A Luxurious London Retreat: The Other House, South Kensington

Somewhere between hotel, members’ club, and apartment complex lies The Other House, built into a grand South Kensington terrace. Nick Hendry checked in.

Hotel Review: The Other House, London

Many of us these days don’t live in London. Remote working and extraordinary property prices have seen to that. Space in the suburbs; short, intense sessions of work in town has become a popular set up, but for many the last train home is just a step too far so accommodation is needed. When this becomes a regularity hotels can seem too impersonal – we crave a home-away-from-home where we can relax in solitude and enjoy a simple meal at the end of a hard day, without the need to socialise further in a restaurant setting. The Other House, a sprawling building just beside Gloucester Road tube, aims to provide exactly that, and more.

There’s a lot to cover here. The ground floor of the building has a breakfast and lunch café which is open to the neighbourhood as well as guests, and is frequently used by both, as well as a cocktail bar which becomes very lively in the evening. Recently opened downstairs is the brand-new Club at The Other House with gym, spa, pool, and meeting rooms. Above are rooms, studios, and flats, all fully serviced by the hospitality team downstairs and all available for a night, or as long as you want.

STAY

There are a few bedrooms for shorter stays, but most accommodation here is in some kind of flat. Corridors are long – this was once 11 individual townhouses, now all stitched together – and lavishly decorated, all rich hues and soft velvets. My Club Apartment was larger than many one-bed flats in London, elegantly turned out and with an impressive range of equipment in the small kitchen-diner. A hotel-style shower room, with full-size branded toiletries and towels changed by housekeeping (albeit not as often as a hotel, to reduce waste) was complemented by the self-service nature of the rest of the space. A proper fridge and freezer would allow genuine stockpiling if staying here for a long time, and the dishwasher proved very handy even during my two-day sojourn.

If you are in-and-out of town regularly bookings can be made in blocks but used in drips, allowing guests to come and go as they please without having to re-book each time. Stays of a few continuous weeks or months will be made much more comfortable by the ability to build up a relationship with the space, giving rise to a routine. This could be a nice place for a weekend treat if you want, or something much more meaningful if you need.

EAT

Breakfast is served hotel-style in The Other Kitchen each morning, but can be forgone if you’d rather prepare your own. If you choose to join the masses you’ll find a delicious cold buffet and range of hot options, but be warned that the space does fill up fast. The rest of South Ken is as fond of the food here as in-house guests. In the evening there are sharing plates available with (or without) your cocktails at Owl & Monkey, the vibrant bar area, and all can be ordered via your Resident’s App to deliver to your table or your room. The app is also used to chat with House Jacks – the friendly service team – about anything to do with your stay, be it food and drink orders in the Private Club area, collecting your dry cleaning, or arranging use of one of the meeting rooms or event spaces.

DO

The new members’ club space also comes with access to a second cocktail bar, Hogsmire, which has a much more reserved atmosphere than its sister upstairs. The gym is expansive, far greater than a regular hotel gym, something those looking to keep their training consistent while regularly working away will appreciate. The recent upgrade also included the addition of sound baths – perfect for relaxation after work. Outside, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from if you want some variety; the tube is just round the corner to access the rest of the city. Chelsea is two stops or walkable, making The Other House an ideal choice for attending the whole week of the Chelsea Arts Festival, and the West End and Mayfair are only about 15 minutes on the Piccadilly Line.

THE FINAL WORD

The club space and its popularity with those who still live in London give The Other House a sense of community lacking from most hotels. Sure, you can use it for a one-off, brief stay like I did, but many more choose to spend far more time here, making it their city pied-à-terre while living elsewhere full-time. It’s an excellent blend of both.

BOOK IT

Rooms start from £250. theotherhouse.com