Where is a safe, fun, hip area to live in London, England?

Question

Can you tell me anything about Notting Hill, Soho, or Fulham? Are they nice areas?

Answer 1

CAMDEN TOWN (NW1) - definitely top choice for those characteristics, huge nightlife with fantastic transport links directly into the heart of London and fairly safe, I'm looking for accommodation there

NOTTING HILL (W11)- I have lived there most of my life and while it is the nicest out of all your suggested areas, it is slightly further away from smack-bang in the middle of London and is by far the most expensive - great night life if you head towards Portebello Rd and very safe

SOHO (W1F) - the gay district and is both fun and hip, lots going on, but slightly dingy and can be expensive depending on what section, quite safe

FULHAM (SW6)- of all the choices this is generally the dingiest and furthest afield of all the areas but also the cheapest with not much going on, you will have to travel in for decent entertainment not particularly safe

Summary:

Camden Town = Best of all your attributes
Notting Hill = Most expensive but usually worth it
Soho = In the middle of everything but very cramped
Fulham = avoid if you can afford to

Answer 2

People don't tend to live in Soho as it is inner city and full of strip clubs. Notting Hill is lovely but not so much hip these days - it's probably a bit more gentrified. Don't know much about Fulham.

A couple of areas that are quite hip and funky these days are Islington, Shoreditch and Hoxton Square. They're all pretty safe as well.

Answer 3

Notting Hill?

Answer 4

I am from London and it is safe. From these three areas that you listed the best one would be Notting Hill, but they are all sort of boring...so it's whatever

Answer 5

If cost is a factor for you (all those places you mentioned are expensive to rent/ buy in) then cheaper places that are still central include Camden and Islington, as mentioned in other answers. Brixton is also quite hip but is still a bit edgy. Further out, and a little less hip but still fun, are Greenwich (south east) and Clapham High Street (south west).