betsytom

My husband is being posted to London for three months - Jan to March, 2007. We're in the process of trying to find him a short term flat, and there seem to be a lot of options - so many, I'm having trouble figuring out where the best location is to focus in on! He'll be working near Parliament. We live in DC in a very urban environment, surrounded by shops and restaurants, and walking distance to work, and would like to recreate that situation in London. Any suggested areas to focus on? Even better - specific apartment recommendations?! Thanks!

janisj

Westminster, Pimlico, Victoria are all w/i walking distance

janisj

BTW - isn't your husband's firm helping/arranging accomodations for him??

Carrybean

What price?

betsytom

To answer above questions: 800 sterling/week. Yes, they would help arrange a place - but we don't really trust them to find the "best" spot to live in! I understand Pimlico is a bit "boring" (so says a friend) ? . . . how is Bermondsey street near the Tower Bridge?

Jufrpereira

I think this is a very hard question and pesonal question, but here you have my personal comments. I moved to London 1 year ago and I live on the South West side (Fulham) that is full of bars, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, etc... I have a friend who lives in Bermondsey and I think it is a bit dead during the weekends (again, my opinion). My advice to anyone that comes to London is to try to live near a tube station/bus stop and don't bother trying to live walking distance from work as most places that are a walking distance from work will be absolutely dead during weekends. I suggest you have a look around Fulham, Chelsea, Parsons Green - they are very "lively" locations and 30 -40 min away by tube from the City (where yr husband will be) which , for London, is not bad at all. Hope this helped! cheers, J.

highledge

south ken has some nice looking short term lettings in serviced buildings. Most rents can be negotiated down. Jan-Mar isn't the height of the season (lots of short term rents in the summer).
look at Gloucester Rd or Knightbridge

janisj

I would stay someplace walking distance to Westminster (which is why I suggested Pimlico/Victoria/Westminster). One can get to any "exciting" neighborhood you want easily by tube/bus. One doesn't necessarily want to sleep in an exciting area - for that quiet (i.e. boring) is usually better.

betsytom

Thanks for your replies - I agree, this is a tough question to answer, given how everyone's taste is different! Another, related, question - it seems as though very few places are located on the river/with views of the river? The only ones I've found appear to be on the south side of the Thames (hence the Bermondsey question above). Ah, to dream!

janisj

I have friends w/ wonderful views of the river, in Chelsea, at Butlers Wharf, in Bermondsey, Upper Thames Street - however their houses/flats almost cost £850-£1million and up (waaaaay up in a couple of instances).

I do know of one really (REALLY) nice 1 bdrm flat in Butler's Wharf w/ wonderful views of the river - but I think it rents for £1600/£1700 per week.

janisj

oh - just to clarify - Chelsea, Butlers Wharf, Bermondsey, and Upper Thames Street are all different parts of London . . . .

Calamari

London is such a fastinating place to live. I enjoyed living in both Belgravia and Maidavale (Little Venice). Our house in Maidavale was in the poets corner and steps away from the Warwick tube station which I think is the Northern line. Janis will know for sure. I just can't recall. It was very easy to connect with the rest of London from there. My other favorite flats were in Highgate and Hampsted are too far for your purposes. Certainly worthy of exploring however.

highledge

if you have a relocation agency helping you out use them as a starting point and come back to us with their suggestions!

audere_est_facere

It depends on what you like doing. Fulham, Parsons Green etc (which is near where I live) is good for nightlife, but full of appaling MPS kids living in houseshares (not to mention the sith bliddy effrikans).

Other areas are quieter. So what are your priorities?

betsytom

Thanks so much for all of your input!We've been given details on a two bedroom flat in Putney, five minutes walk from Putney Bridge station. Living room has a sliding glass door that fronts to a garden and the bank of the Thames appears to be about 30 feet away. I believe its Deodar street? How is this area? Pubs and shops nearby? Obviously the riverside access/view is terrific! Again, my husband would be commuting to Westminster, so this would seem to be a good commute. Any thoughts? We're late thirties, no children, used to living in a very urban neighborhood (downtown Washington, D.C.), with restaurants and bars right outside our door. We both currently walk to work - about 1/2 mile a way. We like this sort of setting (our current one) - but if we could upgrade to something similar with a river view of the Thames . . . well!

PatrickLondon

Putney is a pretty pricey part of London. I lived there most of my life, and though I haven't been back in a while, it appears to have gone even more upmarket (maybe some connection there). The High St is a pretty good shopping centre; there are plenty of pubs and restaurants within walking distance. Its big attraction is that it's surrounded on three sides by open (and protected) common land where you can pretend you're more or less in the country without ever straying too far from public transport home.

Deodar Rd is - or was in my day - one of the poshest streets in Putney. Very few places in London have gardens that go right down to the river, though the view is nothing particularly remarkable. The commute is pretty good by London standards. You can either walk over the footbridge to Putney Bridge tube station to Westminster, or up the High St to take the suburban train to Waterloo: one has less walking but longer in the train, the other vice versa.

m_kingdom2

800 a week is a very decent budget for a small, i.e. one bed flat. I'd stay in Mayfair which will have the restaurants, and shops that you're used to, as well as plenty of transport links - you can walk to Westminster, as well as the bus/tube options.

South of the river is if you want something young/trendy/up-and-coming loft/warehouse style living. Belgravia is another upmarket area, despite sharing the SW1 postcode, it is actually further from the Houses of Parliament than Mayfair in parts.

Other suggestions such as Putney/Hampstead are only suitable if you want to start commuting to work, I think that a short bus/tube journey, or a half hour walk is far preferable to an hour and a half nightmare in rush hour.

But as other have noted, it all depends on what you enjoy in an area... have a look on primelocation.com to give you an idea of the types of property available. Mayfair will offer you apartments in purpose built buildings, and possibly mews houses (tiny one in your price bracket). Belgravia/Pimlico (which is far less desirable) will offer apartments that are mainly in converted houses, albeit it very smart ones in this area. South of the river will be new build apartments either of a generic style of warehouse conversions. This will give you an idea of what you'll be living in.

janisj

If you mean the Deodar Road flat offered by Price Apartments for £600+ www.priceapts.co.uk/paputneyfl8.htm - that is a good deal. Price Apartments is a well-known and reputable rental agency. I believe one is limited to a 12 week rental - but if that fits your schedule, I'd say go for it.

Another benefit is is is in zone 2 so transport will be reasonable.

janisj

It looks like Price has two flats in the same bldg - either would be fine . . .

betsytom

It is Price Apartments - its a 2 bedroom flat (not listed on their website, though I believe in the same buidling as the one you mention). Rate is 800/week. I was under the impression it was an easy commute from Putney to Westminster?