Regardless of what anyone might say, London is still one of the world’s greatest cities. There is so much to see and so much to do, that, regardless of where you live during your extended stay, you won’t have to travel far to enjoy some of the great iconic British sights that have made London so famous.
Mention Kensington and Chelsea, and immediately one of the greatest department stores in the world comes to mind – Harrod’s – situated on the famous and affluent Kensington High Street. However, shopping aside, there is also London’s impressive museum district (with the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum), the Kensington Gardens Royal Park (which includes Kensington palace), Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall all within walking district.
And so to the City of London itself, also known as the Square Mile. This is the city’s – possibly the world’s – financial district and sees more than 250 of the world’s banks, together with global fund management, legal and insurance sectors all occupying the area. At the heart of the Square Mile is Bishopsgate, not only home to the main London offices of several major banks, but also to several of the capital’s tallest buildings.
Talk about Tower Hill, and you are talking about Royal London. Most London postcards home will feature the iconic Tower of London and Tower Bridge, both instilling a sense of wonder and admiration no matter how many times you pass them by. The architecturally stunning former Port of London Authority Building, at Trinity Square Gardens, is also nearby, as is the magnificent St Paul’s Cathedral.
Marble Arch, Hyde Park, Covent Garden, Paddington Basin and Marylebone sum up the essence of London’s famous West End and its surrounds. Whatever you could want in entertainment is here – theatres, culture, cinemas, pub venues, gyms, hundreds of restaurants, sport, positively matchless shopping and of course sightseeing – so much that it would take far beyond an extended-stay to discover it all!
And so to Canary Wharf, London’s second – and newest – business district, almost a city in itself. In fact, many an extended-stay executive might find themselves working there, being as it is a major business area, with many major banking, financial, accountancy, law and business service firms having their headquarters there. It’s close to the O2 Arena and Excel exhibition and conference centre, but it doesn’t lose sight of the fact that people live in the area, and boasts many fine boutique shops, restaurants, pubs, wine bars, as well as a fine shopping centre.
For those who might prefer a more rural location with rich, leafy suburban living, yet still within easy reach of the city, Richmond upon Thames remains one of London’s premier riverside addresses.
It offers a diversity of shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés, together with department stores and supermarkets. Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Court Park are four of the more famous of over 100 parks in the Borough, while Hampton Court Palace, with its maze, once owned by King Henry VII, sees the annual Festival and Flower Show. Twickenham Stadium, home of English Rugby is also in the Borough. This is the area for walking, jogging, cycling and family life. All no more than 25 minutes form the city centre.
Regardless of where you chose as your location for your extended-stay, you’ll find you are only a short distance from a station or stop servicing the excellent London transport infrastructure. The train and tube network is second-to-none, or you may even decide to brave the famous London red bus network overground, so you can see the sights.