Just off Kensington High Street, Thistle Kensington Palace offers practical amenities like dry cleaning and an on-site restaurant. Guests can relax at the bar or use the conference space. The 24-hour multilingual staff ensures assistance is always available.
Located in London, Thistle Kensington Palace is in the city centre. Kensington High Street and Oxford Street are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's popular attractions can visit Natural History Museum and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Royal Albert Hall or Stamford Bridge Stadium. Visit our London travel guide
De Vere Gardens, London, London, England, W8 5AF
What's nearby
Kensington High Street
1 min walk - 0.1 km
Kensington Gardens
1 min walk - 0.1 km
Kensington Palace
5 min walk - 0.4 km
Royal Albert Hall
7 min walk - 0.7 km
Hyde Park
10 min walk - 0.9 km
Getting around
Kensington (Olympia) Underground Station
4 min drive
High Street Kensington Station
8 min walk
London (LCY-London City)
58 min drive
Restaurants
Origin Kensington
3 min walk
Goat Tavern
3 min walk
Flat Iron
5 min walk
Min Jiang
3 min walk
Hjem
4 min walk
About this property
Thistle Kensington Palace
Hotel near Kensington High Street
Close to Kensington Palace and Royal Albert Hall, Thistle Kensington Palace provides dry cleaning/laundry services, a bar and conference space. Guests can also expect to find a restaurant.
Other perks include:
Limo/town car service, meeting rooms and a 24-hour front desk
Multilingual staff, ATM/banking services and free newspapers
A front desk safe, concierge services and a lift
Room features
All 285 rooms have amenities such as room service.
Other conveniences in all rooms include:
Hypo-allergenic bedding and cots/infant beds
Bathrooms with free toiletries and hairdryers
TVs with premium channels
Rollaway/extra beds, coffee/tea makers and daily housekeeping
Available in all rooms: Internet access (surcharge)
Available in some public areas: Internet access (surcharge)
Parking and transport
Limo/town car service
Food and drink
A bar/lounge
A restaurant
Family friendly
In-room cot
Laundry facilities
Rollaway/extra bed
Conveniences
24-hour front desk
ATM
Free newspapers in lobby
Laundry facilities
Safe at front desk
Guest services
Concierge services
Dry cleaning/laundry service
Housekeeping (daily)
Multilingual staff
Business services
Conference space
Meeting rooms
Accessibility
Lift
Room amenities
Bedroom
Blackout drapes
Cot
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Rollaway/extra bed
Bathroom
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Entertainment
Pay films
TV with premium cable/satellite channels
Food and drink
Coffee/tea maker
Room service
More
Desk
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-out
Check-out before noon
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available.
Cots are available on request at the property
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Property is also known as
Thistle Kensington London
Thistle Kensington Palace Hotel
Thistle Kensington Palace London
Thistle Kensington Palace Hotel London
Frequently asked questions
Is Thistle Kensington Palace pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
What time is check-in at Thistle Kensington Palace?
Check-in begins at 2 PM.
What time is check-out at Thistle Kensington Palace?
Checkout is at noon.
Where is Thistle Kensington Palace located?
Located in London City Centre, this hotel is steps away from Kensington High Street and Kensington Gardens. 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.
Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?
Yes, this property offers free cancellation on selected room rates because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.
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Reviews
Thistle Kensington Palace Reviews
6.0
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
6.8
Cleanliness
6.6
Staff & service
5.2
Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 2 out of 31 reviews
10 - Excellent
2
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 31 reviews
8 - Good
10
Rating 6 - Okay. 8 out of 31 reviews
6 - Okay
8
Rating 4 - Poor. 8 out of 31 reviews
4 - Poor
8
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 31 reviews
2 - Terrible
3
Reviews
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.
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.
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.
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.
David
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nathaniel
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
Wolfgang
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.
+ 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
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.
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?
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.
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.
Wendy
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
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.
Just returned from out trip to the Thistle kensington palace. The room was the dreariest we had ever seen...view of the firescape and hallway carpet repaired with duct tape. In extreme need of an extreme makeover. The lobby sofas were thread bare and no minibar or refrigs in the room. If you like the smell of stale air and lingering smoke...the hotel's tavern/bar is the spot for you.We immediately asked for another room which was a better. Location was great...but would not stay again.
We were impressed by the location and exterior appearance of the hotel, but that's where the good impressions ended. The hotel is poorly maintained, the bed in our room was laughable. We jokingly referred to it as "Rice Krispies" because it snapped, crackled and popped every time you moved on the bed. It was extremely hard and when we asked for another room, we were told that all of the beds were the same. The elevators (lifts) were unreliable. They would occasional malfunction and refuse to let you out on your floor. One was completely out of order for a day, leaving us with one for the entire hotel. The location, however is excellent. It is just across the street from Kensington Park and Kensington Palace, within walking distance of shopping, including Harrods, and other attractions.