Mambo5

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/11986/

Has anyone stayed in this flat? Or if you know anything about this area please let me know. I'm looking for somewhere suitable for a family with children. Is it convenient to the tourist attractions? Do you think it's a good rate?
Thanks

david_west

I don’t know the flat but I know the area well, and it’s nice. It’s an upmarket residential area of London popular with ex-pats (esp the Japanese). There’s not much of note in the area (even the famous Abbey Rd Studios are quite non-descript). The most famous thing in the area (Beatles notwithstanding) is Lords Cricket Ground – the home of cricket. It can get busy on the days of internationals and finals, otherwise it doesn’t impact.

It’s got a good tube link in – and loads of buses.

There’s not a lot of night life in the area, but central London is 20 minutes away.

Mambo5

Thanks David!
Do you think the location is a good base for sightseeing?
And (this might be pushing it a bit!) do you happen to know if there's a car rental place nearby?
My son and husband will be THRILLED to be near Lords. They may abandon the rest of us so they can take in a match!

I hope it's available.

david_west

It’s fine for sightseeing – you are a hop and a skip from the centre on either the tube or the extensive bus network. It’s zone two so you’re nice and central.

I haven’t the foggiest on cars - I live here, so I don’t rent cars here.

As regards cricket – Lords is used by Middlesex as their home ground, it is also used for international matches and the major cup finals.

You can just pitch up for Middlesex games, but the others will be sold out. I would recommend that Americans (or foreigners generally) start with a limited overs game, as it’s easier to follow and it’s clear who’s winning and why.

The fixtures are published in the papers and online.

Mambo5

So it should be easy to buy a good cricket bat close by ?
Our son plays a lot of cricket and a new bat is on his list of things to buy. Nice and light to travel with!

Mambo5

Sorry, me again. What about soccer? Any games played within a reasonable distance?

david_west

There is a sports store in the ground that sells top-end cricket bats (and they can cost hundreds of pounds). You can also get advice from a pro in choosing. Otherwise go to a sport shop like Lilywhites in Piccadilly for more run of the mill type brands.

There are lots of football teams in London – none of which are exactly close to St Johns Wood. The Borg at the Emirates stadium are the closest probably,and Chelski are the easiest to get to, but you will need to organise tickets long before you get here.

Fulham is probably your best bet for premiership action in London without paying through a tout.

Spurs, of course, are the connoisseur’s choice.

owain

If you fancy a football match without having to plan ahead to get extortionate Chelsea tickets, and aren't snobbish or naive enough to think only the Premiership matters, there's plenty of options. Queens Park Rangers are perhaps the nearest lower-division team.

Mambo5

Thanks for the sports advice, I'll pass it onto my husband.

Darnit - just heard back from the owner of the flat and it's occupied the whole time we're in England.

Do you all know if this flat is in a good area? North West London. The website describes it as "Only 2 minutes walk from Finchley Road Subway Station (on both the Jubilee Line and the Metropolitan Line) and 10 minutes by subway to the centre of London."

m_kingdom2

I am not sure why you want to stay out of the centre, admittedly St John's Wood isn't far from it, but you're a tourist and wasting time commuting daily (for the things you will want to visit will largely be in the centre) is, well, a waste.

Look at W1 area, far more central. Also St John's Wood isn't my cup of tea, full of people who think they are bigtime, but are so smalltime they cannot see it.

janisj

m_kingdom: She's moved on from the St John's Woos place - it is booked up. Now she is asking about Finchley Rd.

mambo5: Both areas are fine but are also a bit far from any of the major sites. Finchley Rd is not far from Hampstead Heath but you will spend a lot of time getting to/from sightseeing,theatres etc.

Unless you are getting a really good rate, I would look for something in a more central neighborhood.

Look in South Kensington, Russell Square, maybe Marylebone. Those sorts of areas.

janisj

oops - St John's Wood . . . .

No matter, that flat is now out of consideration.

m_kingdom2

Finchley Road is even worse in terms of position (it is before you come to St John's Wood when approaching from the north, i.e. further from Central London). Really, you should be looking at places in zone 1 on the tube map - the central area.

david_west

Finchley Rd is fine enough - but quite a step down from St John's Wood. It's a residential area and as such is well served by shops and other facilities. But it's a bit dull. (I once saw Keith Richard in the Waitrose in Swiss Cottage - which destroyed a lifetimes worth of illusions, he was buying muesli - there's something wrong with that). It's on the Jubilee line (like St Johns Wood) and also on the Metropolitan line so access to Central London is easy.

Mkingdom is being slightly disingenuous in stating that you should only look in W1 (home of air dogs, euro-trash, tarts and poodlefakers). While being very ordinary, somewhere like Finchley Rd is effectively very central. He makes a few stops on the tube sound like the retreat from Stalingrad.

Yes if you have the money you could stay more centrally, but you won't find Finchley Rd too inconvenient. From memory there are two pubs, a supermarket, a few restaurants, a horrible "entertainment centre" with a cinema, chain stores and restaurants and a titty bar. What more could you possibly want?

Also if you are staying there and are keen to see some football you might like to consider Watford - who are at the end of the (fast) Metropolitan Line, and have just been promoted to the Premiership. You might even see Elton John there.

Mambo5

"I once saw Keith Richard in the Waitrose in Swiss Cottage.." LOL - I agree, what a let down!

Yikes, Fincley Road is sounding pretty bad. I will try searching again with a tube map - zone 1, right? - and look at
South Kensington, Russell Square, and Marylebone.

Long ago I found a 1-bedroom in SW5 0TG (Knaresborough Place?)for 170 pounds which seemed a lot at the time...but perhaps the location is that much better than further afield.

Thanks

david_west

Right here’s the deal – location on the map matter a great deal less than ability to get to and from it. Finchley Rd may look a long way out, but it’s just a few minutes from Baker St, where as there are places that look well placed but are a bugger to get to and from (Marble Arch being a prime example).

BTW there’s nothing actually wrong with Finchley Rd – it’s just not very glamourous.

londonengland

Finchley Road isn't a bad area just not as tourist friendly as Bloomsbury or South Kensington - the choice of restaurants close by is not as good as the latter two - also there is something to be said for being on the District or Piccadilly lines as these enable you to see most of the sights without having to change underground line. Bloomsbury also has the British Museum within walking distance. South Kensington has Hyde Park (well Kensington Gardens) and the Natural History, V&A and Science Museums nearby.