While Park Grand London Hotels guests have a slight advantage in terms of proximity, it is only just when it comes to Paddington, as it is one of the most connected parts of London. For instance, those enjoying an Executive Stay in Heathrow can take the Heathrow Express from Heathrow to Paddington in just a quarter of an hour! So, here are ten things you need to do or places you need to visit in Paddington, London, which you need to visit in order to get a true sense of everything the area has to offer.
Paddington Central
With the sheer volume of things to do in London, one might be tempted to roll their eyes at the idea of exploring a railway station. But when it comes to Paddington Station, it all becomes clear. Paddington was first served by London Underground trains in 1863, which is hard to fathom when you think about the fact that the light bulb had yet to be invented yet. The station’s design is eye-catching and intricate, and it is filled with architectural detailing worthy of somewhere a lot more noble than an everyday train station.
Park Grand London Paddington
The Park Grand London Paddington is much more than just accommodation with fascinating nearby attractions, and between the hotel facilities and its plush rooms, it would be hard to leave if it was not so perfectly located for tourism adventures. Atlantic restaurant in the hotel serves a continental breakfast that will give you the energy you need for a day of exploration, as well as evening snacks. Not just ordinary peanuts and olives, though. Park Grand takes snacks a lot more seriously than that, and you can choose from a small but drool-inspiring Indian menu serving everything from Chicken Tikka Masala with Pilau Rice to Goan Fish Curry with Butter Naan.
Paddington Bear
There are few and far between who do not know the literary superstar Paddington Bear, whether from reading the highly renowned British novelist Michael Bond’s children’s books, or watching the star-studded film which, at the time, was the highest ever grossing non-Hollywood family film. For those who remain unaware, Paddington Bear is a story about a young bear who, on arriving at Paddington Station from darkest Peru, is found and later adopted by the Brown family, who live in Primrose Hill and name him Paddington based on where they found him. This is all in the fictional world, of course. But Paddington Bear has ventured out of the storybooks and our screens and is very much a presence in real-world Paddington. At the station alone, you can embrace the photo opportunity and sit alongside the Paddington Bear Statue or you could buy Paddington’s favorite snack, marmalade, at the Paddington Store. We would like to think that if the Browns had been traveling on another day and failed to meet Paddington, he would have made his way to Park Grand London Paddington eventually and smeared some marmalade on his morning toast at the breakfast buffet.
Openaire Cinema
This cinema experience on the Paddington Basin is the sort of thing that inspires guests having an Executive Stay in Heathrow to venture into the center of London, as well as the sort of thing that has Kensington Hotel London guests jumping for joy when they realize their proximity. Summer in Paddington is bolstered by this outdoor cinema which sees guests rowing their boats from Little Venice to the tranquil basin, where they are presented with noise canceling headphones, ample snacks and a film.
Alexander Fleming Museum
Guests of Park Grand hotels don’t tend to plan a trip to the hospital on their travels, even if St Mary’s Hospital is located in Paddington and easy to access. However, exceptions are made when it comes to the Alexander Fleming Museum which is located in the hospital. Sir Alexander Fleming was a Scottish physician and microbiologist who famously discovered penicillin in 1928 and whose discovery continues to save lives. Thus, a trip into the past through his life and story at the museum is both informative and inspiring.
Blue Plaque Hunting
Perhaps you have seen a blue plaque on a building somewhere in the UK and never quite know what they mean? Well, a blue plaque is a sign which is installed to pay tribute to a famous person by marking a place which holds significance to their lives. The person in question has to have been dead for 20 years, or have passed the hundredth anniversary of their birth. There are plenty of famous people, both alive and dead, who live and have lived in the Paddington area. If you want to see some of the latter and their blue plaques in the area, this is where you need to head.
- Susan Lawrence’s plaque is at 44 Westbourne Terrace. Lawrence was a British Labour Party politician and one of the earliest female Labour MPs. Her inscription reads, “1871-1947 Social Reformer lived here”.
- Charles Manby’s plaque is near Lawrence at 60 Westbourne Terrace. Manby was Secretary of the Institution of Civil Engineers and engineer of the first iron steamer to cross the English Channel. His inscription reads, “1804-1884 Civil Engineer lived here”, so we might go as far to say that he may have met young Lawrence in his later years while walking through the Paddington area.
- Hertha Ayrton’s plaque is at 3 Norfolk Square, 0.2 miles from Paddington Station. Ayrton was an engineer, mathematician, physicist, inventor and suffragette. Her inscription reads, “1903-1923 Physicist lived here”.
- Tommy Handley’s plaque is at 34 Craven Road – just a few doors down from a Park Grand hotel. Handley is an English comedian who is most famous for his BBC radio show called It’s That Man Again, which was on air between 1939 and 1949. His inscription reads, “1892-1949 Radio Comedian lived here”.
- Winston Churchill’s plaque is at 3 Sussex Square, which is very near to Lancaster Gate tube station. Churchill was the British Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. His inscription reads, “1921-1924 Prime Minister”.
