Paddington-Maida Vale is a district of northwest central London, around the vast Paddington Station of Paddington Bear fame. This inner London district is somewhat bereft of attractions but it does have a large range of budget and mid-priced accommodation. That, combined with the convenient central London location and transport links, makes it a popular area with visitors.
Understand
[edit]Paddington and the areas between it and Hyde Park - Bayswater and Lancaster Gate - consist largely of Victorian houses, some of them rather grand, which have been converted into either small residential flats or hotels. Maida Vale to the north is similar but almost entirely residential and is most notable for canalside streets and the houseboats of Little Venice. St John's Wood is distinctly upscale and leafy and includes the home of world cricket at Lord's and some of the most sought-after real estate in London.
The area has a number of connections to music. The BBC Maida Vale studios have been used for recording live music since 1934 including the John Peel Sessions. Abbey Road Studios, and the famous pedestrian crossing pictured in the Beatles' Abbey Road album are in St John's Wood.
Get in
[edit]By tube
[edit]
The district is served by the following tube stations, in Zones 1 or 2.
Paddington is on the Wimbledon–Edgware Road branch of the District line – so you may need to change at Earl's Court:
- Paddington (Zone 1) – (District, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Bakerloo and Elizabeth lines)
- Bayswater (Zone 1) – (District and Circle lines)
- Queensway (Zone 1) – (Central line)
- Lancaster Gate (Zone 1) – (Central line)
- Maida Vale (Zone 2) – (Bakerloo line)
- Warwick Avenue (Zone 2) – (Bakerloo line)
- Edgware Road (Zone 1) – (District, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Bakerloo lines)
- Royal Oak (Zone 2) – (Hammersmith & City line)
- St John's Wood(Zone 2) – (Jubilee Line)
By train
[edit]
1 Paddington station (PAD, QQP IATA), Praed St, W2 1HQ. The London terminal for Great Western Rail trains from the cities in the southwest of the country, as well as services to Heathrow Airport and the Elizabeth line (Crossrail). Paddington station itself is a minor tourist attraction that is notable for offering the first London Underground service to Farringdon in 1863 and for Michael Bond's eponymous Paddington Bear franchise. While waiting for a train, listen to the Isembard Kingdom Brunel statue by scanning the QR code. 
London Paddington is served by:
- Great Western Railway (GWR) trains from southwest England (Swindon, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Bath and Penzance. Also for trains from Worcester, Cheltenham and Gloucester)
- Great Western Railway (GWR) trains from southeast England (Maidenhead, Slough, Reading, Didcot and Oxford)
- Great Western Railway (GWR) trains from South Wales (Swansea, Cardiff and Newport)
- Heathrow Express has 4 tph to Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5)
which takes 21 minutes – the train stops en-route at Terminals 2&3 with a free shuttle to Terminal 4. - Elizabeth line (Crossrail) services to Reading and Heathrow Airport depart from Platform A.
- Elizabeth line (Crossrail) services to Abbey Wood and Shenfield via London Liverpool St depart from platform B.
2 London Marylebone station, London/Mayfair-Marylebone (Tube: Marylebone BAK ). A 25-minute walk or a short Tube ride away from London Paddington. London Marylebone is a genuine Victorian train station which is architecturally impressive despite its small size. The terminus for Chiltern Railways trains to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. Also, the nearby Baker Street BAK CIR H&C MET station is a major interchange on the London Underground.
By bus
[edit]Various bus routes go to and through Paddington. Visit the Transport for London website for details. Use of a Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus is also a possibility.
- 7 bus (Brunel Road to Oxford Circus). N7: 00:44am–5:45am. via East Acton, Ladbroke Grove, London Paddington, Marble Arch, Selfridges.
- 23 bus (Great Western Road to Aldwych / Drury Lane). via Ladbroke Grove, Queensway, London Paddington, Green Park, Piccadilly Circus, Jermyn Street, Trafalgar Square, London Charing Cross and Covent Garden.
- 27 bus (Hammersmith to Camden Market). via The Design Museum, High Street Kensington, Notting Hill Gate, Queensway, London Paddington, Edgware Road station, Baker Street station, Regents Park, Camden High Street, Camden Town station.
By boat
[edit]A Waterbus runs from Camden Lock through the Regent's canal to Browning's Pool, Little Venice.
By bicycle
[edit]- See also: Cycling in London
For bicycles, there is a traffic-free local cycle route tracks alongside the Grand Union Canal from around Northolt to Paddington Basin. The route is not part of the national cycle network.
See
[edit]
While there is not a great deal to see in the way of traditional visitor attractions, Paddington makes a convenient base for exploring other parts of the city.
- 1 Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, St. Mary's Hospital, Praed St, W2 1NY, ☏ +44 20 7886-6528. M-Th 10AM-1PM. £2.
- 2 Abbey Road Studios, 3 Abbey Rd, St. John's Wood, NW8 9AY (tube: St John's Wood JUB ). No tours. World-renowned studios where many famous musicians and groups, most notably The Beatles, recorded music. The equally famous zebra crossing, immortalized on the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road, is right in front. In the vicinity, in Cavendish Avenue, is a home that used to be owned by Sir Paul McCartney.
- 3 Little Venice. A canal basin where the Regent's Canal meets the Grand Union, just a few minutes walk from Paddington Station.
Do
[edit]- 1 Lord's Cricket Ground, Wellington Rd, NW8 8QN (tube: St John's Wood JUB ). The home of cricket, Lord's usually hosts two international five-day Test matches each summer (which sell out), as well as limited-overs One Day International and Twenty20 cricket. It's the usual stadium for Middlesex County Cricket Club, who were relegated in 2023 and now play in Division Two of the County Championship - these games last 3-4 days. Also here are London Spirit men's and women's teams playing in The Hundred short game. Lord's houses the Marylebone Cricket Club Museum, with a vast collection of cricket memorabilia - tours are usually available daily except on match days.
- 2 Queens Ice and Bowl, 17 Queensway, W2 4QP (tube: Bayswater CIR DIS or Queensway CEN ), ☏ +44 20 7229-0172. Queens is an entertainment centre with 50,000 sq ft of activities including ice skating, 12 lanes of ten pin bowling, karaoke rooms, bar, food and video games.
- 3 London Underground Tours (tube: Baker Street CIR H&C MET JUB BAK ), ☏ +44 20 7183-1055, +44 7869 678717 (mobile). W, Th, F, Sa (and bank holidays): 11AM. Guided tours that cover the tube's 150-year-history in two hours, including its construction, design and social history. Meet at the Sherlock Holmes Statue. Adult: £20, Child (under age 12): £12, Senior (60+): £12.
- 4 Go Boat, Merchant Square, Paddington, London, W2 1JZ (on the north side of Paddington Station 50 m west of the rolling bridge), bookings@goboat.co.uk. 8-person boat hire for self-drive journeys around London canals. £55.
- 5 Paddington Central (Sheldon Square), 1A Sheldon Square, W2 6PY (Paddington BAK CIR DIS H&C ELI
), info@paddingtoncentral.com. Checkout constantly changing events at the Paddington Central development with the amphitheatre in Sheldon Square, or visit for the food, shopping and atmosphere. - 6 Puppet Theatre Barge, ☏ +44 20 7249-6876, info@puppetbarge.com. A floating puppet theatre on a converted barge. Varied schedule of performances.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Paddington Store (Paddington Bear Store), The Lawn at Paddington Station, W2 1RH, ☏ +44 20 7402-5209. M–F 8AM–9PM, Sa 9AM–9PM, Su & holidays 9AM–7PM. The official store of Michael Bond's famous Paddington Bear with merchandise including books, DVDs, souvenirs and of course, marmalade.
Eat
[edit]Good value eats abound in this area. The Bayswater/Queensway area has many excellent Middle Eastern, Indian and Chinese options. Edgware Rd is another good bet for Middle Eastern and the area around Paddington Station itself is a hive of small cafes. Warwick Avenue and Maida Vale are home to some good, stylish mid-market restaurants.
Budget
[edit]Near Paddington station
[edit]- 1 Raffles, Paddington Dental Practice, 13 Craven Rd, ☏ +44 20 7723-3159.
- 2 Le Gourmet, 157 Praed St. Lebanese
- 3 La Tazza Cafe, 143 Praed St, W2 1RL, ☏ +44 20 7706-3006.
- 4 Paramount Lebanese Kitchen Paddington, 26 London St.
- 5 Wasabi, Unit 12, Paddington Station, Bridge Street.
- 6 Sandro Sandwich Bar, 22 Spring St.
- 7 Micky's Fish & Chips, 29 Norfolk Pl, W2 1QH, ☏ +44 20 7723-2384.
Around Little Venice
[edit]- 8 Da Daniela, 49 Shirland Rd, ☏ +44 20 7289-0008. Italian cuisine
- 9 Little Venice Fish Bar, 264 Harrow Rd, W2 5ES, ☏ +44 20 7121-8881.
Bayswater
[edit]Along Edgware Road
[edit]Mid-range
[edit]- 20 Kalamaras, 66 Inverness Mews, W2 3JQ (tube: Bayswater CIR DIS ), ☏ +44 871 3327813. Temporarily closed as of May 2022. Markets itself as London's oldest Greek restaurant. Not sure if that is true but it has been around a long time in this quiet mews in Bayswater and is a favourite with local residents. Counts several celebs amongst its regular clientele. Try the taramasalata and keftedes. Mains £10-15.
- 21 The Waterway, 54-56 Formosa St, W9 2JU (tube: Warwick Avenue BAK ), ☏ +44 20 7266-3557, info@thewaterway.co.uk. Stylish bar and restaurant alongside the canal at Little Venice. Has an alfresco dining area right by the water during summer. Mixed European food Mains £15-20.
- 22 Il Gusto, 11 Craven Rd, W2 3BP (Paddington BAK CIR DIS H&C ELI ), ☏ +44 20 7402-2111. 8AM-11PM. An inexpensive casual Italian restaurant serving pasta, pizza and seafood. Also has an extensive dessert menu. Mains: £7.50-19.50 (Nov 2018).
- 23 Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant, 84 Queensway, W2 3RL (tube: Bayswater CIR DIS ), ☏ +44 20 7229-4320. noon-11PM. One of London's most esteemed Chinese restaurants, known internationally for its Cantonese-style roast duck.
Splurge
[edit]Drink
[edit]- 1 The Bear, 29 Spring St, W2 1JA, ☏ +44 20 7262-3907, thebearpaddington@thecraftbeerco.com. noon-11PM. More a beer expedition than a pub.
- 2 Bridge House, 13 Westbourne Terrace Rd, W2 6NG (in Little Venice), ☏ +44 20 7266-4326. A beautiful white pub with a theatre inside
- 3 The Carlton Tavern, 33 Carlton Vale, NW6 5EU, ☏ +44 20 7625-4760. noon-11PM.
- 4 Kings Head, 33 Moscow Rd, London W2 4AH, ☏ +44 20 7229-4233. 11AM-11PM. Wood panelled Victorian Pub
- 5 The Mad Bishop & Bear, Paddington Station, W2 1HB (go to The Lawn eating area, and up the escalators to the top floor), ☏ +44 20 7402-2441, madbishopandbear@fullers.co.uk. Daily 9AM–9PM. A surprisingly good pub. It is a Fuller's pub, serving well-kept real ales. It is in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. Breakfast is served from opening (M-F 9AM, Sa 7:30AM, Su 10AM) until noon, standard pub food is served at other times.
- 6 Ordnance Arms, 29 Ordnance Hill, NW8 6PS, ☏ +44 20 7722-0278. noon-11PM. Samuel Smith's
- 7 The Prince Alfred, 5A Formosa St, Maida Vale W9 1EE (200 yards north of Warwick Avenue BAK Underground), ☏ +44 20 7286-3287. Daily Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Lavishly decorated Victorian pub near Lord's cricket ground.
- 8 The Swan, 66 Bayswater Rd, W2 3PH (Overlooking Hyde Park), ☏ +44 2 0726 25204. 9AM-11PM. A Fuller's 18th century coaching inn.
- 9 The Union Tavern, 45 Woodfield Rd, W9 2BA, ☏ +44 20 7286-1886, UNIONTAVERN@FULLERS.CO.UK. noon-11PM. with a terrace overlooking the Union Canal
- 10 The Victoria, 10A Strathearn Pl, W2 2NH, ☏ +44 20 7724-1191, thevictoria@fullers.co.uk. 11AM-11PM. Fullers
Sleep
[edit]This district has probably the greatest range of budget and mid-price accommodation in central London.
A lot of the hotels here are converted Victorian houses which makes for a charming stay but can also mean dodgy plumbing and poor heating systems. And check if the property has a lift if this is important to you.
A good option for the value-conscious is to check the large range of service apartments available. The standard of accommodation at these is often much better than you would get in an equivalently priced traditional hotel.
Budget
[edit]Hostels
[edit]- 1 Equity Point London, 100-102 Westbourne Ter, W2 6QE (a 2-min walk from Paddington Station), ☏ +44 20 7087-8001, infolondon@equity-point.com. An affordable hostel that has clean and cheap rooms. From £15 including breakfast, internet access and bottom linen.
- 2 The Green Man Publove Hostel, 308 Edgware Rd, W2 1DY, ☏ +44 20 7723-7980. Very cheap hostel above a pub aimed at young partying types. Gets very raucous indeed. Dorm and private rooms. Dorms from £12, privates from £45.
Hotels
[edit]- 3 Ascot Hyde Park Hotel, 11 Craven Rd, W2 3BP (Few minutes' walk from Paddington Stn), ☏ +44 20 7402-5447. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Popular budget hotel. Single: £40-100, double: £44-113 (prices fluctuate greatly).
- 4 Bluedaws Private Hotel, 133-135 Sussex Gdns, W2 2RX (2 min from Paddington Stn or Hyde Pk), ☏ +44 20 7723-6040, fax: +44 20 7262-8390. Very clean budget hotel. Singles £25, doubles £35, triples £45, including English breakfast.
- 5 Mina House Hotel, 21-23 Craven Rd, W2 3BU (Few min walk from Paddington Stn), ☏ +44 20 7723-9276. From £79 per night (free breakfast).
- 6 Mitre House Hotel, 178-186 Sussex Gdns, W2 1TU (5 min walk from Paddington Stn), ☏ +44 20 7723-8040, fax: +44 20 7402-0990. Two-star hotel.
- 7 Barry House Hyde Park, 12 Sussex Place, Hyde Park, W2 2TP (tube: next to Lancaster Gate CEN and Paddington BAK CIR DIS H&C ELI ), ☏ +44 20 7723-7340, fax: +44 20 7723-9775. from £65.
Mid-range
[edit]- 8 Brynteg Hotel, 109 Sussex Gdns, W2 2RU (tube: Paddington BAK CIR DIS H&C ELI ), ☏ +44 20 7723-6040, fax: +44 20 262 8390, bluedaws_uk@yahoo.co.uk. 3-star bed and breakfast. Well-appointed, modern bedrooms with spotlessly clean and en-suite facilities. Singles £50, doubles £65.
- 9 Lancaster Hall Hotel, 35 Craven Terrace, W2 3EL (tube: Lancaster Gate CEN ), ☏ +44 20 7723-9276. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10:30AM. Small hotel run by the YMCA. Rooms are small and basic, but reasonably priced and comfortable (and with free Wi-Fi). Breakfast is normally served from 7:30-9:30AM (though apparently can be arranged earlier through management the day before) and consists of various breads, jams, hardboiled eggs, cottage cheese, deli meats, yoghurts and breakfast cereals; with a choice of fruit juices and tea or coffee. Not to be confused with the much more expensive Royal Lancaster Hotel. Singles £79, doubles £99 (includes breakfast).
- 10 Mercure London Paddington Hotel, 144 Praed St, W2 1HU (tube: Paddington BAK CIR DIS H&C ELI ), ☏ +44 20 7706-8888, stay@mercurepaddington.com. Good value for the price. The rooms are tiny, but that is where the resemblance to other London hotels ends. The rooms are immaculate, the plumbing is perfect, the decor is beautiful, and the fitness room is brand new. Singles from £70, doubles from £120.
- 11 The Pilgrim, 25 London St W2 1HH (next to Mercure), ☏ +44 20 7667-6000. In three Victorian townhouses, reception and service are automated. Comfy place right by the railway station. B&B double £130.
- 12 The Westbourne Hyde Park, 51 Gloucester Terrace, W2 3DQ, ☏ +44 20 7402-5077.
- 13 Hilton London Hyde Park, 129 Bayswater Road, W2 4RJ (tube: Queensway CEN ), ☏ +44 20 7221-2217, reservations.hydepark@hilton.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Opposite Hyde Park, with136 guest rooms, a bar, a restaurant and a meeting room.
Splurge
[edit]- 14 Hilton London Paddington, 146 Praed St, W2 1EE (at Paddington Stn), ☏ +44 20 7850-0500, fax: +44 20 7850-0600. Essentially inside Paddington Station. A nice and convenient place to stay, particularly if someone else is picking up the tab.
- 15 Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, W2 2TY (tube: Lancaster Gate CEN ), ☏ +44 20 7262-6737, info@lancasterlondon.com. Right alongside Hyde Park and many of the rooms have clear views over the park. From about £120.
- 16 Hotel Indigo London-Paddington, 16 London St, W2 1HL (tube: Paddington BAK CIR DIS H&C ELI ), ☏ +44 20 7706-4444, stay@indigopaddington.com. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Close to Paddington Station. From about £130.
- 17 Danubius Hotel Regents Park, 18 Lodge Rd, NW8 7JT, ☏ +44 20 7722-7722, fax: +44 20 7483-2408, enquiries@danubiuslondon.co.uk. Very friendly staff. Spotlessly clean quiet room. Great view of Regents Park. Breakfast is excellent. Service the same. The location is superb, particularly for any cricket fan, as it looks right over Lords cricket ground. £148-198.
- 18 Roseate House, 3 Westbourne Terrace W2 3U (tube: Paddington or Lancaster Gate), ☏ +44 20 7479-6600. Chic hotel in a knock-through of three Victorian townhouses. B&B double £200.
- 19 Hilton London Metropole, 225 Edgware Road, W2 1JU, ☏ +44 20 7402-4141, cbs.londonmet@hilton.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Modern 4-star hotel. Amenities include various meeting rooms, a Mediterranean-style restaurant and a contemporary lounge bar. There's also an indoor pool and a gym, along with a steam room and a sauna.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]| Routes through Paddington-Maida Vale |
| North London ← Hammersmith and Fulham ← | W  E |
→ Mayfair-Marylebone → Bloomsbury |
| West London ← Notting Hill-North Kensington ← | W  E |
→ Mayfair-Marylebone → Bloomsbury-Soho |
| Westminster ← Notting Hill-North Kensington ← main loop ← | S  E |
→ main loop → Mayfair-Marylebone → Transfer to eastbound trains from Hammersmith |
| Hammersmith and Fulham ← Notting Hill-North Kensington ← Hammersmith branch ← | W E |
→ Hammersmith branch → Mayfair-Marylebone → Bloomsbury-Camden |
| Wimbledon ← Notting Hill-North Kensington ← | W  E |
→ Mayfair-Marylebone → END |
| West London ← Reading branch ← | W  E |
→ Mayfair-Marylebone → Soho → City of London |
Heathrow Airport  ← Heathrow branch ← |
W E |
→ END |
| Hammersmith and Fulham ← Notting Hill-North Kensington ← | W  E |
→ Mayfair-Marylebone → Bloomsbury-Camden |
| North London ← Hampstead ← | N  S |
→ Mayfair-Marylebone → Westminster |
| Routes through Paddington-Maida Vale |
| Watford ← Kilburn ← | NW  SE |
→ Marble Arch |
| Hammersmith and Fulham ← North Kensington ← | W  E |
→ Marylebone → West End |
| North London ← Hampstead ← | N  S |
→ Marylebone |