London apt location: Earls Court

I stayed at a Hotel probably within a block of where you describe in June. I have nothing bad to say about the area, no safety issues, no noise issues that I recall, though earls court road is a busy high street. The neighborhood is a pretty diverse (well, all of London is) cross-section of people and as I mentioned a busy urban area. There is a handy CarPhone Warehouse for SIM cards, a couple of food shops, restaurants, a few pubs all within a few blocks. The underground stop is well connected to both Heathrow and central London. Basically, it hit all the check boxes for me too, would consider staying in the area again.

Never heard of the company. Instead I recommend either AirBnb or HomeAway which is part of the VRBO network. That said the Earl's Court neighborhood is fine. Have stayed there more than once over the years. No complaints. Never felt unsafe. In the early 90's was a bit scruffy as there were many hostels but like many of London's diverse neighborhoods it has gentrified over the years. Good for easy transport into central London.

Thank you. I've been searching Airbnb, One Fine Stay, VRBO, and many others on and off for months. It's hard to find the right fit. I found this company mentioned in a RS 2010 England guide book. Ive narrowed down to three or four from various sites, but the proximity to the tube station and food stores is a huge plus.

I just wanted reassurance about the neighborhood.

Cindy,
The neighborhood is fine and it is pretty convenient for a tourist as Earls Court is on both Piccadilly and District lines. It is easy to get to from Heathrow. The only downside is that if the flat is on the side of the street overlooking the tube station, it may be noisy. The District line is above ground at Earl's Court.

I lived in London for a year and the first 6 months were in a flat on Trebovir Road which is just one block away from Penywern on the other side of the tube station. My flat overlooked the tube station and my only complaint was that I was awoken early every morning by the noise from the tube station.

My favorite hotel in London is one block from Penywern Road and the tube station. Great location. Lots of pubs, restaurants and shops in the area. Just between the tube station and your street there's a Boots Pharmacy, a Marks and Spencer Local (small supermarket) (at the corner of Penywern and Earl's Court Road) and a couple of pubs across the street.

Fifteen to twenty minutes by tube into central London.

I was just there in June and will be back next month.

Cindy,

I loved the Earl's Court neighborhood when I stayed there a couple years ago. It really close to museums and it has excellent transportation options. That is my "go to" neighborhood when I vacation in London.

I think this area is too far out. You will be on the tube every single day as nothing is within walking distance. Also, if you arrive on an early flight at Heathrow you're a long time from check in so close proximity is not much of a benefit. I'm fighting popular opinion here, but I think it's a mistake to spend a large part of every day waiting for/sitting on/searching for the tube, even if that is the choice most tourists make.

Cindy, my husband and I love staying in the area around the Earls Court tube stop. It is very convenient getting to and from Heathrow on the Piccadilly Line, and really does not take that long to get to most any area or sight you are interested in visiting. We have always felt safe walking to and from our lodgings, even late at night.

A couple of restaurant recommendations near the Earls Court tube stop - Bistro Benito for wonderful Italian cuisine, and The Blackbird for good pub grub and beer (the meat pies are fantastic). As a matter of fact, we will be back there very soon.

Mary

I have to disagree with the poster who thinks Earls Court is too far out. It is less than 15 minutes by tube to Leicester Square or Westminster. You are an easy walk to the South Kensington Museums. London is spread out and no matter where you stay you will need to use public transportation at some point.

Just the fact that everyone is recommending Earl's Court (are you in London to see other tourists?) should in itself be discouraging enough.

There are many closer in options, but staying in Bankside for example puts so many things within walking distance (St Paul's, Tate Modern, Temple Church, Millenium Bridge, Globe, Borough Market, and of course the Thames itself, all 10 min walk away or less) and also Tower, British Museum and Houses of Parliament if you are willing to walk 30-40 minutes each way, or walk there and take a taxi back, very affordable for 4. So a person could fill up a week of sightseeing based in the Bankside area and never (or rarely) ride the tube or bus.

Be sure to factor in 4 people x daily max charge on Oyster card as part of the Earl's Court daily lodging fee.

I tend to agree with Tom__MN. I tend to gravitate to the Victoria Station area. We can pleasantly walk to Buck House, to the mall etc. or to Parliament from there, and be near restaurants in Pimlico. No matter where you are in London you will use the convenient buses or tube, but it's nice to not have to do so all the time. Earl's Court is a little too far from most sights, IMO, but it is doable by transit if the apartment ticks all the boxes. Wray

Thank you all for your insights...pro and con.

It's hard to get exactly what you want where you want it. That being said, this apt is the best fit for us. We are two couples and the fact that this apt has 2 en suites, plenty of comfortable lounging space, a food market and tube stop (with 3 lines) around the corner sealed the deal. It's hard to get all those boxes checked.

While on vacationing in a big city, we tend to walk 8-10 miles per day so at the end of the day we just want to get off the train and not have more walking to do and just relax and "wine down". If we are on the tube for a few extra minutes the convenience is worth it to us.

The distance is less crucial I find than the means of connection when in London. Earls Court is an OK location with walking proximity to many of the West London sights as well as a no change route to Heathrow airport, two underground lines and reasonably useful collection of bus routes.

Cindy, looks like a nice place. I added it to my list of places. Looking at a London trip in the next two years with 2 couples. I have been looking in and around the South Kensington area as well as Earls Court, thanks for the link.
I hope you find what you need and enjoy your trip.