We are looking at 2 airbnbs for our winter trip to London for our family of 5 ( our kids are 22, 19 and 15), One is a few bus stops from Brixton Tube and the other at Barnes Bridge. The Brixton one is significantly cheaper but I've heard Brixton is a rough area. Also, it seems that the one near Brixton. Barnes Bridge is a 35 minute ride to London Victoria while the other is 25 minutes by both bus and tube. Would you stay near Brixton with a family? Is it worth the extra money to stay at Barnes Bridge and have more space to spread out?
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Barnes is an expensive upmarket suburb, popular with families, but is poorly connected from a transport perspective, being on a train line rather than the underground.
Brixton suffered from riots 30 + years ago, but has become gentrified and due to its great transport links is popular with young professionals. The area around the tube station has become a trendy foodie spot. The Academy is a popular music venue. Calling it rough is a bit mean, but as with all areas in London, a couple of streets can see you going from the best addresses to something less salubrious. I lived in Brixton for a few months when I first moved to London.
Barnes to Oxford Circus would take the best part of an hour, whilst Brixton would be less than half this time.
Comparing them is like chalk and cheese. If you are going to be spending all your time in central London, I would probably opt for Brixton over Barnes, as transport links are easier, although I prefer Barnes as a location, but I am middle aged. Your children would probably prefer Brixton.
Posted by
Land of La
9265 posts
In London now.
Agree with Jennifer and her descriptions of both neighborhoods.
Ironically, going to Barnes Bridge tomorrow for tea and scones at Orange Pekoe. Been before.
Posted by
OP
MN
25 posts
We will be a few bus stops from the tube so more in the Holmewood Garden area....hmmmmm. We really like the Barnes Bridge airbnb but are mostly seeing things in London.
Thanks for your input!
Posted by
OP
MN
25 posts
Claudia, we would be right in the neighborhood for the Orange Pekoe! Let us know what your transport experience is like!
Posted by
Nashville, TN, USA
3898 posts
My answer is....I would choose neither one.
It couldn't hurt to look at a few more locations. There will be reasonably priced apartments in neighborhoods besides the two you have mentioned.
See the advice here:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/looking-for-an-ideal-area-to-stay-in-london
If your purpose is seeing the sights in central London,
you want something in central London if you can get it.
Why choose one (nice though it may be) that comes with some amount of difficulty getting into central London each day to go sightseeing?
To keep looking would be my preference.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34011 posts
Rebecca, I think they are looking in two different locations.
There is an incomplete sentence in the OP but I think they are comparing the location of two airbnbs in 2 locations.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34011 posts
Brixton is the last stop on the Victoria line tube, built as the first fully automated tube line.
It also has a mainline train station called Brixton which is first stop out of London Victoria on the Southeastern Railway stopping services (means they stop every or most stations - not an express). Those trains go every 15 minutes but not late at night.
You saw me describe Barnes Bridge in the post about London Housing.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2421 posts
hey hey trey
please stay in your own post and not jebarnes post, finding place to stay. you posted in about trains/transportation and gets very confusing. start another post about subject, don't hijack it.
thanks