London is an expensive city; there’s no debating that. And arguably the underlying cause for almost everything that is expensive about the city – from food to shopping, to the price of pints, and beyond – boils down to one thing: rental and property costs. Even with recent sweeping changes to the rental system, London is an almost prohibitively expensive place when it comes to rent. And don’t even get me started on the sky-high property prices.
But what if money were no object? What if we had enough money to live absolutely anywhere in London? Where would we want to live? To find out, we turned to you – Secret London readers. We asked you, “If money was no object, where in London would be your dream place to live?”
And boy, did you have plenty to say! Almost 1,000 of you chimed in, with suggestions and ‘me too’s. And after a careful tally, it’s clear that London’s most desirable place to live is…
Drum roll please…
Hampstead!
Just beating Richmond to the top spot, Hampstead was the number one most mentioned place where people would live in London if they didn’t have to worry about the price.
It’s no wonder, either, since it’s home to the stunning Hampstead Heath, gorgeous rolling scenery and streets, brilliant pubs, the magnificent Highgate Cemetery, and much more.
The most desirable places to live in London
According to Secret London readers, these are the spots they’d most love to live (if they could afford it!):
- Hampstead
- Richmond
- Kensington
- Chelsea
- Angel/Islington
- Primrose Hill
- Greenwich
- Camden
- Wimbledon
- Marylebone
For many commenters, it wasn’t necessarily the area itself that was desirable, but what it provided. People were excited by views of the Thames or London landmarks – or even Lord’s Cricket Ground.
And then others seemed to want to actually live inside London landmarks. Buckingham Palace was the most popular choice (a life of luxury!), followed by the Tower of London. Some even suggested lying inside the House of Parliament or 10 Downing Street (after kicking out all the MPS and politicians, that is).
Others valued the convenience of some areas being close to their favourite attractions and venues. After all, imagine spending your days walking to zoos, theatres, and more.
Some simply wanted to live by the river, regardless of exactly where – in a houseboat or a penthouse flat.