Spring seems to have finally arrived, thank goodness, and the sun has shone for several days now. Last weekend we were in London for a stay at the Thistle Hotel Hyde Park, and enjoyed a couple of days of fun exploring the parks, meeting up with an old friend and visiting museums.
Situated on Bayswater Road on the northern edge of Hyde Park, the Thistle is ideally located for exploring the park and adjoining Kensington Gardens, visiting Kensington Palace, or a pleasant stroll to the museums of South Kensington. It is near several embassies too, so the ideal place to stay if you need to visit for visas, and just round the corner from Queensway and High St Kensington, should you fancy some shopping. With various bus stops and the tube within a few minutes' walk, the rest of London is easily accessible from this pleasant and attractive base.
We loved the Victorian façade with its pure white picking out the beautiful period detailing in the sunshine. Inside the lobby is beautifully presented and furnished with comfortable seating, ideal as we had walked a long way all day and were happy to sit down whilst some other guests checked in. Throughout our stay all the staff were warm, welcoming and genuine, a definite home from home.
The two rooms we had were on the third floor, one a standard double which was spacious and comfortable, the other a deluxe twin which had extra space for a fold-up bed, as well as a sofa, chairs and table by the window. The beds were very comfortable and the rooms pleasant, although with a distinct shabby chic vibe. The hotel is due for updating son though, so the furnishings will no doubt match the grandeur of the building and décor soon. Both rooms had delightful views across to the park, which was a joy to wake up to in the morning, bathed in sunshine.
Both rooms had spacious, well-appointed bathrooms with large baths and showers over and were clean and well-presented. There were plenty of complimentary toiletries and lots of soft, fluffy deep pile towels, perfect for the girls to snuggle in after their bath. There was a notice about hot water delays due to the age of the building and the quirks of the plumbing, but we had no problems at all.
The facilities were very good, with excellent wifi, a well-stocked refreshment tray in each room - the yummy shortbread didn't last long with our three! A large TV to watch their beloved programme The Durrells on, tea, shortbread, bubble bath and fluffy towels and we had three very happy little monkeys. An extensive room service menu is available and there is a lovely small bar and restaurant on site, while nearby Queensway offers a wide range of eateries and the nearby pub comes highly recommended for dinner. For something grander, Notting Hill is only a short distance away.
I was a little concerned about road noise being so close to such a busy thoroughfare, but you could hardly hear a thing, and we all slept soundly all night, not even being woken by busy rush hour traffic in the morning. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with more excellent and attentive service, and a vast array of choices, including all the usual continental and cold choices, a full cooked breakfast menu including vegetarian options cooked to order, and a Greek/Turkish-style spread. The girls (and we) loved it!
Thank you to all the staff at the Thistle Hyde Park for such a delightful stay. Heading across the road to the park after breakfast was the perfect end to such a tranquil stay in central London: for the children, and the adults.
The Thistle Hotel Hyde Park is a 54 bedroom hotel situated at 90-92 Lancaster Gate London. All rooms are en suite and many have park views. Prices start at £125 for a standard double, £145 for a deluxe twin room. On site parking is available for a small fee, but local public transport options are plentiful.
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Situated on Bayswater Road on the northern edge of Hyde Park, the Thistle is ideally located for exploring the park and adjoining Kensington Gardens, visiting Kensington Palace, or a pleasant stroll to the museums of South Kensington. It is near several embassies too, so the ideal place to stay if you need to visit for visas, and just round the corner from Queensway and High St Kensington, should you fancy some shopping. With various bus stops and the tube within a few minutes' walk, the rest of London is easily accessible from this pleasant and attractive base.
We loved the Victorian façade with its pure white picking out the beautiful period detailing in the sunshine. Inside the lobby is beautifully presented and furnished with comfortable seating, ideal as we had walked a long way all day and were happy to sit down whilst some other guests checked in. Throughout our stay all the staff were warm, welcoming and genuine, a definite home from home.
The two rooms we had were on the third floor, one a standard double which was spacious and comfortable, the other a deluxe twin which had extra space for a fold-up bed, as well as a sofa, chairs and table by the window. The beds were very comfortable and the rooms pleasant, although with a distinct shabby chic vibe. The hotel is due for updating son though, so the furnishings will no doubt match the grandeur of the building and décor soon. Both rooms had delightful views across to the park, which was a joy to wake up to in the morning, bathed in sunshine.
Both rooms had spacious, well-appointed bathrooms with large baths and showers over and were clean and well-presented. There were plenty of complimentary toiletries and lots of soft, fluffy deep pile towels, perfect for the girls to snuggle in after their bath. There was a notice about hot water delays due to the age of the building and the quirks of the plumbing, but we had no problems at all.
The facilities were very good, with excellent wifi, a well-stocked refreshment tray in each room - the yummy shortbread didn't last long with our three! A large TV to watch their beloved programme The Durrells on, tea, shortbread, bubble bath and fluffy towels and we had three very happy little monkeys. An extensive room service menu is available and there is a lovely small bar and restaurant on site, while nearby Queensway offers a wide range of eateries and the nearby pub comes highly recommended for dinner. For something grander, Notting Hill is only a short distance away.
I was a little concerned about road noise being so close to such a busy thoroughfare, but you could hardly hear a thing, and we all slept soundly all night, not even being woken by busy rush hour traffic in the morning. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with more excellent and attentive service, and a vast array of choices, including all the usual continental and cold choices, a full cooked breakfast menu including vegetarian options cooked to order, and a Greek/Turkish-style spread. The girls (and we) loved it!
Thank you to all the staff at the Thistle Hyde Park for such a delightful stay. Heading across the road to the park after breakfast was the perfect end to such a tranquil stay in central London: for the children, and the adults.
The Thistle Hotel Hyde Park is a 54 bedroom hotel situated at 90-92 Lancaster Gate London. All rooms are en suite and many have park views. Prices start at £125 for a standard double, £145 for a deluxe twin room. On site parking is available for a small fee, but local public transport options are plentiful.
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