Lancaster Gate is comprised of two long terraces of houses overlooking the park, with a wide gap between them which opens onto a square containing a church. Further terraces back onto the pair overlooking the park and loop around the square. The terraces are stuccoed and are in an eclectic classical style featuring English baroque details and French touches.
Lancaster Gate stands alongside Hyde Park Gardens as one of the two grandest of the 19th century housing schemes lining the northern side of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The development was planned in 1856-7 and construction took at least ten years. The terraces overlooking the park were designed by Sancton Wood and those around the square by John Johnson. The exteriors are largely complete, with just a couple of 20th century infills, but many of the interiors have been reconstructed behind the facades. Many of the properties are still in residential use and command very high prices. Others are used as embassies, offices, or hotels.
For many years the headquarters of The Football Association were located in Lancaster Gate and the term was often used to refer to the organisation, but it has now relocated to Soho Square.
The name Lancaster Gate also refers to a nearby gate of Kensington Gardens.
Lancaster Gate tube station was opened on 30 July 1900 by the Central London Railway (now the Central line). The original station building was typical of the work of the line's original architect Harry Bell Measures. It was demolished and a new surface building constructed as part of the development above in 1968. The development was designed by T P Bennett & Son as an office block but converted soon after into a hotel. In 2004-05 the lower floors of the hotel were re-clad in white stone to a design by Eric Parry Architects.
The station is within walking distance of Paddington station, providing a convenient interchange between the Central line and the mainline station, although this is not highlighted on the Underground map but conveniently made known by the automatic announcement just before leaving the lifts at street level.