A home away from home in desirable South Kensington.
London is a city of approximately 123,000 hotel rooms, and while tourists and residents flock to the UK capital, it’s often difficult to find somewhere to stay that ticks all the boxes when it comes to location, luxurious accommodations, delicious dining and ample amenities. Enter: The Other House.
This newly opened hotel in South Kensington is ideally situated close to The Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Gloucester Road tube station and a short ride from the city’s most lavish department store: Harrods. When you think South Ken (as we locals affectionally refer to it), you think luxury.
As the name suggests, The Other House takes a slightly different approach to hospitality, and it certainly stands out from the crowd. This funky address on Harrington Gardens subverts expectations, as rooms are referred to as residences and a wealth of exciting elements await. Think: a members-only club, vibrant cocktail bar and subterranean swimming pool, but more on that later.
The Other House South Kensington is the second property from The Other House brand (the other sits in the heart of theatreland in Covent Garden). Crossing the threshold, we’re met with a funky soundtrack, rich upholstery, soft furnishings, statues of astute golden monkeys and foliage splaying across the ceiling. Subtle it is not, but the overall feeling is debonaire rather than kitsch. Seated in an Insta-worthy golden chair engulfed in peacock feathers, the check-in process is fast and friendly, with the young and energetic front desk team grounding the hotel in a distinct sense of fun.
Debonaire Living
This upbeat hotel is all about excitement and aesthetics. Injecting some much-needed life into the luxury hotel market, grandeur and opulence are replaced with dare-to-be-different design. With 200 Club Flats named after a roster of celebrities including Diana Spencer and Beatrix Potter, our chosen accommodation on the fifth floor is inspired by Reggae legend Bob Marley.
All Club Flats can be accessed via a key card or handy application, which can also be used to call the lifts, make restaurant reservations or check how busy the gym is – it’s that advanced! In addition to modern technology, The Other House also offers a sustainable approach to hotel living. A ‘housekeeping lite’ service is provided where bins are emptied, dishwashers are stacked, towels are folded and beds are made. Should you want the bed sheets changed or a deep clean, a simple click on The Other House App is all it takes.
The apartment-style rooms are ideal for extended stays and those looking for more than somewhere to rest their heads. Textures abound across wooden screens and rugged wallpaper, whilst plush blankets provide a warm and cosy approach to the rooms, which are decked out in dark wood and a teal and burnt orange colour scheme.
A plush bed takes up most of the small room (this is London after all) and is separated from the compact living area by an ornate metal screen. It’s a great idea, but it makes watching television in bed impossible. So, no Netflix and chill. Elsewhere, a small kitchenette is ideal for those not wanting to venture outside, yet the on-site dining options are well worth your time.
For larger groups and GCC families, there are Club Combos – options to interconnect two, three, four or five Club Flats behind a single front door or around a private internal courtyard – making for the perfect majlis and the first accommodation of this kind in the United Kingdom.
Enviable Eats
When it comes to on-site dining, several appealing options can be found on the ground floor close to the lobby. Open for breakfast and lunch, The Other Kitchen is an all-day street café that offers a well-stocked breakfast buffet which can be topped up with a la carte dishes such as avocado toast or humongous breakfast sandwiches. The modern space offers comfortable booth-style seating, monochromatic floor tiles and a vibrant place to while away the day. Digital blackboards display the daily dishes, counting down quantities until each one is gone. A noble approach to food wastage and sustainability.
Next door sits The Owl & Monkey, an adults-only drinking den that boasts eclectic interiors and treetop views overlooking a glazed internal atrium. Here, a team of mixologists, under the guidance of bar manager Flavio Russo whip up classic and signature cocktails. The venue boasts a mixology kitchen for making syrups and cordials, using leftover food from The Other Kitchen. It’s an intimate option where a menu of small sharing plates and live DJs create an atmospheric night in a jungle-themed environment.
Fastidious Facilities
If the idea of living like a resident sounds appealing, then the Club Flats at The Other House offer a comfortable stay with added benefits, including a members-only club known as The Keeping Room. Situated on the basement level, expect high-backed armchairs, cosy fireplaces, a private screening room, meeting spaces and a personal mixologist to add an additional level of luxury to an already stupendous stay.
Whilst the spa and meditation pods are still under construction, the 24-hour gym and fitness studio are open for business, offering sound therapy streamed live from Tulum three times a week. Anchored around a private internal courtyard, the wellness facilities include a subterranean swimming pool tiled in dark rainbow mosaics. The pool maintains a temperature of 28 degrees and is essentially a large jacuzzi. Children are only allowed during certain hours, making the pool area with its steam and sauna an ideal spot for relaxing after hitting the streets of London.
Ultimately The Other House promotes a funky fun-induced stay. With attention to detail – from the chic golden elevators to the velvet tiles in the public bathrooms – and some of the most personable staff in illustrious London, The Other House offers discretion in the heart of leafy South Kensington. An urban sanctuary that feels more like a home away from home than a hotel.
GO: Visit https://otherhouse.com for reservations and more information.
