This summer, Australia’s legendary wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist spent four weeks at the Royal Garden Hotel while playing cricket for Middlesex. He told us why the hotel is his number once choice, whenever he comes to London.

The first time I came to the Royal Garden Hotel was for the 1999 World Cup, which – of course – proved to be a very fortuitous stay for me and rest of the Australian team!

Since then, every time I’ve toured with Australia, I’ve been back – the Ashes in 2001 and 2005 and the Champions Trophy in 2004.  In total, it’s got to be somewhere in the region of ten times that I’ve stayed here, and now that I’m semi-retired, I always come here if I’m on business or in London for any other reason.

The particular appeal of the Royal Garden? For me, one of the strongest features of the hotel is the location. The park, particularly when I’m here with my family is a great facility to be able to use. I have three young children aged 8, 5 and 3, so for them, Hyde Park is the biggest back garden in history!

Also, even if I’m here myself, it’s so easy to get into the city, or to get to The Oval or Lord’s. As for Kensington itself, there are so many great things to do and see that you can just as easily wander down the road if you want to find something to do.

“IT IS THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE THAT STANDS OUT”

Location aside, it is the quality of the service that stands out. Over the course of the 11- or 12-year period that I’ve been coming here they’ve always made the necessary adjustments and improvements to maintain a really modern look, but what is equally good is that it feels like the hotel has stayed true to its heritage.

Even in the last 12 months, the hotel has been refurbished throughout and it’s become an even more appealing place to stay, but apart from anything else, the thing that sticks in the memory is the welcoming atmosphere. It might be 12 months since you last visited but staff, who you don’t necessarily recognise, will greet you by name and make you feel at home.

During my Australia days, I remember the hotel as being good for other reasons. Sports teams can be very demanding – you need treatment rooms, meeting rooms and a great laundry service – so when you find a place that caters for all those needs and does it with a friendly smile, then why wouldn’t you come back?

I guess that’s why so many sports teams come to stay here. I’ve bumped into a few sportsmen over the years and I know most of the cricket teams coming to England stay here now. Again, location-wise it’s so easy to get to Wembley, Wimbledon or Twickenham from here, so it’s not just cricketers that you see walking around.

Of course, I’ve also got some great memories of celebrations (and the occasional commiseration) in the hotel. After the 1999 World Cup final we had a pretty decent party on the tenth floor and we’ve had a few drinks in Bertie’s Bars over the years. I went in the other day and Luis, the Bar Manager, asked me if I’d brought Brett Lee and his guitar with me – fortunately, I was able to say no!

“IT MIGHT BE A YEAR SINCE YOU LAST VISITED,

BUT STAFF WILL GREET YOU BY NAME”

My experience of staying at the hotel has been pretty different this time. It’s my first trip here with my family that hasn’t been a full Australia. My playing commitments for Middlesex left me with plenty of free time and I was able to see more of London than I had during all of the previous trips combined.

We’ve done the red bus, the London Eye, the Tower of London; we’ve been to Piccadilly, we’ve been to Legoland, we’ve done everything – it’s been magic! The good thing is that you can have days packed with sightseeing and then the next one just wandering around the park.

The kids have got scooters so they’ve been terrorising all the squirrels, which they’ve loved! That’s what’s so great about the park. There’s just so much space to explore – although you’re in the middle of one of the biggest cities of the world, you feel like you’re in the middle of the country.

I guess it’s not called the Royal Garden Hotel for nothing!

Back to Blog Home>>