Lancaster Gate - A Fun Place to Stay

When I moved up to London I happened to end up in Lancaster Gate. I found it to be a great place to live as a denizen of the city, and now when I return to London for vacations I always stay in the old neighborhood. There are lots of reasons for this, and not all are sentimental.
Let's start with logistics. If you're flying to London there's a good chance you'll be landing at Heathrow. There is a direct, high speed rail link from Heathrow (the Heathrow Express) that goes to Paddington Station (one on the city's main National Rail terminals). The journey takes about 20 minutes, trains are frequent & run on a fixed schedule and once at Paddington Station it's about a five minute walk to  Lancaster Gate. I personally enjoy staying the Lancaster Hotel http://www.lancasterlondon.com/ directly opposite Kensington Gardens.
Lancaster Gate tube station is directly under the hotel. It's on the Central Line (colored red on the Underground maps), and it's easy to get anywhere from this underground station, including Oxford Street (just two stops to the east).
An enjoyable characteristic of Lancaster Gate, in addition to fact that it is right on the northern edge of Kensington Gardens/Hyde Park (two massive parks that are delightful to either stroll or jog around), is that it's inhabited by not just tourists but regular London folk as well. A trip to any of the local pubs such as The Swan (Bayswater Road) or The Mitre (Craven Terrace) evidences this fact - no shortage of visitors but lots of locals as well.
Both of the aforementioned pubs have a bit of history. The Swan (http://www.fullers.co.uk/) is located on the site where a vituals license has been in effect for several centuries, meaning there has been a public house at 66 Bayswater Road for hundreds of years. It claims to be the origin of two popular sayings: 'off the wagon' and 'one for the road'. Both relate to the fact there used to be a gallows for public hangings close by, and the unfortunates being escorted there often stopped off at The Swan enroute for a final drink. To get the detailed explanations go to The Swan, order up a pint and check-out the reverse side of their menu. The Swan is a very popular pub and as such is oftentimes quite crowded. The Mitre (http://www.mitrelancastergate.com/), just around the corner a couple of blocks away at 24 Craven Terrace, is quieter and has a distinctly more of a neighborhood feel. It first opened it's doors in the 1850's and is charming 'local' that's well worth a visit.
On a final note, if you happen to end up staying in Lancaster Gate you may want to check out the Bathurst Street Delicatessen (3 Bathurst Street, London W2). This is a European style deli that's open from 7.00am to 11.00pm. I personally enjoy having breakfast there; the menu is quite varied and offers choices from muesli to a full traditional English breakfast. It's a no-brainer for anyone staying at The Lancaster Hotel - just cross over the road to Bathurst Street and it's right there, less than 100 yards from the hotel's main entrance. The Bathurst Deli is owned by an Argentinian workaholic who always seems to be around and is staffed by a very pleasant group of young continentals.