Home & Away with Robert Walshe
www.robertwalshe.com
Weekend Hotspot – Kensington House Hotel - London The London Victoria & Albert Museum is well known all around the world by its shortened recognition - V&A. This cultural melting pot is a treasure of design and attractive fine art items and home to a compilation of over 4.5 million fine items. Its derivation goes back to the 1852 as the South Kensington Museum. The Victoria and Albert Museum is now extended above twelve and half acres of land
housing 148 art galleries in total. It has a wonderful collection of art and design objects straddling 5000 years old works of art, passing from olden to recent times. V & A in London has many notable neighbours including the world famous organisations like the Natural History and Science Museum. Its compilation of monuments, furnishings, ceramic objects, snaps, glasswork, sketches, fabrics, prints and printmaking, outfits, jewellery, medieval fine art items, silver and ironwork manufac-
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tured articles are the biggest in the entire planet. The Kensington House Hotel a contemporary town house property located just off High Street is only a five to ten minute stroll away from these museums and is a perfect location for those who want to combine their culture vulture tendendancies with the glamour of Knightsbridge and Sloane Square shopping just down the road. My favourite shopping district “ King’s Road” a nearby tube stop is by far one of the cities smartest fashion streets, having evolved from the cutting-edge of bohemia and innovative fashion in the 60s to a more genteel place to indulge in retail therapy, albeit with a notable presence of trendy young Londoners (including many so called Sloane Rangers). It is a very attractive street that retains the atmosphere of a small town whilst being in the heart of London. There is a huge range of fashion stores here from up market chains to one-off boutiques, as well as variety of other shops, complimented by cafés, restaurants, bars, pubs
For our best deals call 0044 28 9038 1111 or visit www.mooneyhotelgroup.com and clubs. If you would prefer to avoid the hustle and bustle of shopping remember the peace and quiet of Kensington Gardens nearby Kensington House Hotel a perfect place to sit back, relax and read your latest novel particularly on a late spring or balmy summers evening. The hotel cleverly connects a number of Victorian townhouses together while leaving many period features to admire. Whilst the interior reflects a modern understated style each of the 41 luxury en-suite rooms have been designed with comfort and style in mind. The bright and airy rooms have large windows and offer crisp linen, duvets, modern furniture and fittings adding a fresh contemporary look to a classic design. The Tiger Bar, also flooded with natural light, is a pleasant and open space to enjoy a glass of wine or a snack. Kensington House Hotel while small does not have the more extravagant facilities of its neighbours however the friendly, conscientious team which keep it running smoothly are a
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major asset which many of the nearby chains offerings lack. It is for this reason that Kensington House Hotel stands out from the crowd situated perfectly in my favourite capital city. For best rates visit www.kenhouse.com
Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio Network and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com