One of the best hotels in Kensington, a prestigious area in the western part of london’s historic centre, is the MilestoneHotel.
Location and history of the hotel
Most of the rooms at the five-star Milestone Hotel overlook the Royal Park Kensington Gardens, and the interiors of the rooms and apartments are in no way inferior to 1 in Kensington Palace, located just a few dozen meters away, the official residence of the favorites of all Britain William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Milestone Hotel was named after the old post office that has been preserved next to the hotel building. Kensington House was first built in 1689, and belonged to the Onslow family, known for becoming the greatest Speaker of the House of Commons, holding the post for 30 years.
The most curious inhabitant of the house number 1 on Kensington Court was Peter Grigorievich Chernyshev, the godson of Peter I, a real privy councillor and Russian diplomat, who served as Russian ambassador in Londonunder Anna Leopoldovna. His daughter, Natalia Petrovna, was the maid of honor of Catherine II and one of the richest women of her time; she was received at the court of Marie Antoinette, where she was called the “Moscow Venus”, she was cared for by the future King george IV of England. Natalia Petrovna lived 93 years and is considered the prototype of the princess from Pushkin’s “Queen of Spades”.
In 1884, a new building was built on the site of the old building: investors invested a colossal amount in the project at that time – £ 24 million. In 1922, the building acquired the status of a hotel, and a few years later the hotel was expanded by the addition of a neighboring house. In 1986, the hotel was seriously damaged by fire. Large-scale restoration required serious investments. The new Milestone Hotel, which became part of the Red Carnation chain, opened in the early 1990s.
Room stock
Milestone Boutique Hotel has 45 rooms, 12 apartments and 6 two-bedroom residences. Most rooms overlook Kensington Gardens. The hotel does not have two identical rooms – each has its own individual design in the palace or modern style. The rooms are equipped with modern appliances (air conditioning, TVs, telephones, safes), decorated with custom-made materials and furnished with handmade items. Most of the rooms are classically designed with four-poster beds, mirrors in expensive frames, bronze candelabras and antique crystal chandeliers. Each room has a workplace, Internet access (wired and Wi-Fi), you can rent a laptop and a mobile phone. Rooms and apartments are serviced around the clock, special services are provided for ladies and families with children.
The hotel accepts any pets for which all amenities are created: a special menu, toys, care products, specialist services. Spacious apartments with balconies are divided into several functional areas, and are perfect for a long stay.
Meals at the hotel
Milestone Hotel features Cheneston’s International Restaurant, a living room serving traditional 5 o’clock tea, stables bar, an exquisite Conservatory salon and an extensive wine cell cartel with more than 400 bottles of wine from around the world.
Hotel services
Also at the service of guests of The Milestone Hotel is a spa center with a swimming pool, a beauty salon, a gym, concierges, bodyguards, secretaries, translators provide their services to guests around the clock.
Nearby Attractions
Tired of sightseeing in London or shopping, hotel guests can spend time in Kensington Gardens – there are morning jogging trails, bike paths, fountains and many picturesque picnic areas. The park around the palace was laid out under Queen Anne, at the same time a greenhouse appeared. Until 1728, public access to this park was closed for the safety of members of the royal family. The modest palace, built in the 17th century, looked more like a house than the pompous and cold St. James’s Palace, so that members of the then ruling Hanover dynasty lived in Kensington almost constantly. At the end of the 18th century, the widowed King William III of Orange was visited by Peter I at Kensington Palace, and in 1819 Queen Victoria was born in this palace. From 1981 to 1997, Princess Diana was officially considered the mistress of Kensington Palace, and in 2011 the palace became the first official London residence of Diana’s son Prince William and his wife, to whom the Queen granted the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
