Is Paddington Area really that bad?
 

We (2 couples in our 50's) have booked the Quality Crown Hotel London Paddington for 5 days in May and despite doing our research prior to booking, we now are finding more negative reviews about the area and the hotel. The main reasons for booking that hotel was for its proximity to the tube and the ease in getting to Heathrow for an early morning flight (our preference is to stay in the same hotel throughout the short stay and we booked the 'Contemporary King' room after reading about the small rooms).

Our booking can be cancelled up to 4pm on the day prior to our arrival without penalty. So we have time to continue looking at other areas .... Mayfair, Knightsbridge?? We also have time to try Priceline or go through Hotwire.

Is Paddington an unsafe area and one that we should avoid? Do we need to keep looking?

Paddington is safe...don't fret!

Is Paddington an unsafe area and one that we should avoid? >>>>

No. Avoid the Holloway and Paddington Green area (one is horrid the other is full of transvestite tarts and a huge police station. Coincidence? You tell me.)

Yes, I agree, you don't need to worry Paddington is fine.

darn - I posted a reply and it vaporized ??

Anyway -- Paddington is not in Siberia. It is on the very NW corner of central London and is perfectly safe.

the problems are not safety - they are location. Paddington is on the tube - however since most sights are in the S/Central/SE parts of central London you will have fairly long tube rides to most sites.

And yes, there is the HEX train right there -- but a car service for 4 would be much cheaper than the HEX.

Your hotel is directly outside the station in Praed St so it is pretty congested.

So - IF you got a terrific rate, and IF you prepaid - there is nothing 'wrong' w/ Paddington. It is just there are nicer areas closer to the things you'll want to see.

If you didn't get a terrific rate and if you didn't pre-pay, you can look in more central neighborhoods, use a car service and save money.

But if you are "stuck", there are worse places to be stuck . . .

It's really not a long tube ride...you can be at Oxford Circus/Picadilly Circus in 10- minutes.....

"<i>you can be at Oxford Circus/Picadilly Circus in 10- minutes.....</i>"

true - but the Tower is all the way across the city, the British Museum takes a line change, Big Ben/Westminster Abbey - a long ride around on the Circle line or w/ a change, St Paul's - a line change, etc.

Like I said, it isn't terrible - it is just that there ARE more convenient areas.

I live in Bayswater which is very close to Paddington - the area would be ideal as the transport links from here are excellent (as you know). Quite a buzzy/transient feel but quite safe provided you take all the big city precautions. Great central location - walk to Oxford Street/Hyde Park. Mayfair and Knightsbridge are of course more upmarket and really nice but you will definately pay more for the privledge and transport is the downside.

I am sure you will have a lovely trip no matter where you decide to stay.

There is nothing wrong with Paddington, we are similar ages to you and stayed there for a few weeks and quite liked it. We never felt unsafe but were not out after midnight. There are some very elegant old houses that have seen better days and are now apartments, hotels, etc. The area attracts lots of budget travellers, there are loads of cheaper hotels in the area. Consequently there are lots of reasonably priced places to eat.

Queensway (a main street) is a 15 min walk away and this has Bayswater and Queensway tube stations as well, so you have a good choice of tube lines. You can also catch the bus to Oxford Street, an easy trip. If you do stay there, you will find quite a few restaurants upstairs in Whiteleys on Queensway. Whiteleys was the first department store in London and is an old, elegant building now full of shops and places to eat.

Mayfair and Knightsbridge are more upmarket and hotels will cost a lot more. It doesn't matter where you stay in London, you will not be close to all the main sights anyway, they are too spread out.

Kay

How could I forget that Lancaster Gate Undergound station is only about a 5 minute walk from Paddington Station when I did it every day for quite a while? It gives you the extra option of the Central Line, in addition to the Circle, District, Bakerloo and Hammersmith and City line at Paddington station itself. There are also a lot of useful buses from there.

you will have fairly long tube rides to most sites."

in London, a tube ride is hardly avoidable.
We stayed near Paddington and had no problems;
walked to Maida Vale ( lovely area with canals ,restaurats), Notting Hill, Kensigton Gardens, Albert Hall, Marble Arch etc ., plus a number of tube lines and a train station is right there.
Great location if you are taking Heathrow Express.

<<< in London, a tube ride is hardly avoidable. >>>

Stay near Trafalgar Square or in Westminster proper and there are a large number of major tourist sights within 10 minutes WALK.

Same if you stay in South Kensington or The City

Paddington means you will ALWAYS have to take a Tube or bus ride

Everyone is right - but note the location of the OP's hotel. It is right outside the entrance to the station - probably 30 seconds walk. They're not in Bayswater, not in Lancaster Gate, not in Queensway, but in Praed St right in front of Paddington. I've stayed in LG many times - my main concern it the specific location of <u>this hotel</u>. Just a heads up about the congestion. There is nothing wrong w/ the area (in general) but don't give them the idea they are in a leafy street just off Hyde Park.

Didn't see alanRow's post - he totally gets it - staying in Paddington by definition means long/frequent tube/bus rides.

Those really aren't long tube rides....right to the West end of the Central line...then you are talking about long.

I have been to London about 20 times over the past 30 years. I have stayed in many parts, Pimlico, Notting Hill, South Kensington, Paddington, Bloomsbury and a few others. Area means little to. The Tube ride or buss make going across the City is a bit longer/shorter from different places, however, it never really mater. As a solo traveler I have stayed at a small hotel, on Sussex Gardens, four blocks from Paddington station. One near Lancaster Gate and another one whick I can't remember.

To me Location doesn't matter much, but I do like taking the Heathrow Express from Paddington. The area is of mixed races, lots of places to eat, mostly geared to the tourist. I like it and feel comfortable while there.

Sorry about the typo's.

We have stayed in the Paddington area many times. No problems. In fact, our first stay there was so long ago that our rooms (with breakfast) cost one pound one penny per person per night. Guess when that was!

I'm not mad about Paddington ('tho it's perfectly safe), but I am mad about Marylebone. Head there to eat your dinners and have a great time touring there, too. It's one of the very best neighborhoods in today's London for no end of things to enjoy (except Mme Tussaud's! Try Daunt's bookstore instead!)

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"major tourist sights within 10 minutes WALK.

Same if you stay in South Kensington or The City



Yup. just 10 min walk from SK to the the Tower,
or from the City to Albert Hall.