Arrival/Check-In: I arrived at the hotel on a gloomy, rainy day to find a bright and cheerful lobby and a warm welcome from the doorman and the folks at reception. After a speedy check-in, I was escorted to my room, the Harlequin suite, a junior suite with the black and white diamond-patterned motif reminiscent of a harlequin — thus its name.

Guest Quarters: My suite at The Milestone, a member of the Red Carnation Hotels Collection, was attractive and included a king-sized bed, an ample desk with desktop outlets (including a U.S. one, so no need for adapters), a desk chair, two overstuffed easy chairs with ottomans and a console table and chair. The dressing room included a chair, a suit butler and a roomy closet with a minibar and safe. The bathroom had a bidet, a tub with an overhead shower as well as a handheld shower and, as in most European hotels, a heated towel rack.

Services/Amenities: The Milestone is all about service tailored to the guest, including personal business cards while staying in London, perfect to give to friends or retailers when you need to have something delivered to the hotel. As for wellness, the hotel offers a spa with a sauna, a lap pool and a Jacuzzi. The gym, which I used, features a stationary bike, a rowing machine, a treadmill and free weights.

The hotel restaurant, Cheneston’s Restaurant, offers the best of modern British cuisine in an attractive, intimate setting, with several of the owner’s signature recipes featured. I tried one of them — delicious. The hotel bar, Stables, what it was in the days before automobiles, sports an equine décor and is a great place for tea and a snack or a serious libation. The hotel, ideal for the leisure traveler as well as the business traveler, offers its Business Ready service, providing a personal fax/printer/copier machine, laptop rentals, office supplies and secretarial support.

The Experience: The Milestone comes with a history, as does most of London, taking its name from an old milestone that stands next to the building. Several people connected to the Stuart and Georgian courts lived on the site because of its proximity to Kensington Palace across the street. Current residents include the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Palace grounds are a great place in which to take a leisurely walk or your daily jog.

Having royal neighbors is one thing, but what sets The Milestone apart from many hotels is its staff, who go out of their way to provide superb service at all times and always with a warm smile.

GT CHECKLIST

[checklist]
[item check=yes]Doorman/valet[/item]
[item check=yes]Less than 10 minutes for check-in[/item]
[item check]Separate tub and shower[/item]
[item check=yes]Large vanity[/item]
[item check=yes]High-quality towels[/item]
[item check=yes]Powerful, unattached hair dryer[/item]
[item check=yes]High-quality bed linens[/item]
[item check=yes]Large, flat-screen television[/item]
[item check=yes]Large desk with convenient outlets[/item]
[item check=yes]Large, complimentary laptop safe[/item]
[item check=yes]Complimentary in-room WiFi[/item]
[item check=yes]Complimentary bottled water[/item]
[item check=yes]Stocked minibar[/item]
[item check=yes]Ample lighting[/item]
[item check=yes]In-room coffeemaker[/item]
[item check=yes]Iron and ironing board[/item]
[item check=yes]On-site restaurant[/item]
[item check=yes]24-hour room service[/item]
[item check=yes]24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center[/item]
[item check=yes]Turn-down service[/item]
[/checklist]

The Milestone Hotel

1 Kensington Court
London, W8 5DL
United Kingdom
tel 44 20 7917 1000
milestonehotel.com