London neighborhoods

Great city. I've traveled there frequently. Stayed in many neighborhoods in a variety of accommodations. It is also an expensive city. Based on your criteria consider Belgravia, Kensington, S. Kensington, Knightsbridge, Mayfair and Earl's Court. Very walkable city. Pimlico is a bit out of the city center.
Have a great trip.

Thank you both for your responses. You've assured me I am heading in the right direction -- at least the right direction for me! Dave - thanks also for the additional info. I will certainly check it out. Kristen

Both neighborhoods as well the ones the other posters mentioned are just fine. Other possibilities you might investigate are the Russell Square/Bloomsbury/British Museum area, which is academic and pleasant, and a short walk from Euston, St Pancras, and Kings Cross stations, but away from the grit that to a small degree still surrounds those great stations. Also the Covent Garden area would be a huge hit with your teenagers.

You might check out the London School of Economics (http://www.lsevacations.co.uk/ ). They have multiple locations and rent dorm rooms AND apartments. We have also used Citadines in the past(http://www.citadines.com/ ). They, too, have multiple locations. We liked the Covent Garden/High Holborn location.

Yes Kensington is a great area to stay in. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (used Priority Club hotel points) in 2009 and 2010. We will be returning there in September. It is right across from the Glocester tube station. The hotel is in a very good location.

I feel if a person has been to London only once and wants to recommend a neighborhood that's great, but I think maybe it should be mentioned that he/she hasn't stayed in other neighborhoods to compare it with.

Thank you all for the additional responses! Much appreciated! Kristen

Anyone in the UK will tell you what makes a neighborhood is the local pub. Not only a place for a pint, but a living room, a place to meet and to relax. Try the area around Queensway and Bayswater. Lots of small grocery stores, restaurants, takeaways and two tube stations. Our local was the King's Head on the Moscow Road. Wonderful! London is noisy not only with traffic, but with people. Find a place on a square, off a main road and not too near the local and you'll do fine. As for tube stations, it's best to have a choice. In the summer the deep tubes can be horrendously hot, crowded and stuffy (Central line). The surface tubes (Circle) often open up into fresh air and it can make a difference. Also, maintenance is constant so plan on one line being shut and plan a second route. Lots of fun really once you get the hang of it!

I too am planning a trip to London in April. Can any one tell me how bad it is during Easter. Also, I am wondering about the Docklands area. I have read it may not be too safe. thanks, Kathy

DJ, An interesting observation that. I think if one has been to London only once and stayed in a nice nieghborhood there is nothing wrong with recommending it. Just the same way if one has only been to London once and stayed in a crap neighborhood, it behooves them to tell us that as well.

I have stayed in many different areas in London and have enjoyed them all, but of course there are ones that I like better. The Sloane Square area is really nice also have stayed there a couple of times. I like Laurel from Kirkland idea

Hear Hear on the "all neighborhoods" comment. In any regards Docklands is an interesting conglomeration of old and new London. If you read Peter Ackroyds' fascinating but depressing biography of the city (London), you'll understand how neighborhoods change, yet in many ways retain flavors and hints of what the were. Docklands (The Isle of Dogs) is the new London with fringes of the maritime past lingering on the edges like the last of a morning fog. The best way to get a feel for the area is take the Docklands Light Rail (DLR) from Bank Station (tube). You'll pass through the East End and see the council flats you'll want to avoid. Then the new skyscrapers built around the old docks. Intermingled you'll see old dock cranes that used to offload the old break-bulk freighters. Then as you progress south on the DLR towards the Dickensian-sounding area of Mudchute, you'll find an area of old and new. Like any financial district, the nightlife will be lacking, but decent pubs, good restaurants and residential neighborhoods still linger along the Thameside. If not, try Greenwich just across from the Isle of Dogs.
And say hello to the ghost of Brunel where the Great Eastern was launched!

@ Dave I've stayed in South Kensington many, many times. Have stayed in many different areas of London.

Why, Thank you Mark, for mentioning Greenwich. This is where plan to stay on our next trip. The commute to town will be nothing compared to the one I made every day from Clacton-On-Sea during my first trip to the UK. It was wonderful. I felt like a proper commuter

Well put, Mark. I think you're outlined it so well. Safe? So many micro-neighborhoods. I'll go almost anywhere there in the day, but there are areas I'd rather not at night. But, I feel that way about many places, I'm pretty cautious. Just FYI, the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) is driverless. Sometimes there are ticket checkers or people who will operate the console or doors, but its all computerized.

I always stay in Earls Court, its part of the South Kensington area near the SK High st. Safe residential area and loads of conveniences (post office, laundrette, etc) on Earls Ct road including the EC tube station.