Belgravia, London, United Kingdom | +442039584395
Longstanding legacy with the English royal family
Award-winning afternoon tea
Classic English-style rooms and furnishings
Marble-lined bathrooms and Molton Brown toiletries
Close proximity to Buckingham Palace
Free access to the local gym for guests
Friendly, professional, and accommodating staff
Fee for Wi-Fi
No spa or gym
No minibar in standard category rooms
The Goring is a classic English boutique hotel with ample royal heritage. Opened in 1910, the property has intricate sculpted details and unusually wide hallways -- said to have been designed to allow free passage of ladies’ ball gowns. The Goring offers five-star hospitality with abundant luxury, and its refined elegance is demonstrated through details such as the original Edwardian architecture and bespoke silk wallpaper. Buckingham Palace tours are available in the summer and nearby underground Tube access allows for travel to other parts of London.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Classic English hotel with personalized service and a longstanding royal legacy
From the deep crimson walls and gilded ceilings of the bar to the bespoke silk wallpaper of the rooms, the Goring indulges in extravagance. The level of opulence feels warranted, as this is the only hotel in London with a strong royal family legacy. This is where the Duchess of Cambridge -- a.k.a. Princess Kate -- stayed the night before her wedding, and capacity overflow from private events at Buckingham Palace is regularly accommodated. The venue's classic Edwardian architecture, well-functioning original antique lift, and spacious hallways (designed to accommodate voluminous gowns) remind guests of the hotel's history. The property’s Pink Panther references and fuzzy sheep mascot, visible throughout the hotel, add humor to otherwise very formal surroundings.
Location
Just down the road from Buckingham Palace, on a side street tucked away from busy traffic
The hotel is located in Central London on Beeston Place, right on the outskirts of the Buckingham Palace Gardens. It’s also a short walk to Victoria Tube station. Many of the area’s side streets are lined with tall, beautiful residential facades and Beeston Place is no exception. One can be assured of a relatively peaceful stay with the palace itself a stone's throw away; summer tours of its State Rooms are available. For other London destinations, Victoria station offers underground access to several lines.
Rooms
Classic English boutique decor, with luxurious silk wallpaper and bespoke styling
With only 69 rooms and each one individually styled, the Goring is a classic English boutique hotel. Handmade carpets complement the damask silk wallpaper designed to suit the individual color theme of each room. Flat-screen TVs in most rooms can be hidden away into the desk. There are no minibars, tea, or coffee facilities in the standard category spaces, betraying the Goring’s aristocratic expectations: A five-star hotel would happily prefer to provide its guests with five-star, 24-hour in-room service -- as long as you can afford it that is, and if you’re staying here you probably can.
Features
More of an emphasis on luxury and royalty than property features
The Goring lacks some of the features expected of a five-star property, such as a fitness center and spa, but guests do have free access to a nearby gym. Rather, the Goring sticks to the luxury boutique basics, offering a chic bar and lounge with a clubby, stately feel, an Edwardian dining room serving gourmet British cuisine, and small handful of meeting rooms; the focus is more on Edwardian heritage and prestige than on in-hotel entertainment. There’s also a large private garden to enjoy on sunnier days if guests want to avoid the crowds of Hyde Park, which is close by. The afternoon tea, which has won awards from the UK Tea Guild, is also worth experiencing.
