Isleworth

Isleworth sits apart from the rest of Greater London by virtue of its riverside setting, where the Thames curls past old wharves and towpaths rather than the traffic and density found elsewhere in the capital. It has the feel of a town that grew up around the water and around a great estate, rather than one shaped purely by suburban expansion, and that gives it a quieter, more settled character than its neighbours.

Much of that character comes from Osterley Park and House, the National Trust estate on its edge, with parkland and gardens that give the area a rural edge unusual for somewhere this close to central London. It is the kind of place where a walk can take you from riverside path to open parkland within a short stretch, without ever quite feeling like you have left the city.

People staying here tend to choose from a small but varied set of options, from the Osterley Park Hotel and Osterley Studio Room near the estate itself, to pub rooms like The Bridge House, The Bridge Inn and The Swan Inn, which put you closer to the river and the town centre. It suits visitors who want easy access to west London's attractions and Heathrow without staying in the thick of it.

Isleworth works well as a base for exploring Osterley Park and House at leisure, for riverside walks along the Thames, and for slipping into central London or out towards Heathrow when needed. It is a town that keeps a village-like pace while staying thoroughly connected to the city around it.