HOTEL REVIEW
CHELSEA AND SOUTH KENSINGTON Chelsea and South Kensington are two of the most celebrated districts in the capital, with prestigious schools, luxury shops and plenty of open spaces and amenities to enjoy. They’re also just a few short stops on the District or Piccadilly lines from the West End. There’s a lot of history in this area too. The Manor of Chelsea was already established by the time of the Norman invasion and this has always been an area with a certain cachet; in the 16th century, two of King Henry VIII’s wives (Catherine Parr and Anne of Cleves) lived in the Manor House, as did the future Queen Elizabeth I. And King’s Road was originally just that: a private road built so that King Charles II could travel between St James’s Palace and Fulham. WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM
The village of Chelsea was absorbed by London in the 19th century, and during the Victorian era it was best known as a bohemian quarter, home to artists and writers. In the 1960s they were replaced by pop stars, actors and models as Chelsea became the centre of Swinging London. Even living there today, you’ll soon get used to seeing celebrities in the street. South Kensington, a mile to the north, was farmland until the mid-19th century, when the organisers of the 1851 Great Exhibition built the museums and institutions that form the heart of the district: the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, the Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College and many more. Around
this area, known as Albertopolis, streets of grand white stucco houses were laid out, and from the beginning they attracted the wealthy and the famous. The reputation of Chelsea and South Kensington extends beyond the UK; this is one of the most cosmopolitan parts of London. In particular, South Kensington has a large French population centred around the Lycée Français and the Institut français, while Chelsea has one of the world’s largest American expatriate communities. Wherever they come from, there’s plenty for the locals to enjoy; shopping in Sloane Square and the King’s Road, eating in one of the many world-class restaurants, strolling in Hyde Park or along the riverside, or visiting WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK
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