Win! A five-star Kensington afternoon tea and hotel stay

Step into a world of five-star glamour with a dreamy afternoon tea at The Kensington, plus the chance to win an overnight stay for two.

Is this now?! Or am I dreaming?! One minute I’m pounding the pavements; the next I’m sitting in a gorgeous Kensington drawing room, sipping Pimm’s Royale.

The Kensington is one of those places that makes you feel as though you’ve accidentally wandered into a Wes Anderson film.

Set among the grand Victorian townhouses of Queen’s Gate, this five-star hotel is gloriously maximalist, with beautiful fabrics, flowers, rich colours and layers upon layers of gorgeous detail. Think elegant drawing rooms, sparkling bar glamour and cosy fireside spaces that make you want to settle in and stay a while.

For someone born in grimy south London, mere miles away but a different world, I’ll admit to a little imposter syndrome. I kept half expecting someone to ask whether I was looking for the Premier Inn.

Instead, we were tucking into The Kensington’s Great British Afternoon Tea, which begins with a choice of Pimm’s Royale or a flute of Nyetimber English sparkling wine. The savoury selection celebrates British produce, from Chapel & Swan smoked salmon with chive cream cheese to roast Wiltshire ham with English mustard mayonnaise, cucumber with mint crème fraîche and St Ewe egg mayonnaise with watercress.

Next warm, freshly baked raisin and plain scones with Cornish clotted cream and homemade strawberry jam, followed by a gorgeous selection of handmade sweet treats: raspberry and elderflower tart, chocolate éclair with caramel cream, rose and pistachio Battenberg and Eton Mess pavlova.

The experience celebrates British provenance and seasonal ingredients without feeling stuffy or old-fashioned. Service (shout-out to the impeccable Collin!) was warm, attentive and wonderfully friendly, and there’s even a dainty pastel-blue box for any leftovers. Greedy gannet as I am, ours was not required.

The location makes a visit even more tempting. We spent hours exploring the V&A and strolling through Kensington Gardens, along the Serpentine and past the Diana Memorial Fountain.

With the Natural History Museum and Science Museum also moments away, it’s the perfect recipe for a special London day. My partner, who is not a Londoner, said he felt like we were on Made In Chelsea.

He had a point, although our post-tea jaunt was briefly less whimsical when we nearly got run over by a convertible Bentley. We simply admired the gorgeous car.

At £85 per person, afternoon tea at The Kensington is certainly an indulgence, but it’s one that can turn an ordinary Sunday into something rather magical.

Win a five-star London escape

Fancy a little sparkle of your own? One lucky Round & About reader can win an overnight stay for two at The Kensington, including breakfast and a festive or Champagne Afternoon Tea for two.

The hotel’s festive tea is a tempting way to celebrate the season. If a December visit can’t be arranged to suit both the winner and the hotel, the afternoon tea can instead be enjoyed in January, subject to availability.

The overnight stay and prize dates must be arranged with the hotel and are subject to availability and occupancy.

To find out more or book an afternoon tea or stay, visit The Kensington.

How to enter

To enter our prize draw, fill in the form below before 12pm on Friday 27 November 2026.

Where to find more prizes?

Head to our competitions page to find all of our current prizes.

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