What to know about Chelsea

The Chelsea office of estate agent Marsh & Parsons lets houses and flats in one of London's most sought after and exclusive locations. From rock stars and celebrities to wealthy Middle Eastern buyers and Russian oligarchs, Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Mayfair are magnets for some of the world's wealthiest househunters.

Marsh & Parsons Lettings Manager, Jenny Anderson based in the Chelsea office says that the reason for its popularity is because of how it is "steeped in history and tradition". Guy, who has worked in central London for a number of years comments "over the centuries it has been home to political heavyweights, stars of stage and screen, musicians and poets and continues to be recognised as the most exclusive Borough in the country and one of the best addresses in the world. Due to this, it attracts an interesting, glamorous and successful crowd from around the globe!"

The attractions of Chelsea, which shot to prominence as a celebrity hangout in the 1960s and has never lost its appeal, range from its numerous bars and clubs to high fashion boutiques and the quieter parks and open spaces as well as the annual flower show. It is also home to Harrods as well as one of the most flamboyant and wealthy football clubs in the world, although Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground is actually in Fulham.

Celebrities and the rich and famous have flocked to Chelsea for some years now and have included Bob Marley, Oscar Wilde, J. R. R. Tolkein and Hugh Grant.

As one of the premier estate agents letting properties in the Chelsea area, Marsh & Parsons prides itself on its local know how. From the best schools in the area to the finest boutiques, bars and restaurants and the cost of a resident's parking permit, staff at Marsh & Parsons have their finger firmly on the local pulse.

Property Types in Chelsea

There is a diverse mix of property in Chelsea from the candy coloured houses off the King’s Road to the many luxurious and popular mansion blocks. With elegant townhouses, many of which offer access to the sought after garden squares that are exclusive to the properties surrounding them, there are also many riverside flats and houses, especially around Chelsea Harbour.

So, what will you get for your money in Chelsea?

From its Chelsea office Marsh & Parsons lets flats and houses at prices from £200 to £20,000 per week. They have studio flats for rent from as little as £260 a week in the popular Chelsea Cloisters mansion block. One-bedroom flats in Nell Gwynn House on Sloane Avenue SW3 start from about £485 a week. These popular apartment blocks are in a superb position to take advantage of everything Chelsea and Knightsbridge have to offer – South Kensington tube station is five minutes away, as is Harrods, Sloane Street and Fulham Road, and Walton Street, with its chi-chi bars and restaurants is even closer. A one-bedroom flat to rent in Marlborough on Walton Street, a quiet, gated development of 130 apartments, will cost about £500 a week.

The type of property to let through Marsh & Parsons in Chelsea is varied and ranges from studios at Chelsea Cloisters to houseboats at Cheyne Walk SW3, mews houses, and mansion blocks on pretty garden squares. Prices fall as you travel west from Harrods and on Finborough Road SW10, close to the bars and restaurants of so-called Fulham Beach, you will find a two-bedroom flat for rent for £395 a week. There are quirky properties to rent, too and just behind Sloane Square tube station you can find a studio house for rent for £475 a week.

Houses to rent aren't as common in Chelsea but they do exist. In a quiet residential street, such as Elm Park Road SW3, a five-bedroom family house will cost about £2,800 a week. For river views, a six-bedroom house in Petyt Place SW3 on Chelsea Embankment will cost about £3,500 a week and to live in the heart of Chelsea, a five-bedroom house on Royal Avenue SW3 will cost about £3,000 a week.

What else can you expect from Chelsea?

Chelsea is probably one of the most diverse parts of the capital. Behind the busy Brompton Road, which is home to Harrods, Harvey Nichols and big High Street chains, is Sloane Street with its designer shops, although the tiny streets surrounding it are packed with boutiques, bespoke jewellers, delicious delicatessens and bakers, as well as antique shops, interior designers and upmarket wine merchants.

There is no shortage of places to eat and drink and some of the capital's best-loved bars and restaurants are here. Walton Street SW3 is home to many of them, such as the Art Bar, Bardot, The Enterprise Inn, which serves delicious food, and Scalini's, which is a popular haunt for footballers and celebrities. Poule au Pot, often described as London's most romantic restaurant is not far away. Gordon Ramsay's original restaurant is on Royal Hospital Road, next door to the Royal Hospital, which is home to several hundred Chelsea Pensioners and hosts the annual flower show.

Chelsea is a district of stark contrast. The world's wealthy rub shoulders with the elderly red-frocked residents of the infamous Royal Hospital. The area's history is also linked to the flower trade and in the 17th century it was an important centre of both market gardening and botany. Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world and was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and it still studies plants today. Among the hustle and bustle of the King's Road is Worlds End Nurseries, which sells plants and designs gardens on a site that has been producing plants for centuries. In the early 17th century, when the Tulip Bubble was at its peak, bulbs changed hands in Chelsea for as much as £200 – which in today's prices would almost buy you an apartment here.

The King’s Road still holds the most prominent position in Chelsea and offers a wealth of recreational activities in the form of shops, restaurants and bars that are housed in some of London’s most impressive buildings. The most striking building on the King’s Road is possibly the neo-Classical Chelsea Town Hall which has seen its fair share of high profile weddings in its history as well a housing some important painted frescoes. The King’s Road that we know and love is a far cry from the King’s Road’s original function as King Charles II private road from St James’s Palace to Fulham!

Green spaces in Chelsea

Chelsea is home to several open spaces and is particularly noted for the number of private garden squares serving the residents for Chelsea. Additionally, Chelsea is home to the Albert Bridge Gardens, Battersea Bridge Gardens, the Chelsea Physic Gardens and Chelsea Embankment Gardens. However, the most famous area of open space in Chelsea is the Royal Hospital Chelsea which also hosts the annual Chelsea Flower Show.

Transport in Chelsea

Chelsea boasts an excellent location with convenient transport links. London Underground services are available at the following stations:-

Sloane Square (Circle and District Lines, Zone 1)
South Kensington (Circle, District and Piccadilly Lines, Zone 1)
Knightsbridge (Piccadilly Line, Zone 1)
Earls Court (District and Piccadilly Lines, Zone 1)
Fulham Broadway (District Line, Zone 2)

Click here for a London Underground map.

Additionally, Chelsea offers London Overground services from Imperial Wharf railway station and London River Services from Chelsea Harbour Pier.

There is a good selection of bus routes in and around Chelsea. Click here for a map of bus services from Chelsea's King's Road. Alternatively, click here for a map of bus services from Chelsea's Beaufort Street.

Which London Borough is Chelsea in?

Chelsea is located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC). Please click here for more information relating to council tax bands, parking permits and healthcare services in Kensington.

How can I find out about schools in Chelsea?

For a comprehensive list of schools in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea please click here.