Making up part of the more iconic areas of London, and located within a stone’s throw of so many historic landmarks, monuments and buildings, Paddington and Hyde Park offer professionals and families a wide variety of homes; large flats, Victorian terraced homes, modern flats and developments, mews cottages and more.
Kensington Palace and the Gardens are local as well, adjoining Hyde Park and bisected by the Serpentine. This was where Princess Diana lived with Prince Charles, and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain commemorates her legacy here. Some of the Royal family were born in the local St Mary’s Hospital.
The largest Royal Park in London, and Grade 1 listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, Hyde Park is a 350 acre area of green space right in the heart of the city, with a reputation for not just beauty or architecture but also for the world-class concerts and events held year round. During the colder months, Hyde Park becomes a Winter Wonderland, playing host to Ice Skating, Rollercoasters, as well as Bavarian food and drink – a real treat for all ages!
The Paddington Basin is a historic hive of activity and has seen much investment as part of the wider Paddington Waterside Scheme. Linking to the Grand Union Canal, there are central and open areas for artisanal food markets.
Paddington has a large Greek community, Halepi is the local Greek Cypriot run restaurant, providing both fantastic food and culture, having been run in the same family since the 1960s. Also had the likes of celebrities and politicians there. Saint Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Moscow Road is one of the key contributions of the Greek community and quite a spectacle!
Transport
With Paddington Station designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1847, of course, Paddington is very well connected via Tube to the rest of the network, and regional services taking passengers further in the UK. The Elizabeth line crossrail service improvements will provide commuter services to Heathrow and to the west of London.
The usual taxi, bus and bicycle facilities common to the Transport for London area apply, as Paddington is a central London location. Hyde Park has even more Tube stations – Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, Queensway, Lancaster Gate and Marble Arch – owing to its fame and attraction to tourists.
Schools
Hand in hand with the first class architecture and properties in the area comes access to many fine educational facilities, from nursery level right through to university. Topping the list of Sunday Times top primary schools in the UK is Hampden Gurney Church of England Primary School; whilst Hallfield Junior School and St James & St John Primary School also are highly regarded.
At the secondary level, some of the notable options include St Marylebone C of E School, Queens College London, the Westminster Academy – certainly no shortage of great schools!