My wife and I and our three daughters (ages, 22, 19 and 15) will be in London for 9 nights starting June 7. We're looking for a neighborhood and place to stay that you can just walk outside and there is a lot to see and do right there, but more like somewhere where Londoners live, not touristy. We don't mind some walking. We'd like at least three bedrooms but four would be great. Willing to pay $250 (USD) per night. What neighborhood do you suggest? Should we try Airbnb?
Thanks!
Last summer we rented an apartment in a mews about six blocks from The Tower of London. The neighborhood is bland and residential and not a great resturant area, but with two really nice grocery stores. A fifteen minutes walk will get you to Tower Bridge and a very walkable part of the river. It's handy to a couple tube stations. An apartment for four cost us around £100 per night.
There is no one ideal neighbourhood in London. If you can walk outside the door and there is a lot to see and do right there, chances are there are lot's of other people also seeing and doing right there, i.e lots of tourists.
London is big so you will walk and take a bus or the Tube to get around. Try South Kensington if you can afford it.
Definitely peruse AirBnB. I use it often, never been disappointed.
My rule of thumb is the photo is of the owner, not their pet, or icon ( ie Big Ben), given the time difference they respond within 12 hours, they are willing to share the location of the closest tube stop, ATM, supermarket, etc and MOST importantly they have a minimum of 12 positive reviews.
As far as neighborhoods I like Bayswater, Holland Park, Nottinghill and most recently Kentish Town/Camden.
Great city!
In addition to Claudia's list of requirements, I like an assurance frommthe owner that the rental is compliant with the local council regulations on short-term rentals.
Many owners list their apartments on multiple sites---Air BandB, VRBO/Homeaway, Holiday Lettings, etc. You can search multiple sites at once on Tripadvisor under "Vacation Rental" and filter for your requirements. A quich look for 3+ bedrooms brought up this one, among others, in your price range:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/VacationRentalReview-g186338-d4759642-Brick_lane_Shoreditch_sleeps_6_8-London_England.html
If you prefer not to rent through Tripadvisor, and/or seek more reviews,myou can Google the exact name of the apartment and will often find the listing on other sites.
Our favorite london neighborhood is the South Bank across from the Tower of London. In apartment listings this area may be called Tower Bridge, or possible London Bridge. The river has a wide pedestrian path lined with restaurants, bars, and other shops, and wonderful views across the river to Tower Bridge, St. Paul's, and other iconic London sights. The Borough Market is there, along with the Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern, and a boat dock where you can catch a boat up or down-river. We could walk to the Whitehall/Horseguards area or Covent Garden in an hour or less. The RV1 bus passes a block and has an excellent route into the center. Or we could cross Tower Bridge and catch a #15 bus straight to the main bus hub at Aldwych (the Strand). Or take the Tube from Tower Hill Station to the museums south of Hyde Park.
During our three-week stay last May we had numerous guests, and they all raved about the location---particularly the ease of walking traffic -free, and the beautiful views across the river.
Thanks for your replies. We may select an apartment located in W10 6 DF, which I think may be North Kensington. It is owned by a nice couple and has many very good reviews. They said you can catch a bus with a very short walk ( #7) and is a 12 minute walk to the Tube and to Portobello street. About $300 a nite, which is a little more than we wanted to spend but it sounds really good. Thoughts?
