Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel

The hotel was purchased in 1978,[4] and in 1993, Edwardian Hotels partnered with Radisson Hotels to become the Radisson Edwardian Hotels group. In 1998, the hotel was completely refurbished, and it became a four-star hotel.[4]

Located in London's Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea,[2] the hotel is 2,300 feet (700 m) from the Royal Albert Hall, and "less than five minutes’ walk from the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum."[3]

Exterior of the hotel

This Grade II listed building once served as a residence of the Vanderbilt family — 'American royalty' during the Gilded Age.[2]

The hotel consists of ten townhouses combined into one building, and it contains frescoes, richly adorned ceilings, wood panelling and stained glass windows.[2] The decor is described as being "minimalist", with "neutral grey, white and yellow tones". The lobby has a marble fireplace with a large stone statue of a hare, and a black-and-white tiled floor.[5] The bedrooms contain handcrafted Vispring mattresses.[6]

According to Architect Magazine, a retractable roof was added to the hotel's rooftop terrace in 2015 by Ettwein Bridges Architects and Tony Hogg Design Ltd., with Tenara Fabric and Sefar Architecture.[7]

The hotel contains the Scoff & Banter Kensington restaurant,[2] formerly the 68–86 Bar and Restaurant, also known as Bar 86, an upmarket bar and restaurant that serves British cuisine with "Pacific Rim" influences.[8] The interior has been described as having "wooden floors and unusual objects of art".[9] The decor was refitted in 2014.[10]

• Steves, Rick; Openshaw, Gene (19 January 2021). Rick Steves London (Ebook). Avalon Publishing. ISBN 9781641712866. ISBN 1641712864.