Is Thistle Kensington Palace pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Where is Thistle Kensington Palace located?

Located in London City Centre, this hotel is steps away from Kensington Gardens and Kensington High Street. Hyde Park and Imperial College London are also within 10 minutes. High Street Kensington Station is 8 minutes by foot and Gloucester Road Underground Station is 12 minutes.

Thistle Kensington Palace Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

8/10 Good

Iain, London

30 Jun 2007

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Great location

The hotel is in a great location on the edge of Hyde Park, the hotel was clean and tidy although it is starting to get very old.

2/10 Terrible

Pete, Sarasota, FL

13 Jun 2007

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

It's Just OK

The rooms we had were very big for Europe, but that is all. They were old and very little up keep. The Staff was rude at best. The Bed we had was like sleeping on a cobble stone street. You would be much better off at the Kensington Close. They have smaller rooms but much, much, more comfortable and clean and safe. It is also close ( one block ) from the High Street Station.

6/10 Okay

Traveller, Scotland

10 Jun 2007

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Not The Best

Not the best hotel we've stayed at! Obviously paying for the area and not the hotel. The hotel is in need of refurbishment and upgrade. Our room had missing lightbulbs, dirty nets and holes in the bed throw. The bathroom had broken tiles on the floor and the toilet seat was also broken across the middle. Grubby feel to the whole room. If we had been staying longer than the one night we would definitely have asked to have been moved.

8/10 Good

David, Boston

27 Apr 2007

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great room, great location

We had a beautiful and unexpectedly large room in a particularly nice part of the hotel, on the 4th floor overlooking the Kensington Gardens. Its a 5-minute walk to the Gloucester Road Tube Station and a 2-minute walk from some great little restaurants. Overall my wife and I were very pleased. The room was clean, the service fine, and the location wonderful.

8/10 Good

Bryan, Sydney

20 Apr 2007

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Good for the price - excellent for location

I thought the Thistle hotel would be in better shape, but it's very much an old style hotel in an old part of time - albeit a very nice part of town (I lived down the road for 6 months so know the area is VERY nice). Don't expect sweeping corridors and state of the art lifts, it's very much an old 1930s style hotel inside. Rooms are clean and comfortable, staff were helpful. I would recommend as it's great value for what you get, and the location. Not homeymoon material though.

2/10 Terrible

julian, New York

18 Apr 2007

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Bed

The bed was the major problem.... Old, convexed, sprung etc....... I asked about 3 times for it to be changed... to no avail.

6/10 Okay

Jon, Cardiff

22 Feb 2007

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Typical business hotel for London

Price is ok considering the location near central london (5 stops on the tube) and the hotel, whilst impersonal, was ok

4/10 Poor

Sonia, Cambridge

14 Feb 2007

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Not Impressed

We were staying in London for one night to see a show at the Royal Albert Hall and wanted somewhere close by but not too expensive. On the face of it this hotel ticked the boxes but, when we checked in, we were given the choice of a twin room (non-smoking) or a double room (smoking), despite booking a double non-smoking room. Being non-smokers the smell of stale cigarette smoke was abhorrent so chose the twin room option. Which was horrbile. On entering the room, it was clear that it was in need of modernisation (there were water stains on the wall-monted lampshades) and we had a lovely view of a rooftop. We complained and refused to budge. Reception staff gave us a complimentary upgrade to a 'deluxe double' room on the seventh floor. This too was quite shabby with peeling wallpaper, a broken picture light and a minibar abandoned in the middle of the room. The 'double' bed was two twin beds pushed together. All in all, the best thing about the room was the view of Kensington Palace and the gardens opposite and the location. In summary, the hotel itself is in desperate need of renovation and modernisation.

6/10 Okay

James, World roamer in a wheelchair

31 Jan 2007

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Disliked: Room comfort

Not wheelchair accessible

after 2 nights they did find a sister holte North of Hyde park that was accessible. Thistle Kessington Gardens and Thistle Marble Arch's rooms are almost identical, would highly recomment these two Thistle holels. They did give back 50% for thos first two nights.

8/10 Good

alain, france

28 Jan 2007

Liked: Staff & service

qualite prix ok

les chambres meriteraient une mise à niveau

4/10 Poor

Mina, New York

27 Jan 2007

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Room for improvement

The hotel is desperately in need of renovation. The fire alarm went off twice during our six night stay. My key card had to be changed four times. The carpet was buckling and held in place by duct tape. The shower curtain fell down and wasn't fixed for two days. One of the elevators was out of service for three days.

8/10 Good

Nathaniel, NYC metro area

29 Nov 2006

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice Hotel

The room and bathroom were large (much larger than the typical budget hotel I stay at), coupled with the bargain price I paid, makes the hotel a super deal. It is a five minute walk from High Street Kensington stop on the circle and district lines.

6/10 Okay

Wolfgang, Düsseldorf

8 Oct 2006

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Disliked: Room comfort

Lage optimal zur Royal Albert Hall, mittelmäßiges Zimmer

Zimmer 512, Ausblick in alten Hinterhof, nicht beeindruckend, Flur mit muffeligem Teppichboden, Zimmer anfangs auch muffelig, mit offenem Fenster aber ok, sauber, im Bad keine Ablagen vorhanden und die Wanne schon ziemlich abgenutzt, wer es altenglisch mag, fuer den sicherlich ok freundlicher Service in der Bar, Einrichtung der Bar mit Hockern und Tischen eher lieblos drei Sterne gerade noch akzeptabel! Empfehlung daher auch eingeschränkt, jein, very british halt

6/10 Okay

Bill, Vermont

4 Oct 2006

Liked: Staff & service

Decent value for London

The staff is friendly & helpful, the location is upscale and the room was quiet. Things to look out for: 1) the shower was prone to hot water surges, and 2) although the hotel is listed as having high-speed internet access, we didn't use it as it came with a hefty charge per minute. Try the internet cafe down the street.

6/10 Okay

AWi, Fürth, D

25 Sept 2006

Liked: Cleanliness

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Charm vergangener Tage

+ gute Lage (Kensington-/Hydepark), 15min mit Bus ins Zentrum, 7..8min zu Fuss zur U-Bahn; + Baustil und Ambiente hat was vom "Good old England" - Renovierungsbedürftig (Lichtschalter defekt, Toilettenbrille auf Nachfrage repariert, Fenster Scharnier herausgerissen, Teppiche durchgetreten) - Service des Personals beschränkt sich auf das notwendigste

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

13 Sept 2006

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Laurent, Grasse-Magagnosc - France

12 Aug 2006

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Idéalement placé, chambre spacieuse et agréable

Hôtel situé en face du parc de Kensington et des rues commerçantes. Idéal pour le shopping et la découverte des monuments historiques ou musées. L'hôtel est de style victorien ; le personnel est compétent et les chambres confortables, spacieuses et propres. Nous n'avons pas testé le restaurant. Nous avons aimé dans l'ensemble.

4/10 Poor

Tom, Seattle, WA

19 Jul 2006

Liked: Cleanliness

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Location Great, but nothing else

When we checked in, London was very warm. We were given the Expedia special Rate, and so were assigned a room with no air conditioning. The room was stuffy and warm. The window, which looked out on an air shaft, would only open 12" and afforded us no breeze. As it was warm, over 90 degrees, we wanted to take a shower. We could not as the shower was broken and was not fixed until the next day. When it was fixed, the temperature control and water pressure were quite variable. We requested a fan, and had to make 4 additional requests before one was delivered, 12 hours after the original request. Need we say more?

8/10 Good

Kathy, Western Massachusetts

12 Jul 2006

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Good budget accommodations.

My husband and I spent four nights here in late June. While the carpet is worn and the bathroom facilities dated, the hotel was clean, comfortable, and convenient. The hotel staff were helpful and friendly. I'd definitely stay here again.

8/10 Good

Tonya, NY

28 Jun 2006

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Very nice location.

Very nice location, close to everything.

8/10 Good

Helen, France

21 Jun 2006

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Would definitely stay here again

Great location, very quiet, lovely room for price.

4/10 Poor

Wendy

17 May 2006

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Find Another Hotel

As a frequent business traveler to London, I want to strongly encourage other visitors to find another hotel at this very convenient location. The Thistle Kensington is outdated and understaffed. There are few services for business travelers. The Kensington High Street neighborhood is terrific with easy transport options and great restaurants. If you're looking for moderately priced accomodation in London, there are better destinations than this poorly maintained property.

6/10 Okay

robert, indian trail,n.c.

5 May 2006

Disliked: Room comfort

would recommend with reservations

would recommend with reservation,room adquate but the location is wonderful

4/10 Poor

Dave, Los Angeles, CA

3 May 2006

Liked: Staff & service

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Spartan at best

Well located old hotel. Torn, worn out carpeting and an overall run down condition. I thought saving money on a room would be a good idea but I won't do it again. Every day when I came back to my room I was disapointed. More like a two star than the three stars given.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

26 Jul 2005

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Members save 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels worldwide when you’re signed in

Thistle Kensington Palace

Choose dates to view prices

Reviews

Popular amenities

Room options

Standard Double/Twin

Highlights

Executive Double/Twin

Highlights

Single room

Highlights

You may also like

Conrad London St. James

About the area

What's nearby

Getting around

Restaurants

About this property