Suggestions for where to stay in London?
April 30, 2023 9:32 AM Subscribe
Planning a solo trip to London in July. I’m going to say in a private room in an airbnb, and I’ve got it narrowed down to a few places (after looking at about a zillion).
One is in Shepherds Bush, one is near Paddington, one is in Chiswick. I know the place in Paddingon is the most centrally located. The place in Chiswick has a ton of great reviews and offers breakfast, though it seems a bit far. But maybe not. I need to decide because I’ve already seen a couple of my top contenders get snatched up in the last 48 hours. I don’t have a clear plan yet for how I want to spend my days, but I assume it will be pretty typical, and I want easy access to good transportation. All the places seem great, lots of great reviews with hospitable hosts, so I'm sure I'll be fine wherever I end up, but some input from those who know London would be great. I’m a middle aged woman, fwiw.
One is in Shepherds Bush, one is near Paddington, one is in Chiswick. I know the place in Paddingon is the most centrally located. The place in Chiswick has a ton of great reviews and offers breakfast, though it seems a bit far. But maybe not. I need to decide because I’ve already seen a couple of my top contenders get snatched up in the last 48 hours. I don’t have a clear plan yet for how I want to spend my days, but I assume it will be pretty typical, and I want easy access to good transportation. All the places seem great, lots of great reviews with hospitable hosts, so I'm sure I'll be fine wherever I end up, but some input from those who know London would be great. I’m a middle aged woman, fwiw.
I stayed in South Ealing last time I was in London, which is pretty near Chiswick. It's not ideal being that far out, but as long as you're near a tube station you can just head into town in the morning and come back in the evening and it's time-consuming but not at all difficult. (Make sure the tube is running normally during your vacation so you don't show up thinking you're a few blocks from a station and find that your station is closed part of the time you're there, ask me how I know.) I think I might have felt that I got more out of London as a tourist if I'd stayed more centrally, but I got a better sense of what London is like for Londoners by staying with a friend in a further-out, more residential area. And Chiswick is a nice part of town (I visited there for Taskmaster reasons), with some pretty chill pubs—if you find you burn out on big-city tourism you might enjoy having a home base to retreat to.
posted by babelfish at 9:46 AM on April 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by babelfish at 9:46 AM on April 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
I stayed in Chiswick once when using the nearby archive, and it's a pleasant area, but not somewhere I'd advise someone to stay if you don't have a particular reason to do so.
I agree that you ought to figure out your plan first - most of the main tourist sites are in central London, but not all. Another thing to keep in mind is that the tube is broken into zones, and traveling just within zone 1 (central London) is going to be cheaper than traveling from zone 2 to 1. However buses are actually a great deal- it's a flat rate, and I found them to be quite pleasant, especially if you get to ride in front on the top seats. I know you're likely not trying to find more places, but Brixton is a fairly trendy spot that is fairly well connected to central London by the tube and a bus line.
Otherwise, I'd probably go with the Paddington option - you'll be able to walk to a lot of places - enough to keep you busy for many days.
posted by coffeecat at 9:58 AM on April 30, 2023
I agree that you ought to figure out your plan first - most of the main tourist sites are in central London, but not all. Another thing to keep in mind is that the tube is broken into zones, and traveling just within zone 1 (central London) is going to be cheaper than traveling from zone 2 to 1. However buses are actually a great deal- it's a flat rate, and I found them to be quite pleasant, especially if you get to ride in front on the top seats. I know you're likely not trying to find more places, but Brixton is a fairly trendy spot that is fairly well connected to central London by the tube and a bus line.
Otherwise, I'd probably go with the Paddington option - you'll be able to walk to a lot of places - enough to keep you busy for many days.
posted by coffeecat at 9:58 AM on April 30, 2023
Response by poster: Just to reiterate: I don't exactly know what I'm going to do when I get there. I just decided to go and don't yet have my must-do list compiled, and I may post later for suggestions. But just assume I want to see a lot of the city, go to museums and generally have access to good transportation so I can get where I want to go.
posted by gigondas at 10:00 AM on April 30, 2023
posted by gigondas at 10:00 AM on April 30, 2023
In the absence of a specific reason to stay further out, I'd go for Paddington. Chiswick is a nice area, but its a bit of a trek into the centre on the District Line. Can't think of a reason to stay in Shepherd's Bush - neither as charming as Chiswick nor as central as Paddington.
(I am an ex Londoner, although not for quite a while)
posted by crocomancer at 10:21 AM on April 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
(I am an ex Londoner, although not for quite a while)
posted by crocomancer at 10:21 AM on April 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
Paddington has better links, additionally nearly anywhere on the tube map will do.
I don't think AirBnB are the final answer -- have you considered spending the same on bed-and-breakfast at a Premier Inn, such as Barbican (itself worth a visit). They have comfy beds and either a light breakfast or full buffet.
posted by k3ninho at 10:22 AM on April 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
I don't think AirBnB are the final answer -- have you considered spending the same on bed-and-breakfast at a Premier Inn, such as Barbican (itself worth a visit). They have comfy beds and either a light breakfast or full buffet.
posted by k3ninho at 10:22 AM on April 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Oops. Last comment. I forgot, there's also a place in Camden.
posted by gigondas at 10:42 AM on April 30, 2023
posted by gigondas at 10:42 AM on April 30, 2023
If you're set on West and not sure of the plan (apologies, I thought you'd have at least a few things cemented!) I'd go for Paddington. The canal is quite cute, there's great connections and you'll be set for whatever adventures you decide to take.
posted by socky_puppy at 11:00 AM on April 30, 2023
posted by socky_puppy at 11:00 AM on April 30, 2023
Another vote for the one near Paddington. It was my local station when I was staying there, and getting anywhere I wanted to go was super easy.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:29 AM on April 30, 2023
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:29 AM on April 30, 2023
Paddington would be the most convenient, I agree.
(Side note: if you're on a tighter budget, as I assume with the AirBnB, consider the Jesmond Hotel. Basic, but clean, comfortable, and safe, with a nice filling breakfast included, and ace location for quality time at the BM.)
posted by praemunire at 11:38 AM on April 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
(Side note: if you're on a tighter budget, as I assume with the AirBnB, consider the Jesmond Hotel. Basic, but clean, comfortable, and safe, with a nice filling breakfast included, and ace location for quality time at the BM.)
posted by praemunire at 11:38 AM on April 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
Please do consider the ethics of using AirBNBs in London. It is similar to someone buying stolen bikes on the market: great for the user as "it's cheaper", but the user would have abetted in unlawful activity and it is very bad for society.
1. A room or someone occasionally letting out their entire place is NOT the issue. The issue is when good long-term housing being taken off the market on a permanent basis, to be let to tourists who don't want to pay extra for hotels.
2. Hotels cost more than AirBNBs, as they have additional public liability insurance, employ cleaners, pay business taxes for the increased wear and tear and disruption to the local area.
3. The AirBNB host is likely to be breaking the law when they let a property out on a permanent basis in London as they are unlikely to have gotten planning permission (you can check the planning register for the council). You will be abetting in unlawful activity if you chose to stay in an AirBNB that is being let out for more than 90 days without appropriate permission.
From the Mayor of London website:
"It is unlawful for a residential property in London to be used as 'temporary sleeping accommodation' without planning permission when it doesn’t meet these two conditions. This means that any property used for short term lettings for a total of more than 90 nights in a calendar year must have planning permission from the local council in which it is based."
4. No, AirBNB do NOT enforce London's regulations. They keep themselves at arms length and acknowledge no liability whatsoever. They do nothing about fake listings, scam listings, and unlawful listings.
5. Your details may be released at a future date if a council obtains a court order to release their data, as has happened by the Kensington and Chelsea council.
--
k3ninho above made a great suggestion of staying at a Premier Inn. To that I will add Travelodge as options for somewhere that has a decent professional brand, clean, law-abiding, pays commercial taxes, and located fairly centrally to enjoy what London's cultural scene has to offer.
Premier Inn and Travelodge are also priced fairly competitively. Paddington is a good central-ish location with excellent transport links.
Welcome to London. Please do not destroy the culture and drive up housing costs of ordinary residents by using AirBNBs.
posted by moiraine at 11:48 AM on April 30, 2023 [9 favorites]
1. A room or someone occasionally letting out their entire place is NOT the issue. The issue is when good long-term housing being taken off the market on a permanent basis, to be let to tourists who don't want to pay extra for hotels.
2. Hotels cost more than AirBNBs, as they have additional public liability insurance, employ cleaners, pay business taxes for the increased wear and tear and disruption to the local area.
3. The AirBNB host is likely to be breaking the law when they let a property out on a permanent basis in London as they are unlikely to have gotten planning permission (you can check the planning register for the council). You will be abetting in unlawful activity if you chose to stay in an AirBNB that is being let out for more than 90 days without appropriate permission.
From the Mayor of London website:
"It is unlawful for a residential property in London to be used as 'temporary sleeping accommodation' without planning permission when it doesn’t meet these two conditions. This means that any property used for short term lettings for a total of more than 90 nights in a calendar year must have planning permission from the local council in which it is based."
4. No, AirBNB do NOT enforce London's regulations. They keep themselves at arms length and acknowledge no liability whatsoever. They do nothing about fake listings, scam listings, and unlawful listings.
5. Your details may be released at a future date if a council obtains a court order to release their data, as has happened by the Kensington and Chelsea council.
--
k3ninho above made a great suggestion of staying at a Premier Inn. To that I will add Travelodge as options for somewhere that has a decent professional brand, clean, law-abiding, pays commercial taxes, and located fairly centrally to enjoy what London's cultural scene has to offer.
Premier Inn and Travelodge are also priced fairly competitively. Paddington is a good central-ish location with excellent transport links.
Welcome to London. Please do not destroy the culture and drive up housing costs of ordinary residents by using AirBNBs.
posted by moiraine at 11:48 AM on April 30, 2023 [9 favorites]
As long as we're throwing in lodging recommendations, I was very happy at the Rhodes Hotel in Sussex Gardens. It was clean, comfortable, and affordable, close to two tube stations and Hyde Park, and there were plenty of shops and cafes nearby for cheap eats.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:56 AM on April 30, 2023
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:56 AM on April 30, 2023
Response by poster: Hey all: I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm totally sold on the airbnb with host option. The places I've picked look really nice, I'll have my own bathroom, and are affordable. The fact of a friendly someone being there is kind of a plus. I'm not used to traveling alone, so I deliberately sought out this option.
posted by gigondas at 12:05 PM on April 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by gigondas at 12:05 PM on April 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've stayed in B&Bs where the owner was sociable and a great resource for what to do, how to get there, what not to do, and that's a great help. Trains and tube and buses make getting around possible, but travel time is annoying (use it to write postcards and tag photos). Safety would be my top concern. I searched London Maps By Safety.
posted by theora55 at 12:46 PM on April 30, 2023
posted by theora55 at 12:46 PM on April 30, 2023
I spent a week at a hotel in Paddington on my last trip over and I LOVED IT. (I also enjoyed the place I stayed at for a few days in Waterloo but just liked Paddington more.)
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:57 PM on April 30, 2023
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:57 PM on April 30, 2023
Don't bother with Shepherds Bush.
It's not very nice and the additional transport options over Chiswick aren't worth it.
Also you can get there from Chiswick trivially on the 237 bus, which runs extremely regularly.
Chiswick is basically fine transport wise. You can get the District Line and the Piccadilly line, or you can head a short way to Gunnersbury for the overground, or slightly further to Kew Bridge for main line services.
It's very handy for things like Richmond Park and Kew Gardens, and also good access to Kensington for the museum zone. Until a few months ago I lived very close to Chiswick (Brentford) and found it a breeze to get into Central London.
Paddington has better transport links, especially with Crossrail available.
You can walk to Kensington through Hyde Park, or get on all the same tube lines as Chiswick with a bonus central line. The area is not as nice as Chiswick, so if you want to wake up and have coffee or brunch or something you'll struggle to beat Chiswick. But it's certainly pleasant enough.
But from Paddington you could take a walk through Hyde Park, and then Green Park and find yourself at Big Ben in about an hour.
Lastly, Camden. (I'm assuming Camden Town)
Camden is a similar to Paddington in terms of general niceness, though it'll be busier. If you want somewhere lively, with music and bars Camden is a good place. I always found it a bit annoyingly crowded and surprisingly not great transport wise. It is also about an hours walk into central london.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 6:06 PM on April 30, 2023
It's not very nice and the additional transport options over Chiswick aren't worth it.
Also you can get there from Chiswick trivially on the 237 bus, which runs extremely regularly.
Chiswick is basically fine transport wise. You can get the District Line and the Piccadilly line, or you can head a short way to Gunnersbury for the overground, or slightly further to Kew Bridge for main line services.
It's very handy for things like Richmond Park and Kew Gardens, and also good access to Kensington for the museum zone. Until a few months ago I lived very close to Chiswick (Brentford) and found it a breeze to get into Central London.
Paddington has better transport links, especially with Crossrail available.
You can walk to Kensington through Hyde Park, or get on all the same tube lines as Chiswick with a bonus central line. The area is not as nice as Chiswick, so if you want to wake up and have coffee or brunch or something you'll struggle to beat Chiswick. But it's certainly pleasant enough.
But from Paddington you could take a walk through Hyde Park, and then Green Park and find yourself at Big Ben in about an hour.
Lastly, Camden. (I'm assuming Camden Town)
Camden is a similar to Paddington in terms of general niceness, though it'll be busier. If you want somewhere lively, with music and bars Camden is a good place. I always found it a bit annoyingly crowded and surprisingly not great transport wise. It is also about an hours walk into central london.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 6:06 PM on April 30, 2023
I've stayed in Paddington and loved the convenience and centrality. Can't speak about the other locations though.
I'd say if your trip is relatively short and/or you want to pack quite a bit in, stay more central as time spent travelling from further away will add up. If time is not a factor then if it were me I'd go for the biggest or most comfortable room.
posted by pianissimo at 12:34 AM on May 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'd say if your trip is relatively short and/or you want to pack quite a bit in, stay more central as time spent travelling from further away will add up. If time is not a factor then if it were me I'd go for the biggest or most comfortable room.
posted by pianissimo at 12:34 AM on May 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'd say definitely Paddington or Camden because they're more central and will probably be closer to whatever it is you want to do. Which of the two depends a bit on exactly where in each area it is. Staying right by Camden Market is going to be a lot busier and noisier than in one of Camden's residential streets only 5-10 minutes walk away. Paddington is mostly not very interesting as an area, but there are some nice spots nearby. A few streets can make a big difference.
posted by fabius at 5:37 AM on May 1, 2023
posted by fabius at 5:37 AM on May 1, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
Chiswick seems a bit isolated to me but I'm biased because I lived in East London for over a decade. Paddington is really well connected now with the Crossrail / Elizabeth Line
posted by socky_puppy at 9:42 AM on April 30, 2023