The WoW Style

London is so big and so diverse that simply moving three blocks in any direction can bring you into an entirely different neighbourhood, changing from affluent and upmarket to grinding poverty and on to hip and cutting-edge, all within one linear mile. Therefore, you should choose your accommodation site with care – here are eight of the best hotspots for a uniquely London short stay.

Kings Cross

The name of the area as much as the station, but best known for the latter, and still enjoying crowds of Harry Potter fans trying to find their way to Platform 9¾ and onwards to Hogwarts and the wizarding world. The area of Kings Cross is beautiful and very friendly, with a real sense of village community to be found in the vendors and tradespeople who live and work in the area. Once you have explored the many wonderful small shops, boutiques and independent coffee shops, all of modern London is just a short tube ride away!

Soho

The entertainment centre of London, home to young creatives from every walk of life, the LGBTQIA+ community, and entrepreneurs with weird and whacky concepts that will become the must-haves of the next decade given the right opportunities, a bit of luck and some funding, Soho is vibrant, colourful and fast-moving.

Victoria

Named after the immense station which lies on this odd area of London like a ball-bearing on a rubber sheet, Victoria does not feel like a self-contained village like so many other parts of London. It is indefinably an in-between part, a liminal space, neither here nor there, unless you count the station, which houses more shops and restaurants than most malls. The beauty and advantage of Victoria can be found in its location: it is beautifully positioned to give you easy access to almost every other part of London, no matter which direction you head in, thanks to the station being a major hub for many other lines that crisscross and zigzag the city.

Brick Lane

Potholed, somewhat scruffy in places, and sometimes feeling actively dangerous, Brick Lane, running across the bottom of Shoreditch, is vibrant, and multicultural. During the day, it is home to authentic ethnic foods and drinks from almost every country in the world. Despite its somewhat down-at-heel appearance – largely alleviated by the street art which brightens, informs and entertains all who see it – the people are friendly and supportive, and enjoy a vigorous sense of community and social awareness – many an activist has been born within the confines of Brick Lane.

Covent Garden

Somewhat commercialised but bustling and vibrant, Covent Garden offers market stalls, street performers, and retail opportunities of all types to visitors and locals alike. Prices can be high, so do try your hand at haggling, often the entertainment of good bargaining skills can win you prize! Plan your Covent Garden market trip to get the most from the experience!

Pinner

Somewhat on the outskirts of London, while still falling within the transport zones of London, Pinner is a beautiful, residential and leafy area, packed with large homes. Many of these were built in the countryside, and – like so many villages – were absorbed as London’s relentless expansion swallowed them up, amoeba-like. Pinner, famous as being Elton John’s birthplace, is a fairly long commute to London centre (forty to fifty minutes), but it is a straightforward one. The area is spacious and can be better for those who don’t do well in urban build-up.

Brixton

Known as a hotbed of Black activism, often due to acts of racism, Brixton is sometimes seen as not being for everyone. However, while the community tends to be close-knit and largely comprised of Afro-Caribbean families, many from or descended from the much-discussed Windrush generation, they are welcoming and inclusive. The area is currently undergoing an attempted gentrification, but the community is rebelling by selling properties only to one another, and protesting attempts to persuade residents to sell up.

Notting Hill

Known dually for the wonderfully vibrant carnival that brightens up the streets every year and the movie of the same name, Notting Hill is a beautiful place – it is no wonder that it is popular and has remained a ‘trendy’ area for many years! The beautifully painted houses form the backdrop to restaurants, cafés, boutiques and independent coffee shops and wine bars, and there is a little bit of something for everyone in this inclusive and friendly neighbourhood.

No matter which of these lovely areas you decide to visit, make sure you are close to the heart of the action by choosing the right accommodation: search apartments in London short stay here and enjoy the best benefits of a hotel alongside the privacy of your very own flat.