One of the trickiest things about planning a holiday is narrowing down a neighbourhood to stay in – the last thing you want is to rock up to discover you’re stuck in a dining and culture dead zone, forced to spend half your travel budget getting transport to somewhere worth spending time in.
Sometimes it pays to let someone else do the work for you. 1 Hotels has a knack for setting up in some of the world’s buzziest neighbourhoods.
1 Hotel Melbourne is the perfect example – and so are its other locations overseas. No matter where you’re travelling you’re guaranteed a good vibe – and access to superb shopping, dining, nightlife and culture – as soon as you step out the door.
Here’s our guide to the best neighbourhoods to explore in Tokyo, London, Los Angeles, Toronto and Nashville.
Akasaka, Tokyo
Courtesy of Unsplash/ Jezael Melgoza
Located just west of the Imperial Palace, Akasaka is one of Tokyo’s sleeper hits – it’s close to everything but feels noticeably less touristy than areas like Shinjuku or Ginza. Peaceful, sophisticated and quiet (at least by Tokyo standards), the area is defined by sleek corporate high-rises and upscale shopping malls towering over traditional Shinto shrines, Edo Castle ruins and serene gardens that transform with the seasons. There’s no shortage of high-end omakase and fine-dining spots, including a couple of Michelin-starred restaurants, but it’s equally worthwhile straying off the main streets to find the neighbourhood izakaya, kissatens and tiny sushi counters that locals frequent.
Eat: Edomae Sushi Hanabusa, Minami Akaneyama, Akanezaka Onuma
Visit: Hie Shrine, 21_21 Design Sight, The National Art Center Tokyo
Stay: 1 Hotel Tokyo
Mayfair, London
Courtesy of Unsplash/ Igor Savelev
Staying in Mayfair is not just about location, it’s about the lifestyle offered by this polished quarter of central London. Here, quaint mews houses and heritage mansions sit alongside prestigious galleries, flagship boutiques, ritzy members’ clubs and white-tablecloth restaurants, while stately landscaped gardens dotted across the neighbourhood make the rest of the city drop away. Head to The Lanes for low-key coffee shops and buzzy cocktail bars, settle in for a session at one of Shepherd Market’s old-school Victorian pubs, or join the well-heeled creative set in Mount Street, where galleries like Phillips, Grimm and Lyndsey Ingram showcase the best of both established and emerging artists.
Eat: Automat, The Audley Public House, The Windmill
Visit: Royal Academy of Arts, Mount Street Gardens, The Handel & Hendrix Museum
Stay: 1 Hotel Mayfair
King West Village, Toronto
Courtesy of Unsplash/ Marcin Skaliij
Once an industrial neighbourhood, King West Village has evolved into one of Toronto’s most interesting spots, boasting a high concentration of restaurants and bars, and the kind of nightlife that doesn’t stop until the sun comes up. Its central location is one of its top selling points. Head to Queen Street West and you’ll find indie boutiques, artist-run galleries and street-art emblazoned buildings, while the nearby Lake Ontario waterfront offers bike trails, parks and water views. From the waterfront there’s easy access to the Toronto Islands, loved by locals for their beaches, green spaces and peaceful vibe. Accessible by water taxi or ferry, the islands are a relaxed getaway from the bustle of downtown.
Eat: Campechano, Sara, Cafe Renee
Visit: Art Gallery of Ontario, St Lawrence Market, Toronto Islands
Stay: 1 Hotel Toronto
Sunset Strip, West Hollywood
Courtesy of Unsplash/ Jake Blucker
You’ve heard of it, right? Sunset Strip is one of Los Angeles’ most iconic places, home to legendary music venues like Whisky a Go Go, The Roxy and The Viper Room, beloved indie bookstore Book Soup and the best comedy clubs on the West Coast, giving Chicago a run for its money. It’s also one of the city’s most queer-friendly areas, with the nearby Rainbow District offering everything from pulsing nightclubs to independent, queer-owned boutiques. While LA is famously a city where a car is a necessity, West Hollywood bucks that trend: at a compact 4.9 square kilometres, this is a walkable neighbourhood that puts shopping, dining, fitness studios and cutting-edge wellness spots – this is LA, after all – at your fingertips.
Eat: Gracias Madre, Jones, Somni
Visit: Live at Sun Rose, Laugh Factory, Mak Center for Art and Architecture
Stay: 1 Hotel West Hollywood
Sobro, Nashville
Courtesy of Unsplash/ Ricky Beron
In a city renowned for its lively music scene, it pays off to put yourself close to the action. Sobro – that’s “South of Broadway” for the uninitiated – is in the historic heart of Nashville, where pre-Civil War-era architecture jostles against neon lights and a constant stream of foot traffic. The neighbourhood is home to cultural centres like the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the National Museum of African American Music, but the real drawcard is Nashville’s main drag Broadway, where an eclectic mix of laid-back lounges, record stores, honky-tonks and hole-in-the-wall dive bars provide a 24-hour soundtrack to the city’s vibrant life.
Eat: St Vito Focacceria, The Catbird Seat, Kosho
Visit: The Blue Room, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, National Museum of African American Music
Stay: 1 Hotel Nashville
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with 1 Hotel Melbourne.
Produced by Broadsheet in partnership with 1 Hotel.
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