This trip to Europe and the United Kingdom encompasses a series of firsts for me. My first Europe road trip (drove inter-country from Berlin to Prague!), my first time in London (yeap that’s right!), my first time watching a musical on West End, and also, my first time staying in serviced apartments – I’m now a convert, thanks to Frasers Hospitality!
I was put up at Fraser Suites Queens Gate for a few days during my time in London – My first taste of what staying in a serviced apartment feels like, and boy, could I get used to it! 😉
Why stay in a serviced apartment?
It being my first time staying in serviced apartments in all of my thirty years, I have to rave about how complete the entire experience felt – It was the luxury of a hotel with the comforts and facilities of home married together in one space!
Hotels are a wonderfully indulgent experience and great to stay in for short periods, but those travelling on longer trips (be it for leisure or business), will most definitely enjoy the flexibility and space a serviced apartment can offer you.
*Feels like home, but even better
With a larger square area to boot, separate spaces like a kitchen/bedroom/living area, a serviced apartment was such a pleasant change and felt like I was coming “home” every day although I was in a foreign country!
*Increased productivity
The separate living spaces also aided productivity somehow, instead of going straight to my hotel bed and going straight to sleep like I usually do, it was possible to set up a comfortable work space in the living room away from the bed.
*Home-cooked meals
When staying in a foreign country for an extended period of time, chances are that you’ll really start to miss the comforts of home-cooked food! What with the amazing array of produce available in London, we were able to whip up our own dinners and suppers that were both economical and delicious.
*More bang for your buck
For long-term stays, a 4* serviced apartment might cost the same or even slightly lower than a 4* hotel room, yet you get so much more space and additional amenities/faclities! This makes even more sense if you’re travelling as a family or in a small group of 3-4 pax, which will lower the costs per head even further.
Fraser Suites Queens Gate
Back to Fraser Suites Queens Gate! I really enjoyed my stay at both Fraser Suites Queens Gate and Fraser Suites Kensington (minimum stay policy of 7 days – I’ll be talking about this property in a later post), both are located just a short 3-minute walk away from Gloucester Road tube station, an 8-minute walk from the Victoria and Albert Museum, and 10-minute walk from Kensington Gardens park.
Dressed in: Uniqlo coat, Uniqlo turtleneck, American Eagle jeans, Zara booties
Taken outside Fraser Suites Queens Gate, in a gorgeous neighbourhood with stunning Victorian architecture that exudes a timeless classic charm reminiscent of the 19th-century heritage and ambience.
I stayed in Fraser Suites Queens Gate‘s One Bedroom Apartment – Suitable for business travellers with smaller family units, and extremely spacious for two pax with separate living, dining, kitchen and bedroom areas.
Home away from home was made even better with complimentary Wi-Fi access, daily housekeeping services, 24/7 reception and concierge services, 24/7 security and CCTV surveillance. My stay was completely worry-free as the apartment was well-equipped and I felt safe and secure at all times, knowing that I could call on reception around the clock.
My eyes lit up upon setting foot into the bathroom! I always appreciate the luxury of a bath tub when I’m overseas, a hot bath is the best thing to look forward to after an entire day out travelling and exploring. The bathroom was spotlessly clean and well-maintained with a stack of white fluffy towels and a shelf-full of amenities.
L’Occitan toiletries provided for the utmost indulgence, so very much appreciated!
What sets a serviced apartment apart from just a regular hotel room, of course, is the kitchen facilities.
The kitchenette at Fraser Suites Queens Gate doesn’t just come with a convection stove and a microwave, but even a kettle, a toaster and a set of knives! Should you need to heat up food or prep a simple meal, you’re all set.
If you’re staying at Fraser Suites Queens Gate, you might also be happy to know that there is also a breakfast selection available at The Dining Room as well!
My favourite part of the entire apartment of course, the bedroom. I got an excellent night’s sleep on the luxuriously comfortable bed that I almost didn’t want to get up from in the morning.
View from the balcony!
Just a few minutes walk away, you’d reach Gloucester Road station, from which the rest of London is easily accessible! We took the tube to Camden Market and Oxford Street, and I’ll be sharing in another upcoming entry about my quick and dirty guide to spending a few days in London. More to come on that!
First time in the tube deserves a picture 😀
Although I’ve promised that I’ll be sharing my quick and dirty guide to London shortly, I need to talk about this restaurant, because it’s just within walking distance to Fraser Suites Queens Gate and is so good!
A big thank you to Justina from Fraser Suites for bringing us out for dinner at this lovely tapas restaurant, it was a wonderful meal. If you’re staying at Kensington, you really ought to spend an evening in this place!
Casa Brindisa South Kensington
7-9 Exhibition Rd, Kensington, London SW7 2HE, UK
Phone: +44 20 7590 0008
Classic Spanish tapas and charcuterie in a lively, glass-fronted restaurant with an open kitchen.
We had an array of tapas, which are little plates/snacks in Spanish cuisine, now evolved into a sophisticated art such that tapas restaurants such as Casa Brindisa serve up an entire menu of tapas to make a full meal.
I loved every single dish – Each one was executed with perfect culinary precision and exceedingly well-balanced, from the textures to its rich flavours. They say that London is the melting pot of Europe and I really can’t disagree, this was as good as I ever had in the original tapas city of Barcelona, Spain. Highly-recommended!
After a deeply satisfying meal, it was just a ten minutes walk back to Fraser Suites Queens Gate, where my night was spent in sweet slumber.
London has turned out to be one of my favourite cities on the continent of Europe, and I’ve fallen in love with the charm of this old yet modern city, with its rich culture, diverse history and beautiful sights. If you’re looking for a great place to stay in London, Fraser Suites Queens Gate is a lovely property that will most definitely make London feel like your second home.
About Fraser Suites Queens Gate
39B Queen’s Gate Gardens, Kensington, London SW7 5RR, UK
Phone: +44 20 7969 3555
Fraser Suites Queens Gate’s website here
Fraser Suites Queens Gate is just one of many gorgeous properties managed by Frasers Hospitality. Thank you, Frasers Hospitality for putting me up! I’ll be sharing on more properties across UK/Europe, so stay tuned 🙂
Europe/UK Sep’17
FRASER SUITES QUEENS GATE, LONDON – I LOVE SERVICED APARTMENTS
HOTEL DU VIN WIMBLEDON, LONDON – NOT JUST TENNIS
MALMAISON OXFORD – A LUXURIOUS PRISON STAY
CAPRI BY FRASER BERLIN – EXPLORING BERLIN
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