Shopping on your doorstep has a lot to offer in Kensington. Not only can you find a wide range of top brands and lots of independent stores, you may even find yourself spotting a celebrity or two.
This is one of the most popular shopping areas in London with shops centered around Kensington High Street and Kensington Church Street, and then yet more down in South Kensington. Although busy, it has a more relaxed atmosphere than the sometimes, frenetic shopping experience to be found in the West End. With lots of embassies and upmarket homes in the area, you can find yourself rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous including royalty since Kensington Palace (home of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and his fiancé Meghan Markle) is only a short distance away.
Expect to find all the main high street brands such as Urban Outfitters, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Waterstones and Cass Arts as well as vintage fashion and
Antiques. Orsini Vintage for example are stockists of high end vintage fashion including Dior, Chanel and Lanvin. Kensington High Street is also home to top British label, LK Bennett, as well as housing London’s largest WholeFoods outlet complete with a massive food court on the top floor offering everything from sushi to BBQ.
Book a room at Presidential Apartments Kensington and head down towards South Kensington and the Museum quarter and you can find lots more shopping opportunities such as Amanda Wakeley, Jigsaw, Stella McCartney ready to wear shop and Adidas Sportswear.
People staying in short stay apartments in London will have no problem getting to Art Deco and enjoy the stunning architecture of the Michelin House, originally built as the headquarters of the Michelin Tyre Company. Now it is a very busy Conran Shop selling all kinds of furniture and homewares.
If you like antiques, then a stop at the Christies showroom is absolutely essential. This is the world famed Christies auction house, where auctions in a wide range of items such as jewellery, books, art and furniture are held throughout the year. There are many auction houses in London. So, you can take a look in the showrooms to see what is coming up for auction, and perhaps place a bid or two!
Kensington Church Street is another area worth investigating. This small narrow street heads up from Kensington High Street towards Notting Hill Gate. This is the oldest part of Kensington, dating back before the building of the Museum quarter, it contains lots of quirky, independent stores. Want to relax with a drink – then stop off at the colorful Churchill Arms. This pub is renowned for its floral exterior, as during summer it can be almost totally covered in flowers.
