A London Hotel Review – Hotel with a Theatrical Heart

The following will be of no surprise to any of you that have been here a while. I love a hotel stay. I find I get so much joy from staying in a hotel, even if just for a night. Perhaps it is true what the old saying quotes – “a change is as good as a rest”. I think it certainly is in my case. It re-energises me and makes me feel like I have had a little break. I love to pass on my hotel experiences too, I know a London hotel review can be useful if you are planning a little trip to the Capital. In fact, I have an entire section on the blog for London Hotel Reviews if you are looking for a little inspiration.

Personally, I have a check list when I look for a hotel. I love a hotel with character and a warm, welcoming interior. I like it to have a bit of history, and, if it has a story to tell, even better. Boutique hotels are my preference, with a bit of individuality. It also helps if it is in an area where we have plan’s for the evening. I love it if the rooms all have a unique style or decor. That way it feels like you are staying somewhere new if you do return. Genius eh! Well, The Gore in South Kensington ticked all of those boxes. Read on if you would like me tell you all about it.

A London Hotel review – The Gore Hotel

The reason we were in London, was for an incredible treat. My parents had gifted us tickets to Cirque Du Soleil for Christmas. The show was in The Royal Albert Hall, and I had heard so many rave reviews about it. We have seen a Cirque Du Soleil show, but it was many years ago, and was one of our things to do in Las Vegas. We had tried in the past to get tickets to the Cirque du Soleil shows in The Royal Albert Hall, but we were always a little slow off the mark. It was always sold out by the time we tried. Good ole parents eh! They knew the assignment and passed with flying colours!

Top tip - if you are looking to see a show at The Royal Albert Hall, get in quick! This iconic venue sells out in record time. 

Anyway, back to a London hotel review…..I seem to have gone off at a tangent…

The Gore – Where is it?

The Gore hotel, one of Italian hotel chain Starhotels Collezione, is in one of my favourite parts of London. The nearest tube station is South Kensington, on the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines. This London hotel is on The Queens Gate Road, in South Kensington. This leafy area of London, famous for its beautiful white town houses, is perfectly positioned for so many things to do in London. Walk out of the hotel’s front door, and a short walk right brings you to Hyde Park. Turn left and an equally short walk brings you to The Royal Albert Hall. The road that the hotel is on, despite being in the heart of London, is fairly quiet, and no traffic noise can be heard inside the hotel. Now, this would not be a London hotel review by me, if I did not tell you a story or two about it….

Hotel with a Theatrical heart

As I mentioned, I am a sucker for a hotel with a story. Well, The Gore Hotel, which has been receiving guests since 1892, has stories a-plenty! It makes sense that many of it’s stories involve the theatre stars of times past. The fact that this boutique hotel sits in the very shadow of The Royal Albert Hall, means it has been the perfect destination for both theatre goers and actors alike.

One such story that I did not know before I arrived, (but my goodness wish that I did), involves the wonderful Judy Garland. Now, any of my friends and family will tell you that I was OBSESSED with Judy Garland as a child. The film The Wizard of Oz, has had me utterly transfixed and mesmerised for as long as I can remember. Even now, it fills me with joy to watch it. Well, the wonderful Ms Judy Garland stayed at The Gore throughout her time performing at Royal Albert Hall. In fact, they even have a suite named in her honour, with…..you ready for this……..her actual bed frame! Yep. You can slumber in Judy Garland’s actual bed frame. The story goes, that she gifted the bed frame to the Hotel, as a thank you for her wonderful stay. She had it sent from America, and it is still in situ now. Oh how I wish I had known that before I booked. I would have loved to have stayed in that room.

Other guests to have graced the guestbook of The Gore, are Victorian Opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, famous conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent and actor Tony Hancock. Oh, and it was also the venue of choice for The Rolling Stones to hold their party there in the 60’s to celebrate their album going golden. If only the walls could talk……

A London Hotel Review – The Guest Rooms

The 50 guest rooms of The Gore are set over 6 floors. There are a number of room types available, depending on your requirements, (and budget). Rooms start at around £280 for the Classic. We stayed in a Superior Double, and it was perfect. Due to the uniqueness and age of the building, every room is different in both size and shape. Decor is individual too, with beautiful wallpapers and luxurious fabrics. However, a common theme you will find is that all of the rooms have antique bed frames and furniture. They all feel very high end and opulent. Almost like a beautiful country manor house. All have tea/coffee making facilities, en-suite bathrooms, Penhalligan’s toiletries and dressing gowns for your use.

Our room had a little balcony. Despite the cold temperatures, I braved standing out on the balcony to watch the world go by for a few moments. As I stood there with my cup of tea, I pretended, just for a while, that I lived in this beautiful building, and standing out on my London balcony was my norm. It was interesting to watch the people, (that really do live in the white town houses), coming out of their front door’s and going about their life. Mum’s rushing their kids to school. People coming out to walk their dogs. Couples leaving their home to make their way to their jobs. I enjoyed standing out there, (until my fingers turned blue from cold and I had to come back in).

Pretending that standing on my London townhouse balcony is the way I spend every morning…

In my job as a travel agent, I am often asked to recommend London hotels. Especially for things like theatre breaks. With that in mind, I was very kindly shown around the hotel, and the various room types, by the Manager, Andrea. Every room that I saw was beautiful, so I feel confident that you would not be disappointed with any of the room choices. Of course, the suites are absolutely gorgeous, and I could have quite happily have stayed in the Tudor Suite for the rest of my life…. The style of the hotel is quintessentially English, cosy and inviting, with a luxurious feel to every room.

The Hotels Amenities

Again, if you know me, you know I always have to check out the hotel bar. Part of my evening is always coming back to my hotel for a drink in the bar. Bar 190 is the bar at The Gore. It is not a huge bar, but I loved that about it. The same luxurious feel is carried through from the hotel into the bar. Beautiful antique furnishings, Cinderella booths and cosy corners make this bar have an intimate, relaxed feel. Nik and I were lucky to bag the Cinderella booth for our late night drinks, and it was perfect for a relaxed night cap after the show. The drink choice is vast, and the service excellent. In fact, I must say that the service throughout the entire hotel was amazing. Every member of staff that we encountered was welcoming and friendly.

We decided that we wanted a very relaxed start to our next day, so we did not book breakfast at the hotel. There is something quite decadent about just sitting in the hotel bed, drinking tea and reading. I am up at 530am every morning at home in the week, so I literally felt like a pampered princess having a slow morning. It was bliss. The breakfast is the usual offerings though. You have a choice of cooked or continental and as the hotel is known for it’s fine dining, I think its safe to say it would be amazing.

A wonderful, slow start to our morning

Three guesses which public room I liked best at the hotel….Yep, the library. Oh how I do love a library. An entire wall in this room is packed with books, and the plush velvet furniture invites you to settle in. A bright and airy room, it is the perfect place to have a tray of tea brought to you, while you figure out your plans for the day. I loved it in here and we spent a little time in here before we checked out.

A London Hotel Review – In summary

If you too prefer a boutique style hotel, then I fully recommend this hotel. I cannot fault it. From its beautiful antique furnishings, original art works and many nooks and cranny’s, it feels like a very unique place to stay. It is undergoing some redecorating in areas, but they are totally shut off so you do not encounter the work at all. The hotel restaurant, 190 Queens Gate is just being refurbished, and is due to be finished in February. While the work is going on, the breakfast is served downstairs in one of the lovely function rooms, so it does not affect your stay in any way. When it does re-open, there will be a pre-theatre dinner menu available, as well as the return of their themed afternoon teas. Three guesses who will be putting her name down for trying that….? My afternoon tea section on the blog is the indicator for my love of high tea…..

Like I mentioned, a stay here has the feel of staying in someones very fancy home. It feels intimate and personal. The positioning of it also adds to that “residential” feeling. We had a slow walk through the park just as the sun was beginning to make it’s way down. It was a beautiful time to be in the park. The Winter light was perfect and made The Albert Memorial, one of my favourite memorials in London, glow beautifully. Strolling back along Queens Gate to the hotel, we had tea in the library to warm up, before making our way to our room to get ready for our evening.

Our stay in The Gore certainly made our trip to the theatre, even more special. Are you a fan of this style of hotel? I would love to know your thoughts.

Please feel free to get in touch if you would like any advice or help in booking your own London theatre trip. I am always happy to help x