1936 On the Continent
in London which, though of long standing, have completely adapted themselves to the style and spirit of the twentieth century. At the same time there are others where the landlady who, in contrast to her Continental sister, is rather dour and forbidding, exercises a strict and unlimited power over her patrons.
Streets of Family Hotels
In some parts of London these establishments occupy entire streets. They are generally to be found in the vicinity of exclusive residential districts, and the best of them are situated around Hyde Park. To the north of Hyde Park the world of family and residential hotels begins at Lancaster Gate and stretches along the Park as far as Notting Hill Gate. Some of the streets radiating from here, particularly around Lancaster Gate, contain an unbroken chain of this type of hotel.
The position is somewhat similar on the other side of the Park, where an increasing number of new “hotel islands” rise among the quiet residential streets. Thus, for instance, Queen’s Gate, a magnificent wide thoroughfare, has assumed the character of an hotel street. Its comfortable Victorian houses have changed but little, either externally or internally, but they have nevertheless been converted into family hotels.
Boarding Houses
The farther one goes from the centre of the city—Queen’s Gate is already at a considerable distance from Piccadilly—the simpler, and cheaper, the family hotels become.
Further hotel quarters on the south side of the Park lie around Gloucester Road and, farther out, in Earl’s Court.
The difference between the family hotel and the boarding-house, so frequently described in novels and represented on the stage, is so negligible that the two types of hotels almost merge into one. The thoroughly English boarding-house with its precisely regulated meal times and the landlady presiding at table, is steadily losing in popularity. On the one hand the younger generation of English people now demand greater freedom of movement and, on the other hand, London is rapidly developing into a great tourist centre, and even though English caterers refuse to adapt themselves to the foreign visitor, but expect him to adapt himself to English customs, the Continental and American influence is steadily gaining ground.
There are many inexpensive boarding-houses in Bays-water, which is easily accessible, and is situated behind Bayswater Road; but the real home of the English boarding-house is in Bloomsbury, where it originated owing to the nearness of the district to King’s College, a number of High Schools, and the British Museum. These educational and cultural establishments have attracted to the district students from the country, as well as from India, the Dominions, the Colonies and foreign countries, and it is only natural that the concentration of so many ambitious, but mostly impecunious young men should have led to the development in the vicinity of the type of inexpensive hotel represented by the boarding-house.
Bloomsbury, which is situated between New Oxford Street, Euston Road, Southampton Row and Tottenham Court Road, is very central, in that it constitutes a connecting link, so to speak, between the City and the West End.
Bloomsbury has a pronouncedly intellectual and at the same time international atmosphere; Gower Street, for instance, contains a large number of boarding-houses inhabited exclusively by foreign students, including students belonging to the coloured races. Charlotte Street, within a few minutes’ walk from Gower Street, contains a number of comparatively inexpensive German, Italian and French restaurants.
The Y.M.C.A.
The headquarters of the Y.M.C.A. (Young Men’s Christian Association), built in 1908 in the somewhat too ornate late Victorian style, is also in the Bloomsbury district, in Great Russell Street. This building, in addition to gymnasiums, swimming-baths and public rooms of all kinds, also contains 200 bedrooms for young men. However, the demand for these is naturally so keen that applications for bedrooms must be made several months ahead. A similar establishment for young women is situated nearby.
The great temperance hotels are also in Bloomsbury. Some of these have more than 200 rooms. The intellectual character of the district is emphasised, among other features, by the names of these hotels, some of which are taken from the works of the English classics, such as the
Ivanhoe
and the
Kenilworth
.
As to the question of price it is
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