base2stay Kensington, London, United Kingdom
base2stay Kensington 4 Stars
"The home-from-home in South Kensington trades in lavish, unnecessary extras to offer unbeatable value in the capital city."
Hotel Overview
Review of base2stay Kensington, by Nadia Latif
A four-star hotel in London charging three-star prices might seem a little unbelievable to some, yet this is exactly the premise behind base2stay in South Kensington. By ridding itself of the 'extras' usually offered in a luxury hotel, it has managed to achieve a chic, urban space for independent travellers visiting the capital.
There's no restaurant, gym or even room service to speak of, but people do not choose base2stay for pampering and preening. Its excellent location, just a five minute walk from Earl's Court station, boasts a sizable amount of restaurants and bars; there's a guide to the area provided in each room.
For those arriving too early to check in, or leaving a while after check-out, base2stay provides an Arrival Base. This is a single room, priced at £15, which is available for one hour. Guests can have a shower, enjoy complimentary internet and prepare some food - basically it's a convenient and cheap way to freshen up.
There are five room classes in base2stay, ranging from the petite singles to the much more spacious deluxe. The bathrooms are spotless, with either bath-shower combinations, or stylish oversized showers. The attention to detail here shines through; knowing the usual lack of water pressure in the capital, the management installed special shower units that provide a deluge-like spray.
All of the rooms share a neutral palette of cream and brown, and pared-down, yet high-quality amenities - a flat screen television, complimentary WiFi access, pay-per view, air-conditioning and a compact work station. There's a kitchenette in every room too, complete with fridge, microwave and plenty of crockery. It is within the rooms that the real concept of this place becomes apparent - to provide an excellent value, comfortable environment without the added extras that are seldom made use of in a busy city.
Facilities
Hotel Policies
Rooms
67Come for...
- Cutting out expensive extras
- Small, sleek singles for under GBP 100
Not Suitable for...
- Lovers of expensive extras
Children
The hotel can provide extra cots for children at no extra charge in the larger rooms. There are no interconnecting rooms, but some do share a private corridor.
Eating in
You can whip up a simple meal in your teeny kitchenette, especially if you're a whiz with a microwave; otherwise it's cereal bars from vending machines.
The Press Say
"The idea behind base2stay is that they have taken the best elements of a serviced apartment plus boutique and budget hotels and created accommodation perfect for one night or a fortnight."The Sunday Times 07
Reviews
Review of base2stay, by Brendan Sainsbury
An intriguing cross between a luxury hotel and a West End apartment building, base2stay - situated just off the Earl's Court Road on the Kensington border - is conclusive proof that small can be beautiful and London accommodation can be affordable.
Nestled in a traditional white stucco townhouse and furnished with user-friendly fittings, this new departure in the urban luxury hotel world - referred to interchangeably as 'hip budget' or 'affordable luxury' - mixes everyday convenience with high-class comfort. The rooms may be small but, with free internet service, individual kitchenettes, all weather air-conditioning, and well-maintained, cutting-edge, surgically clean bathrooms, who's complaining?
The real benefit for savvy travellers is the price. Base2stay has pared its traditional luxury hotel offerings (whirlpool baths, room service and antiquated trouser presses) down to a minimum; there's no five-star pampering but it's not short on style, quality and value for money.
Boasting a total of 67 rooms in six different price brackets, base2stay's collection of compact and creative 'hotel apartments' is kitted out with all of the standard West End amenities, plus plenty more besides. Quality features include buffed up king-sized beds, easy-to-operate microwaves, fridges, wafer-thin plasma TV screens, comfy modern armchairs, and a music system containing over 1,500 tracks.
Every inch of space is used at this luxury hotel. Extra storage is provided under the bed, the TV doubles up as an internet station and the improbably tiny 'kitchen' tidies away into a cleverly disguised bedroom cupboard that hides all tell-tale evidence of the dirty dishes.
base2stay is one of London's funkiest and most fairly-priced accommodation options. It's the perfect place to curl up with a TV dinner after a long hard day sightseeing in the bustling West End. A Sainsbury's micro-waved chicken tikka has never tasted so good.