Cheval Gloucester Park review: a home-from-home designed for TikTokers and Mad Men

Part of the Cheval Collection, which has nine luxury all-apartment residences in London and three in Edinburgh, Cheval Gloucester Park reopened in February 2020 following a two-year multi-million pound refurbishment. The collection’s latest property, Lexham Gardens by Cheval Maison, opened in July last year.

Available to book for any length of stay, Cheval Gloucester Park has 98 fully-equipped apartments spread across ten floors. Guests can choose from a one-, two- or three-bedroom apartment or one of the three five-bedroom penthouses – Gloucester, Cromwell and Kensington – which can be found on the upper floors.

Located two minutes’ walk from Gloucester Road Tube station (Piccadilly, Circle and District lines), and just ten minutes from South Kensington, Cheval Gloucester Park is a perfect home-from-home for families, couples and single travellers to explore west and central London.

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Why stay here

The recent multi-million pound refurbishment is evident at Cheval Gloucester Park and the reception area is striking with unique design features, furniture and artworks on display. Facilities also include a 12-seat private cinema and ground-floor lounges which are ideal for a few hours reading and relaxing.

There is, however, one main reason why guests should book here – and that’s the apartments themselves. We stayed in a huge two-bedroom superior apartment which had a wow factor from the moment we walked in.

Travelling with family members – my sister, niece and nephew – there was easily enough space for us all to relax in. The main bedroom and twin bedroom come with en-suites and the lounge/dining area has a big sofa, comfy single seats and tables and chairs to eat at. Also in the lounge was a huge widescreen TV, which was ideal for a movie night for my ten-year-old nephew.

The beds in the rooms were ultra-comfy and the bathrooms have Bulgari accessories and plush dressing gowns. Along with a welcome hamper (tea, coffee, milk, crisps and shortbread), these luxury touches were great.

Design-wise everything in the apartment was of a very, very high standard. From the furniture to the coffee table books, the curation was top-notch. So much so that the 1960s-style lounge was described by my sister as “something out of Mad Men”. She was right, you could definitely see Don Draper living here and enjoying a Lucky Strike and Old Fashioned.

Eating and drinking

One of the great things about staying in an “aparthotel” is the option to eat “at home”, should you choose. Our two-bed apartment came with a huge kitchen which was fully equipped with an oven and all the pots, pans and utensils needed to cook up a storm. There’s also a dishwasher, so you don’t even need to scrub the pots.

If you prefer to have an evening meal delivered to the apartment then you can order via the Room Service website. Enter the property code (details can be found in the room) to see which restaurants are available to order from. One quirky design in the apartment is a “delivery cupboard” which can be accessed from outside the front door by staff and also from inside by guests. Your food will be brought directly here.

Guests who don’t want to cook or order in can even arrange with the concierge to book a private chef to come and cook at the apartment. Cheval Collection is collaborating with La Belle Assiette to offer the service. If you do venture out to eat, then there’s plenty of places within walking distance that will suit all budgets.

Out and about: things to see and do

If you’re a fan of London’s museums, then you’re in luck – because here you’re just a short walk away from South Kensington’s “museum mile”. Walk ten minutes along Cromwell Road and you will find three of London’s most popular tourist attractions: the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Within half an hour’s walk there’s also the Design Museum near Kensington High Street and the Saatchi Gallery on King’s Road.

At Knightsbridge, Sloane Square and Kensington High Street, shoppers can get their fashion fix. While for a day outdoors walking or cycling, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Holland Park are also very close by.

The verdict

You don’t have to be a Don Draper or a 1960s Manhattan advertising executive to appreciate the work that has gone into the design and amenities at Cheval Gloucester Park. To get an honest verdict, you should really ask the youngest members of our travelling party. When we asked my nephew how he would rate the apartment out of ten, his answer was emphatic: “12/10”. My niece, a typical TikToking 18-year-old, doesn’t really enjoy hanging out with her little brother, mum and uncle. But even she was impressed. One of the first things she did was share a TikTok tour of the apartment and tell her mates where she was. Enough said.

Price and how to book

A superior one-bedroom apartment at Cheval Gloucester Park starts from £299 per night. Rates for a superior two-bedroom apartment start from £750. Bookings can be made directly on the Cheval Collection website.

Cheval Gloucester Park, Ashburn Place, Kensington, London SW7 4LL; chevalcollection.com