Notting Hill is located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is an area in West London. Notting Hill is currently one of London's most affluent and fashionable areas. Notting Hill is known to the world for its famous annual Notting Hill Carnival. This place gained immense popularity after the release of the famous English film 'Notting Hill' starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. Attractive terraces, large Victorian townhouses and sophisticated shopping centers and restaurants are the trademarks of Notting Hill in London.
History of Notting Hill
The current status of Notting Hill is a result of the massive transformation that it has undergone in the past few years. This area was once full of slums and over-crowded houses. It was just a little more than a wasteland. With the construction of Ladbroke and Norland estates in 1840, a number of residential complex were built up in this area. The area turned into a fashionable suburb with construction of streets, the Ladbroke Grove and the Ladbroke Square.
Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill Gate, Westbourne Grove, North Kensington and Portobello Road are the main areas of Notting Hill. The Portobello Road Market is one of London's famous markets for antiques. The Ladbroke Grove is a road in Notting Hill and also refers to the areas surrounding the road. Residences of many world famous celebrities are located here.
Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival is the largest street festival in Europe, attracting more than 1.5 million people. This annual carnival is held every August and lasts for 2 days. It is organized by members of the Caribbean population, who have lived in this area since 1950s. It is a gala event celebrated with great pomp and splendor.
Shopping at the fashionable and high end Portobello Market is one of the greatest attractions of Notting Hill. The tourists can also enjoy movies at one of the cinemas located in the area. A number of restaurants and pubs further enhance the attraction of the place. Although the number of clubs in Notting Hill is somewhat limited, yet tourists can make it a point to visit the Notting Hill Arts Club at Notting Hill Gate for its wonderful events and musical performances.
Getting to Notting Hill is never a problem for the visitors. Notting Hill can be easily reached by using one of the many modes of transport that approach the city at regular intervals. Heathrow Airport is the nearest airport to Notting Hill. Heathrow Express Train connects Notting Hill to Paddington Station. The Central, Circle and District Rails, all reach the Notting Hill Gate station. Various public buses ply within Notting Hill interconnecting various localities, including bus routes 28, 27, 70, 328 and 94.
There are a number of accommodation options in Notting Hill of different budget ranges. There are cheaper hotels at £50 as well as deluxe and luxurious hotels, where the tariff per person per night can go up to well over £200. Some of the popular hotels of Notting Hill are as follows:
- Abbey Court Hotel
20 Pembridge Gardens, W2
Tel: 020 7221 7518
- Craven Gardens Hotel
16 Leinster Terrace London W2 3 EU
Tel: 020 7262 3167
- The Hempel
31-35 Craven Hill Gardens, W2
Tel: 020 7298 9000
- The Lennox Hotel
34 Pembridge Gardens, W2
Tel: 020 7229 9977
- The Portobello Hotel
22 Stanley Gardens, W11
Tel: 020 7727 2777
