From Shepherd’s Bush to Richmond: A London Walking Guide on the 5 Best Areas to Stay in the City

Louis is a London walking tour guide and professional actor, born and raised in West London and now based in South East London. He grew up in Shepherd’s Bush, went to school in Notting Hill, trained for almost four years at drama school in Oxford, and started his own walking tour company — London with Louis — after Covid, when he wanted a job worth getting out of bed for. Four years and hundreds of tours later, he runs small-group Signature Tours through the city’s lesser-known corners, from the collision of punk and reggae in 1970s Ladbroke Grove to the medieval bones of the City of London.

For Locals Insider, Louis wrote about the question every visitor asks him – where should I actually stay? — and gave us the five London areas he sends people to most often, why each one earns its place, and what to know before you book.

Follow him on Instagram and TikTok at @londonwithlouis, or book a tour at londonwithlouis.com.

From Drama School to the Streets of London

I trained as a professional actor for almost four years at drama school in Oxford, and I’m still an actor today — that’s my role in life, to tell stories. So when I decided to start guiding after Covid, London with Louis wasn’t a career change so much as a continuation. Stories are universal and bring people together from all walks of life, and this city gives me endless material.

My drama training feeds directly into how I guide. I don’t recite facts — I perform them. A good tour is really just good storytelling on a different kind of stage. And like acting, no two tours are ever the same, because the audience is always new. That’s the part I love most.

“I don’t recite facts — I perform them. A good tour is just good storytelling on a different kind of stage.”

I keep my groups small on purpose. Curiosity first — the best tours start with questions, not answers. And I don’t airbrush the rough edges of London: the contradictions, the complexity, the mess. That’s part of what makes it extraordinary.

Where to Stay in London — and Why It Matters More Than Most Guidebooks Admit

People ask me constantly where to actually stay in London — not just what to see. And location makes or breaks a trip far more than most guidebooks let on. Stay in the wrong neighborhood and you’ll spend half your trip on the Tube; stay in the right one and the city opens up around you.

Here are the five areas I point people toward most often, and why each one earns its place.

1. Notting Hill

If you only take one recommendation from this list, make it this one. Notting Hill gives you everything most people picture when they imagine London — pastel-colored townhouses, the Portobello Road market in full swing on a Saturday, quiet garden squares — while still sitting just ten to fifteen minutes from central London by Tube. It’s polished without feeling like a theme park.

It’s also personal territory for me. I went to school here and was brought up in nearby Shepherd’s Bush, and my flagship walking tour, Punky Reggae Party, traces the 1970s collision of punk and reggae through Ladbroke Grove — stopping at spots like The Mangrove and Acklam Hall, most of them a short walk from wherever you’ll be staying if you base yourself here. Ask me for a route on your first morning and I’ll happily point you the right way.

Good to know: Notting Hill Gate and Ladbroke Grove stations both sit on the Circle, District, and Hammersmith & City lines. Expect mid-to-high hotel prices for the location.

2. Shoreditch

If Notting Hill is postcard London, Shoreditch is where I send people who want a bit more edge. Street art, converted warehouses, independent coffee roasters, and a nightlife scene that doesn’t stop when the Tube does — it’s grittier than the areas either side of it on this list, and your accommodation budget goes noticeably further too.

It sits right on the Overground and Northern line, so you’re never more than twenty minutes from the major sights. But you’ll come back each evening to somewhere that feels distinctly East London rather than generically “central.” It’s a favorite for anyone who still wants a proper local buzz around them.

Good to know: Old Street and Shoreditch High Street stations cover it well. This is generally the best-value pick on this list.

3. King’s Cross and Bloomsbury

This is the area I recommend most to anyone arriving by Eurostar, simply because you can be checked into your hotel minutes after stepping off the train. King’s Cross has genuinely transformed over the last decade — Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square are worth a wander even if you’re not staying long — and if you head a few streets south into Bloomsbury, you’ll find quieter, leafier squares, the British Museum on your doorstep, and some of the best-value accommodation anywhere in central London.

If you want maximum convenience without paying West End prices, this is consistently my top practical pick.

Good to know: King’s Cross St Pancras is one of the best-connected stations in London — six Tube lines, plus the Eurostar and national rail.

4. South Kensington

If you want an elegant, slightly calmer base, South Kensington is hard to beat. Three of London’s best museums — the V&A, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum — sit almost on top of each other, and the white stucco streets around them are some of the prettiest in the city. You’ll also be in close proximity to the Royal Albert Hall, which showcases the best in music throughout the year.

Three Tube lines run straight through, so you’re still well connected to everywhere else, but evenings here are quiet, which a lot of visitors appreciate after a full day on their feet.

Good to know: South Kensington station puts you on the District, Circle, and Piccadilly lines. Budget for higher hotel rates here.

5. Richmond

My slightly less obvious pick, and one worth pairing with a couple of days somewhere more central rather than using as your only base. Richmond upon Thames is one of London’s leafiest suburbs, with a proper towpath walk along the river and deer roaming freely in Richmond Park.

It’s also the real-life setting behind AFC Richmond in Ted Lasso — the show’s pub scenes were filmed at The Prince’s Head, right on Richmond Green, and Ted’s fictional front door is just around the corner on Paved Court. Fans can do the whole walk in an afternoon, and even if you’ve never watched the show, it’s simply one of the nicest spots in London for a riverside drink at the end of a busy trip.

Good to know: Richmond is on the District line and mainline rail, roughly 30 minutes from central London. A good add-on rather than your only base.

Wherever You End Up

My honest advice, as both a Londoner and a guide, is to pick your area based on the trip you actually want rather than just proximity to the sights. London rewards walking more than almost any city I know, and you’re rarely as far from the action as the map makes it look.

“London rewards those who look twice.”

Book a Walk With Me: Pricing and Offers

Simple, honest pricing — no hidden fees. Every tour is private: you book the whole thing for just your group, no strangers ever join. One base price covers you and a partner; each extra person adds a little on top.

Signature Tours — £175 for 1-2 people

My fixed, themed walks through the London I know best. £175 covers a private tour for one or two people, plus £18 per additional person up to twelve.

• Punky Reggae Party — the punk-and-reggae collision of 1970s Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill (available now)
• More Signature Tours coming soon

For a group of eight, that works out at about £35 per person for a completely private, expert-led tour.

Bespoke Private Tours — £245 for 1-2 people

Your interests, your pace, your London — designed from scratch, just for you. £245 for one or two people, plus £22 per additional person. Any theme, any length; half-day and full-day tours on request.

To book, visit londonwithlouis.com or message me on Instagram at @londonwithlouis.

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