Cheval Life

Intrigued by the concept of Ziferblat, London’s first pay per minute café, we decided it was worth a visit ourselves! At first glance the entrance seemed obscured, concealed from those not in the know. You cannot merely stumble across it therefore everyone who is inside chooses to spend their time coexisting with likeminded others. We were greeted in a most friendly manner before being introduced to the Ziferblat way. We scrawled our names and entry times on paper before fixing it to a tree of colourful bull dog clips; a holding place awaiting our exit to clock back out. We were intrigued to find a fully equipped kitchen complete with selections of tea, an intricate coffee machine, homemade lemonade and even bread to toast with a selection of tasty spreads. I opted for an orange and lotus flower tea with a scrummy slice of chocolate cake. The kitchen also housed an interesting communal art project allowing visitors to donate unwanted fresh produce on the verge of spoiling for ...

With the exciting new arrival of Cheval Harrington Court due to open in less than 3 weeks, we have compiled together a local list of our favourite cafes in the South Kensington area to sink your teeth into when staying with us.  Café culture in and around South Kensington has in the last few years blossomed with an abundance of diversity and choice. Refined and sophisticated by the French community; the historical landmarks and museums of South Kensington, Patisseries and coffee houses play home to many artistic extroverts while emulating the atmosphere found in the coffee houses of central Europe.   Such local establishments have an ambiance more intimate than our favourite high street chains. The coffee served is roasted and readied by those who choose to make a career out of this culture. The V&A Café Stop by the V&A Café for a quick bite after visiting the brilliant and historical museum itself. With offerings of English cream tea and scones, fluffy mering...

We all know time is money especially when staying in a busy metropolis. Cue ‘Ziferblat’, an eccentric pay per minute café experience offering free coffee and wifi in exchange for a mere five pence per minute. The quirky East London café obscurely named after ‘clock face’ in Russian, requires guests to borrow an eclectically quaint alarm clock, take note of arrival time and set the alarm for the desired ‘clock out’ time before paying their pennies on exit. Seen as a social experiment, ‘Ziferblat’ aims to build a community of people who want to use their space ‘to create something interesting’, allowing customers to do whatever they like as long as they respect the building and the people within it. Consumers are encouraged to be themselves; to work, to create art, to read or to get acquainted with likeminded people. The café aims to be a home away from home just like us at Cheval Residences with each visitor devel...

Fleet River Bakery Cheval Calico House is nearby Workshop Coffee Co. People often do a lot of research before going to a restaurant. They care about quality, price, localization, reviews, ambience. However, on the moment of a simple coffee and cake, many end up going anywhere and having a cup of coffee not worth of their time. The big chains can be practical for being everywhere. But what about the real good coffee shops, that brew their own coffee and bake their own cake, and are independent to do things in a new way?  London has a lot of them worth trying and on this list you will find some of them: Lantana – Fitzrovia This delightful coffee house is nestled down a lane in Fitzrovia. Lantana’s Australian ownership is reflected in the brunch style dishes, flat whites and relaxed atmosphere. It runs an In and Out operation with the premise being split into two; one for takeaways and the other half for sit down meals. The cakes are particularly good ...