Is Wimbledon a good place to stay in London?

Wimbledon is a good base if you're coming for the tennis or want a calm, green corner of London. The station has fast trains to Waterloo, the District line and Thameslink, so the centre is a straightforward ride away. It suits tennis fans, families and repeat visitors who would rather come back to a village than a busy street.

The area feels more like a prosperous country town than a city district. Wimbledon Village has a handsome High Street of boutiques, cafés and old pubs, and Wimbledon Common stretches away beside it, with woods, ponds and the windmill. Down the hill, The Broadway has the shopping centre and the New Wimbledon Theatre, and the All England Club and its tennis museum sit near Wimbledon Park.

The downside is that you're a train ride from the sights, and there aren't many hotels. Most are small and fill up fast, and during the Championships the whole area is busy and rooms are expensive. Evenings are quiet, with pubs and restaurants rather than late bars.

What makes Wimbledon special is how green and relaxed it feels. You can walk across the common in the morning, visit the home of tennis, and finish the day in a village pub, while still being close enough to reach central London easily.