Essential Hotels > England > London > Kensington & Chelsea

Kensington and Chelsea is an affluent royal borough that is sometimes abbreviated to RBK&C. It is situated on the western side of central London and is home to some of the country’s best shopping areas, with no less than Knightsbridge, Kensington High Street and King’s Road among its ranks. This puts upmarket shops Harrods and Harvey Nichols under the region’s umbrella while in a quite alternative offering there is also the famous Portobello Road Market with its antiques stores, fruit and vegetable stalls and clothes.
The borough falls in the so-called Albertopolis, the central London area full of educational and cultural institutions. Named after Prince Albert, the nicknamed region features several university and college buildings as well as museums, adding further to the sense of prestige and affluence in this part of London. Some of the most exciting and enjoyable museums are to be found in the western part of London, with the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum offering something for families, school trips and others.

More than 150,000 people live in the Kensington and Chelsea borough, a figure that includes many high earners, pointing once more to the wealth of this part of the city. For access there are no fewer than 12 underground stations in the sector ensuring the presence of five different underground lines travelling along under the streets.

Both Chelsea and Kensington originated from Saxon settlements and are fairly old parts of London, mentioned as long ago as 1086 in the Domesday Book. In 1689 some royals moved into the Kensington area with William III taking up residence in Kensington Palace, then in 1819 Queen Victoria was born at the palace itself. Before Queen Victoria’s death she expressed a desire for Kensington to be given the title of royal borough and so this was duly carried out in 1901. It was not until 1965 however that Chelsea and Kensington were united under one flag, the title of royal borough of Kensington being carried over to the newly created region.

Many well known divisions and places to visit can be found in this part of London. Notting Hill with its annual carnival is one such example while another major yearly event comes in the form of the Chelsea Flower Show. Kensington Gardens spill over into the renowned and expansive Hyde Park while famous buildings include Kensington Palace, a number of embassies, the Saatchi Gallery, Imperial College London, the Royal Albert Hall and Holy Trinity Brompton (pictured).