When it comes to a place to live and work, you can’t do better than London. Famed as much for its beautiful buildings and culture as it is for its stunning green spaces, there’s a lot to see, do and enjoy in this city. And, there’s always something new to discover – whether it’s work or play. London can feel like the perfect place to lose yourself, with breathtaking galleries and museums housing incredible items from our times, and unforgettable views of the capital atop iconic landmarks like The Shard and the London Eye.
Of course, with such a large and diverse city to discover, you might find yourself missing out on something you didn’t know was there, or even get lost in the scale of it all – or by trying to figure out the different ways of getting around. In this post, we’ll go through our top tips for making the most of your move. After all, if you’re moving to London alone, you might not have anyone to show you the ropes, or you may not have even so much as visited before moving day comes around. Read on for our fantastic guide.
Finding accommodation
Before doing anything else, you must get your accommodation sorted. You’ll no doubt want somewhere that offers the amenities you need while giving you access to transport for reaching other areas – whether that’s for business or pleasure – and, of course, budget will also factor in.
Here at Dolphin Square lets, we’re situated in Pimlico, a famous district of London that lies near Westminster – the home of the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and more. You’ll also enjoy views over the River Thames, which runs at the back of our complex. Nearby bridges whisk you to the other side, where you can see more of London’s delights, including the picturesque Battersea Park and iconic Battersea Power Station.
Soaking up the social scene
When making a move to a new city, particularly if moving to London alone, it can seem daunting, especially if you don’t know anyone there. But with Pimlico’s bustling social scene, finding friends couldn’t be easier. In fact, Dolphin Square itself has a social club which you can join and network with. The area’s many bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes are busy hotspots that, if nothing else, offer the perfect opportunity for a spot of people-watching.
Ticking off transport
London is famous for its huge railway stations – Waterloo, Paddington, King’s Cross – and its intricate tube network, and who could forget the iconic red double-decker buses? While it may seem overwhelming to an outsider, London is notoriously easy for getting around:
- The underground network: These run on different lines, which are all different colours (or shades of colours). A tube map reveals where these lines cross, so it’s easy to see where to change trains. If you get on the tube and find you’re going the wrong way, get off at the next stop, and cross to the opposite platform – and you won’t be charged any extra (unless you leave the station itself).
- Oyster card: These can be used on buses, the tube, some overground services and more – even on some river buses. It activates when tapped on card readers dotted about – usually small podiums with the Oyster card symbol on them – and travel is capped at a daily rate to help prevent you spending more than you need to.
- TFL Journey Planner: One of the most useful tools at your disposal is the TFL Journey Planner website and app, where you can enter a starting point and endpoint to find out exactly which trains to get, when to get them and how long the journey will take. You can also get travel disruption updates to better plan your route in situations where there are delays or cancellations.
- Airports: While this obviously isn’t for travel around the city itself, if your work requires international travel, you’ll be able to reach many airports reasonably easily. A trip to the end of the Piccadilly line, for example, can take you to Heathrow Airport, while trains from Victoria station – around 20 minutes from our Dolphin Square accommodation – can take you to Gatwick Airport.
The London layout
When travelling in and around London, it’s helpful to know that the city is made up of various transport ‘zones’, as well as above-ground areas. Famous regions include ours, Pimlico, as well as Canary Wharf (the financial district), Westminster (the government district – which is actually close to Pimlico) and Camden (one of London’s more Bohemian areas).
‘Zones’ are more to do with the underground, with zone 1, where Pimlico is located, being the centre of London. The further out from London you go, the more expensive travel gets, which makes our apartments ideal for those wanting to not just cut out their commute, but also make it cheaper, too.
Why choose Dolphin Square?
Our luxury apartments are truly state-of-the-art, offering a modern gym, pool and spa, tennis and squash courts, and some gorgeous communal gardens. This not only provides that sought-after outdoor space but also gives you an area to invite friends, socialise or even work remotely.
On top of this, our complex boasts a shopping arcade, bar and grill – so you really have everything you need on your doorstep, and plenty to offer visitors. In fact, there’s even private parking underground – and 24-hour security ensures the buildings are kept secure.
Next steps
If you started out wondering ‘’So where can I find accommodation in London?’’, we hope we’ve given you some tips and ideas. Just like you, hundreds of people move to London every day for work or job-hunting. We hope we’ve helped take some of the pressure off and given a bit of background to the key areas of the city, plus unravelled transport.
We really think there’s no better accommodation than that of Dolphin Square – and our friendly team are waiting to find your perfect apartment there today. Get in touch and book a viewing - because after all, there’s no place like home!
