Air B &B St Mary’s Terr Westminster- Convenient for London visit?

If it's near Edgware Road and Paddington, that's within easy reach of the sights of central London. It's maybe not the most charming of areas, but I would always maintain one can find joy in most locations in London if you scratch the surface. I think you'll be fine for accessing what you want to see. It's handier for the west end theatres than Earls Court, even walkable if you're so inclined. If you look at where the apartment is in relation to Marble Arch, that will give you an idea how close you are to Hyde Park and Oxford Street shopping. Edgware Road is the hot spot for Middle Eastern cuisine, if that appeals.

[edit: I Googled St Mary's Terrace and it's a bit out of the way, but hopefully you're getting a good price for a 2-bedroom within easy reach of the west end. Edgware Road doesn't appear to be far, but Marble Arch would be a little bit of a walk.]

Please note that it's Edgware Road Station, not Edgware Station. Edgware is a town on the fringes of Greater London, quite some miles away.

one more thing about Edgware Road tube station. There are two, one on the Circle Line and the end of a branch line of the District Line, the end of the clockwise (or beginning) Circle; and also serves the Hammersmith and City and the Circle Line for Paddington and Hammersmith and points in between, and forms the top of the Circle Line. Sounds very confusing but in the station it isn't, just know where you want to go and follow the signs.

The second Edgware Road station is not connected, and is down the road a bit. It is a station on the Bakerloo Line.

I've had a squint at St Marys Terrace on street view. As is often the case the two sides of the road are quite different, one more considerably more salubrious than the other. If it is is the large tall blocks of flats it is possible that that is what used to be called council flats, now usually run by private companies on behalf of the council. It is usually illegal to sublet or rent out those flats. I would look very carefully at any descriptions and photos, as well as reviews - I am sure that they are all 5 star because that is how airbnb is, but read between the lines - and see if anything sets your spidey senses off. There have been cases of phantom flats using photos of others. I hope that that isn't the case, and I think that GerryM was more street smarts than me and he thinks it is ok, just advising caution.

The nearest buses are in Edgware Road. There is one stop in Little Venice for the 46 and 18 routes, including N18 at night.

I noticed the council estate too. I'd imagine that a two bedroom flat in that location at a good price would be on the estate. Personally, I'd have no problem with that, with the caution that Nigel wisely advises. There's many very nice (ex) council estates around the edges of central London. Many flats (most?) are no longer owned by councils or housing associations and are in private hands, perfectly legit to AirBnB. Subletting is a no-go as Nigel points out, but you'd hope there's nothing underhand going on if the flat has a significant history of perfectly happy guests on AirBnB.

Thanks for your prompt responses and thorough assessment of this particular street. I am familiar with council flats from watching way too many British crime procedurals ! We also viewed the google pictures - the listing is actually in the white houses across the street. Middle eastern cuisine is very popular across New York City as well Perhaps we will continue our research into other available properties as well.

Ah my intuition was wrong then! I think I've found the flat you mean. If it's the one hosted by Marijana, it looks good to me. Don't let the presence of a few council flats in the street put you off. We're definitely not talking about somewhere run-down and crime-ridden like you might see on TV crime drama :) Much of London is like that with very mixed neighbourhoods of rather fancy old buildings and newer social housing. Two bedrooms will be hard to find closer in to central London (not that this area is far away) at a reasonable price. Just a little bit west in Notting Hill the prices will also go up because it's trendier.

Keep this spot as a backup if you don't see anywhere else that takes your fancy would be my advice.

i agree that the other side of the road looks good.

The other thing that caught my eye was the park that has to be walked through to get to Edgware Road and its tubes and buses.

I haven't lived IN London for many a year, but have lived in other cities (I don't now, I live an hour from London in a market town which has a significant urban centre) but personally it is very rare that I will consider walking in a park after dark. You may be exactly the opposite, and GerryM may scoff at my suburbaness, but that's me.

Personally, I wouldn't have given it a thought. I had a look on street view and I've got my bearings now as to where it is in relation to Paddington Green. That path will be in constant use by locals, well into the night I'd imagine. It doesn't actually involve walking through the park as such, a pedestrian path that skirts the park and churchyard and appears to have at least some streetlighting.

Here's a streetview image where you can see it - https://maps.app.goo.gl/pE9VAuASkDS52yiCA

There's a similar setup near me, St John At Hackney churchyard. Folks (including me) use that path a lot, even after dark.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/i1FnokAFmjXYRDCQ7

good advice

I'm maybe a bit more tolerant of risk than some, so my view is quite personal. I'd maybe feel differently if I was a lone woman, but I'd still wager that many use that route as it seems to be the main pedestrian route from Edgware Road through Paddington Green to reach St Mary's Terrace and the adjoining streets.

Slightly off topic, and again quite personal, but in general I'd feel parks at night are safer in London than many places. I grew up in Scotland and there isn't the same culture of youth drinking in parks and at street corners at night in London, which can feel intimidating. I don't know if maybe in the multicultural inner London boroughs there's a lot of folks where that's not in their culture at all. Almost every park in urban or suburban areas in Scotland will have that familiar green sparkle of broken Buckfast bottles when the sunlight catches it.

We have found another listing in Notting Hill near the Ladbroke Grove tube station that is new to airbnb and not yet reviewed. The map indicates it is located in a large apartment block called Colville Houses off Clydesdale Road Most likely a former council flat that has been fully renovated. The proximity to Portobello Road is also appealing. Our son lives in a gentrified area in New York City and we all enjoy the diversity of cultures and bustling streets filled with restaurants and markets. Any input would be appreciated

I think that's a great location for all the reasons you mention. I'm always of the belief that staying in an area with lots of local life and colour adds another dimension to a city vacation, rather than being right in the centre of town with all the other tourists.

I would be extremely wary of an AirBnB with no prior history though. You would have to go above and beyond and take any steps you can to verify the host is genuine I think. I'm not sure, but maybe a Zoom call or Facetime might go some way to alleviating those concerns? That would be up to you to weigh that one up.

once again, I concur. Usually no, or few, reviews is a huge red flag for me... I'd check, check and check again. Or it could be fine. But are you ok to be the Guinea pig?

Maybe it is also listed elsewhere?