London area of Earls Court guide

What to do and where to stay in London's Earls Court neighbourhood

Up until as recently as the 1990s Earls Court was a haven of hostels, the temporary homes of a community of backpackers. The area, like most of its nomadic residents, had a scruffy appearance and looked like it needed a good scrub. Now much improved - although hotels here are still cheaper than their Kensington neighbours - you'll find a Waitrose next to the kebab shops on the traffic-laden Earls Court Road. The large Cromwell Road also hums with traffic and is the main artery for the west of the country. The whole of Earls Court is peppered with some incredibly beautiful private gardens and squares, which are open up for one weekend in June as part of a capital-wide programme. The big attraction of the area, though, is Earls Court Exhibition Centre with everything from live concerts (Madonna, U2 and Justin Timberlake have all played here) to large scale annual trade shows. In fact, the site has been entertaining crowds of visitors for years. It was first used as an entertainment ground in 1887 when J R Whitely used the derelict area for events like Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and permanent attractions included the Big Wheel, a helter-skelter and a water chute. Bring them back, we say.

See our recommended nearby Earls Court Hotels, Events, Entertainment, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.

NH Kensington
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
202-220 Cromwell Road, SW5
This clean, comfortable modern hotel made up of six Victorian houses is a short walk from Earls Court Tube station from where the Piccadilly line can ... More

 

 

Henley House Hotel
London > Hotels > Budget Chain Hotel
30 Barkston Gardens, SW5
Henley House is a fitting name for this chocolate-box hotel – its calm, pleasant environment evoking images of the Oxfordshire town. Wake up to breakfast in ... More

 

 

Kensington West
London > Hotels > Budget Chain Hotel
25 Matheson Road, W14
This family friendly hotel in West Kensington is a good choice if you’re travelling on a budget. Functional and affordable, all rooms come with en-suite facilities, ... More

 

 

Hotels in Earls Court

 

London Olympics: Volleyball
London > Events > London Olympics Sporting Events
London Olympics: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, Earls Court, London SW5
The London 2012 Olympic Volleyball competition takes place at Earls Court in west London from Saturday 28 July until Sunday 12 August. Both the men's and ... More

 

 

International Jewellery London
London > Events > Business Events
Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, Earls Court, London SW5
As the UK's leading jewellery event, International Jewellery London features the biggest selection of high quality, design led jewellery, more high end manufacturers than any other ... More

 

 

100 Percent Design
London > Events > Business Events
Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, Earls Court, London SW5
Describing itself as the UK's first and leading contemporary design event, 100% Design is a four day extravaganza held at Earls Court devoted to the latest ... More

 

 

Events in Earls Court

 

The Troubadour
London > Entertainment > Live Music
263-267 Brompton Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
The Troubadour is a lovely little cafe, which hosts an inspiring program of folk, blues, psychedelia and poetry downstairs. It's also the place where Private Eye ... More

 

 

The Troubadour
London > Entertainment > Live Music
265 Old Brompton Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
Kensington's original boho coffee house. Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon played here back in the 60s. Of course, Kensington has changed a ... More

 

 

Earls Court 2
London > Entertainment > Live Music
Warwick Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
The smaller of the two Earls Court exhibition spaces, Earls Court 2 offers 17,000 square metres and the capacity to hold 6000 people in a column-free ... More

 

 

Entertainment in Earls Court

 

Only Roses
London > Shopping > Florists
257 Old Brompton Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
If you've walked passed this fragrant rose specialist shop you'll most likely have stepped gingerly, trying not to crush the delicate petals scattered on the street ... More

 

 

Zafash
London > Shopping > Chemists
233-235 Old Brompton Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
For all those late night emergencies which don’t quite warrant a trip to casualty, you can always try Zafash Pharmacy at Earl’s Court. You’ll never be ... More

 

 

Shopping in Earls Court

 

Crussh
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
Earl's Court, Warwick Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
This chain of juice bars squishes together a delightful variety of flavoursome, healthy drinks. They press fresh juice fruit right in front of you, and blend ... More

 

 

Zizzi - Earls Court
London > Restaurants > 194-196 Earls Court Road, Earls Court, , London, Earls Court, London SW5
... More

 

 

Wagamama
London > Restaurants > South East Asian restaurants
180-182 Earls Court Road, Earl's Court, London, Earls Court, London SW5
Taking inspiration from Japanese ramman-noodle bars, Wagamama is the ultimate in high-quality, fast food. Huge bowls of steaming, soupy noodles, chicken dumplings with a chilli-soy dipping ... More

 

 

Restaurants in Earls Court

 

The Scarsdale
London > Nightlife > Pubs
23A Edwards Square, London, Earls Court, London W8
If pubs were judged by their location and setting, The Scardale Tavern in Kensington would top many lists for this really is quaint London at its ... More

 

 

Colton Arms
London > Nightlife > Pubs
187 Greyhound Road, London, Earls Court, London W149SD
Utter the word "gastropub" or mumble the phrase "wine bar" inside this dinky local boozer and chances are you'll be gently shown the door and promptly ... More

 

 

Pubs in Earls Court

 

Miss Q's
London > Nightlife > Bars
180-184 Earls Court Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
Injecting a bit of Americana into the Antipodean underworld of Earls Court is Miss Q's, a new pool bar, diner and live music venue launching late ... More

 

 

Nightlife in Earls Court

 

Leisure in Earls Court

 

Education in Earls Court

 

Earls Court Conference and Exhibition Centre
London > Business > Venue Hire
Warwick Road, London, Earls Court, London SW5
... More

 

 

Meeting Venues in Earls Court