Rainy Day Rentals–#5 High Street Kensington, London

Last summer turned out to be a rather sodden affair in London, what with eight rainstorms in two weeks’ time. This year has turned out to be quite a bit better and brighter—but the wary locals still carry their brollies (umbrellas) with them just in case. To be on the safe side, New York Habitat is bringing you the five best—indoor—places in London to wait out a rainstorm… in addition to your NY Habitat London vacation rental, which goes without saying. Let’s start with number five on our list, The Orangery in Hyde Park.

As most Londoners will tell you, nothing beats a spot of tea during a proper downpour. As luck would have it, The Orangery provides some much needed shelter in the midst of Hyde Park’s open expanse. It also serves some of the best afternoon tea in town, complete with finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and bite-sized pastries. The whole experience is so lovely, it will almost have you hoping that the rain won’t stop.

Of course, it’s only fitting that The Orangery’s interior is spacious and gorgeous since it was originally built as the Queen’s private sun room. Even without the sun, though, it’s still quite spectacular to see, as are the park surroundings.

What puts The Orangery on our list, however, is also its proximity to High Street Kensington, an area pulsating with people, shops, cafés, restaurants and nightlife. You can practically make it from one interesting establishment to the next without getting hit with a single raindrop.

If you start from the park and go left, you’ll pass Royal Albert Hall, the Royal College of Art and the Albert Memorial, a golden spire of a monument first unveiled in 1869 to honor Queen Victoria’s beloved husband. If you head right from Hyde Park, you’ll pass Kensington Palace, St. Mary’s Abbotts Church and Babylon rooftop restaurant (a place to set aside for a not so rainy day), as well as a whole plethora of choice eateries, fashionable chain stores and one-of-a-kind shops, before you reach Holland Park and the Holland Park Theatre.

High Street Kensington is the place where many tourists hope to stay during their trip to London—but with hotel prices in the area being astronomical, many miss out. Fortunately, New York Habitat has a host of affordable Kensington accommodations that will allow you to stay on the High Street in style, while still saving up for a rainy day.

Some top choices include:

• An elegant 3-bedroom Vacation Rental in Kensington-Chelsea (LN-359) just off High Street Ken. Located on the third floor of a period mansion building with elevator and porter, the apartment boasts a decorative fireplace and plenty of seating.
• A 3-bedroom Accommodation in Kensington-Chelsea (LN-246) that makes you feel at home on Kensington Court, between Kensington Road and High Street Ken. The apartment has a terrace, laundry and decorative fireplace, as well as a master bedroom with a queen size bed, another with a double bed and the third with twins. A client testimonial says about this accommodation, “The apartment in which we stayed in London was very nice and comfortable. It was very clean.”

So don’t despair if you see a few rain clouds in the sky—it’s all part of the true London experience…and a great excuse to linger in your New York Habitat home or while away the time over afternoon tea at The Orangery.

What are some of your favorite places to duck into along High Street Kensington? Please tell us below and be sure to check next week’s number four spot for where not to get soaked in London.