Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington

Best Western Burns Hotel

Hotel Class: 3 out of 5 stars3 Stars - 5 Reviews and 324 Opinions

18-26 Barkston Gardens, Kensington, London, SW5 0EN, United Kingdom

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79%

of people enjoy staying here

3.5 our of 5 stars 329 Opinions

Excellent
 
31
Very Good
 
123
Average
 
85
Poor
 
36
Terrible
 
20

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  • jbair profile photo
  • Reviews: 1

5 out of 5 starsUser Rating

A Gem in Central London

The Burns Hotel was a delight. This charming European style hotel is reasonably priced, located close to the Earl's Court Tube station on a tree lined square away from the traffic noise of Earl's Court Road. The rooms are small but comfortable and clean. The hotel staff was friendly and helpful. I will definitely stay here again!

  • Opinion of Price: less expensive than average

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  • CDNgirl profile photo
  • Reviews: 167

4 out of 5 starsUser Rating

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

This hotel keeps me coming back!!

When I walked into this hotel on a very hot May afternoon, I was immediately hit with the smell of fresh flowers and the sound of a movie soundtrack!! It was lovely! The girls were soooo kind and chatty and helpful from the first minute, that I changed my previous London reservations for later in the trip, to this hotel, almost before I saw my room!! I like to try a new hotel for a least a few nights when I travel, then go to a tried and true for the remainder of the stay, but I fell in love with this place and spent 4 out of my 8 hotel nights here.

Keep in mind that prices do fluctuate, it can be a super budget choice for less than 70 pounds, but when there is an event in the area, I was looking at over 100 pounds per night.

UPDATE! 2009
I checked into this hotel again, based on my previous experience here, and it did not disappoint! The fresh flowers were still there, the lovely music in the foyer, and the super friendly staff! My two nights in the single room was great, except they no longer include breakfast. Then I moved to a triple room, as I had two friends coming into town, and the triple room was fantastic!! LOTS of space for three women with too much luggage, nice and cool in the basement on very hot london days, and again, the STAFF WERE FANTASTIC!!

Unique Quality: The single rooms in this hotel are great, spacious enough, and a proper bath, not just a shower in the tiny closet that you usually get in London. It was quiet, whether you overlooked the gardens in the front or out the back, I was able to sleep with the window open!!
The older I get and the more luggage I haul, I also appreciate hotels with elevators! Which this one had as well.
The breakfast was average, but the breakfast room was nice and bright, selection satisfactory for a continental. Room service with a small menu was also available.
It is also just a few blocks from Earls Court Station, which is on the direct Piccadilly line to Heathrow and into central London. Just exit onto Earl Court Road, which is on the east side of the tube station.(which also has elevators!!) On Earls Court Road there is also a Marks and Spencers Simply Food(my favorite for fresh snacks) a small drug store, a Boots and a bunch of restaurants, fast food chains, and a tiny little convienience store open 24 hours(!!) across from M & S.
The other thing I love about this hotel is the FULL SIZED bath towels!! What a lovely thing to find in a hotel!
Also, the WiFi was great, at no extra charge, and no problems getting a connection in your own room, unlike some other hotels I've stayed at in London.
The window in my single room did not open very wide, which sucks, because it faces the park, and also gets the sun all afternoon, which can really warm up the room. The wonderful hotel staff did bring me a fan, which helps, but I really wish the window would open properly!!
Just lots of little things add up to an excellent hotel choice. I highly recommend this place.
UPDATE 2010
Its a really small thing, but I checked in here happily again in Feb 2010, and found that people actually listen to comment cards!! I could open my window all the way!! Not so much needed in Feb 2010, but it was wonderful!!

  • Opinion of Price: about average
  • Related to: Budget Travel
Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington

Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington


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  • kris-t profile photo
  • Reviews: 1558

4 out of 5 starsUser Rating

4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Best Western Burns Hotel, London

The Hotel was incredibly good value for central London with an excellent breakfast included in the rate. The location was perfect for the Royal Albert Hall and also many of the Museums.
The room was quite small but had everything we needed and really was ideal as we were out all the time.

Unique Quality: Good, clean room near the tube station. Best of all the hotel was quiet - no road noise, people noise etc

  • Opinion of Price: about average
  • Related to: Family Travel, Seniors, Women's Travel
Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington Photo: Best Western Burns Hotel

Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington Photo: Best Western Burns Hotel


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  • valeriew43 profile photo
  • Reviews: 2

3 out of 5 starsUser Rating

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Okay

We stayed here for 4 nights. There is no air conditioning. They put a small cot type roll away for the 3rd bed for us and charged 106 pound a night. The breakfast was good, and the staff seemed pleasant enough. Not sure it was worth the price, the 4 nights in dollars came to $836. I shopped around a lot for a room, and this place got the best reviews.

  • Opinion of Price: about average

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  • yashiko profile photo
  • Reviews: 291

3 out of 5 starsUser Rating

Burns Hotel

This Victorian hotel is located in a residential square in South Kensignton verry near to the Earl's Court exhibition building. It has about 100 rooms but it doesn't feel like a big commercial hotel. It's cosy and comfy. The building itself is old but the accomodations are new and in good shape ( bathroom, beds, ...)
The staff is verry friendly and helpfull. And they put a newspaper in front off your room every morning. I tought it quite attendfull.

Unique Quality: Though in the center off the city, it is a calm place with not much streetnoice. This can do good after a day off bussy London.
The breakfast is good. You can choose between a continental breakfast buffet ( toast, sandwiches, cereals, fresh fruit, ham ,cheese,...) which you can take as much as you want; and a real English breakfast ( bacon, sausage, beans in tomatosauce, eggs, mushrooms). A good start to a long day off shopping or visitting nice places.

  • Opinion of Price: about average
Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington Photo: Burns Hotel

Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington Photo: Burns Hotel


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More about Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington

3 star hotel in residential area

by bcorbitt about Best Western Burns

Stayed at this hotel as it was one of the hotels that was part of the free for two night stay that went with my British Airways ticket. Hotel was perfectly acceptable as it was within a few blocks of the Earl's Court station and had all the amenties one needs when traveling. Free Wi-fi, comfortable bed and place to put clothes. Bathroom though small was big enough for tub. Window in bathroom could be changed as very drafty which caused tub to be cold until ran hot water for a few minutes. Breakfast that came with room was filling as eggs were well made and sausage and bacon filling. Also get the usual assortment of deli meat and cereals if only getting continental instead of full English. If does not come with room and not overly hungry best to just head elsewhere as not worth either the 10 pounds for full or 6 for continental. Do not expect an amazing view as our room stared out an office looking building. Some rooms most have views of small park. That park is private and the surrounding area is very residential which is nice as the main drag outside of the subway station is filled with reasonable priced places to eat plus drug stores and grocery stores and ATMs for most of the major banks. Free Wi-Fi was nice and though did not use think they had a late night bar snacks menu which is good as many London food establishments close at midnight even the pubs that will do a last call around 11:30. As mentioned got room as part of airplane ticket and if do the same British Airway deal I highly recommend. Think the base price for our room was 120 pounds(192 dollars at 1.6 dollars to a pound) though saw prices for cheaper on the net.

Small but Clean in London

by LBKesner about The Burns Hotel

Our room was quite tiny, but clean, and the bathroom included a full tub. The breakfast buffet offered several selections. The hotel employees were delightful.

Nice Hotel/Staff/Location

by TripAdvisor Member jjmarkp

I stayed there for 4 nights (6/24 - 6/28/2005). What a nice little hotel! The room was small, but, clean and nicely decorated. I believe the room had recently been refurbished because the bed was firm and the furniture/carpet/bath were in excellent condition. The breakfast was delicious and filling (I tried both the contintental and English ones). The staff was very helpful. Earlier in the week I was staying at a nearby hotel that was not as good in quality and at nearly the same price. The Burns was a much better value (I got a good rate via the internet). Yes, the floors creak, there's no A/C and the lift is small. But, this is a very fine budget hotel in a city notoriously known for lousy inexpensive accommodations. The location is excellent, on a quite sidestreet just off the busy Earl's Court Rd and tube stop. I could get to anywhere in central London in about 15mins by tube. I would definitely stay there again. Nice job, BW Burns Hotel!

Perfect for short breaks

by TripAdvisor Member lilybeeGlasgow

The Burns Hotel Kensington is a lovely Edwardian mansion that has been converted into a hotel (a heritage plaque on the front of the building notes that it was once the home of the Victorian actress Ellen Terry.) Although it is part of the Best Western chain, don't let that put you off - the hotel retains its own distinct character and personality and there is nothing synthetic or "chain" about it.

The hotel is located on a safe and picturesque square less than a block away from the Earl's Court tube stop. Next to the Tube exit you'll find yourself on a street of "real" shops like Marks & Spencer Food and Boots, not tourist shops or overpriced city grocers. This helps you save a fortune on food and amenities, and allows you to travel light as well.

As a converted residence, the scale of the hotel is a bit small. The lift is barely large enough to hold you and your luggage, the hallways are almost comical with their multiple sets of steps and interior doors, and the rooms were perhaps half the size of other London hotel rooms. Then again, why pay a lot of a money for a huge room that's mostly decorative space? The important thing is that the rooms at the Burns Hotel do have all the necessary amenities - wardrobe, TV, desk, tasteful decor, etc - that you can count on with the Best Western chain.

My only complaint was that it the room was roasting hot, to the point where I had to open up the window to get air. That said, this was during a heat wave of 29 degrees with high humidity, the sort of weather which Britain rarely experiences, so my discomfort was not really the hotel's fault.

Although my room rate included breakfast, a full English buffet is utterly unappealing in a heat wave, so I can't comment on the food.

It's not palatial or fancy, but the Burns Hotel Kensington meets all your needs in a clean, safe, and well-serviced setting. Although it might be a bit claustrophobic for longer trips or visits with children in tow, it's perfect for short breaks or for independent travelers.

Highly recommended.

Small, Small, Small Rooms

by TripAdvisor Member celticancestor

We have stayed at the Burns Hotel several times and so have other members of our family. The staff, breakfast, dinning room, bar and location are some of best in London for a 3* hotel. HOWEVER, beware that the rooms are very small. If you can touch 3 of the 4 walls in room from the bed, the room is too small. Additionally the decor of the rooms has suffered over the years and is in need of fresh paint and furnishing. Our room was particularly bad as it was directly over the kitchen and the staff starts every morning at 4:30 a.m. The clanking of dishes, the smell of frying bacon and the chopping of whatever meant little sleep after 4:30 a.m. If the Burns is to continue to attract guests, they need to knock down some walls, enlarge and redecorate the rooms and buy some air conditioners.

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yashiko profile photo

 Though in the center off the city, it is a calm place with not much streetnoice. This can do good after a day off bussy London.
The breakfast is good. You can choose between a continental breakfast buffet ( toast, sandwiches, cereals, fresh fruit, ham ,cheese,...) which you can take as much as you want; and a real English breakfast ( bacon, sausage, beans in tomatosauce, eggs, mushrooms). A good start to a long day off shopping or visitting nice places. 

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 Best Western Burns Hotel Kensington

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Best Western London
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Address: 18-26 Barkston Gardens, Kensington, London, SW5 0EN, United Kingdom