Although we had a delightful stay on the Brompton Road between Knightsbridge and South Kensington in 2009, when we return to London this Fall, my wife would like to lodge in a flat in some other neighborhood for the variety. We've stayed in Innesmore Gardens, Mayfair (ritzy but dull and with few informal dining opportunities) and in the well-located flat in 2009.
We are now looking for a flat in a different "neighborhood". Ideally, the neighborhood would be safe, quiet (at night at least) and have amenities similar to our 2009 venue: several restaurants of various ethnicity, at least a couple of pubs, a reasonably-stocked green grocer, and good Underground access. Suggestion are highly welcome.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33818 posts
I had two thoughts - the City and Marylebone, and Keith took the words out of my mouth with Marylebone, so my suggestion is Marylebone. Unless you want to be more in the sticks and more living like a (posh) local - then I might think of Hampstead or Belsize Park. The Marylebone area is in Zone 1, the nearest Tube stations are Marylebone (Bakerloo), Baker Street (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee and Bakerloo), and Bond Street (Central Line and Jubilee). Hampstead is in both zones 2 and 3, Belsize Park is in Zone 2; they are both on the Edgware Branch of the Northern Line. Hampstead has a real village (by London Standards) feel with lots of small shops (posh) and is also close to Hampstead Heath. Belsize Park is just one notch lower down the scale, and one notch further down the hill, also gives out to Hampstead Heath and onto Primrose Hill from which there are wonderful views over London.
Posted by
Portage, canada
67 posts
We stayed in Kilburn area last summer. It fits your description with all the amenities you mention on the High Street. (I didn't pay much attention to ethnicities but I think they are there.) Good restaurant kitty-corner from the tube station, and then good pub food in the "small but beautiful inn" (I think that's the name). We stayed on Mowbray in a bnb, about 5 min from the tube station. Quiet, safe, really easy to get around. Park nearby. In Zone 2, but not expensive, so i guess you would have to check out restaurants on-line to know if it's what you want.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
1068 posts
We were in London in January, stayed in Marylebone. It was perfect. We were a few blocks from the Baker Street tube stop. The neighborhood is close to the Edgeware Road for great Middle Eastern and Indian food, has nice pubs, good local amenities - a chippie, nice grocery stores, a movie theatre, etc., etc., and is safe and easy to get to whether by tube or bus. We loved it.
Posted by
OP
Seattle
149 posts
The : After about a month of combing through websites (and trying to weed out the lodging-come-latelies that came into the flat rental business just for the 2012 Olympics but stayed around), we were unable to identify a new "neighborhood" to try, so we settled back on trying to find something in South Kensington both affordable and a reasonable walking distance from the South Kensington or Gloucester Road underground stations. If we could have been about halfway between South Ken and Knightsbridge (and especially within a close walk from that fabulous restaurant area near Beauchamps Place), that would have been perfect, but, alas (I've always wanted to say or write "alas"), we couldn't find an optimum deal. Sometimes, the old ways turn out to be the best. We've gone back to London Connections, with which we've booked for two two previous travels, and will be staying in perhaps dull, but posh and well-located on the Picadilly Line, Mayfair. I just hope that we'll not be forced to purchase our groceries from Her Majesty's green grocer, Fortnum and Mason.