Knightsbridge |
Knightsbridge is one of the most famous and sought-after areas of London.
It is famous for the department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols as well as many exceptional boutiques and restaurants. And it is on the doorstep of Hyde Park as well as being close to Sloane Square, Mayfair and the theatres and clubs of the West End.
So, what are the five best streets in Knightsbridge?
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is actually the name of a street in Knightsbridge. It runs from Exhibition Road along the southern boundary of Hyde Park to Hyde Park Corner. So, why is such a busy road regarded as one of the best streets in Knightsbridge?
Frankly, there are large parts of the road that I don’t like at all. Nevertheless, it is home to two of the best apartment buildings in London – The Knightsbridge Apartments (also known as 199 Knightsbridge) and One Hyde Park.
The Knightsbridge Apartments was really the first “super-prime” development in London. It was built in the early 2000s and was a revelation because it had underground parking, a gym, a spa, 24-hour concierges and large lateral apartments. It seems quite standard now, but this was cutting-edge 20 years ago. This was deemed very expensive at the time as prices ranged from £2000-3,000 per sq. ft.
But under a decade later, One Hyde Park was built with better facilities and better views over Hyde Park with prices over £6,000 per square foot. These two developments paved the way for the top new developments that one can find in Belgravia and Mayfair today.
Ennismore Gardens
This is one of my favourite addresses in London. It is incredibly central but an oasis of calm. It was built in the 1870s with the garden square as the centrepiece. The square was originally all houses with facades of Portland Stone and stabling for horses in the mews.
Over time, the majority of the buildings have been converted into apartments although a couple of houses still exist. Nevertheless, the proportions of these buildings are fantastic and are a brilliant example of Victorian grandeur.
Arguably the nicest feature of the square is that it is incredibly discreet. As it is not a “through road” it is very quiet and remains a hidden gem even today.
Rutland Gardens
Rutland Gardens is a private road which runs south of Knightsbridge. The guards at the gate mean that security is good although you should know that the Turkish Consulate General is in the road, so there are a lot of visitors during the day.
Nevertheless, the apartments in the mansion blocks are much sought after due to the security, good floorplates as well as proximity to the park and the shops of Knightsbridge. There are also houses on the street including Rutland House which sold for £63 million in 2018.
Egerton Terrace and Egerton Crescent
While these are clearly two streets they are right next to each other and are both lovely. Rather like Ennismore Gardens, they are a haven of tranquillity despite being a minute’s walk to the Brompton Road (home to Harrods).
They were built roughly 15 years after Ennismore Gardens and the architecture is very different. These houses are smaller – ranging from c. 2600 sq. ft. to 4,500 sq. ft in Egerton Terrace and from c. 3,200 sq. ft. to over 5,500 sq. ft. in Egerton Crescent – but are very picturesque with their white, stucco facades. They also have their own gardens, unlike the townhouses of Ennismore Gardens.
Famous residents have included Oscar Wilde who wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray while living there and J M Barrie, the author of Peter Pan.
Rutland Gate
This road is probably most famous for having one of the most expensive homes in London. 2-8a Rutland Gate was acquired for £200m in 2020 and is 61,000 sq. ft. with views over Hyde Park. It was owned by the late Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, and was bought by a Chinese billionaire.
Of course, this transaction took all the headlines, but the quieter part of Rutland Gate has several very nice houses ranging from 6000 sq. ft. to over 15,000 sq. ft. and one even has its own tennis court which is a rarity for such a central address. There are also several houses which have been converted into apartments.
Again, this street is popular because of the views over the small communal garden and the fact that it is so quiet. Although, some people do feel that it is a little far from shops and restaurants.
Final thoughts
While these are five of the best streets in Knightsbridge, there are several wonderful addresses that I haven’t mentioned such as Montpelier Square. So, there are plenty of lovely streets to choose from.
However, you must remain selective and ensure that you focus on “best in breed” properties. There is a dangerous belief that if you acquire a home or investment in Knightsbridge, Belgravia, Mayfair or any other area in prime central London, that it will be a good home and/or investment.
Unfortunately, this is not the case and I can show you dozens and dozens of examples of people who have made poor decisions and costly mistakes.
If you would like to avoid making one of these expensive blunders, you can request a free copy of my book, The Insider’s Guide To Acquiring £1m to £100m Property in London, by clicking here, emailing [email protected] or calling 02034578855 (+442034578855 from outside the UK).
The book reveals the tested and proven strategies and tactics that I have been using for over 20 years to find my clients their ideal homes and investment properties and then negotiating prices they hadn’t thought possible.
So, if you are open to discovering how to make an astute acquisition while avoiding all the wasted time, money and stress suffered by the majority of buyers simply request a free copy of my book, The Insider’s Guide To Acquiring £1m to £100m Property in London, by clicking here, emailing [email protected] or calling 02034578855 (+442034578855 from outside the UK).
