Location and history
Rarely figuring on the radar of the average tourist, Finchley road tube station serves the western fringes of Hampstead, one of London’s most exclusive suburbs. It is located at the corner of Finchley Road and Canfield Gardens in the Camden district just to the north of London’s city centre. The tube station is on the verge of celebrating its 150th anniversary (it was opened in 1879) and is connected to the Jubilee and the Metropolitan Lines within Zone 2 of the London Underground. You can get into central London within just 10 minutes!
This leafy residential area is an oasis of calm, yet central London is just a short stop away. As such it is an area which offers supreme value for money: with easy access to central London without commanding the rents and hotel rates you’d pay in central London.
Local attractions within walking distance
At Finchley Road tube station you will be within a short distance of renowned London attractions such as London Zoo, the Lord’s Cricket Ground and Madame Tussaud’s.
You will also be within walking distance of lesser-known but equally significant attractions such as the Freud Museum, the Camden Arts Center and Hampstead Theatre.
The Freud Museum was the residence of Sigmund Freud and his family from 1928 till 1982. Occupying pride of place in the Museum is the couch on which the legendary Freud treated his patients. You read that right: Freud’s legendary couch, in front of your very own eyes!
The Camden Arts Centre and Hampstead Theatre are prominent fixtures on the London cultural scene which are often overlooked by many tourists. Hampstead Theatre is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary by reviving a hit play from each decade of its history.
Although far removed from the usual tourist circuit, the neighborhood of Finchley Road tube station is well worth checking out since it gives you access to one of London’s most desirable neighborhoods.
A further attraction is the shopping you’ll find at the fabulous O2 centre, which is virtually next door to Finchley Road station. It has a range of shops, restaurants and bars and a multiplex cinema to boot. There’s also a fun, Australian-themed “Walkabout” sports bar close at hand.
The restaurants in the area offer the usual mix of Indian, Japanese, Italian and African food. Special mention must be made of Singapore Garden, a classy yet pocket-friendly restaurant (Singaporeans in London travel across the city to eat there) and the Horseshoe – a gastro-pub with its own microbrewery in the basement.
Cheap hotels near Finchley Road, London
And if you are overwhelmed by the frantic pace of London during the day, you can relax in one of the hotels situated in this sophisticated yet unostentatious area.
The Express by Holiday Inn Swiss Cottage is within stone’s throw of the station and offers solid value for money, ranked as it is within the top 200 (out of more than 1000 hotels) on TripAdvisor.
The Danubius Hotel Regent’s Park, with its uninterrupted views of the Lord’s Cricket Ground, is especially popular with cricket enthusiasts but does not currently get as good guest reviews as the Holiday Inn.
If you want to be closer to Hampstead and its delightful “Heath”, the Premier Inn Hampstead is a cheap budget hotel which also gets decent reviews. Please check the London Hotels Insight blog for further details of hotels that are both good value and highly-rated on TripAdvisor.
