Why Kensington & Chelsea Is a Great Place to Work and Play

Kensington and Chelsea Area Guide | Knight Frank

As London’s smallest borough, Kensington and Chelsea may not be the most obvious location for office space, but there are good reasons why it’s home to 18,000 businesses and more than 120,000 jobs. The area is rich in culture, has a huge amount to offer out-of-hours and is well connected to both the City and the suburbs.


With office buildings varying from the expansive Georgian terraces of High Street Kensington to the cutting-edge developments in Ladbroke Grove, there are office spaces in Kensington and Chelsea to suit every business need. And for those considering moving to serviced offices or coworking spaces in the trendy Notting Hill end of the borough, the regeneration of nearby White City — with hip eateries and the newest Soho House — is another good reason to go west.


Serviced offices in Kensington and Chelsea also enjoy close proximity to other key areas of the capital via the Circle and District lines, while Heathrow Airport is within a 30-minute drive down the M4 — handy for those often jetting off on business.

Commuting to Kensington

Kensington stations

High Street Kensington Underground Station, Zone 1, Kensington High Street, W8 5SA
Circle Line
District Line

South Kensington Underground Station, Zone 1, Pelham St, W7 2NB
Circle Line
District Line
Piccadilly Line

Gloucester Road Underground Station, Zone 1, Gloucester Road, SW7 4SF
Circle Line
District Line
Piccadilly Line

Notting Hill Gate Underground Station, Zones 1 & 2, Notting Hil Gate, W11 3HT
Central Line
Circle Line
District Line

Holland Park Underground Station, Zone 2, Holland Park Avenue, W11 3RB
Central Line

Shepherd’s Bush Underground Station, Zone 2, Uxbridge Road, W12 8ND
Central Line

Shepherd’s Bush Rail Station, Zone 2, Shepherd’s Bush, W12 8LB
London Overground

Kensington buses

7, 14, 23, 49, 52, 70, 74, N74, N97, 228, 295, 316, 345, 360, 414, 430 & 452.

Commuting to Chelsea

Sloane Square Underground Station, Zone 1, Sloane Square, SW1W, 8BB
Circle Line
District Line

West Brompton Underground Station, Zone 2, Old Brompton, SW5 9JX
District Line
London Overground

Chelsea buses

11, N11, 14, 19, N19, 22, N31, 49, 137, N137, 170, 211, 319, 328, 345, 360, 414 & 452.

Things To Do In Kensington & Chelsea

As well as a good range of office space in Kensington and Chelsea, there’s also an abundance of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as large open spaces such as Kensington Gardens and Holland Park. Along with the excellent transport links, these amenities tick the boxes of many modern employees and help to make a trip to the office worth the commute.

Portobello Road Market

One of the world’s most famous street markets has stalls stretching for a mile that offer everything from bric-a-brac and vintage clothes to fresh produce and delicious street food. Whether you want to grab a tasty bite to eat or do some after-work shopping, Portobello Road Market has the lot.

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace is the spectacular royal residence that used to be home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and is still occupied by several younger royals. Much of the property is open to the public and you can relax in its gorgeous gardens for free.

Kings Road and Sloane Square

Take a stroll along King’s Road during your lunch break to discover why Chelsea has long been considered the epicentre of British social culture. Stretching from Sloane Square to World’s End, King’s Road is one of the best shopping streets in the city, with everything from independent bookshops to behemoth department stores like Peter Jones.

Sloane Square is perhaps even more desirable and is home to the finest fashion brands, exclusive hotels and some of the best dining and drinking spots in this little nook of London.

Best for team building

Being right in the thick of things can help to put a smile on your employees’ faces, but when you want to celebrate a job well done or welcome new hires, there are also plenty of exciting attractions nearby.

Clip and Climb Chelsea

Have a break from scaling the heights of the corporate ladder and take your team along to Clip and Climb Chelsea for some vertiginous fun. There are over 20 individual and multi-climber wall challenges as well as the vertical DropSlide. It also has a licence to sell alcohol, for those that may need a drop of Dutch courage.

The Pheasantry

This Grade II listed building on King’s Road is one of London’s finest cabaret bars and supper clubs, featuring a programme of live music that includes jazz, fado and folk. With world-class stars every night of the week, The Pheasantry is a cool spot for team building and chilling out.

Benihana

Benihana brings together food and performance with tableside teppanyaki cookery for immersive Japanese dining. The world-famous restaurant itself is sleek and stylish but the real drama unfolds in front of you as the chefs get to work.

Best for out-of-office meetings

An office space in a highly desirable Kensington or Chelsea postcode is impressive enough for most. However, if you really want to dazzle a new client, you’ll find fine-dining establishments, glamorous trattorias and opulent West London institutions within easy reach of your door.

Jak’s King’s Road

Jak’s Cocktail Lounge Bar on King’s Road is one of the best-kept secrets for pre-dinner drinks and business meetings. Disguised as a furniture shop on the outside, inside you’ll find a large open space with a large bar, cosy leather sofas and a restaurant serving modern Mediterranean food.

Coco Momo

Kensington’s Coco Momo is a classy cafe, bar and British brasserie that serves fresh, seasonal food all day. Whether it’s a morning meeting or an impromptu brainstorming session, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a tasty bite to eat.

Daphne’s

This Chelsea stalwart, which has been in situ since the 1960s, offers an upmarket menu of Italian dishes set against a backdrop of exposed brick and lemon trees. On warmer days, the roof at Daphne’s retracts to create an al fresco dining space that’ll make you and your clients feel like you’re on the Amalfi Coast.

Best for wellbeing

To attract and retain the best talent, you need to take employee wellbeing seriously. With some of the best green spaces and gyms in London, office spaces in Kensington and Chelsea can certainly play their part.

Kensington & Chelsea parks and gardens

Dotted with various statues, wildlife and gardens (we recommend a stroll through the Japanese garden), Holland Park offers a welcome sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of city life. You may even spot a peacock strolling around. Ranelagh Gardens, in the estate of Royal Hospital Chelsea, is free to visit all year round and is a great spot for a walking meeting or an alfresco lunch, while Chelsea Physic Garden has an excellent cafe and one of the most diverse plant collections in the world.

Kensington & Chelsea gyms

Staff who want to keep fit and healthy will find a good variety of gyms and fitness facilities within easy reach of their Kensington and Chelsea offices. KOBOX Chelsea is a boxing gym that offers 50-minute high-intensity classes to energise yourself after a hard day’s work. David Lloyd Kensington has an exceptional range of sports facilities, including a well-equipped gym, spacious studios, a spa and a swimming pool, while Revive Massage Studios offers a range of body and facial treatments to help you relax and recharge.

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