A new style of hotel that's designed for people coming to London for an extended period, as well as shorter stays, The Other House is a unique fusion between hotel and apartment building. It's made up of 11 combined townhouses in South Kensington, making it a striking, gorgeous building that feels luxurious as soon as you step inside. Residents stay in their Club Flats (though they do offer standard bedrooms too), designed like homes with a separate kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, making it a great choice for anyone staying in the capital for business or leisure. And with flats of different sizes to suit all needs, there's no visit that they can't cater for.
DesignMyNight’s Review Of The Other House in South Kensington
Discover ultimate relaxation in the Club Flats.
Need To Know
- Address: 15-17 Harrington Gardens, South Kensington, London SW7 4JJ
- Area: South Kensington
- Hotel Type: spa, extended stay
Ambience & We Think Perfect For
- Atmosphere: the reception staff were immediately welcoming, and there are people on hand 24 hours a day. There's a real classy feel to the hotel from the lobby right up to the rooms, all featuring a dark colour scheme that adds a feeling of wealth and opulence, though you'll find plenty of colour in their artwork too.
- Perfect For: a trip away to the capital, spa breaks
Service & Price
- Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value For Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cost: Club Flat (from £221), four cocktails and five small plates in Owl and Monkey (£125), three-course brunch at The Other Kitchen (£90). Overall: around £435
From swimming to cocktails, you can find it all here.
Room Quality & Comfort
Room: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our Club Flat (from £221 per night) was everything we could have asked for. It came with a fully stocked kitchenette and a small living space, complete with a sofa, armchair and table. The bedroom was fully separate from this space, featuring an extremely comfortable king-sized bed topped with pure white bedding and cosy blankets that made for a very peaceful sleep. The bathroom was equally perfect, with a powerful shower and ample toiletries to use. I appreciated their commitment to sustainability too - using refillable metal containers for the shower gel and hair products, as well as glass water bottles that you could fill from the tap.
Spa Facilities
Spa: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you head down to the basement at The Other House, you'll enter a tranquil spa area, with a private members bar to the side (which residents can access). We made a beeline for the pool, which was a nice temperature and spacious enough for multiple people to use at once without getting in the way of each other. This also came with the fun discovery of a button that turned one section into a jacuzzi. In addition to the pool, we made use of their sauna and steam room, both very tranquil and completely blocking out any noise outside.
From day to night, you can dine at The Other House too.
Dining Highlights
The hotel comes with two dining spots, both open to the public too, all day restaurant The Other Kitchen and evening cocktail bar Owl and Monkey. We enjoyed cocktails and small plates in the latter on the evening of our stay, as well as an early afternoon brunch in The Other Kitchen the following day. Both were relaxed, sophisticated spaces that followed the venue's signature colour scheme, with some overlap between the menus - though Owl and Monkey was much more drinks-focused with a smaller offering. Breakfast is also available in The Other Kitchen as an optional add-on to your hotel stay, but we decided to save ourselves for brunch.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Roasted winter squash (£15) - this dish was available at both the restaurant and bar, and we shared it over cocktails. The squash was tender and autumnal-tasting, topped with grated Old Winchester cheese and served on a bed of chicory. It was light but surprisingly substantial, and works well as either a starter or small plate.
- Vegan Reubens (£17) - this hearty, plant-based sandwich was perfectly crisp bread-wise, with a flavourful filling of roasted aubergine, soy mushrooms, pickles and smoked applewood cheese. It tasted rich and earthy with a pleasant tang from the pickles, and paired well with our truffle fries (£7.50).
- Baked Oxford Isis (£23) - another plate on offer at both restaurants, this baked soft cheese came topped with garlic and rosemary, alongside sourdough toast to dip in it. It was delightfully gooey and very moreish.
- Free-range chicken schnitzel (£23) - thin and crispy, the sizeable cut of chicken came in golden fried breadcrumbs. It paired nicely with the celeriac remoulade it was served with.
Drink: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Rose Gimlet (£15) - a sweet, bright pink blend made with Portobello gin, cucumber, red grapes and dill, this was my drink of choice for the evening. It had a delicately fruity taste and was very easy to sip away at.
- Pineapple and salted caramel caipirinha (£16) - I liked how unique this concoction was, first you get an exotic hit of pineapple, followed by a slower release of the salted caramel flavour that I hadn't tasted in a drink before.
Our Overall Experience At The Other House London
DesignMyNight Review Out Of 5: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
We had an amazing time at The Other House, and left feeling suitably relaxed. The spa facilities are perfect for anyone looking to unwind on their stay, and it's hard not to feel peaceful in their luxurious Club Flats. The team here can't do enough for their guests, available 24/7 for assistance, and I can see how people easily stay here for weeks at a time. Our dinner and brunch were both thoroughly enjoyable too, and I'd certainly recommend a few cocktails in Owl and Monkey even if you're not dining here.
