South Kensington 3 Your neighborhood

37 Princes Gate Mews, SW7 -

Your home for the next few days is tucked away on a cobble lane in the middle of South Kensington neighborhood, known for its museums, high-end shop- ping, and many embassies. It’s quite a posh residential part of town, one of the more exclusive areas to live in .

Some locals also call it “Little Paris” for the large numbers of French bank- ing expats who have taken up residence. Thus you won’t be surprised to find some fantastic bakeries where you can enjoy a delicious croissant or café. It’s not only the French, however, who enjoy living in this very prestigious area of London, but also the Spanish, Italians, Middle Easterns and Americans whose mansions boarder tree lined squares, leafy cul-de-sacs, or mews like your street. North of the tube station you will find wide avenues housing a selection of London’s best museums, which are in turn a short walk from the green spaces of Kensington Gardens & Hyde Park.

Most of the stores and places for meals are around the South Kensington tube station as well as along , on the way to Harrods.

Things to visit The Natural History Museum houses a fascinating collection of all types of animals (taxidermy), and often has fantastic wild life photography exhibitions on. Open daily 10 am to 5:50 pm. The main entrance on . Free admission to the museum. www.nhm.ac.uk

Next door, on Exhibition Road you will also find the Science Museum which has wonderful interactive activities and three floors of machines, spacecraft and technical wonders. Open daily 10 am to 6 pm. Free but charges apply for the IMAX 3D Theater, simulators and for some special exhibitions. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Alternatively you might prefer the quieter Victoria and Albert Museum, housed opposite. There’s a pretty fountain in the middle to paddle in and have a drink on a hot day. Focused on Art, Design and Fashion through the ages, it is a beau- tiful space to walk around and frequently has brilliant exhibitions on. Open daily 10 am to 5:45 pm. Free admission. www.vam.ac.uk 4 South Kensington

The is a famous neo-classical which serves as a church in the diocese of Westminster. Built in the 1880’s, it’s the 2nd largest catholic church in London. You can step inside to admire the Baroque sculptures, the altars and the dome. on Saturday evening and Sunday. Tucked behind the Oratory is the (often called HTB), a smaller Anglican church built in 1820’s. You can access it through Cot- tage Place, off Brompton Road or through the park behind Princes Gate mews.

Emergency number Dial 112 or 999 for police, fire, or ambulance. The nearest large NHS hospital to your hotel is Chelsea & Westminster Hospital (369 Fulham Rd, Chelsea).

Useful addresses in your neighborhood

ATM Barclays: 20 Old Brompton Road & 137 Old Brompton Road. NatWest: 18 Cromwell Place. HSBC: 237 Brompton Road.

Pharmacies/Drugstores Boots: 203-205 Brompton Rd. Open: 9 am – 9 pm. Sun: 10 am – 6 pm. Harleys Chemist : 35-37 Old Brompton Road. Great for minor medical prob- lems and advice. Open 9 am to 8 pm. Sat: 9 am - 7 pm. Sun: 10 am - 6:30 pm.

Dry-cleaners Shirtstream: 5-7 Pelham street. Open M-F: 7:30 am – 8 pm. Sat: 8 am – 6 pm. Closed on Sunday. Knighbridge drycleaners: 231 Brompton road. M-F only: 8 am – 7 pm.

Grocery stores Costcutter (convenience food): 13 Princes Gardens, the closest to your place, just north. Open 8 am – 9 pm. Sunday: 9 am – 6:30 pm. ATM. Tesco Express: 50-52 Old Brompton Rd. Open 6am-12 am. Waitrose: 118-120 Brompton road. Open 7am – 10 pm. 99-103 Old Brompton road. Open 7am – 10 pm. South Kensington 5

The Brompton Oratory is a famous neo-classical catholic church which serves as a parish church in the diocese of Westminster. Built in the 1880’s, it’s the 2nd largest catholic church in London. You can step inside to admire the Baroque sculptures, the altars and the dome. Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday. Tucked behind the Oratory is the Holy Trinity Brompton (often called HTB), a smaller Anglican church built in 1820’s. You can access it through Cot- tage Place, off Brompton Road or through the park behind Princes Gate mews.

Emergency number Dial 112 or 999 for police, fire, or ambulance. The nearest large NHS hospital to your hotel is Chelsea & Westminster Hospital (369 Fulham Rd, Chelsea).

Useful addresses in your neighborhood

ATM Barclays: 20 Old Brompton Road & 137 Old Brompton Road. NatWest: 18 Cromwell Place. HSBC: 237 Brompton Road.

Pharmacies/Drugstores Boots: 203-205 Brompton Rd. Open: 9 am – 9 pm. Sun: 10 am – 6 pm. Harleys Chemist : 35-37 Old Brompton Road. Great for minor medical prob- lems and advice. Open 9 am to 8 pm. Sat: 9 am - 7 pm. Sun: 10 am - 6:30 pm.

Dry-cleaners Shirtstream: 5-7 Pelham street. Open M-F: 7:30 am – 8 pm. Sat: 8 am – 6 Simply Food: 179-181 Brompton Road. 8am (Sunday 10 am) -10 pm daily. pm. Closed on Sunday. Knighbridge drycleaners: 231 Brompton road. M-F only: 8 am – 7 pm. Brompton Food Market: cute deli, fishmonger, butcher, coffee and fresh produce & pasta. Open: Mon-Friday 9 am to 8 pm. Sat&Sun: 10 am – 6 pm. Grocery stores Costcutter (convenience food): 13 Princes Gardens, the closest to your place, The Sampler wine merchant: 35 Thurloe Place. Open 11:30 am – 10 pm (7 pm just north. Open 8 am – 9 pm. Sunday: 9 am – 6:30 pm. ATM. on Sunday). Tesco Express: 50-52 Old Brompton Rd. Open 6am-12 am. D. McKay Fruiterer for great produce. 19 A Harrington Rd. Open 7am -5:45 Waitrose: pm. Sat: 8 am – 5 pm. (closed on Sunday). 118-120 Brompton road. Open 7am – 10 pm. 99-103 Old Brompton road. Open 7am – 10 pm. 6 South Kensington

Restaurants and cafés There are a lot of options to choose from in South Kensington. Here are some of our favorite places (see blue markers on map page 7):

A- Brown & Rosie: modern coffee shop offering Australian dishes. Take- away and dine in options. 10-12 Exhibition road. Open 8 am (9am weekend) – 9:30 pm. Next door is Fernandez & Wells, small chains of cafés/deli with good coffee. Open daily 8 am to 11 pm (8 pm on Sunday). 8 Exhibition road. Across the street fresh, healthy Libanese food: Comptoir Libanais :No booking. Outdoor seating. 1-5 Exhibition road. Open 8:30 am – 12 am. Main around £10.

B- Muriel’s Kitchen: healthy comfort food and homemade cakes. 1-3 Pelham street. Open 8 am – 11 pm.. Afternoon tea from 3 to 6 pm. Dinner main dish for £14-18.

C- Maitre Choux: decadent eclairs pastries and coffee. 15 Harrington road. Open 8 am – 8 pm.

D- Carluccio’s: Very family friendly Italian restaurant, great place for a simple pasta dish or Italian desert. No pizza though. Pasta and main dish fro £9-15. 1-3 Old Brompton Rd. Open 9 am - 11:30 pm.

E- For delicious cupcakes Hummingbird Bakery: 47 Old Brompton Rd. Open 9 am - 7 pm (8 pm on Sat).

F- Dozo Sushi for fancy sushi: 68 Old Brompton Rd.

G- Franco Manca for delicious sourdough pizzas. No reservation: 91 Old Brompton Rd. Open 11:30 am - 11 pm. £5-8. Next door Byron Burger for “proper” burger! 93-95 Old Brompton Rd. Open 11:30 am - 11:30 pm. £7-13. Salads and vegetarian burgers. One door down, La Bottega: local Italian deli with coffees and sandwichs. 97 Old Brompton Rd. Open 8 am (9am weekend) - 8 pm (7:30 pm Sunday).

H- Aux Merveilleux: French bakery known for their meringues. 88 Old Brompton Rd. Open 8 am - 7:30 pm (6:30 pm on Sunday). South Kensington 7

I- The Angelsea Arms is the perfect traditional pub with some outdoor seat- ing, 15 Selwood Terrace. M-Sat: 11 am - 11 pm. Sun: 12 pm - 10:30 pm. Main dishes £13-16.

Ice cream Snow flake Gelato: 42- 44 Thurloe St. Open 12 pm – 10:30 pm.

Oddono’s gelato: 14 bute street. Open 9:30 am – 11 pm.

Venchi Cioccolato Ge- lato: 13 Exhibition road. Open 10 am – 8 pm.

Snog Frozen yogurt: 32 Thurloe Pl. Open 12 pm – 11 pm (10pm on Sunday).

Scoop: 16 Old Brompton road. Open 12 pm – 12 am.

Tipping With restaurants, service at 12% is often in- cluded in the bill, but if not 10-15% on top of the total is the norm. Bars: not everyone tips, but 10% would go down well.