Take a break from the norm with alternative London accommodation

Bored of staying in the West End when visiting London? Fed up of paying over the odds for your London hotel room? It’s time to take a break from the norm when visiting the capital. We show you how to live like a Londoner, even for a short time.

With a record number of tourists visiting London in the first three months of 2013, a break to the capital is fast becoming the perfect tonic for a weekend escape. Whether for business or pleasure, London is the place to be and where to go.

But how do you actually live like a Londoner, exploring local areas and coming to know the city far more than any oversees tourist ever can? Below is a top 5 list of how to refresh a trip to London and experience the real London.

Living like a Londoner should

Why overpay for your London accommodation? Kippsy is an online marketplace that connects those looking for somewhere to stay in London with those property owners who have available accommodation. It’s not a lettings agency and it’s not a couch surfing site, it simply brings together landlords and property owners who have short term lets available and visitors who want something more homely than a hotel room.

By offering high quality apartments in centrally located positions tourists are beginning to feel more like locals and enjoy living the life of a Londoner. Through selecting an apartment of your choosing; close to clubs, the theatre, galleries, attractions and restaurants, the idea of city living during a visit becomes more of an alluring prospect. Plus, with guests able to save up to 65% a night compared to similar standard hotel rooms as well it is also providing a significant saving on luxury accommodation.

An alternative Museum visit

Look out for different museums to visit. London is awash with different museums yet the brilliant but popular Tate Modern, Natural History Museum, Shakespeare’s globe theatre etc. always get the second visit.  Detour to Hackney Wick, a relatively undiscovered artistic area in London, jam packed with galleries, shops and exhibitions that. Or even join the ‘First Thursday’s’ tour for a guided tour of East London’s independent art galleries, early bookings are essential. Victorian London provided an important historical back drop to the London we see today - pop in to see Charles Dickens’ home and finish off with a look at The Old Operating Theatre Museum. Kippsy’s Good Museum Guide.

Hit the unknown streets

Walk around an area of London you haven’t been to before. There will be street art, food and entertainers aplenty, keep walking and you will find more and more. From food in Brixton Village to a new club in Dalston’s up and coming party scene there are places a plenty to call your new favourite. Better yet, with Kippsy you could find an apartment in an area that you have not been before and have more chance to explore the unknown.

Ignore the chain

Choose to shop, drink and eat in independent stores as much as possible. The high street chains and fast-food stores will still be in your home town when you get back. By choosing independent retailers you are not only helping small business owners but you may find a few hidden gems along the way that could define your trip to London as a unique experience. Follow the side streets and walk into any shop that takes your fancy.  

Don’t plan

How about just planning your length of stay and accommodation and then see where the mood takes you? Quite often short breaks are dominated by a predetermined schedule that allows no time for spontaneity and relaxation. The best things can happen at the random moments you never expected to be at. So, in fact, ignoring this list could be your best plan to refresh your trip to London.

From living in a plush, city apartment to learning about a new part of London you didn’t know exist the short break to the capital can continue to feel like a new holiday every time.