The Ampersand Hotel: An exquisite boutique luxury hotel in South Kensington

Behind an elegant Victorian facade, lies a refined luxury 5-star hotel infused with the style of the local London neighborhood housed in a 1889 building. The interior design of this exquisite boutique hotel in South Kensington is characterized by five central concepts: botany, music, geometry, ornithology and astronomy.

I have heard of the Ampersand Hotel when it had relaunched with a modern concept in the summer of 2012 and had featured it here on Passion for Hospitality. When some years down the line you actually get to visit and stay at the property, it kind of feels like that bucket-lists do work.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words but to be honest in real life the Ampersand Hotel is even more majestic. In fact the holiday season is perhaps one of the best times to visit London. The Christmas spirit can be felt throughout the city, the colossal window displays, sparkling lights and ice rinks — London is ready for the holidays.

The Ampersand Hotel — A small luxury boutique hotel in South Kensington

Enjoying a prime location in the heart of South Kensington, the Ampersand Hotel features 111 elegantly styled rooms and suites and is considered to be one of London’s best and original boutique hotels.

Inspiration for the design of the rooms and suites has been drawn from the music of the Royal Albert Hall to the Chelsea Physic Garden’s flowers. A beautiful blend of French finesse and British style — the Ampersand Hotel is chic escape.

As you enter through the door of the hotel you are immediately met by an imposing 20 foot staircase accented with goose feather wings lighting installation.

The white cool interiors of the lobby are enriched with a black and white lounge area and a glass table decorated with a vibrant fresh flower bouquet. Minimalistic yet inviting, the feeling is professional yet laid-back.

The reception staff wear jeans and smart blazers, which breaks away from the traditional uniforms that we have been used to seeing in hotels.

Deluxe Rooms at the Ampersand Hotel

The deluxe rooms are completed with ornithologically-inspired interiors. We stayed in room 410 on the fourth-floor which features its own small balcony with Mary Poppins views across London.

Our guestroom featured a comfortable king-size bed with oversized dark blue velvet bedhead. There was also a small sofa and an armchair with a working desk and a separate corner stocked with tea and coffee making facilities as well as a complimentary mini-bar with juices, soft drinks, water and fresh milk.

Other amenities included magazines both fashion and travel, an LCD TV with movies on demand, a media hub, laptop-size safe, air-conditioning/heating, excellent hairdryer and a mini tablet/phone which can be used by the hotel guests to make local and international calls as well as use mobile data.

Views of London from our private balcony

WiFi is free of charge and there is also a separate connection for some of the rooms. Our room had its own connection and we had to use the media hub on the TV to get our password.

The black and white luxurious bathroom featured a bath/shower combination and came equipped with an in-bath TV. There is also a floor-heating option which can be activated with a button (but give it some time until it actually warms up).

The toiletries are by L’Occitane and there is also a sponge, make-up remover, sewing kit and lush bathrobes and slippers.

To stay fit during your trip to London guests can use the fitness facilities located on the lower-ground floor space which is open to guests 24 hours.

Getting cozy in my lush bathrobe in our Deluxe guest room at the @ampersandhotel. The room is spacious, modern and features all the necessary amenities. Watch my stories for a full guided tour ???? Going to relax now and enjoy the pampering. Suite dreams friends. #ampersandhotel #Showyourhospitality #passionforhospitality

A post shared by ✨Elena Sergeeva✨ (@elenaserg) on Nov 12, 2017 at 12:30pm PST

Eating and Drinking at the Ampersand Hotel

The large windows of the Drawing Rooms allow for the daylight to crawl in and to illuminate the glorious salon de thé. Colorful sofas and studded armchairs are extremely inviting making the Drawing Rooms a popular meeting place for both locals and guests alike.

They are open from 9am until 11pm from Monday to Sunday. Here guests may also enjoy the traditional Afternoon Tea — one of the best served in South Kensington.

For delicious bites throughout the day the hotel’s popular Apero restaurant and bar which is tucked away on the ground floor of the Ampersand Hotel, serves Mediterranean-style menu for lunch and dinner.

Breakfast is also served here from 6:30am-10:30am on weekdays and 7am to 11am, Saturday and Sunday. The breakfast table included a selection of cereals, assorted pastries and breads, a selection of cheeses and cured meats. There was also an omelette style quiche and boiled eggs.

My friend Chrysoula of www.travelpassionate.com

I also tried Loseley fruit yoghurt and there is Greek yoghurt too. The price for this menu is £16.00 and includes hot drinks and juices (this was included in our room).

There is also an à la carte menu which comes at an additional cost.

The bar is a great place to enjoy an aperitivo or a signature cocktail. Open from midday to midnight during the weekdays and until 1am on weekends.

Location and the surrounding area

The Ampersand Hotel is centrally located in South Kensington right across the street from the South Kensington underground station.

There is also a bus station right outside the hotel.
The neighbourhood is also very well known for some luxury brands and intimate boutiques. Harrods is located about 1 kilometre from the hotel, approximately a 20 minute walk.

The hotel is also at a close proximity from a number of museums like the Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Science Museum as well as the iconic Royal Albert Hall.