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The Milestone Hotel

South East England Greater London Kensington

63 Guest Rooms & Suites
Luxury City Hotel

Stands out for its location, its atmosphere and above all for the impeccable service the staff provides.

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If you are looking for a characterful place to stay, look no further than The Milestone Hotel. Located in a 17th-century building that has any number of corridors and hallways, nooks and crannies, which are home to a wide range of rooms and suites, some modern, others more traditional, and many with views overlooking Kensington Gardens. The location is as good as it gets too. But it's the personable, attentive service that keeps visitors coming back time and again (it rightly has one of the most loyal clientele of any London hotel). We also love the fact that it's extremely welcoming to dogs and their owners, with a perfect position for walkies opposite Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

The hotel's 57 guest rooms and six appartments make it a small, almost boutique establishment by the standards of most of the hotels in this area; it's also privately owned, which lends it more personality: the distinctive artworks on the walls are the property of long-time owner Bea Tollmann and only add to a homely, welcoming atmosphere in part provided by the staff, many of whom have been here for years. Given the age of the building, which was built as a private mansion, the rooms are all shapes and sizes, and come in various categories from Superior rooms with Queen-size beds to spacious Deluxe Studios and Suites and duplex apartments. All the rooms are decent sizes, and decorated in a classic, timeless style with fine fabrics, fresh flowers and antique furnishings and rare artworks, which, along with good wifi, will have you feeling at home in no time.

All the rooms except a couple of the suites are open to dogs; there is no maximum number of dogs per room and no restriction on size either. The hotel has its own 'Pet Concierge' service to make your dog's stay a memorable one, organising everything from dog-walking to visits to groomers and the vet – indeed they will know all about your dog's needs and desires already if you have filled in your hound's 'pet preference' form before you arrive. Your dog will have a bed, toys, food and blanket waiting for them on arrival, so they can get comfortable while you pop down to the hotel gym or for a spa treatment or a swim in their resistance pool. When you go down to breakfast, they can choose a 'pooch pancake' or 'mini omelette' from the dedicated dog menu, which also has main courses and snacks for them to feast on at lunch or dinner. Scooby Doo Spaghetti, anyone?

In the end, though, it's the old-fashioned, genteel charm of the Milestone that we like most of all, manifest in a lounge that has to be London's cosiest, the dinky Stables Bar (where you can sip one of their signature ('Smoky Old Fashioned' cocktails), or the the fine-dining Cheneston's restaurant. If you want somewhere to stay in this part of town (and you can afford it!) it's hard to do better.