We’ve given the Kingsbury a more thorough review and listing here.
We got a first look at the new Kingsbury hotel (ie the old Intercontinental Hotel). OK, it was a five minute poke around the new lobby and bar (the only areas currently opened) but we have to report that things aren’t exactly promising.
I mean firstly, Kingsbury, what is that? It’s not an international chain nor does it sound like anything local should – the British, their kings, queens, berries and tendency to name everything after some dismal country house or shire in the home island left almost 70 years ago.
Much worse than the name though is the interior decoration. It’s sheikh meets second rate casino with a lower budget than either. There’s a dinky wooden reception that seems to want to be a bar, some thrones (for the king?) that look like props from a primary school production of Snow White and chandeliers that would make even the most bling-enamored oil baron blush.
The decor aside though, I have to admit the structural work seems sensible – the front is definitely veering towards second rate casino but internally they’ve smashed a couple of walls which means the lobby now looks straight onto the sea. This is definitely a massive improvement. In fact that basic sea view is actually very promising, but the decor they’re surrounding it with is not. To make matters worse there’s the fish column. I won’t explain just look at the pictures.
