Bunny’s Review of the Ampersand Hotel in London
The Ampersand Hotel, a late 19th century townhouse in South Kensington, is one of Bunny’s favourite boutique hotels in London. She has stayed there a number of times and has always had a pleasant experience.
Bunny’s most recent stay occurred in February and she was pleased to note that the quality of the hotel and service was as good as ever.
The Ampersand hotel is one of Bunny's favourites in London
Excellent Location
One of the things that Bunny most appreciates about the Ampersand hotel is its location in South Kensington. The hotel has excellent transportation links and is surrounded by lovely cafes and restaurants.
The South Kensington tube station, which is on the Piccadilly Line with direct access to Heathrow airport, is a one-minute walk from the Ampersand hotel. There is also a bus service right outside the hotel although Bunny has never resorted to buses with the tube station so close.
A short walk from the hotel are also the excellent (and free!) Museum of Natural History, Science Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum. It could not be more convenient to visit those gem attractions.
And, if for some weird reason, you would fancy a run whilst in London, Hyde Park is also just around the corner from Ampersand.
Bunny loves the location of the Ampersand hotel - right next to great museums, restaurants and shops!
Deluxe Studio
Ampersand hotel offers six different room types: single room, small double room, superior room, deluxe room, deluxe studio and suite. On her last visit, Bunny stayed in a deluxe studio.
The deluxe studio was a good size for a London hotel. It had a very comfortable bed, an ottoman, a proper desk (with USB charging station) by the nice bay windows, an arm chair and plenty of space for luggage and clothes.
The black and white themed bathroom had a rain shower and L'Occitane brand toiletries. Bunny particularly appreciated the heated bathroom floor which she thought was a brilliant idea for the often cold and damp London!
Also in the room was a flatscreen TV, Nespresso machine and an inclusive minibar (water and soft drinks). Much to the delight of Mr. Bunny, the other freebies included popcorn and some cookies.
Additional nice touches included a cell phone for your use during your stay and some nice reading material. Bunny is almost ashamed to admit that she borrowed and then neglected to return one of the glossy travel magazines in the room as she did not have time to read it during her stay - sorry!
Top Tip
Bunny later learned that some of the deluxe studios at the Ampersand hotel have freestanding baths beside the bay windows. She made a mental note of this as she intends to request such a room for her next stay.
SLH Perks
As an Indulgent Member of the Small Luxury Hotels Club (SLH), Bunny is entitled to a complimentary room upgrade when she stays in SLH hotels. At the Ampersand hotel this perk was duly honoured and Bunny was upgraded to the next higher room category on arrival.
A glass of sparkling wine was also offered as part of the SLH perks. Bunny was more than happy to enjoy hers in the hotel’s cosy Drawing Rooms.
Drawing Rooms
The Ampersand hotel has modern, colourful and somewhat quirky interiors and furnishings. The Drawing Rooms are perhaps the best example of the quirky decor. Bunny much prefers that kind of design than the Victorian stuffiness that most London hotels seem to embody.
The Drawing Rooms were the perfect venue for Bunny to enjoy some excellent nibbles of focaccia, olives and patron peppers one afternoon at the Ampersand hotel.
Bunny also took note of the afternoon tea offered by the hotel in the Drawing Rooms. Perhaps on her next stay as she had already experienced a great afternoon tea experience on this trip.
Breakfast & Dining
Bunny’s SLH privileges at the Ampersand hotel included breakfast in the hotel’s charming cellar restaurant, Apero. The breakfast buffet selection suited Bunny’s taste and included a number of healthy and vegetarian items. The service was equally good and friendly, so Bunny had no complaints.
Apero also serves Mediterranean influenced lunch and dinner but Bunny is yet to try the restaurant for other than breakfast.
Friendly Service
Returning from her dinner on the first night of her stay, Bunny found a nice hand-written note on her pillow, welcoming her as a returning guest along with some yummy chocolates as well. Not bad!
Bunny found the service everywhere at the Ampersand hotel very friendly and unobtrusive, just the way she likes it.
Top Tip
For dinner, Bunny warmly recommends Ceru, a contemporary Levantine restaurant, a 2-minute walk from the Ampersand hotel. The food and drink in this excellent meze restaurant are inspired by the flavours of the eastern Mediterranean coast. There are plenty of delicious vegetarian options on the menu and the service is very friendly. It is quite a cozy, small place, so advance reservations are recommended. You take your changes just walking in. Another good option for vegetarians in the neighbourhood is Zaika, which offers creative modern Indian cuisine. Bunny had a wonderful meal there with friends on an earlier visit to London.
Good Facilities
For a boutique London hotel, Ampersand also boasts good facilities. There is a small gym that Bunny checked out but was too, ahem, busy to use during her stay. Some computers and a printer are also available for guests in a small business centre.
Apparently there is also a separate games room for children, not that Bunny took much interest.
The Wi-Fi worked very well everywhere in the hotel and did not require a password.
Cons
Bunny’s deluxe studio was located on the first floor. This meant that she could literally feel the tube trains beneath her paws. If you are sensitive to noise (Bunny isn’t but Mr. Bunny is), consider asking for a room on a higher floor.
Another con Bunny can think of is her usual complaint in London: why on earth are they so keen on carpeting every inch of the available floor space? Perhaps no-one has informed the poor souls that fitted carpets are ugly, impractical and dirty. Bunny would be happy to volunteer to go on a lecture tour around the UK on this particular subject should a suitable sponsor come forward…
This is the one thing Bunny really likes about one of her other favourite London hotels, the Hari: wooden floors!
Bunny’s Conclusion
Given the often astronomical hotel rates in London, Bunny finds the Ampersand hotel to be very good value for what it offers: luxurious accommodation, friendly service, an excellent location, contemporary elegance and a nice, relaxed atmosphere.
