When you think of Paddington two things probably come to mind, the famous station and its very own mascot Paddington Bear! However, there’s a bit more to the area than a train terminal and a popular kids’ character… it’s an up and coming district in it’s own right with a little bit of everything.

Yes, it’s true that the Heathrow Airport Express train goes to and from the station every 15 minutes, it’s also true the London Underground connections from the station are among the best and most convenient in the city, and it’s also true that Paddington is within walking distance of London’s West End, but it doesn’t end here by any means…

The local area is made up of thriving businesses, charming Victorian residential streets and sparkling new shopping complexes, not to mention excellent pubs and restaurants. It has a thriving new development called Paddington Waterside which is a self contained housing, business and leisure district with lovely modern walkways, towpaths and barges extending across the Thames waters. The area is surrounded by some of London’s most popular spots such as Notting Hill, Kensington, Mayfair, Soho, Hyde Park and Westminster, all within walking distance. Such an excellent location makes it an ideal vantage point for tourists who want to be next to the best of what London has to offer…

Paddington & Convenience

You’ll also probably be pretty aware that Paddington Station is a pretty popular terminal in London and you’re not wrong! The station is dead central in the city and runs four different Tube lines which all but cover the whole city. You can pick up the Bakerloo Line (Brown), the Hammersmith & City Line (Pink), the Circle Line (Yellow) and finally the District Line (Green). Not only that, the Heathrow Express Service arrives and departs from here every 15 minutes with a total journey time of just 20 minutes. This makes Paddington the ideal medium between London and Heathrow Airport – staying here means you can get around London hassle free and the journey to the terminal is effortless!

Paddington Station is also one of the city’s main bus terminals, so if you fancy seeing a bit more of the city while travelling around then hop on a red bus ! Many of the city’s night services run to here as well meaning you can stay out in town all night and not have to worry about getting back to your hotel.

Another excellent thing about the area is that all the London Tour Buses pass through Paddington – there’s a collection point at Paddington Hilton Hotel, so you can hop an open top bus from here and see the sights and delights of the city.

What Paddington Itself Has Got To Offer

This is the section where you’ll be pleasantly surprised… there’s a wealth of options in the area whatever your tastes are. If the weather’s fine then you’ve got plenty to do… have a wander down the charming Victorian stretch of the Grand Union Canal, it’s a fine old world London setting that’s well worth a look. Hyde Park is also an excellent spot popular with tourists and locals who come here to soak up the sun on the green and enjoy this leafy urban haven. Close by is the remarkable Kensington Gardens with its curving Serpentine Lake.

There are plenty of pubs and restaurants scattered around the vicinity, many of them traditional English efforts with an air of Victorian London to their style. Fear not though if it’s food of an ethnic persuasion that you’re after - Italian, Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants are plentiful, there’s also French, Malaysian, Mediterranean, Japanese and Spanish establishments and plenty more. If you fancy a suave night out then you can amble over to nearby Kensington where there’s no shortage of flash wine bars and cocktail lounges.

A stroll to the Edgware Road area will really add a bit of cultural flavour to your stay… there are plenty of restaurants and bars down here with a succinctly Eastern leaning, along with the curious Shisha cafés where you can relax with a flavoured hooka pipe and a mint tea amidst the cosy ambience. Of course if you want a really big night out you can jump on the Bakerloo Line (Brown) from Paddington Station and hit Oxford Street or Piccadilly Circus, it won’t take longer than 10 minutes and you’ll find plenty of places to drink round here, not to mention an excellent assortment of shops.

Art lovers can call into the Hyde Park Art Gallery on their way down to the parklands for a slice of local art, or sample the contemporary artwork at the Marlene Elieni Gallery nearby. Shoppers can head over to the brand new Paddington Waterside Development where there are plenty of department stores, or if you fancy more variety head over to Whiteleys in Bayswater, where you can also catch any of the latest films at the cinema within the complex.

Edgeware Road is another handy spot if you fancy picking up a bargain or two, while the Portobello Market between Paddington and Notting Hill is a real must see, you’ll get a fine selection of stalls selling anything and everything from ethnic foods, second hand music, clothes and various other paraphernalia. If you fancy something a bit more on the pricey side, then a hop, skip and a jump will take you over to Kensington High Street where there are plenty of quaint little designer boutiques for the more discerning shoppers amongst you.

Of course one of the good things about Paddington is the fact that you can pick up a number of the hop on hop off tour buses that go around London. So if you want to see the old sights of the city such as the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace , London Bridge, Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament to name but a few, then just head for the bus stop outside the Paddington Hilton, it’s just outside the station on Praed Road.

A few things to bear in mind

Money –

· You’ll probably be aware by now that even though the UK is part of the European Union they have not yet adopted the Euro. It’s not much good here so make sure you change up some Sterling. · There are ATMs everywhere in Paddington and London and you can use bankcards from any reputable bank, whilst debit and credit cards are good in the vast majority of places. · For currency exchange most of the banks and a few of the building societies offer this service as well as the bureau de changes, so shop around if you have the time.

Business Hours –

A lot of the shops in Paddington are open between the usual times of 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturdays, though many of the larger shops will stay open till 7pm during the week and still open on Sundays.

Emergencies –

Dial 999 for police, fire brigade or ambulance in cases of emergency.