Avni Kensington Hotel

The location in the heart of Kensington is good, within walking distance of the museums and close to the metro. The receptionists were very nice and helpful, and the small bathroom was clean, though dark. The hotel looks better outside than inside, and better in the pictures than in reality. Promo prices can be misleading when the photos show something different from what you get. I was given a basement room that badly needed refurbishing. Its old window was below ground level, with large gaps between the glass, so wind came straight in.

The crew made our stay pleasant, so a big thank you to them. The breakfast was good enough, and the place is close to lots of things, including the tube, fast food places, pubs and museums. The room wasn’t as clean as we’d expected, but I’m sure that happens sometimes, no offense.

The room didn’t match what was shown on bookings. There was no air conditioning, and the beds had cheap, springy mattresses. When I raised things with staff, they mostly passed the decision along to whoever was working the next day. Even the luggage storage room was 100x nicer than the room guests stay in. The only real plus is that it’s about a 10-minute walk from the tube. Otherwise, don’t stay here. You’ve been warned.

Breakfast was pretty good: white and brown bread you could toast, one kind of cheese and meat, bananas, apples, and a few cereals. The twin room was awkwardly laid out. The shower was so close to the toilet that I couldn’t put my legs out in front, and there was barely room to walk between the beds and wall, so getting to the window or other bed meant climbing over one. Staff seemed a bit distant and uninterested. The hotel is only a few minutes from Gloucester Underground station and good for the price, as long as you don’t expect too much.