GREAT BRITAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 845

$$$ London House Hotel has 103 cookie-cutter rooms right on Kensington Gardens
Square. While the place lacks personality, the rates are decent considering the fine location
(rates fluctuate, but generally Db-£105 weekdays and £130 on weekends, smaller rooms not
facing the square are about £10cheaper,basement family rooms-£140,check online forspe-
cific rates and last-minute deals, continental breakfast-£6, free Wi-Fi in lobby, pay Wi-Fi in
rooms, 81 Kensington Gardens Square, tel. [phone], www.londonhousehotels.com ,
[e-mail] ).
$$ Phoenix Hotel, a Best Western modernization of a 125-room hotel, offers American
business-class comforts; spacious, plush public spaces; and big, modern-feeling rooms. Its
prices—which range from fine value to rip-off—are determined by a greedy computer pro-
gram, with huge variations according to expected demand. Book online to save money
(flexible prices, but usually Sb-£65, Db-£100, elevator, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, 1-8
Kensington Gardens Square, tel. [phone], fax [phone], US tel. [phone],
www.phoenixhotel.co.uk , [e-mail] ) .
$$ Kensington Gardens Hotel, which has the same owners as the Phoenix Hotel down
the street (see above), laces 17 pleasant, slightly scuffed rooms together in a tall, skinny
building with lots of stairs and no elevator (Ss-£59, Sb-£66, Db-£89, Tb-£112; book by
phone or email and ask for best Rick Steves price—if booking on their website, look for
the Rick Steves discount under “Additional Information”; continental breakfast served at
Phoenix Hotel, free Wi-Fi, 9 Kensington Gardens Square, tel. [phone], fax 020/
7792-8612, www.kensingtongardenshotel.co.uk , [e-mail] , Row-
shanak).
$$ Princes Square Guest Accommodation is a big, soulless place renting 50 business-
likeroomswithmoderndecor.It'swell-located,practical,andagoodvalue,especiallyifyou
can score a good rate (prices fluctuate with demand, but generally Sb-£65-70, Db-£80-90,
Tb-£100-120,emailtoaskforbestprice,elevator,payWi-Fi,23-25PrincesSquare,tel.020/
7229-9876, www.princessquarehotel.co.uk , [e-mail] ) .
Near Kensington Gardens
$$$WestlandHotel, convenientlylocatedonabusystreetafive-minutewalkfromtheNot-
ting Hill neighborhood, feels like a wood-paneled hunting lodge with a fine lounge. The
32 spacious rooms are comfortable, with old-fashioned charm. Their £173 doubles are the
best value, but check their website for specials. It's been run by the Isseyegh family for
three generations (Sb-£112, deluxe Sb-£124, Db-£133, deluxe Db-£155, cavernous premier
Db-£176, sprawling Tb-£220, gargantuan Qb-£247, 15 percent discount if you book at least
threeweeksinadvance,elevator,freeWi-Fi,garage-£20/day,betweenNottingHillGateand
Queensway Tube stations at 154 Bayswater Road, tel. [phone], fax [phone],
www.westlandhotel.co.uk , [e-mail] , Shirley and Bertie).