Fraser Suites Kensington

Yassin at reception was kind, friendly and honest, and we really enjoyed dealing with him. Ms. Elizabeth was also wonderful, thoughtful and so lovely with people. She’s the reason we came to love living at Fraser Suites Kensington. It’s one of my favorite places to live, and the best in Buhoud. Thank you so much, Elizabeth.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and the place felt safe and a bit upscale. It's roomy, close to the tube, and has the essentials for cooking apart from salt and pepper. The bed was comfortable, there were lots of pillows and spare bedding, and both the bedroom and living room had their own aircon. The bathroom radiator was easy to use too. I had a few frustrations, so I'd put it at 4.5 stars and round up. The couch was so uncomfortable that we usually watched TV or relaxed in bed, even though we never tried the fold-out sofa bed. The kitchen also had no salt or pepper. I timed the hot water and got about six minutes of moderately hot water before it turned ice cold. My showers are usually eight to ten minutes, and a few times I ended up rushing and still got caught in cold water. We didn't ask to change rooms or have anyone check it, so I can't say if it was a problem with every room or just ours. Our room was 311, in case staff want to look into it. Since I didn't try to get the issue fixed, I don't hold it against them.

The location was ideal, close to the tube, supermarket, museums and lots of restaurants, and felt safe. Staff were nice and accommodating, especially Shamal. I also liked the courteous, pleasant housekeeper. I think she cleaned every other day, which was fine with us. Breakfast was basic: bread, croissants, coffee, tea, cereal, some cold cuts and a boiled egg. There are breakfast places nearby if you want more. Our first night in the 1BR was rough, and we had to switch rooms right away. The old, worn sofa bed had metal you could feel through it, the extra pillows were old, and the shower had no hot water. It was freezing, and the kids and I had no choice. There was no washing machine in that room either. The room was large, and I liked the loccitane products, but bring a checklist. The second room was much better and had a washing machine, but it didn't work. The AC was broken too. I told the staff, but that was the room we were given. I didn't want to let it ruin the vacation, so we stayed. Given the choice, I'd have picked a smaller hotel room where everything worked.

The area is nice, and the staff were very helpful. Animals are allowed, though the rooms assigned to us had carpet with obvious stains from previous stays. There's a lovely garden next door, but animals aren't allowed there. They also ask for a deposit equal to the full cost of the stay. There are no wash or bath rags, so you need to bring or buy your own, and when the supplies run out, you have to purchase more. It didn't meet my expectations.