Very British Neighborhood in London

Old May 20th, 2017, 09:07 PM
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Very British Neighborhood in London

We are looking for something a little different on our next trip to London. Last year we spent a week in Holborn at the Thistle Holborn The Kingsley which worked well for the purpose of that trip. Before that we rented a flat in Notting Hill which is no longer available. We are planning this as a stopover for a few days between the Continent and our stay in Oxford. Mr. Wonderful would like a location that is not quite as busy as the major street we were on in Holborn, and with a few nice pubs. I would like a tearoom and a shop or two. We'd like to keep the cost per night at no more than 300GBP. Does anyone know of a hotel that might fit the bill? It doesn't have to be particularly convenient for seeing major sights.

Another possibility will be to take a cab from St. Pancras,when we get off the Eurostar, to Paddington and head straight to Oxford. It will depend on what the family wishes to do. I am working on plans for a Christmas trip for extended family who may not all travel together and instead will meet at a country house hotel for the Christmas holiday.
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Old May 20th, 2017, 11:44 PM
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With that spec, I'd suggest looking around Red Lion St/Brunswick Square, but it would help to know which the "major" street was.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 01:00 AM
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London is probably the least British place in the UK given that one third of it's population were born abroad.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 01:17 AM
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So what is very British, a thatched house near the sea where the residents have no teeth, have pot luck Marmite parties, and innocents are murdered by women authors?

As someone who lives in NY, there are always people who claim we are not America or we do not live real lives. I tell them to go buy toilet paper from a local drug store chain and go and clean my apartment, if you want to see the real America.

There are variations on what any country may be. London like NY is teeming with immigrants who create its version of that country who add little bits of their own.

It is absurd these days there is one idealized or romanticized version of any one industrialized modern country.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 01:38 AM
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I think I know what you mean. Holborn is very busy. While not as central try looking in Notting Hill, Hampstead or South Kensington. Still will be busy, but people actually live in these neighbourhoods.

Another interesting area is Hoxton.

I live in London so I am not familiar with hotels but www.booking.com is a good resource to put filters on neighbourhoods and price caps.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 01:56 AM
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Or stay out of the centre altogether, say, Greenwich or Richmond - but anywhere is atypical of some aspect of Britain (or I'd have suggested looking around Hampstead, for example).

>> a thatched house near the sea where the residents have no teeth, have pot luck Marmite parties, and innocents are murdered by women authors?
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Old May 21st, 2017, 06:36 AM
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Why not Hampstead? I once stayed here:

http://www.lagaffe.co.uk/accommodation.php
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Old May 21st, 2017, 06:38 AM
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Well, Hogarth House is in Richmond and Virginia Woolf did murder-off Septimus Warren Smith.

Thin
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Old May 21st, 2017, 01:19 PM
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The Thistle Holborn is on Bloomsbury Way right after it splits from New Oxford Street. There is a bus stop out front which made it very convenient and it sits a couple of blocks in front of the British Museum. Very convenient and very busy. It is near St Pancras and Paddington stations which we used a few times during our stay to travel from Bath and to visit Tring, Bedford and Windsor.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 01:34 PM
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I thought that every part of London is British or do you mean ethnic white Britons?
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Old May 21st, 2017, 01:40 PM
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Thank you for the suggestions; we'll look at Greenwich, Richmond and Hampstead as well as hotels in Notting Hill. Staying in Richmond would get me back to the Original Maids of Honour for tea and I still owe Mr. Wonderful a beer in Kew.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 02:42 PM
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Hampstead is always my first choice for the ambiance you seem to want. Then Richmond. You're on the right track, to my way of thinking.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 03:38 PM
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Thanks MmePerdu, I like your way of thinking. Looking forward to reading your adventures on the Thames Path more thoroughly. Have been reading bits and pieces and loving the photos. We walked the path from Richmond to Kew one very warm day which why I owe a debt of beer.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 04:56 PM
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Jamikins I do not know about Hoxton and will take a look at it as well, thanks.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 04:57 PM
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I'm glad you like them, Scootoir. One of these days (years) I'm going attempt the rest, Kew Bridge to the Thames Barrier. Maybe we should make it a Fodor's event, drop in when you can for a 5 mile (or so) section, a moveable GTG.
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Old May 21st, 2017, 11:09 PM
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The Laslett in Notting Hill is very nice. Fairly new, small, very friendly. Steps from Notting Hill Gate tube, but in a quiet street.

Let me know if you want recommendations for nearby pubs.
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Old May 22nd, 2017, 01:11 AM
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This thread delivers.
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Old May 22nd, 2017, 06:56 AM
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"every part of London is British" apart from the embassies and a very small bit of Runnymede
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Old May 22nd, 2017, 07:01 AM
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You want quintessentially British, rent a council flat.

;-)
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Old May 22nd, 2017, 08:10 AM
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Good one Big Russ.
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