Hotel in London, United Kingdom
Blakes Hotel
150Pearl PointsBoutique character, South Ken address, high price.
About Blakes Hotel
Blakes Hotel is one of London's original boutique properties — a 45-year-old design hotel in South Kensington that still delivers a genuinely personal, small-scale stay. Best suited to leisure travellers who want character over amenities and proximity to the museum quarter. Easy to book and worth considering if you value individuality over chain-hotel polish.
Blakes Hotel, South Kensington: The Verdict
Blakes Hotel sits at the boutique end of London's luxury hotel market, occupying a converted Victorian townhouse at 33 Roland Gardens in South Kensington. If you want a large, amenity-heavy property with a spa, rooftop bar, conference facilities, this is not it. But if a small, design-focused hotel in one of London's most residential and well-connected neighbourhoods is what you're after, Blakes has been delivering exactly that for decades — making it worth serious consideration for the right traveller.
The hotel is one of the earliest purpose-designed boutique hotels in the world, opened in 1978 by designer Anouska Hempel. That founding context matters because Blakes shaped what a boutique hotel is supposed to be: highly individual rooms, personality-driven interiors, a human scale that larger properties can't replicate. After more than 45 years of operation, its longevity in a competitive market is a credibility signal on its own. Most trend-chasing design hotels don't last a decade. Blakes has outlasted several generations of them. For a fuller picture of where it sits in London's hotel market, see our full London hotels guide.
South Kensington is a strong location for leisure travellers. The V&A, Natural History Museum, Science Museum are within walking distance. The neighbourhood is quiet, residential, well-served by the Piccadilly and District lines. It is not a business travel hub — if your meetings are in the City or Canary Wharf, factor in 40 minutes each way. For business travellers who need proximity to central London's financial districts, look instead at The Savoy or NoMad London.
On the service question, which matters here more than at larger properties, Blakes operates at a scale where staff-to-guest ratios tend to be favourable. Small hotels live or die by the quality of their human contact, Blakes has maintained its reputation over four-plus decades in part because the experience does not feel anonymous. You are not checking into a 300-room operation where your name is unknown by checkout. That distinction has real value, particularly for repeat visitors or anyone staying more than two nights.
Booking is direct. This is not a hotel that fills months in advance the way a newly opened high-profile property might. Check the hotel's direct website for rates before using third-party platforms, as boutique independents occasionally offer better terms direct. For wider London planning, browse our full London restaurants guide, our full London bars guide, and our full London experiences guide.
Know Before You Go
- Address: 33 Roland Gardens, South Kensington, London SW7 3PF
- Nearest Tube: Gloucester Road (Piccadilly, District, Circle lines)
- Hotel scale: Small boutique, approximately 45 rooms
- Booking difficulty: Easy, no waitlists or advance release windows required
- Leading for: Leisure travellers, couples, design-conscious guests, South Kensington museum visits
- Less suited to: Business travellers needing City access, guests expecting large-hotel amenities
- Loyalty programmes: Independent property, major chain loyalty points do not apply
- Alternatives nearby: 11 Cadogan Gardens, The Emory
Frequently Asked Questions
Do loyalty programs work at Blakes Hotel?
Blakes is an independent boutique property at 33 Roland Gardens, not affiliated with a major hotel chain, so standard loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy or IHG Rewards do not apply here. Some American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts or Virtuoso benefits may be available depending on how you book — worth checking with your card provider before paying direct. If loyalty point accumulation matters to your travel strategy, the chain-affiliated options in London will serve you better.
How is the dining at Blakes Hotel?
Blakes has an in-house restaurant with a long-standing reputation in South Kensington, though specific current menus and pricing are not confirmed in available data. The hotel's positioning in the boutique luxury tier suggests dining is treated as an experience rather than an afterthought, but South Kensington itself has strong independent restaurant options within walking distance if you want more variety. Don't assume the in-house option is your only choice — the neighbourhood competes well.
How is the location of Blakes Hotel?
33 Roland Gardens puts you in a quiet residential pocket of South Kensington, close to the V&A;, Natural History Museum, Gloucester Road Tube — all within a short walk. It is one of London's better-positioned boutique hotels for museum access and quick Piccadilly Line connections, but it sits away from the central business district, so anyone working in the City or Canary Wharf will face a meaningful commute. For leisure stays focused on West London, the location is genuinely practical.
What is check-in like at Blakes Hotel?
As a converted Victorian townhouse with a small room count, check-in at Blakes is handled on a personal, non-corporate scale — expect staff who know the property rather than a large front-desk operation. That intimacy is part of what boutique guests are paying for here. Standard check-in is typically 3pm at properties in this category, but arrival time is worth confirming directly given the hotel's independent status.
Is Blakes Hotel good for business travel?
Not a natural fit for high-frequency business travel. Blakes is positioned as a design-forward boutique stay rather than a business hotel, South Kensington is a detour from London's main corporate corridors. If your meetings are in West London or you value a residential atmosphere over corporate infrastructure, it works. For anyone needing reliable meeting facilities, fast City access, or points accumulation, The Connaught or Raffles London at The OWO are better-structured choices.
Is Blakes Hotel family-friendly?
Blakes is better suited to couples and solo travellers than families with young children. The boutique scale, design-led interiors, South Kensington address skew toward adults who appreciate calm and aesthetic detail over family amenities. That said, the location near the Natural History Museum and V&A; is genuinely useful for older children. If you are travelling as a family and want space and facilities, 51 Buckingham Gate or COMO Metropolitan will give you more practical options.
When is the best time to book Blakes Hotel?
Blakes has a limited room count, which means availability tightens during peak London periods — Wimbledon, Chelsea Flower Show, school holidays, major fashion or trade weeks. Book at least four to six weeks out for those windows. Shoulder season (late January through March, October into November) tends to offer both availability and, in some cases, softer rates at independent boutique properties. Booking direct or through a benefits-linked card is worth comparing against OTA pricing given there is no chain rate structure.
Location
33 Roland Gardens, South Kensington, London SW7 3PF, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Compare Blakes Hotel
| Venue | Awards | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Blakes Hotel | Easy | |
| Raffles London at The OWO | World's 50 Best | Unknown |
| The Connaught | World's 50 Best | Unknown |
| 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites and Residences | Unknown | |
| Bvlgari Hotel London | Unknown | |
| COMO Metropolitan London | Unknown |
What to weigh when choosing between Blakes Hotel and alternatives.
Also Consider
- Raffles London at The OWO, Notable alternative
- The Connaught, Notable alternative
- 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites and Residences, Notable alternative
- Bvlgari Hotel London, Notable alternative
- COMO Metropolitan London, Notable alternative
Blakes sits in a different tier from most of London's headline luxury hotels, that distinction is the starting point for any comparison. Raffles London at The OWO and The Connaught both offer significantly deeper service infrastructure, concierge depth, spa access, multiple dining outlets, and carry price points to match. If service breadth and amenity range are your benchmarks, those properties outperform Blakes on almost every measurable dimension. Bvlgari Hotel London offers a more polished luxury experience in Knightsbridge with a pool and full-service spa. For travellers who want that level of amenity, Blakes is the wrong choice.
Where Blakes wins is on character and scale. COMO Metropolitan London is a closer peer in terms of boutique positioning, but it sits in Mayfair and attracts a more transient, lifestyle-hotel crowd. Blakes in South Kensington is quieter, more residential, more likely to feel like a genuine base rather than a see-and-be-seen property. 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites and Residences offers more space per room and suite-led accommodation in Westminster, which makes it a stronger option for longer stays or families. For couples or solo travellers who want design personality without the scale of a full-service hotel, Blakes is the more focused choice. If you want to compare other London boutique options before committing, 11 Cadogan Gardens is worth a look for a similarly intimate feel in Chelsea.
On value, Blakes occupies middle-to-upper boutique pricing without the prestige premium attached to brands like Raffles or Connaught. If your budget is fixed and you're choosing between Blakes and a larger four-star property, the case for Blakes rests entirely on whether the individual-room design and small-scale service matter to you more than square footage and amenities. For guests prioritising location over character, Claridge's in Mayfair or The Savoy near the Strand will place you closer to central London's main draws, but at a notably higher rate and without Blakes' sense of intimate scale.
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