rosebud

Can someone tell me if these are both nice areas? I've found what appears to be a lovely rental flat in kensington, and I'm wondering if it's a safe and convenient place for a family to stay.

Your opinions please...?

victoria_reynolds

Kensington is quite posh! We stayed in a flat in Bullingham Mansions off Kensingston Church and the neighborhood was first rate --not too noisy and lots of restaurants to walk to, etc. Just check to be sure the Kensington High Tube stop is near by because you'll probably be walking to it frequently! South Kensingston might be a little more accessible, but Kensington is lovely and safe.

janis

Both areas are terrific. Both have very posh bits. South Kens is a bit more convenient but Kensington is great.

BUT - what street is the flat in? Many agencies advertise their places are in Kensington or South Kensington -- when they are actually in Earls Court. There is a HUGE difference.

rosebud

I am working on getting an exact street address. The ad says it's a seven minute walk to West Kensington underground station and a five mnute walk to Hammersmith High Street. Does that help?

janis

as I suspected. West Kensington tube station is west of Earls Court - it is in neither Kensington nor South Kensington

(Double check the street name w/i walking distance though -- there is a Hammersmith rd and a Kensington High Street -- but no Hammersmith High street)

francophile03

We stayed at the former Forum Hotel (now a Holiday Inn) in the area. Kensington High Street was nearby and it reminded me a little of Blvd. St. Germain in Paris, very busy and with lots of shops.

janis

the hotel francophile mentions is very near the Gloucester Rd tube station -- it is more than a mile from West Kensington station. Not really the same neighborhood at all

flanneruk

There's nothing particularly suspicious about their naming a non-existent street: lots of us think Hammersmith Broadway is called Hammersmith High St.

And there's nothing suspect either about their calling this fairly nondescript area Kensington. The flat itself might even - just - be inside the Ken+Chelsea borough boundary. But anyone not trying to sell a property would call it Hammersmith really. Describing London locations is more an art than a science - and when estate agents get involved, it becomes a pretty black art. We routinely expect a bit of what you might call neighbourhood drift in property ads.

We also expect a bit of sprinter's drift. There's no such thing as a British Standard Walking Time: they might claim Tesco is ten minutes away (but then the meat counter there is ten minutes from the checkouts), but try it with shopping bags.

It's very, very unlikely this place is unsafe. In most of London it's not the neighbourhood that's unsafe (though there are bits of North Ken I'd be a tad leery of): it's the very precise location, and there are loads of iffy streets five or ten yards from places going for a couple of million a flat.

But mostly this area round Baron's Court is too boring to attract the lowlifes. It's pretty featureless, and in practice it's going to take you half an hour or so to get to most attractions, by the time you've got to the tube, and waited etc (though on the other side of the Hammersmith gyratory system there's a lovely, little-known, set of side streets down to the river with a glorious riverside stretch of stunning houses). There are buses from Hammersmith Rd (if that's what they mean: well you can't expect Floridians to get these things right, can you?)- but they plough through a pretty drab stretch before hitting Ken High St.

We wouldn't call it inconvenient: it's pretty much as handy for the centre as where most of us live. But we certainly wouldn't call it Kensington.

david_west

West Kensington is emphatically NOT Kensington – it’s a rather fly-blown part of London bounded by the Talgarth Rd (a very busy main Rd) and the District Line.

I imagine that the “Hammersmith High St” that they are referring to is King St – the main shopping street of Hammersmith. Mind you – it’s a fair old trek from there too. (It’s a short tube trip on the District line or Piccadilly line from Baron’s Court – but I can’t imagine that anyone would come thousands of miles to look at King St – you’ve seen one Primark, you’ve seen them all).

It’s a very odd area, bits are very nice – primarily the bit around Baron’s Ct tube – it’s all nice houses, a few rather chi-chi pubs, lots of coffee shops and other things that the yummy mummy can’t live without. The area around the Queens Club (where they play the per-Wimbledon tennis tournament is nice too). On the other hand the bit along North End Rd and the West Ken Estate are pretty grim.

You really want to get a precise street address – some places are great, some I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy and they’re often not that far apart.

rosebud

All of you make some very good points--thank you! I have a little more information: apparently this flat is at the southern end of Avonmore Road in a residential area. Does that help clarify anything here?

david_west

It’s fine. It’s in an area of rather pricey houses and is pretty nice. To the north is Olympia (a big exhibition hall) and the area around that is a bit bleak.

There are a few dodgy areas around there, mainly off North End Rd – but these are easily avoided.

It’s a bit cheeky to call it Kensington though.

janis

I do not know that specific road. Looking in my AtoZ, it runs off the Hammersmith Road parallel to and west of the Olympia spur of the district line.

Just for general location - I personally would much rather be in south Kensington or some other closer in neighborhood, but it might be fine. Maybe Davis or flanner can give you some idea about the specific street.

rosebud

Does anyone have any great recommendations for a rental flat in the South Kensington area? Sounds like that's a great place to be. I'm finding many flats that rent by the week, and we will only be spending five nights. Thanks again for all of your help! It's nice to get honest opinions from people who know the areas.

david_west

These things are all a matter of taste of course, but I think that South Kensington is a bit of a desert. It has all the museums in it as well as street after street of mansion flats. But that’s all it has. There are very few pubs, restaurants shops etc (unless you want to buy a Lamborghini – in which case you are spoiled for choice).

It’s also surprisingly badly served by public transport. There are buses, but many of them serve the museums so later on the service is patchy. There is South Ken tube – but that’s a bit out of the way, and wherever you are going you will have to change.

Confusingly the area called “Kensington” is exactly what you want – lots of shops restaurants pubs etc. It’s also full of yanks so you won’t feel lonely!

tudorprincess

rosebud- we've stayed at the Somerset Queen's Gate Gardens apartments for the last three years and are very happy with them. It's a 5min. walk to the Gloucester Rd. tube stop. Love the area in the SW7.
I'm currently planning another trip for next March. Their site is www.the-ascott.com.

m_kingdom2

I'd never advise a tourist to stay in Kensington or South Kensington, let alone "West Kensington". They're all a little skew to the centre.

As a general piece of advise, look for postcodes ending in 1 as these are the most centrally located areas. W1, SW1 are the most convenient locations if you intend to do the typical tourist "thing".

Kensington and South Kensington are W8, and SW7 respectively.

PatrickLondon

I look forward to MK2's recommendations for E1.....

david_west

E1 has the lot! Riverside location, town planning by the Luftwaffe, diverse local cuisine (eels), edgy “urban” vibe.

m_kingdom2

I advise SW1, and W1. I wouldn't touch E1, SE1 is pseduo trendy, although Zandra Rhodes, and Vivienne Westwood both live there.

There is so much of London that could be removed without my ever noticing. Namely depressing places past Hampstead in the North, and virtually all of South London.