London area of South Kensington guide

What to do and where to stay in London's South Kensington neighbourhood

The concentration of prestigious and world-class museums in South Kensington is unique to London. In no other city would you find the likes of such luminaries as the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and Royal Albert Hall within walking distance of each other and a large number of elegant hotels. It’s no coincidence that these bastions of culture are clustered together and the name of the street that links them, Exhibition Road, gives a clue as to why they are – the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park in 1851 created the foundations for these grand institutions dedicated to the arts and sciences. It was this investment in the area that set in motion a building spurt with large terraced houses which gives the district its current appearance as a high-class residential area; streets like the Boltons are among west London's smartest addresses. Catering for this type of resident are the designer shops around Brompton Cross. There’s also a distinct European flavour to modern day South Ken with a French emphasis making it all the more chic.

See our recommended nearby South Kensington Hotels, Events, Entertainment, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.

South Kensington Hotels

in or near South Kensington
Fifty Four Boutique Hotel
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
54 Queen's Gate, SW7
Located at 54 Queen's Gate, this traditional Edwardian townhouse hotel is well positioned, within five minutes' walk of both Gloucester Road and South Kensington Tube stations ... More
 
 
 
Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
68-86 Cromwell Road, SW7
Formerly home to the Vanderbilt family, this grand Victorian townhouse with an imposing frontage is now part of the Radisson brand. Located on the bustling Cromwell ... More
 
 
 
Rydges Kensington London
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
61 Gloucester Road, SW7
A clean and bright boutique, Victorian hotel, the Rydges Kensington London offers excellent proximity to London's celebrated museums and the Royal Albert Hall. Only 75 metres ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Events

in or near South Kensington
PICK
Russell Howard: Wonderbox
London > Events > Comedy
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7
Having been busy informing the nation of his Good News, Russell Howard hasn't been on a tour for three years. However, he's now ... More
 
 
 
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English National Ballet: Swan Lake
London > Events > Dance
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7
The Royal Albert Hall will be transformed into a magical lake this June as Derek Deane's critically acclaimed 'Swan Lake' is revived in the ... More
 
 
 
Codebreaker: Alan Turing's Life And Legacy
London > Events > Exhibitions
Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7
Photographs and objects celebrating the centenary of the British computing hero Alan Turing, the Science Museum shows that there's more to this pioneering figure than maths. ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Entertainment

in or near South Kensington
PICK
Cine Lumiere
London > Entertainment > Cinemas
Institut Francais Cultural Centre, 17 Queensberry Place, South Kensington, London SW7
The Cine Lumiere is a shining beacon for all fans of European and World cinema. Attached to the Institut Francais, its programme is varied and intelligent, ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Science Museum IMAX
London > Entertainment > Cinemas
Exhibition Road, Knightsbridge, South Kensington, London SW7
The huge IMAX screen - ten times bigger than the average screen - at the Science Museum is one of the few places in London where ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Royal College of Music
London > Entertainment > Classical Music
Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London SW7
The Royal College of Music is the school where Gustav Hoilst, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Benjamin Britten, James Galway, Joan Sutherland and Ralph Vaughan Williams learnt their ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Sights and Attractions

The best museums, galleries, attractions in or near South Kensington
PICK
Natural History Museum
London > Attractions > Museums
Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7
The Natural History Museum is sure to impress even the most jaded of children. This ornate museum is home to more than 70 million specimens from ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Science Museum
London > Attractions > Museums
Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7
The Science Museum in South Kensington houses one of the most comprehensive collections looking at the development of science and industry, and it is all done ... More
 
 
 
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Museum of Instruments
London > Attractions > Museums
Royal College of Music Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London SW7
The RCM Museum of Instruments was started in 1894 with a donation from Sir George Donaldson. Today it features over six hundred instruments, some of which ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Shopping

The best shops and markets in or near London's South Kensington
PICK
Little Stinkies
London > Shopping > Children's Gifts and Toys
15 Victoria Grove, South Kensington, London W8
Don’t let the name put you off. It’s an incredibly pretty shop in one of the more sweet-smelling parts of London. Famous for their ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Moxon's
London > Shopping > Food and Drink Shops
17 Bute Street, South Kensington, London SW7
Fishmonger Robin Moxon is regarded as one of the best suppliers of fish in London and is all too familiar with early morning trips to Billingsgate ... More
 
 
 
PICK
La Cave a Fromage
London > Shopping > Delicatessens
24-25 Cromwell Place, South Kensington, London SW7
In true French style, this chic cheese shop piles its wares high and stinking, with no fridges, or glass barriers to stop customers getting in for ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Restaurants

What are the best dining options in or near South Kensington London?
PICK
Starbucks
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
83 Gloucester Road, South Kensington, London SW7
Originally from New York, Haagen Dazs is now a global ice-cream giant. These cafes sell their delicious luxury ice-cream straight as well as in sundaes and ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Black & Blue
London > Restaurants > American restaurants
105 Gloucester Road, South Kensington, London SW7
... More
 
 
 
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Byron
London > Restaurants > American restaurants
75 Gloucester Road, South Kensington, London SW7
Of all the many burger chains in London, Byron is the least gimmicky and could well be the best. Byron claims to source its beef from ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Pubs

The best pubs in or near London South Kensington.
PICK
The Enterprise
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
35 Walton Street, South Kensington, , South Kensington, London SW3
Bar ... More
 
 
 
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The Admiral Codrington
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
17 Mossop Street, South Kensington, London SW3
Affectionately referred to as "the Cod", this Knightsbridge boozer-come-gastropub has acquired a reputation for serving high quality, modern food in no-fuss, sleek surroundings. If you do ... More
 
 
 
The Rat & Parrot
London > Nightlife > Pubs
25 Gloucester Road, South Kensington, London SW7
Pub ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Nightlife

South Kensington clubs, bars, cabaret nights, casinos and interesting nightlife.
PICK
Eighty Six
London > Nightlife > Bars
86 Fulham Road, South Kensington, London SW3
Eighty-Six is the brainchild of George Adams and Charlie Kearns, the duo behind Verbier's Coco Club. A popular place for after hours socialising for the Fulham ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Babylon at the Roof Gardens
London > Nightlife > Nightclubs
99 Kensington High Street, South Kensington, London W8
Richard Branson's rooftop restaurant-come-nightclub at Kensington Roof Gardens is a favourite with the glam girls of Kensington, who can be seen at all hours sipping cocktails ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Barts
London > Nightlife > Bars
Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, South Kensington, London SW3
Taking its inspiration from the American speakeasy movement, Barts is a tiny, intimate and relaxed bar in South Kensington which promises a refreshingly fun experience - ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Leisure

South Kensington gyms, sporting activities, health & beauty and fitness.
PICK
G-Spa
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
63-81 Pelham Street, South Kensington, London SW7
Downstairs from LA Fitness (keep going past the people who look like they're about to die on the running machines) you'll find G-Spa. A world away ... More
 
 
 
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The Roof Gardens
London > Leisure > Parks and Gardens
99 Kensington High Street, South Kensington, London W8
Although a restaurant, clubbing and event venue, the extraordinary Kensington Roof Gardens are still accessible to the general public during the day if there are no ... More
 
 
 
Holiday Inn, The Gym
London > Leisure > Fitness
100 Cromwell Road, Kensignton, South Kensington, London SW7
... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Education

in or near South Kensington
PICK
Dana Centre
London > Education > Evening Classes
165 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, South Kensington, London SW7
There are plenty of initiatives trying to get kids involved in science, but the Dana Centre, an extension of the Science Museum, is the first one ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Royal College of Art
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7
This is one of London's most prestigious art colleges and the world's only wholly postgraduate university of art and design. You will need at least a ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The London School of Painting and Drawing
London > Education > Evening Classes
23 Kensington Square, South Kensington, London W8
Evening and weekend classes in life drawing and painting, taught by tutors from the Slade School of Fine Art and the Royal Society of British Sculptors. ... More
 
 
 

South Kensington Meeting Venues

Where to have your meeting, conference, exhibition, private dining or training course in or near South Kensington.
PICK
Natural History Museum
London > Business > Venue Hire
Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7
The Natural History Museum is sure to impress even the most jaded of children. This ornate museum is home to more than 70 million specimens from ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Gore Hotel
London > Business > Venue Hire
190 Queen's Gate, Kensington, South Kensington, London SW7
... More
 
 
 
PICK
Victoria and Albert (V & A) Museum
London > Business > Venue Hire
Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7
Conference facilities can accommodate for up to 2450 people.... More
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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