The Resident Kensington

The staff were welcoming and helpful, and gave us space to enjoy ourselves unless we needed something. My wife and I couldn't have asked for a better stay, and we'll definitely come back. The apartment was tidy and comfortable, with everything we could want or need, and a balcony stretching the full length of the living and dining room. It's huge by American standards and massive for central London. This “apart-hotel” is beautiful and perfectly located near the London Underground. I was very impressed with the Presidential apart-hotel way of doing business.

For a longer stay, the fully equipped kitchen was really convenient, and the apartments are modern and clean. They're more spacious than typical London hotel rooms, though some furnishings look a little worn and larger groups may find space tight. The Kensington location is excellent, just a short walk from Earl's Court station, making it easy to get around the city. A comfortable option if you prefer apartment-style accommodation and good value.

The bed’s worn into two deep grooves and really needs replacing. The website photos also seem out of date, since our room had no desk. The table for three had to serve for both dining and working, and the roomy fridge and freezer looked as if they hadn’t been defrosted in ages. There’s little useful hanging space for skirts, dresses or trousers, and part of the closet is taken up by the safe. There’s no light in the closet or hallway. The washing machine, though, worked very well, and our clothes dried in under a day. We’ve stayed here twice in five years, and the location is still a big plus. Marks & Spencer grocery is a block away, Paul Boulangerie is two blocks away across from the Underground, and there’s a bus stop a block away in one direction, with other options a few blocks the other way. Michael, the doorman, is always smiling and helps with luggage, including getting it to and from a cab. The front desk staff were mostly unresponsive and gloomy, and their boss never greeted anyone. Alex was friendly and gave us useful suggestions for places to see, or skip. Veronica kept our room immaculate and made sure we had clean dishes, towels and sheets every few days, despite the small dishwasher being almost at floor level. She had a positive attitude, as did two young Hispanic coworkers we met, who were helpful and appreciated my limited Spanish. Our fourth-floor Executive Studio was warm even with outdoor temperatures around 45-60 degrees. We left the windows open, used a fan at night, and turned on the air conditioning a few times to cool the room. A month before the stay, I tried several times to upgrade through the website. The chatbot was useless, and although I was told I had tickets 15, 16 and 18, nobody replied. This hotel has a lot of potential. A friendlier front desk team with a sense of hospitality would be a good start.

Our apartment was clean and well equipped, and the staff were kind and caring throughout. It had a separate bedroom and living/dining area, with room for three adults if one used the sofa bed, or two adults and two young children. They happily brought an extra duvet to use as a pad on the sofa bed. There was a washer/dryer, dishwasher, fridge, kettle and dishes, everything we could think of needing for a longer stay. Housekeeping was great. We were in ground-floor room 011, and the heat was a real problem. The radiator was on when we arrived, and it took 24 hours to switch it off. The room stayed unbearably hot even with the windows open all day. The air conditioner barely moved air, and it wasn’t cool. The corridor was also exceptionally warm, perhaps because of the room’s location or lack of airflow. Fans in both sleeping areas made the nights tolerable. The bathroom sits in the hall between the two areas and is very small, which isn’t unusual. With its inward-opening door open, there’s no room to move around. The step into the tub is high, though there’s something to hold onto if needed. The dining chairs should be replaced, since sitting on them feels like you might fall through. Earl’s Court tube station is a five-minute walk, and the tube is easy to navigate. Restaurants, a grocery shop and a pharmacy are at the end of the street. We felt safe walking around, and I’d recommend the place to solo women travelers too, as I sometimes travel alone. Despite the heating issue, I’d stay again.