Shoreditch area of London....... or Seven Dials for a splurge?

I'm not an expert on London neighborhoods, but "Commercial Road near Cavell Street" is pretty far outside of what I think of as Shoreditch. It looks like whoever listed that apartment may be making false promises, by representing the location as being in a cool neighborhood when it's really not, so much.

I agree, it's Whitechapel which isn't the sort of place I'd want to go on holiday. Having said that, it is only a quick journey to the easteenside of the City, so if you don't mind it a bit rough it willbe ideal.

Oh god.....if it was just hubby and I that would be no problem but we have my 72 year old mom with us and she does not do rough areas....LOL

Back to search for more.

I did find the Seven Dials location handy, as you would expect, particularly if your plans include walking home at night from West End theaters or cheese shopping at www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk. The British Musuem and National Gallery are both within a half-mile radius. It feels like shopping neighborhood, more than a residential neighborhood.

As said above, that is a real stretch to call Shoreditch. Nearly not even Whitechapel, much more like Stepney.

Commercial Road is a very very busy road, the main connection between Kings Cross and The City and the East End.

Cavell Street - named after the famous nurse - passes the entrance to the hospital, and has long had traffic problems, like around many hospitals.

Directly south of the junction of Cavell Street and Commercial Road are the Shadwell stations and Cable Street.

Cable Street is famous for the Moseley Black Shirts racism riot in the leadup to the Second World War. The side of one of the buildings has a huge mural on the wall demonstrating the violence. It is worth seeing, but the neighborhood? Posh it ain't.

Have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleofCable_Street

I wouldn't stay anywhere East of Tower Bridge, visit by all means, but be back in Zone1 by dark.

Not that anything bad will happen if you stick to the main areas... But i'm sure it's not what tourists are looking for.

Seven Dials is really very much shops and a few zillion restaurants, including a Rossopomodoro Neapolitan pizza chain (from Napoli) and a chippie which was one of my favourites. Because of all the restaurants, bars, and theatres in the area I would expect it to be loud well into the early hours.

You've been looking for this apartment since February and gotten some good suggestions.

Is it your budget or mobility issues you've acknowledged that is preventing you from securing your accommodation.

Premiere Inns are priced fairly, are clean, safe, have elevators and are located near the iconic sites.

Did you review what At Home In London offered?

I would again recommend 63 Bayswater BUT the Lancaster Tube is closed for repairs till later this year.

Stick with AirBnB, Home Away From Home and TripAdvisor for your search and stay within Zones 1 and 2.

Our dates are not set in stone yet as we own a business and we cannot make firm plans that far in advance. We make tentative plans and will be able to firm up probably by June.

As for searching a lot of options......yup, I feel like I need to look at all the options. That is just who I am.

I have it down to my top 10. We have one near Kensington Palace also but I just need to look at all options.

It's a 31 day trip. Not easy to plan but I'm the type who needs to feel like I've explored all the options. I'm sorry if my questions are too many. I can stop posting.

no, don't stop. For me, at least, it is rather fun. I've been into and through much of London over the decades and I rather like thinking about what I know of the different areas. Some have gone up market in the time, some stayed about the same, and some have plunged. Some couldn't plunge much because there isn't much further to plunge.

Keep finding these interesting places.

Do be careful, as I mentioned to Nicole P recently, about the fakes and those renting places that they have no right to. There are plenty of those about unfortunately. Make sure that there are plenty of reviews, and read them all very carefully. Check Google to see if the photos are genuine, and use Google to see if the descriptions are unique.

All this planning and searching will just improve your on the ground experience when all of you finally get here....

I have stayed in the Kensington Area. It really does matter on what you street you stay because you might have a flat (or hotel room) facing one of the major streets and have trucks coming and going all hours of the day and night.

While I have only been to London once, I would encourage all whom are planning to stay somewhere you never been to look at Google Map and Street View. In some places it hasn't be updated in years (rural areas) the more urban has up to date views.

If nothing else it can show you that "Quiet Residential Neighborhood" is actually a Commercial or Industrial Area and the wonderful quiet flat is on an alley right across from a Dance club entrance/exit. While you may not mind a know a lot of people that would.

This is the one listed as Shoreditch

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3757964?wl_source=list&wl_id=146151153&role=wishlist_owner&check_in=2017-11-08&check_out=2017-11-18&guests=3&adults=3&children=0&infants=0#neighborhood

Also looking at this area

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/16381381?wl_source=list&wl_id=146151153&role=wishlist_owner&check_in=2017-11-08&check_out=2017-11-18&guests=3&adults=3&children=0&infants=0

I would not consider that "Shoreditch" place---way too many red flags.

First, it says 5 reviews and shows 5 stars for every category. But read the reviews---3 of 5 say the owner cancelled the booking without notice. How could you trust him with reviews like that.

Second, one of the other reviews says they stayed in the apartment 4 months. I don't know the details of the London short-term rental regulations, but isn't there something like a 90-day limit?

Third, the description is weird. " Two bedrooms, one of which is an attractive property in very highly sought-after location." What? So where is the other bedroom---Outer Mongolia?

Fourth, the location is not Shoreditch, the map says it is Whitechapel. They are taking advantage of the name of a trendy neighborhood.

I would say keep looking. And try to be more selective---you should have noticed these problems, particularly the reviews.

I figured the owner had made an error while listing or editing his listing and the cancellations seem to happen a lot on airbnb when someone books a place last minute and the owner can't vacate the property that quickly or had it booked on another listing site. I have seen it on several listings that have a ton of great reviews too.
Also, he has 2 new apartments in the same building.

Thanks for trying to make me feel like an idiot. What is going on here lately. I've been made to feel like I should not ask questions or that I'm not doing my part or that I'm an idiot. I knew that is what it was on other sites but I always thought this place was supposed to be different. Never felt this when I was researching my 2015 Paris trip on this site.

Sorry but sometimes I don't think people realize how their comments sound to the posters.

Sorry, I set some hares running. By 'rough' I meant scruffy rather than dangerous.

People have been helping you since your first post.

You have rreceived excellent suggestions about apartments and what neighborhoods to consider.

People have also advised using Google maps to look at the areas you are considering. Again a valuable travel tool which is helpful in providing visual insight about a neighborhood.

My curiosity was why you've not booked something after looking for over 2 months. Was a simple question, not a ctrique.

You've made it known you must look at everything available. Fine. That's who you are.

Now you seem to believe posters have been unkind or made you feel unwelcome. Really?

Not one poster has been unkind or called you an idiot. Since February We ( the collective we) have offered nothing but good suggestions for places to stay.

Posters here take time to respond in hopes of helping. Speaking only for myself not once have you said, "thank you for sharing."

Sorry if I missed thanking you personally. I try to be as polite as possible.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/apartment-hotels-in-london
That is not the only one. Sometimes I don't go back to this site for a few weeks because of my work schedule so I know I must miss some. I am sorry for that.
Your curiosity did not feel like that to me. Sorry if I took it the wrong way.

I did mean someone called me an idiot but being told " you should have caught that " was not nice

I looked at over 300 apartments. I'm sorry I missed a small detail. But I do feel like it's been a little meaner on here these days. I may be off but that is just how I feel.

Wasn't seeking a personal thank you. Merely saying a simple thank you is always appreciated.

The concept of looking at 300 apartments is foreign to me. I'd be exhausted and cross eyed but if that is what you must do to find your accommodation so be it.

Do hope you find something and enjoy your 21 days in GB.

Maybe try Coach House Rentals. They have centrally-located apartments, and are very trustworthy. They might have something to suit you? Good luck!

Stacy I had never heard of them. I'll check them out. Thanks.....

I am sorry I came across as harsh. When I suggested you "try to be more selective" I meant to be helpful, not mean. You do need to set your filters higher, particularly on the reviews. And you need to understand the tricky rules on short-term rentals in London. They vary by council, and apparently many apartments offered on Air Band B and VRBO are not legal. You could rent one and it might be fine, or you could get cancelled at the last minute because the owner got caught. That is why the three cancellations on that "Shoreditch" apartment are such a red flag. Or you could arrive and find out the apartment does not exist. Some of the ads on these websites are fake.

This is what some of the locals have been trying to tell you as well. My advice may not have been as diplomatic, but I certainly was not suggesting you are an "idiot" as you put it. Maybe you are just too trusting because you own and rent out a vacation property yourself, and would never do those scam or illegal things. But you cannot apply your Canadian standards to the London rental market---it is a different ball game.