The Microhood: Marylebone Village

What’s it got that we love?
With red-brick mansions flanking elegant streets, Marylebone is the perfect upscale London village, a mere whisper from Oxford Circus. You’ll find everything here: great shopping and restaurants, green space in nearby Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, and an almost Parisian urban swagger. It offers a lifestyle balance that is rarely found in central London, with a close-knit community and bustling yet “boutiquey” high street. 

It’s odd to think that Marylebone was neglected a while ago. A sniff of change came with the Conran Shop in 1997, then the area became chic. Now Marylebone Village – immediately around Marylebone High Street – is one of London’s most fashionable neighbourhoods. 

Its charm lies in its preservation. The area has been kept well by landowners such as the Portman and Howard de Walden estates, which have held office blocks at bay. “The major freeholders are proud of the vibrant community they’ve helped to create,” says Nick Poppe, director of Savills Marylebone and Fitzrovia. “Now it’s a destination in its own right.” At weekends, Marylebone High Street offers the perfect passeggiata.

Convenience reigns. Marylebone is close to several hospitals and the healthcare hotspot Harley Street. It has transport links to Heathrow, the City and the country. “I always tell people that we have everything here,” Poppe says.

How’s the shopping?
Excellent. An exhaustive list is impossible, so here are a few picks. The unisex tailoring brand Theory has a flagship store on Marylebone High Street, as does the literary hub Daunt Books. VV Rouleaux, on Marylebone Lane, is a trove for trimmings – feathers, fringes, wreaths and ribbons – while the delightful Kastur Jewels, on Bulstrode Street, has Indian-inspired gems. 

Chiltern Street, named the coolest in London by Condé Nast Traveller, has several top stores, including Casely-Hayford for menswear and Bella Freud for iconic knits.

Watch out for two key seasonal events: the Marylebone Summer Festival in June – which offers outdoor film screenings, live music and alfresco dining – and the Marylebone Christmas Lights. Both bring magic to the high street. 

Hang out at…
Again, a feast of options. Take coffee at the Monocle Café on Chiltern Street, go grand at Fischer’s or chat and snack at 31 Below. Of the restaurants, Locanda Locatelli on Seymour Street remains a hot ticket after two decades, and Chiltern Firehouse, once London’s hottest celeb go-to, is a place where you can drink, dine and sleep over. Or try the Michelin-starred Kol, where chef Santiago Lastra produces authentic Mexican food using British ingredients.

Let’s not forget the culture. Marylebone has the Wallace Collection, one of the finest palatial art galleries in the world; Wigmore Hall, where the classical music cognoscenti gather; and, on Baker Street, the arty Everyman Cinema. 

Where to buy?
Properties in Marylebone include Georgian terraces and squares, period conversions, mews houses, new-build flats and those signature Edwardian mansion blocks. “We normally budget about £1m per bedroom,” says Poppe. But this is still much less expensive than Mayfair or the prime central London new-build market. A grand house in Marylebone will cost £8m-£15m.

International residents who live here love the access to Heathrow afforded by the Elizabeth line – and there are plenty of high-net-worth buyers who want to be in the West End once a week to see their children and do some shopping.

Little black book
The Conran Shop; Harley Street; Theory; Daunt Books; VV Rouleaux; Kastur Jewels; Casely-Hayford; Bella Freud; Marylebone Summer Festival; Monocle Café; Fischer’s; 31 Below; Locanda Locatelli; Chiltern Firehouse; Kol; Wallace Collection; Wigmore Hall; Everyman Cinema

Pictures from top: Marylebone High Street (Getty); fashionable Chiltern Street (Alamy); stylish interiors at Bella Freud; and Fischer’s restaurant