the Nadler rooms (as displayed on the website) the only blankets the hotel provides? Wondering if that's what you use or if they're meant for decor...
We’ve stayed at the Nadler Kensington several times. Rooms are small but clean and modern and have a “kitchen in a cupboard” so you can make coffee or tea and buy yogurt at a nearby grocery store for breakfast. Grocery store and coffee shop nearby. I’d definitely stay there again. It is about 2 blocks to the Earls court tube so it is extremely convenient. It is also easy to take the tube to/from Heathrow from this location.
I too like the Hereford Arms for dinner by the Gloucester stop and the Blackbird pub for a drink by Earls Court.
Hi Jane and Frank II - Are the fur-like brown blankets in the Nadler
rooms (as displayed on the website) the only blankets the hotel
provides? Wondering if that's what you use or if they're meant for
decor, as I'm allergic to fur.
No blankets. This is Europe: you get a duvet. It’s the thing that looks like a sheet. The furry things (not real fur) are decorative bed-end things. Not sure what they’re called but lots of hotels do them - runners?
Those "furry" things.....the first thing I do when entering my room is shove it into the closet and it stays there until I leave.
As stated, not real fur. It's just for decoration. The rooms have individual heat and air conditioning controls. You set the temperature.
Those "furry" things.....the first thing I do when entering my room is shove it into the closet and it stays there until I leave.
I am laughing because I have stayed at the Nadler about half a dozen times (and I will be there in about 10 days... yay!) and I also remove the fake fur throw thing as soon as I arrive, along with the extra throw pillows.
I'll be staying at the City Continental Kensington on the recommendation of my old roommate who lives in the area next month for one night (at the end of our trip) and an AirBnB near South Kensington for 2 nights (beginning of trip). Jane and Frank II - did you meet for breakfast or a drink?
Thanks Jane and Frank II! Lol, that's exactly what we will do with those "furry" things... hide it in the closet. We'll book tonight... either at Nadler or K+K George (we like the garden view here and the breakfast buffet). Thanks again everyone! This has been very helpful and we appreciate it.
I always thought those bed-end throws (furry or not, depending on the hotel) were meant to prevent the bedding getting soiled when you laid your suitcase on the bed to unpack.
I ADORE S. Kensington...such a beautiful neighborhood - great for walking, restaurants, people watching.
I always thought those bed-end throws (furry or not, depending on the hotel) were meant to prevent the bedding getting soiled when you laid your suitcase on the bed to unpack.
No, they're just unnecessary textiles used more as decoration and probably to hide a poorly made bed.
The Nadler Kensington is running a 3 for 2 special.....pay for two nights and get the third free. I just rebooked my June stay and saved 350 GBP.
