Things to Do Around Bayswater
Bayswater is a diverse and vibrant neighborhood in West London, known for its charming streets, Victorian architecture, and proximity to some of the city’s most famous attractions. Here’s what you can find in Bayswater:
Things to Do Around Bayswater
This highly romantic corner of the city is located immediately outside our front door. With numerous independent boutiques, antique shops, restaurants, and street lined cafés, this area is sure to please you. Just a few blocks away you will find the famous Portobello Road Market, a long stretch of great fashion, crafts, antiques, and gifts that is open every day of the week. Try a traditional English Pub lunch, or something more exotic, whatever you crave you will probably find in this colourful neighbourhood.
Notting Hill and Portobello Road also offer a vibrant mix of cultural experiences and hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Wander through the charming, pastel-colored streets, where you can stumble upon art galleries showcasing local talent or pop into one of the many quirky bookshops for a literary find. On Saturdays, the Portobello Road Market transforms into a lively hub of activity, with street performers and live music adding to the bustling atmosphere. For film enthusiasts, the Electric Cinema, one of the oldest working cinemas in the UK, provides a luxurious viewing experience in a beautifully restored setting. And if you’re visiting in August, don’t miss the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s largest street festival, where you can immerse yourself in vibrant Caribbean culture through music, dance, and food. Whether you’re after a leisurely stroll or an immersive cultural experience, Notting Hill and Portobello Road offer something for everyone.
Top tips:
Visit: Portobello Market on less busy Fridays, more to see, less crowds!
The Museum of Brands with its fascinating collection of 200 years of consumer culture via its packaging.
See: Beautiful tree lined streets with multi-coloured houses, urban street art and the Brutalist concrete landmark Trellick Tower, with vintage fashionista favourite store Rellik below on 8 Golborne Road.
Eat: Trendy Gold on Portobello Road is the latest see and be seen hang out. Finally don’t forget to enjoy cakes at Ottolenghi’s original deli at 63 Ledbury Road, or try unique flavoured chocolates at Melt 59 Ledbury Road.
Hyde Park, Kensington & Queensway
One of the many Royal Parks in London, Hyde Park contains vast gardens, lakes and the Serpentine Gallery that are perfect for enjoying on a lovely afternoon. Whether you search for the Peter Pan statue, go horseback riding, or visit Kensington Palace and the Princess Diana memorial, there is plenty to do in this nearby park, only 500 metres from Lords Hotel!
Visit: Kensington Palace with its magical secret garden, home to Queen Victoria and currently the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William and his family!
Here’s what you can find at Kensington Palace:
- State Rooms: The opulent State Rooms are open to the public and showcase the lives of previous monarchs. Visitors can explore the King’s State Apartments, which were once the lavish residences of King George II and Queen Caroline, as well as the Queen’s State Apartments, which provide insight into the life of Mary II.
- Victoria: A Royal Childhood: A permanent exhibition on the early life of Queen Victoria, born and raised at Kensington Palace. The exhibit includes personal items, letters, and artifacts that tell the story of her upbringing and early reign.
- The Sunken Garden: One of the most beautiful spots on the palace grounds, the Sunken Garden is a stunning formal garden with seasonal floral displays. Designed in 1908 and is now famously associated with Princess Diana.
- Temporary Exhibitions: Kensington Palace regularly hosts special exhibitions that highlight various aspects of royal history, fashion, and art. These exhibitions often feature rare artifacts and items from the Royal Collection.
- Diana, Princess of Wales Statue: In the Sunken Garden, visitors can see the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, which was unveiled in 2021. The statue commemorates her legacy and is a popular spot for those wishing to honour the memory of the late princess.
- The King’s Gallery: This long gallery was originally designed by William Kent for King George I and is adorned with stunning artwork, including a remarkable ceiling painting. A glimpse into the grandeur of royal life.
Kensington Palace is also an active royal residence, with apartments that house members of the British Royal Family, making it a living piece of history.
For contemporary art lovers the Serpentine Gallery is a must. The original gallery is housed in a former tea pavilion and hosts rotating exhibitions of contemporary art by internationally acclaimed and emerging artists. These exhibitions cover a wide range of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, installation, and digital art.
The Serpentine Sackler Gallery, designed by Zaha Hadid, this modern extension is located a short walk across the Serpentine Bridge from the original gallery. It also hosts contemporary art exhibitions that often complement those in the main gallery.
For nature lovers nothing beats boating on the Serpentine on a sunny day. Hire a pedalo or row boat out on the lake to take in more of the park’s sights. Prices for a 60 minute rental are £12.60 for adults, £6.30 for children and £33.60 for a family trip (up to 3 children), fairly reasonably priced for an essential London family activity!
Queensway is one of the main streets in Bayswater, bustling with activity and lined with shops, restaurants, and cafes. Known for its eclectic mix of eateries, offering everything from traditional British to international cuisine, reflecting the area’s diverse community. The street is also home to Whiteleys, a historic building that once housed London’s first department store and is currently undergoing redevelopment
Do: Go ice skating or bowling at the high energy family friendly Queen’s, London’s only all year ice skating rink!
Eat: If you turn left from our hotel you hit Westbourne Grove with its vegan friendly Planet Organic and Farmacy food options.
Turn right and you discover the hidden gems of Hereford Road, local family favourites such as Greek Aphrodite Tavern or Iranian Hafez literally just steps away.
Hit Queensway High Street and you can travel food wise to Italy, Brazil or the best Chinese you can find outside of Beijing, especially Mandarin Kitchen!
Shopping:
You can go west to Westfield Shopping Centre and probably spend your whole break there shopping, eating and going to the cinema, but London does have some other jewels to offer too!
The magnificent Harrods, has to be seen even if you don’t buy anything, from its sumptuous Egyptian stair case and indoor fashion boulevards to the most beautifully designed food halls any where in the world – go on, treat your self to a tin of biscuits at least!
Marylebone Village: A little further afield, but brimming with cool independent shops and restaurants, and only a hop away from Madame Tussaud’s or the serene Wallace Collection.
Oxford Street: Probably the most iconic shopping street anywhere in the world, from the aspirational Selfridges and its global food hall, to the temptingly accessible flag ship Primark store all just a 20 minute bus ride away!
The Royal Albert Hall:
Coming to London to the Royal Albert Hall for a special gig, last night of the Proms or a heart warming Christmas Carol concert? We are located a 20 minute walk through the park or 10 minute drive away from this iconic Grade 1 listed venue. Nothing beats live performances, and nothing beats having somewhere close by to rest afterwards!
For a full list of upcoming shows, check the Royal Albert Hall events calendar.
Sightseeing:
It’ so easy to hop on an open top bus near Lords Hotel and see the whole of London, well, the most important bits! Ask at Reception to arrange tickets for you. You can hop-on, hop-off all the best places such as Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament, and Tower of London, to name a few.
Theatre Land:
World famous Shaftesbury Avenue is easy to reach from Lords Hotel, and you can see some of the best shows and musicals in the world. Ask Reception to arrange theatre tickets for you at great prices. Or you could try alternative places such as The Bush Theatre, The Royal Court, The Kiln, The Hampstead Theatre if serious drama is more your thing.
Museums:
We are so spoilt at Lords Hotel, the Museum District is located only a stroll through the park away!
Natural History Museum:
For all those budding David Attenborough fans, science enthusiasts, history buffs, or just anyone looking for an unforgettable experience. The museum itself is a masterpiece of Victorian architecture. Its grand facade and cathedral-like interiors make it one of London’s most beautiful buildings.
The museum is famous for its dinosaur exhibits. The dinosaur gallery features life-sized models, fossils, and interactive displays. Visitors can also explore the Earth Hall, which features exhibits on geology, volcanology, and the forces that shape our planet. A giant escalator takes you through a model of the Earth, leading to displays on earthquakes, volcanoes, and minerals.
The museum’s human evolution exhibits trace the journey of our species, showcasing fossils, artifacts, and engaging displays that tell the story of how humans have evolved over millions of years.
What’s best of all is that it’s free for all visitors!
Science Museum:
Discover award-winning exhibitions, iconic objects and stories of incredible scientific ahcievement at the Science Museum. Lots of fun interactive exhibitions, and the wet rooms in the basement are not to be missed for toddlers!
Journey through the history of space exploration, featuring rockets, satellites, and space probes in the Exploring Space section. Highlights include the Apollo 10 command module, a full-size replica of the Eagle lunar lander, and real space suits worn by astronauts.
Making the Modern World displays some of the most significant scientific and technological advances of the past 250 years and includes iconic objects like the first jet engine, the original model of DNA, and Stephenson’s Rocket and one of the earliest steam locomotives.
Entry is free for all visitors!
V&A Museum:
One of the world’s leading museums of art, design, and performance, boasting an unparalleled collection that spans over 5,000 years of human creativity. Visitors can explore an extraordinary array of objects, including fashion and textiles, ceramics, furniture, jewelry, photography, and sculptures from around the globe.
The museum’s highlights include the stunning Cast Courts, showcasing life-size plaster casts of famous sculptures, and the Fashion Gallery, which traces the evolution of style from the 17th century to the present day.
The V&A also houses the world’s largest collection of decorative arts, with exquisite pieces from the Renaissance to modern times.
Temporary exhibitions often feature groundbreaking displays on fashion designers, cultural movements, and artistic innovations. The museum’s grand architecture and beautifully curated galleries offer an inspiring journey through the history of design and art, making it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in culture and creativity.
Our favourite section at the V&A is the Glass gallery, but a visit to the cafe and the Madejski Gardens is a must.
Free entry for all!
The Design Museum:
The museum itself is a highlight, housed in the former Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington. The iconic structure, designed by John Pawson, is a masterpiece of modern architecture, with its sweeping, minimalist interiors that provide a perfect setting for exploring design. Fascinating fixed and changing exhibitions on physical and digital products make the Design Museum a must visit for any serious design enthusiasts and lovers of iconic brands, homeware, gadgets and more.
Free and paid for exhibitions.