Bayswater

Bayswater is a vibrant area of London within the City of Westminster and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and borders London's fabulous Hyde Park which boasts a palace, a lake and horse riding stables - as well as acres of grass and a magnificent array of established British trees.

Close to the Princess Diana playground in Kensington Gardens, Bayswater is a good area to which to bring children on holiday in London. Younger children will enjoy the gardens and for older children there is ice skating, bowling and a multi-screen cinema.

The cultural and social mix of Bayswater is reflected in the huge variety of restaurants and food stores that abound along London's Queensway. Traditional English pubs offer a good selection of beers and "gastropub" dining options.

London's first department store, Whiteleys, was established in Bayswater and the iconic period building still exists today as a shopping mall with many shops, boutiques and cinema. There are also many independent cafes and tourist stores in the area.

Architecture in the area is impressive, with traditional townhouses set in grand white stucco terraces and charming garden squares.

You can visit Kensington Palace and view the State apartments, galleries and grounds and get an insight into royal life. Parts of the Palace are still occupied to this day by members of the Royal Family, including future heir to the British throne, Prince William, and his young family.

For art lovers, the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park is nearby - it comprises two galleries where visitors can enjoy modern and contemporary art. In Paddington is the fascinating Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum where you can visit the laboratory in which Fleming discovered penicillin. For the brand conscious visitors, the Museum of Brands and Packaging in Notting Hill is worth a visit.

Bayswater boasts a cosmopolitan blend of bars and restaurants, most notably The Cow Bar & Restaurant (gastropub with a compact upstairs dining room serving oysters, seafood and seasonal British cuisine), Santorini (traditional Greek restaurant with classics plus more unusual dishes such as coq au vin a la Grecque), Angelus (art nouveau-style brasserie with fixed-price options and a lengthy, Franco-centric wine list), Bombay Palace (high-end Indian restaurant with contemporary chandeliers and modern art decorating the dining room), Inaho (tiny back-street venue housing a Japanese sushi bar and restaurant), The Oak (Mediterranean-themed menu and wood-fired pizza downstairs, chic tapas lounge and bar upstairs), Noor Jahan (bustling venue serving traditional dishes in a yellow dining room with floor-to-ceiling arches), Bel Canto (Grand Italian restaurant in a hotel basement, where opera singers perform every 15 minutes) and The Frontline Club (the owners' Norfolk farm figures into the modern Euro menu at this airy, collegial spot).

The Print Room is a contemporary arts space within the building of an old cinema. It plays host to lively fringe theatre. Every Sunday the railings along Bayswater Road become an outdoor art gallery where over 150 artists display and offer their work for sale.

Children then they may like to visit one of the few ice rinks remaining in the Capital - Queen's Ice and Bowl - where skating and bowling are offered.

The Bayswater Road art market is on Sunday mornings and is a great place to find a beautiful painting whilst experiencing an authentic part of London life. You will be able to browse thousands of paintings in a variety of genres, colours and forms all lined up against the black metal park railings at the side of the road. And on the opposite side of the road there are many pubs and eateries where you can sit down and enjoy some well earned sustenance!

Our cosmopolitan apartments in Bayswater range from small studios - perfect for one person travelling along - to large family apartments which are ideal for groups travelling together. With an onsite cafeteria, you can choose to make your own meals or you can take breakfast that has been prepared for you. WiFi and regular cleaning are standard and there is a 24 hour concierge to take care of your needs.

And in nearby Paddington we offer some excellent newly refurbished apartments - studios, one and two bedrooms - with the added benefit of a pantry in the property offering breakfast cereals and pasta - store cupboard ingredients for guests. At very competitive rates, these apartments area ideal for corporate visitors to London looking for longer stay accommodation.