Exclusive: Crowne Plaza London Kensington hotel leaving IHG

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• Chrisasaurus says:

  11 Mar11 March 06:31

  Well that is a real shame. Big loss to the brand

• Simon says:

  11 Mar11 March 07:05

  Is the holiday inn opposite the tall tower block? Having been ’upgraded’ to a higher room, had the pleasure of a fire alarm in the small hours and a long wait on the street before the fire service put out the small fire and allowed us back in. Sun was coming up! And we had the pleasure of 17/18 flights of stairs.

  • FFoxSake says:

    11 Mar11 March 07:57

    Glad you are alive to tell the tale.

• Benilyn says:

  11 Mar11 March 09:02

  Nearly booked this after your reviews Rob for August using my 2x IHG vouchers expiring August, but SWMBO wanted IC Park Lane instead for location.

  Out of curiosity what happens to reward / voucher bookings once they leave the portfolio?

  • Rob says:

    11 Mar11 March 09:13

    Redemptions are cancelled – and indeed are being cancelled already here.

• memesweeper says:

  11 Mar11 March 09:11

  My first stay after Lockdown I was here — I think we were the third guests to check in. Loved it — a bit quirky in the right ways and well located. What a loss for IHG.

• Blair says:

  11 Mar11 March 09:40

  HI Kensington High Street and Kensington Forum are nearly as bad as each other, but Forum just edges it. I would struggle to find anything redeeming about either. I’m not often moved to write Tripadvisor reviews but they were both that bad. I wonder can we enter a draw to swing the wrecking ball?

• TGLoyalty says:

  11 Mar11 March 10:50

  What are the thoughts Marriott or Hilton?

  • Rob says:

    11 Mar11 March 11:07

    Unlikely to be a Marriott as there is a monster Marriott across the road next to the Holiday Inn. Not sure if fits well with any Hilton brand although the chain is a bit thin in that part of town. It can’t easily join Curio as it doesn’t have another name, if you know what I mean. It would need to get a name first eg The Cromwell Hotel, Curio Collection.

    Hyatt could really use something in West London but would it be more lucrative than Crowne Plaza? Same with Accor via Sofitel but it’s not a brand you see on townhouses. Pullman via Accor? Melia has a townhouse place around the corner so they won’t take it.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      11 Mar11 March 21:20

      Not sure being close to another Marriott bothers them. Look at the park lane area.

      It’s interesting what happens.

    • Chrisasaurus says:

      12 Mar12 March 07:34

      The Kensington?

      It’s a really great place – not many places I’ve stayed at with stairs in my hotel room and the location is just superb for sightseeing

• Ken says:

  11 Mar11 March 10:54

  Nothing better than reading a Jay Rayner skewering of a restaurant on a sunday morning.

  90% of UK hotel restaurants are terrible and a tiny sliver could ever be descibed as both excellent and great value.

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    12 Mar12 March 07:55

    Savage, but not undeserved..

• DeB20 says:

  11 Mar11 March 11:57

  Rob,

  On 14th January 2021, the government housing minister set aside the Deputy Mayor’s decision and ordered a Public Enquiry into the redevelopment of the Holiday Inn Forum Hotel.

  This was the result of a campaign by local residents due to the plans for redevelopment involving road closures around the building, heavy vehicles access 24 × 7, along with other issues and the not very small fact that the project is expected to last five years. That does not take into account any delays to the project.

  The Prince of Wales has called the building an eye sore and the developers had hoped that they would have his support.

  The saga continues.

  • Lady London says:

    11 Mar11 March 12:16

    I am surprised if Kensington & Chelsea local council would have approved any development involving heavy vehicles tracking in and out 24/7. They have a department which handles such things and they are pretty on the ball.

    I think the residents were right to protest.

    • DeB20 says:

      11 Mar11 March 12:23

      Yes Lady London, that was one of the key issues that led to the local residents association protesting. The campaign has also been supported by the local Member of Parliament, Felicity Buchan. One of the loudest voices in the campaign has been that of a famous TV personality.

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