Southwark/Vauxhall or Lancaster Gate/Hyde park for family visit ?

[shwang]

We have 4 girls ages 6, 8, 11 and 17 and will be visiting London in summer 09. In June we will be renting a flat for 10 days in Little Venice. We return to London for 10 days in July and are deciding whether to rent a riverside holiday flat on ALbert Embankment between Vauxhall and Waterloo....or a holiday flat near Hyde Park on Lancaster Gate. The latter seems a more child-friendly location ,but it's significantly more expensive, and we'll have already been in North London in June. Is south-of-Thames a child-friendly area, close to the Eye and Tate ? Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks so much !

I lived near Vauxhall until fairly recently, and although I was not a mum at the time, I find that transport links into the Westend are fab. I love the southbank, and in the summer the Embankment Walk is great for entertainment with all kinds of performers and booksellers, etc. I think you would have a lovely time exploring that part of London. Don't forget the Globe theatre!

You can always check Timeout's website www.timeout.com/london/ to see what is on, and get a feel for the kind of things that are around. Best of luck.