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Possibly the most theatrical and over-the-top hotel in London or anywhere else, Blakes nevertheless predates by two decades the current mania for individualist boutique hotels, and frankly outpaces them all, at least in terms of sheer eccentricity. It’s hard to imagine how shocking this place must have been when its doors opened in the late seventies, densely decorated as it is in an intense East-meets-East style, stuffed to the rafters with Chinese, Japanese and Indian antiques as well as the occasional Egyptian or Venetian curio.
Somehow the design fever that has overtaken the hotel scene has failed to produce anything that can top Anouska Hempel’s eye for a maximally decorated interior, and in a world where blank walls and Scandinavian modernist furnishings represent the height of fashion, Blakes delivers the antidote to minimalism. Rooms are individually themed, whether British Raj or black-lacquered Oriental, and nothing is half-baked—in fact if you’re susceptible to sensory overload we can recommend something in white, like the Egyptian-themed Corfu Suite.
Antique, of course, doesn’t have to mean uncomfortable—beds here are among the most sumptuous we’ve seen, many with canopies, and the marble baths are spacious and functional. Blakes restaurant is very much in demand, serving (no surprise) a fusion of Thai and Mediterranean cuisines; you can fight it out downstairs for a table for dinner, or just order in room service, and dine in your own private fantasyland. Either way, it’s guaranteed to be a unique experience—just make sure you’re ready for the unconventional. London has no shortage of more traditional hotels, and even Blakes itself has a quieter, more modest sister: the modern-Zen Hempel, just north of Hyde Park, may be the best way to ease yourself into the Anouska experience.
How to get there:
Blakes hotel is a 10-minute walk from the South Kensington tube station. If you’re arriving from Heathrow Airport the most convenient transfer option to central London is the Heathrow Express train, which leaves Heathrow Airport every 15 minutes and takes 15 minutes to arrive at Paddington Station. One-way fares are available from £18 and round-trip fares from £32. By black cab, Blakes is approximately a 45-minute ride from Heathrow Airport (depending on traffic) and can cost upwards of £50.
- 48 Rooms
- Style: Contemporary Classic
- Atmosphere: Secluded
- 73 Guest Reviews
- Blakes
- 33 Roland Gardens
- London, England, UK
- Neighborhood: Kensington
Hotel amenities and services
- 24 hour front desk
- 24 hour gym
- 24 hour room service
- Adjoining rooms
- Babysitting (on request)
- Bar
- Boardroom
- Business center
- Central air conditioning
- Free wi-fi
- Garden
- Lounge
- Luggage storage
- Multi-lingual staff
- Pet Friendly
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Self service parking (charges apply)
- Shopping area nearby
- Smoking rooms (on request)
- Spa treatments (on request)
- Valet parking (charges apply)
- Wake-up service
Other London hotels
73 Guest Reviews
All reviews are from Tablet guests with verified stays.
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- Elaine
- Stayed March 2012
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
When you turn the corner to find Blake's, you see a beautiful street lined with houses, then a black facade building standing out in the distance. This sets the stage for one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in.
When you walk in, the atmosphere is warm and chic- the staff is immediately inviting, offering to take my bags and quickly getting me up to my room.
I open the door of my room with the old fashioned key and almost gasp - the dark colors drip from the walls - a French sleigh style period bed with canopy dominating the room. The sitting area is well apportioned, and on the table sits a free bottle of wine and fruit bowl (yay Tablet Plus!). Upon request, I had an excellent Bang and Olufsen iPod player in my room. There was a separate small room that acts both as a walk in closet and as a powder room. The bathroom was huge, with the all important heated floors and plush bathrobes. Rain water head to the shower, water was always hot.
One of the biggest perks occurs at night, when as a Tablet Plus member, you get to pick what you want served to you in your room for breakfast the next morning at a time you specify. We had one of the BEST English breakfast spreads I have ever had, with a good strong pot of English breakfast tea and freshly squeezed orange juice. Sitting there in your sitting area with your in room breakfast, you feel like royalty. It is definitely worth the price!
What the hotel could do better:
Absolutely nothing, the entire stay was fantastic!
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- jessica
- Stayed March 2012
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
Glamourous and very very (or should i say 'veddy, veddy') discreet. Many rooms, including mine, had a separate entrance from the quiet street or garden. For Americans, this hotel has a real bar with real cocktails, still rare in London. Stayed in suite 004, which was recently redone in dark grey; very chic. It had a wet bar, a big mirrored bathroom and a stylish separate bed area.
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing, had a wonderful stay!
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- Anders
- Stayed January 2012
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
Personality in style. Small and confortable. A nice homey touch.
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing, had a wonderful stay!
