London neighborhood spotlight: Bloomsbury
Ah, Bloomsbury—aptly named for its blossoming trees and for the squares and side streets filled with pretty greenery. Once home to the famous Bloomsbury Group, a gaggle of literary types like Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster, the area now hosts the famous British Museum and nearby Russell Square.
When choosing the neighborhood for your London hotel or B&B, Bloomsbury is an attractive choice. Here are some things to think about before “booking it” in Bloomsbury:
Advantages of staying here-
Location, location! Bloomsbury has access to all major forms of transport, so it’s easy to dine in Soho, see a show in the West End, or do some shopping in Piccadilly Circus before heading home for the night.
Its proximity to the British Museum makes it a shoe-in for art aficionados, and book nerds will love meandering the streets in search of the blue plaques that mark the former homes and haunts of writers like Charles Dickens and George Bernard Shaw.
Today, Ricky Gervais, star of the British version of “The Office”, lives in Bloomsbury’s Tavistock Square. (Isn’t that reason enough?)
Disadvantages of staying here-
Bloomsbury, it’s no secret, can get expensive. Well, most of London can. However, budget hotels and cheap B&Bs can be found in the area. A little bit of research will go a long way in finding the right hotel. Check out the hotels we recommend in Bloomsbury.
If all the good picks are booked up, try staying in the nearby Kings Cross area, which often has cheaper hotel offerings, and benefits from easy access to Bloomsbury and central London.
And, if you’ve ever stayed in Bloomsbury, tell us what you thought in the comments section below.
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