Cranley Gardens by Kevin Kalhoefer

The Cranley Gardens is bit of an anomaly. Structurally, the hotel is a little confusing. Having been converted from four Victorian houses, the layout of the hotel can be a bit scattered at times. An occasional staircase will seem to appear out of nowhere, and finding your room can feel like walking through a maze. Yet despite the scattered layout, the hotel’s character remains unified, retaining much of its old Victorian character.

Appropriately, the hallways and the reception area are colored mostly in whites and beiges. The rooms with balconies are desirable, offering great views onto the private gardens. The views in rooms without garden-facing windows are less appealing, but the hotel compensates for this by placing plants in window boxes. The rooms are spacious and the beds comfortable, except for having the TV placed lower than the bed in many of the rooms. The rooms can get a bit humid, and having to use a fan rather than an AC to cool down can be a mild inconvenience.

Bathrooms come with marble walled showers and adjustable showerheads. The restaurant, which serves breakfast from 8-9:30, is spacious and vibrantly decorated. As a family owned and operated hotel, the Cranley Gardens Hotel has the charm of a traditional and modest hotel situated in the heart of South Kensington.

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