SLEEPING IN LONDON - London 2015 - page 627

NORTH OF KENSINGTON GARDENS
From the core of the tourist's London, the vast Hyde Park spreads west, eventually becom-
ing Kensington Gardens. Three good accommodations neighborhoods line up side-by-side
along the northern edge of the park: Bayswater (with the highest concentration of good
hotels) anchors the area, and is bordered by Notting Hill to the west and Paddington to
the east. This area has quick bus and Tube access to downtown, and, for London, is very
“homely” (Brit-speak for cozy).
Bayswater
Most of my Bayswater accommodations flank a tranquil, tidy park called Kensington Gar-
dens Square (not to be confused with the much bigger Kensington Gardens adjacent to
Hyde Park), a block west of bustling Queensway, north of Bayswater Tube station. These
hotels are quiet for central London, but the area feels a bit sterile, and the hotels here tend
to be impersonal.
Popular with young international travelers, the Bayswater street called Queensway is
a multicultural festival of commerce and eateries (see the Eating in London chapter). The
neighborhood does its dirty clothes at Kornelia Launderette ( £ 6-8 self-service, £ 10-12
full-service, Mon-Sat 8:00-20:00, Sun 9:00-20:00, last wash at 19:00, staff on hand with
soap and coins, 67 Moscow Road, near corner of St. Petersburgh Place and Moscow Road,
tel. [phone]). For Internet access, you'll find several stops along busy Queensway,
and a self-serve bank of computer terminals on the food-circus level—third floor—of
Whiteleys Shopping Centre (long hours daily, corner of Queensway and Porchester Gar-
dens—see here ) .
$$$ Vancouver Studios offers one of the best values in this neighborhood. Its 48
modern, tastefully furnished rooms come with fully equipped kitchenettes (utensils, stove,
microwave, and fridge) rather than breakfast. It's nestled between Kensington Gardens
Square and Princes Square, and has its own tranquil garden patio out back (Sb- £ 97,
Db- £ 140, Tb- £ 179, extra bed- £ 20, 10 percent discount for seven or more nights, pay
guest computer, free Wi-Fi, welcoming lounge, 30 Princes Square, tel. [phone],
www.vancouverstudios.co.uk , [e-mail] ) .
$$$ Garden Court Hotel is understated, with 40 simple, homey-but-tasteful rooms
(prices vary seasonally with demand—these are normal/low-demand rates: Sb- £ 74,
D- £ 125, Db- £ 129, Tb- £ 149, Qb- £ 179, all rooms can be £ 20 more when demand is es-
pecially high, continental breakfast included or English breakfast- £ 3.50, elevator, pay
guest computer, free Wi-Fi, 30-31 Kensington Gardens Square, tel. [phone],
www.gardencourthotel.co.uk , [e-mail] ).