The tiara room — part of the Cartier exhibition at the V&A South Kensington.
Featuring more than 350 shimmering objects, Cartier reveals the fine jewellery house’s legacy of art, design and craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century. It was at that point that the three grandsons of founder Louis-François set out to create the first globally-recognised jewellery house, establishing branches in Paris, London and New York. With an enviable client list of royalty and aristocracy, Cartier became known as ‘the Jeweller of Kings and the King of Jewellers’ and later broadened its appeal thanks to the devotion of leading creatives the devotion of leading creatives from the worlds of cinema, music and fashion.
Burmese jade necklace that belonged to American heiress Barbara Hutton. Cartier Paris, 1934. Jade, rubies, diamonds, platinum and gold.
Many of the jewels on show are the result of collaborations with clients who commissioned them, such as the oversized jade bead necklace ordered by American heiress Barbara Hutton. Indeed, the design of the exhibition itself is also the result of a noted collaboration, this time with British architect and artist Asif Khan MBE, continuing a tradition of landmark partnerships, where artists have shaped Cartier’s scenography.
Patiala Necklace, Cartier Paris, 1928. Vincent Wulveryck, Collection Cartier.
It doesn’t stop there. Step outside the museum and a short walk through South Kensington will bring you to The Kensington, one of London’s under-the-radar gems, which has long offered a perk to its guests via its unique relationship with the V&A. Book in for the V&A Experience and you can access tickets to the museum’s latest shows found on the doorstep, even if they are sold out.
The grand hotel is made up of a series of townhouses.
Part of the Doyle Collection of eight hotels (which also includes The Bloomsbury and The Marylebone in London plus The Westbury and The Croke Park in Dublin), a welcome here is one that oozes warm charm. It’s no surprise that the founders are Irish. This may be central London, but you are made to feel like a well-known guest arriving in a family home, even if it is your first time checking in.
One of The Kensington's elegant drawing rooms.
Carved out of what looks like a stately, stucco-fronted mansion (in fact, the building was originally seven 19th-century townhouses), the hotel’s décor is also one that oozes character. A Tiffany-blue painted Pashley bike, with flowers in its basket, outside the front door is the first nod to the hotel’s irreverent playfulness.
The public rooms downstairs are straight out of Downton Abbey, with their imposing fireplaces, duck-egg-blue and candy-pink paneled walls and overblown chandeliers. Antique rugs, tables laden with huge vases of flowers and opulent window dressings add to the sense that you’ve arrived somewhere special.
Rooms have a cosy flair.
Each of the 116 bedrooms and 30 suites are decorated individually, so a stay here is a far step from a night in a cookie-cutter hotel chain. ‘Cosy’ rooms are ideal for single travelers wanting to explore the capital while staying in style, while, at the other end of the scale, the suites feel spacious and inviting. Touches of chinoiserie – such as printed wallpapers and intricate-carved furniture – add a point of interest to the Regency-period colours used as a backdrop throughout. Luxury comes in the details: emerald satin headboards, beds laid with crisp linen and soft velvet throws and Calcutta marble bathrooms with walk-in rainfall showers and plenty of Malin+Goetz toiletries.
Have a cocktail in The K Bar, which is like the inside of a jewellery box.
The K Bar is just the place to digest the Cartier exhibition—from seeing the Williamson Diamond brooch commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 featuring the rare 23.6 carat pink Williamson diamond to the final room which is dedicated to tiaras dating from the 1900s to the present day. The jewel-box of a bar has a 1950s feel, with its oak-paneled walls, sapphire velvet sofas with ruby cushions and a ceiling punctuated with shimmering contemporary chandeliers. In fact, the cocktail menu ‘Reflections’ is even delivered in a black jewellery box, with an internal mirror that reflects the list of drinks. It’s the next best thing to a Cartier shopping list.
The Town House restaurant is a celebration of British classic cuisine.
Next door, in the bijous dining room of The Town House, dinner is all about celebrating the classics. There’s Dressed Dorset Crab or Beef Carpaccio to start; while mains include Dover Sole Meuniere, Black Cod with Miso Glaze and a mean Chicken Milanese. Not to be missed is the ‘Art of the Irish Coffee’ experience whereby your coffee is served tableside, sweetened and infused to your taste, flambéed, crowned with fresh cream and served in a special Waterford Lismore Irish Coffee glass. It’s the perfect ending to the meal.
The Art of Afternoon Tea is a highlight at the hotel and is often designed after the current V&A exhibition.
The V&A Experience at The Kensington also includes an afternoon tea in the hotel’s drawing room, featuring French patisserie, elegant sandwiches and traditional scones. Up next at the museum is Marie Antoinette Style (20 September 2025 – 22 March 2026), which the hotel guarantees its guests access to. It’s the perfect excuse to let yourself eat cake and soak up the best of London.