Young couple - where to stay in London?
Oct 20th, 2014, 07:01 PM
#1
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Young couple - where to stay in London?
My fiance and I are going to London for the first part of our honeymoon next summer, and I would love any insight into what neighborhood would be good home base for us. We are 27 and live in Brooklyn, NY. I am interested in a neighborhood that has cool bars and restaurants to go to at night that cater to people in their late 20s/30s. We are planning to get an airbnb so if it is a more neighborhoody area that is totally fine as long as it is close to the metro. Thanks in advance!
Oct 20th, 2014, 09:06 PM
#2
Congratulations!
Well -- it won't be the Metro. In London it the called the Underground or Tube. Never Metro.
Every neighborhood (really not exaggerating) in central London will be convenient to every other area by tube or bus and there are pub and clubs and cool restaurants everywhere.
Re airbnb - you need to be really careful - there are bargains to be had, but I've see many listings where the owner plays fast and loose describing the location.
A few central neighborhoods convenient to sightseeing and restaurants etc include South Kensington (not Kensington - that s a different area), Bloomsbury/Russell Square, Soho, Covent Garden, parts of the Southbank/Southwark, Belgravia, Sloane Square, Fitzrova and others.
What is your budget?
And I wouldn't depend on airbnb exclusively. There are many MANY other resources including vrbo and lots of rental agencies
Well -- it won't be the Metro. In London it the called the Underground or Tube. Never Metro.
Every neighborhood (really not exaggerating) in central London will be convenient to every other area by tube or bus and there are pub and clubs and cool restaurants everywhere.
Re airbnb - you need to be really careful - there are bargains to be had, but I've see many listings where the owner plays fast and loose describing the location.
A few central neighborhoods convenient to sightseeing and restaurants etc include South Kensington (not Kensington - that s a different area), Bloomsbury/Russell Square, Soho, Covent Garden, parts of the Southbank/Southwark, Belgravia, Sloane Square, Fitzrova and others.
What is your budget?
And I wouldn't depend on airbnb exclusively. There are many MANY other resources including vrbo and lots of rental agencies
Oct 21st, 2014, 09:31 AM
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A couple of notes - unlike NYC the tube in London does not run 24/7. It closes by midnight and doesn't open again until around 6 am - so don;t assume you can easily travel at all hours. I know there are some buses at night - but you need to plan carefully - it;s not just hop on a train at any hour.
Also pubs close very early (again compared to nyc) - perhaps 11 pm instead of 2 am - and only clubs will stay open for what we consider nightlife hours.
We don't go for nightlife so can't comment on specific trendy neighborhoods - we go for the most central better for sightseeing.
Also I would look at other rental options - of which London has had a huge number - most established long before Air BnB was ever thought of.
Also pubs close very early (again compared to nyc) - perhaps 11 pm instead of 2 am - and only clubs will stay open for what we consider nightlife hours.
We don't go for nightlife so can't comment on specific trendy neighborhoods - we go for the most central better for sightseeing.
Also I would look at other rental options - of which London has had a huge number - most established long before Air BnB was ever thought of.
Oct 21st, 2014, 09:58 AM
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janisj has some great suggestions. London is so large and has so many cool places to stay.
This probably wouldn't work for you but back in the 70's we stayed in a B & B south of the River (Thames) in Clapham - a lower working class area. We didn't know any better at the time (prior to the Internet) but we had the best time. We stayed up late with the family and their neighbors next door talking and laughing. We felt we really were a part of the English "culture." We also met another family (who lived close by) and we have remained friends now for over 40 years.
On the other hand a year later, we visited my parents who were doing a house swap and were staying in Knightsbridge which is the opposite of Clapham. Very high end and expensive - with Harrods around the corner. Both were charming in their own way. That's what I love about London.
This probably wouldn't work for you but back in the 70's we stayed in a B & B south of the River (Thames) in Clapham - a lower working class area. We didn't know any better at the time (prior to the Internet) but we had the best time. We stayed up late with the family and their neighbors next door talking and laughing. We felt we really were a part of the English "culture." We also met another family (who lived close by) and we have remained friends now for over 40 years.
On the other hand a year later, we visited my parents who were doing a house swap and were staying in Knightsbridge which is the opposite of Clapham. Very high end and expensive - with Harrods around the corner. Both were charming in their own way. That's what I love about London.
Oct 21st, 2014, 11:46 AM
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Why airbnb? The London market for vacation rental apartments is enormous.
As for the rest of it - check out Timeout.com. That publication is for your age group, so its information should be useful.
As for the rest of it - check out Timeout.com. That publication is for your age group, so its information should be useful.
Oct 21st, 2014, 11:55 AM
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From autumn 2015 we will have 24 hour tube service on some lines!!!!
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-...e?intcmp=22069
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-...e?intcmp=22069
Oct 21st, 2014, 12:55 PM
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Camden certainly has cachet for young 'hip' Londoners - and is not a bad Tube ride from central London - I'd take something there if close to the Camden Market area - one of the hippest places in London I believe.
Parts of the East End have gentrified as well but it is further out and thus more remote for tourists wanting to commute to the usual tourist stuff. Bethel Green where I was traipsing around not long ago certainly looks young and hip and has good rail/tube links.
Parts of the East End have gentrified as well but it is further out and thus more remote for tourists wanting to commute to the usual tourist stuff. Bethel Green where I was traipsing around not long ago certainly looks young and hip and has good rail/tube links.
Oct 21st, 2014, 07:20 PM
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We like airbnb elsewhere, but in London we end up staying in homey B&B hotels. I'm sure you're aware of reading reviews carefully with airbnb. I haven't noticed any more fast or looseness with locations than say vrbo.com. And you can get the street name when you look at map bottom of page.
I'd say Camden, Islington, Shoreditch maybe. Lots of fun pubs in Fitzrovia.
This place looks nice to me, though not quite in youth hotbed area:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1810099...uests=2&s=s7r_
I'd say Camden, Islington, Shoreditch maybe. Lots of fun pubs in Fitzrovia.
This place looks nice to me, though not quite in youth hotbed area:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1810099...uests=2&s=s7r_
Oct 21st, 2014, 07:33 PM
#12
stoke bailey: >>I haven't noticed any more fast or looseness with locations than say vrbo.com. And you can get the street name when you look at map bottom of page.<<
Oh - I didn't mean only airbnb - - many vrbo owners and even some budget hotels mislead when describing their locations.
And first time visitors might very well take their word for it. Saw one listing on a recent thread where the flat's owner included a list of sites w/i easy walking distance . . . And it included both the Eye and British museum (I think the flat was off Goodge Street). . . well, walkable in a manner of speaking but not in real life . . .
then there are those who say they are in Westminster . . . but that is the 'City of Westminster' which covers half of central London from the river all the way up beyond Regents Park. . . . Not what most folks consider 'Westminster' .
Or claim a place is in South Kensington when it is really in Earls Court. Those sorts of things.
just sayin'
Oh - I didn't mean only airbnb - - many vrbo owners and even some budget hotels mislead when describing their locations.
And first time visitors might very well take their word for it. Saw one listing on a recent thread where the flat's owner included a list of sites w/i easy walking distance . . . And it included both the Eye and British museum (I think the flat was off Goodge Street). . . well, walkable in a manner of speaking but not in real life . . .
then there are those who say they are in Westminster . . . but that is the 'City of Westminster' which covers half of central London from the river all the way up beyond Regents Park. . . . Not what most folks consider 'Westminster' .
Or claim a place is in South Kensington when it is really in Earls Court. Those sorts of things.
just sayin'
Oct 21st, 2014, 08:20 PM
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Oh, you are so right there, Janis. Looking at vacation places near Fontainebleau recently I saw one on airbnb with photo of a deck with several palm trees in the background. And on vrbo one time the "Marais" apartment had views clearly taken from Montmartre. On vrbo now there's a rental home in a village near Fontainbleau where the map shows the location to be in the center of Château de Fontainebleau.
Oct 26th, 2014, 04:36 PM
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got it regarding "tube" vs. "metro" thanks haha 
I won't make that mistake!
stokebailey - thank you for the airbnb link! the apartment is gorgeous, definitely the type of place we would love to stay
I have had only great experiences staying in airbnb's traveling over the past couple years, which is why that was my plan. The price point for us is really important, and I like having the total privacy of our own place, vs staying at a bed and breakfast or hotel. I have never heard of vrbo.com but I will definitely look into it.
I think from the suggestions I am going to first look into the Camden area. Thanks everyone!
I won't make that mistake!
stokebailey - thank you for the airbnb link! the apartment is gorgeous, definitely the type of place we would love to stay
I have had only great experiences staying in airbnb's traveling over the past couple years, which is why that was my plan. The price point for us is really important, and I like having the total privacy of our own place, vs staying at a bed and breakfast or hotel. I have never heard of vrbo.com but I will definitely look into it.
I think from the suggestions I am going to first look into the Camden area. Thanks everyone!
