The Steeple Times’ Matthew Steeples and ‘photographer to the stars’ John Stoddart review South Kensigton’s The Adria Hotel and are pleasantly surprised (despite the lack of alcohol)
Whilst few will have heard of The Adria Hotel in between South Kensington and Gloucester Road, those that experience its five star luxury will not be disappointed.
Not for those expecting gin on tap – the owners claim to be “respectful of Arabic culture and therefore do not serve any alcoholic beverages” – The Adria consists of twenty-two bedrooms and two suites within two adjoining Victorian townhouses. The building has been restored to an exemplary standard and feels more like a private residence than a hotel and compared to other hotels in the vicinity, retains many original features.
Surprisingly quiet given the building’s corner position and the fact that a London Underground line runs under the adjoining road, each room at The Adria is individually styled and though many have unique features such as fireplaces and parquet flooring, all come with the most lavishly appointed, marble clad bathrooms one could imagine. Aside from vast mosaic tiled rain showers and bathtubs with televisions, each room has air conditioning, underfloor heating and a Nespresso machine. Tea making facilities have to be requested but with a twenty-four hour room service offering, residents are never left parched.
Though the hotel’s chef was absent during our visit, we were able to sample the hotel’s sandwich menu – priced between £7 and £12 each and accompanied by wine bought at a nearby off-licence in Old Brompton Road – and also ventured to the stunning confines of Luca Del Bono’s South Kensington Club diagonally opposite for Negronis. Breakfast the following morning was served in The Adria’s dining room and though lacking in bacon – again, respecting Arabic culture – the lamb sausages on offer were quite delicious.
The Adria Hotel is most certainly a glorious find and one that is run by an especially attentive management team. Ideal for the business traveller seeking peace at the end of a busy day or families looking to be close to the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, this is a hotel that once experienced you’ll return to again and again.
The Adria Hotel, 88 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London, SW7 5AB. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7118 8988. Rates start at a very reasonable £130 per night.
Matthew Steeples and John Stoddart stayed at The Adria Hotel in January 2016.
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