Let me start by saying that I am not one of those girls who always has to vacation in pure luxury. I have been camping. Even peed in the woods…once. But, after staying at the Royal Garden Hotel, five stars is something that I could get used to. Easily.
From London’s Heathrow Airport we took the Underground (that’s a whole other story) to High Kensington and were let off just a few minute walk from the Royal Garden Hotel. I was worried about lugging my suitcases on the tube and through the streets of the upper class Kensington neighborhood, but no worries, we were not the only ones.
The elegant door man and Rolls Royce parked out front indicated we had arrived and suddenly, I felt underdressed in my comfy traveling attire. I don’t believe stretchy pants and a sweat shirt classify as five-star. But, we entered and were treated as if we were sporting Versace suits with Louis Vuitton luggage.
We were shown to our 7th floor Garden Room, which was appropriately named since it boasted a view of the impressive Kensington Palace and Hyde Park. Not too shabby.
“So, you mean, we could walk out the front door of the hotel and head left to Kensington Palace or go right for endless blocks of shopping and eateries?” Sophistication just went out the window. I jumped on the bed.
Starting to unload my girlie products in the bathroom revealed even more luxury; a heated towel rack, two fuzzy robes, a rain shower head, beauty products galore and one fresh orchid.
“They have heated towels in the bathroom!” I yelled to Peter, who was more impressed by the dozens of channels on the television. Men.
It was evident that a major portion of the recent ₤45 million refurbishment was put into every inch of this room.
Knowing that musicians Sonny and Cher, Abba and The Monkees all stayed here made me wonder if any performers were here now. Perhaps Adele would do an impromptu concert in the hotels watering hole, Bertie’s Bar? Maybe, we would get our own rendition of ‘Rolling in the Deep’. Ok, Snap out of it. Back to reality…
The Royal Garden Hotel was the perfect introduction to my first London experience and I was thrilled that this would be my home for the next four nights. But, I was also hungry after a 10 hour flight. So, it was off to the 10th floor for my first meal in London, dim sum at the trendy Min Jiang.
Traveling Soon? Use my Favorite Resources for Booking Your Trip!
Book Your Flight
Expedia is my favorite flight search engine, because it checks dozens of airlines so you can easily find the best fare deals. You can also select ‘Watch Prices’ to get an email alert when the prices change.
Book Your Accommodations
I use both Booking.com and Expedia for hotels, because each offers a couple different hotel choices and I like to compare the reviews on each one. If you have a group or are looking for more of a home atmosphere, head over to VRBO or AirBNB that has houses, apartments and even just a room for rent in every price range.
Book Your Rental Car
If love the freedom to explore like I do, driving from place to place is the best option! I always book with RentalCars.com (it’s part of booking.com) for the best prices and top brand options.
Book Some Fun Tours!
Viator and Get Your Guide are my go-to search engines for cool bucket list experiences! Each one can have different tours, so check both—why limit yourself, right?
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel can be unpredictable. Whether it’s a last-minute cancellation, an injury, or (ugh) theft, things happen. That’s why I recommend never leaving the country without travel insurance. Here are my faves: Safety Wing and World Nomads.
Get Packing & Travel Essentials Ready
Check out the Bucket List Journey Amazon Store to find all my favorite travel essentials. Everything from Packing cubes, to travel adapters and toiletry containers to walking shoes.
*Lastly, check travel.state.gov for visa requirements and safety information.
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A Guide to Changing of the Guard at London’s Buckingham Palace
12 Tips for Navigating the London Underground
Take a Spin on the London Eye
Stroll Through London’s Hyde Park
Learn Sign Language While Drinking at the Oldest Wine Bar in London
Sounds like pure luxury. I can see how you would hate to even leave the hotel to go for a walk in London.
Thanks so much for this great resource. You also offer a valuable service to help save time.! You’re a genie.
What a beautiful hotel! It's way nicer than the dump that I stayed in while I was in London (haha!). My hotel was so horrible that I made a point of only staying there long enough to sleep, which ended up working out perfectly in the long run. I couldn't beat it's proximity to all of the sites though. Glad to see you enjoyed London :)
I LOVED London! Typically, I book my hotels based on the fact that I will never be in them, but in this case I wish I was at the hotel more :)