My Staycation at the Artist Residence Hotel in Pimlico

One of the perks of living in a big, cosmopolitan, cool city like London is having some of the world’s best hotels close by. If they are looking to treat yourself to a staycation in a luxury bedroom or a boutique overnight stay in a charming hotel like Artist Residence in Pimlico, Londoners are spoilt for choice!

After a fairly quiet July and August spent in London, catching up on the blog (but mainly catching up on Gilmore Girls, let’s be honest…), September kicked off a new season of travel. I went to France, Spain, Austria, Italy, Greece and I am about to fly back to Italy next week, then to Portugal and Poland. I say this again and again, but one thing I miss when travelling is eating out in London. I try to keep up with all the new openings, but it’s hard in a city where the restaurant scene is constantly changing.

One of the few restaurants I had the chance to visit recently is the Cambridge Street Kitchen in Pimlico. I was there for brunch a few weeks ago and loved the space, but most of all the coffee and food. So here’s my review of their brunch menu…I hope it will inspire you to visit Cambridge St Kitchen soon!

Cambridge Street Kitchen is located on the ground floor of the Artist Residence, a 10-bedroom hotel nestled in a peaceful street in Pimlico. It is exactly the kind of hotel I love: luxurious, charming but also cozy and homely. No wonder Artist Residence was nominated “London Hotel of the Year” by The Good Hotel Guides! One of the Artist Residence sister properties is in Penzance, one of the most charming destinations to visit in Cornwall.

Each one of the rooms is unique: they were co-designed by the hotel’s owners, Justin Salisbury and Charlotte Newey, and different artists.

I had the pleasure to stay in one of the suites for one night and I loved the spacious bedroom; the view of Pimlico townhouses; the blue-tiled bathroom with vintage style bathtub; the range of Bramley bath products.

Artist Residence opened in London in September 2014 and is the third hotel of the group (the others are in Brighton and Cornwall). The building was originally designed by Thomas Cubitt, a British master builder who built a lot of the finest houses in Pimlico and Belgravia in the mid-19th century.

I wholeheartedly recommend Artist Residence Hotel if you are a tourist visiting London (the location is perfect for sightseeing and close to trains and Underground), but also if you are a Londoner looking for a romantic or relaxing spot for a staycation. Artist Residence is the hotel for you. Within the hotel there is a cocktail bar and the all-day cafe, the Cambridge Street Kitchen.

Cambridge Street Kitchen is a “neighbourhood space” with a rustic and edgy decor, and a cozy atmosphere. I love that the cafe is full of colours and light, with warm wooden furniture, impressive light pendants and art pieces scattered on the walls.

Saturday mornings at Cambridge Street Kitchen are busy and advance table booking is necessary.

We checked out of our room around 10 am and walked down to the cafe to have breakfast. The cafe was still quiet, but it soon got packed. Everyone in the neighbourhood must have heard about Cambridge Street Kitchen Banana Pancakes with Vanilla Cream, Berries and Maple Syrup!

These are not just good pancakes, they are insanely amazing. Seriously, you have to try them. My husband ordered them and of course, I had to taste them, you know “for research purposes”…after one bite I begged my husband to share the pancakes with me (he didn’t)…and so I’ve been craving them ever since.

Don’t worry, I didn’t spend the morning crying over pancakes. My brunch was also very tasty: Avocado with Poached Eggs and Rocket on Rye Bread. When preparing a dish so simple as avocado and eggs on toast it is important to use the best quality ingredients, as they do at Cambridge Street Kitchen.

Cambridge Street Kitchen use local, free-range and organic ingredients wherever possible. The bacon and sausages come from Macken Brothers in Chiswick, the smoked salmon from Daily Fish in Camden, while the fruit and vegetables are from Solstice in Covent Garden.

The coffee is from Allpress London; all espresso based drinks are prepared with their Redchurch blend. The coffee is too often bad in hotel restaurants, but I’m happy to report that Cambridge Street Kitchen is an exception. It helps that their barista is a true latte art master!

I had a wonderful experience visiting the Artist Residence and Cambridge Street Kitchen. A true home away from home!

Disclaimer: I was a guest at Artist Residence and Cambridge Street Kitchen. All opinions are my own.