Few London hotels so boldly take inspiration from their surroundings as the Ampersand. Steps from Kensington’s Museums Quarter, this boutique riffs off the studies and research of nearby world-leading institutions like the Science Museum and Natural History Museum, combining it all with many of the bells and whistles of a luxury hotel.
From ornithological wallpapers and artworks to complimentary galactically-themed macarons, everything at the Ampersand plays heavily into the hotel’s neighbours. Its ‘science’ afternoon tea spectacularly involves making your own lemonade (with wacky test tubes and all) plus dry-ice and space-themed treats. Sure, this sort of stuff will no doubt be naff to anyone wanting a frilly, snooty sort of posh hotel; but it also makes everything a bit more fun, much less stuffy, and a lot more memorable.
Beyond that, lots of the rest is solid, occasionally a bit more. Rooms are decked out with nice stuff: vast, comfy beds, sizeable TVs, Malin + Goetz toiletries, a standalone bath (with full view of the telly), nifty, sleek desk and huge, glitzy headboard. You’d be hard-pressed to criticise the style or function of any individual pieces within the Ampersand’s rooms, while the first three floors of Victorian ceilings are spacious and fresh.
The staff are as helpful as you’d want them to be, everything is delightfully clean, there’s a gym and two restos (one, Apero, is Mediterranean-themed). There’s also a general sense of calm. Compared to the shoulder-to-shoulder hordes of tourists and children dawdling through South Ken, the Ampersand is refreshingly tranquil.
The main (and perhaps only) sticking point? The price. Pretty much everything at the Ampersand, from the rooms to the afternoon tea and the restaurant food, comes with a hefty price tag. And while certainly very pleasant, the hotel experience isn’t quite that polished. Parts are a little worse for wear – not quite as shiny as they might’ve been a decade ago – while there are tech issues (with things like wi-fi and Chromecast). A decent amount of noise also travels across floors, between rooms and in from the street.
Neighbourhood
No more than a minute’s walk from South Kensington tube station (on the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines), the Ampersand is well-linked to plenty of the rest of the city – South Ken has long been a favourite for tourists out to explore. The immediate area has plenty to see and do, too, notably Museums Quarter with the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and V&A.
Nearby
- Science Museum, obvs. You’ve had a science-themed afternoon tea at the Ampersand, here’s your chance to do a whole load more science stuff.
- Cine Lumiere, a gorgeous Art Deco cinema with a focus on French, independent and foreign films.
- South Kensington Books, an independent bookshop with a reliable section on art, fashion, history and more.
Time Out Tip
If you can afford a room at the Ampersand with a standalone bath, get one. Few things make you feel more glam than having a bath, glass of wine in hand, watching a film on a massive telly.