9 romantic getaways in the UK that’ll sweep them off their feet
From the tranquil Scottish Highlands to the busy streets of London, discover nine of the UK’s most romantic hotels.
Read more…London Airbnb statistics
How has Airbnb grown in the UK’s capital?
Founded in 2008, Airbnb has become a very popular accommodation option for travellers all over the world. The platform also allows homeowners to make some extra cash by renting out a room or property to visitors, and this is certainly the case in London where the amount of properties has dramatically increased. In December 2018, there were 18,436 in total, whereas in July 2020, there were 87,235 – five times the amount!
The growth of Airbnb in London
The number of Airbnb listings in London has grown significantly in the past few years. On 6 April 2015, there were 18,436 in total. On 7 July 2020, there were 87,235, more than four times the amount.
Number of Airbnb listings in London 2015–2020
| Month and year | Listings |
|---|---|
| April 2015 | 18,436 |
| February 2016 | 33,715 |
| March 2017 | 53,904 |
| April 2018 | 70,533 |
| July 2020 | 87,235 |
Number of Airbnbs by London borough July 2020
| Area | Number of listings |
|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | 6,129 |
| Westminster | 9,925 |
| City of London | 462 |
| Camden | 6,220 |
| Richmond upon Thames | 1,221 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 4,281 |
| Wandsworth | 4,373 |
| Islington | 5,179 |
| Merton | 1,394 |
| Southwark | 4,972 |
| Hounslow | 1088 |
| Lambeth | 4,963 |
| Hackney | 6,391 |
| Tower Hamlets | 8,545 |
| Brent | 2,601 |
| Barnet | 1,698 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 541 |
| Ealing | 1,815 |
| Greenwich | 1,736 |
| Newham | 2,053 |
| Haringey | 2,247 |
| Havering | 255 |
| Waltham Forest | 1,493 |
| Lewisham | 2,325 |
| Redbridge | 732 |
| Enfield | 709 |
| Harrow | 478 |
| Bromley | 677 |
| Hillingdon | 659 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 378 |
| Croydon | 1118 |
| Sutton | 317 |
| Bexley | 255 |
By room type
- Private room: 36,797
- Entire home: 48,872
- Shared room: 667
- All: 87,235
Listings for an entire home are the most common on Airbnb, accounting for more than half (57%) of all listings. Private rooms are next, with 36,797 listings, 42% of the whole. Shared rooms lag very far behind, with a measly 1% of listings, at 667.
Airbnb’s growth in every London borough
Some neighbourhoods in London have seen more changes than others. The table below shows the number of listings each borough had in October 2018 and in July 2020. The borough that’s seen the biggest change is Barking and Dagenham, going from 253 Airbnbs in October 2018 to 378 in July 2020, an increase of 49%. The City of London has seen the least, a mere increase of 5%. Sutton and Havering have each gone from having no listings at all in 2015 to 317 and 255 respectively.
| Borough | October 2018 | July 2020 | % increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley | 206 | 255 | 16,21% |
| Barking and Dagenham | 253 | 378 | 49,41% |
| Harrow | 398 | 478 | 20,10% |
| Barnet | 1,354 | 1,698 | 25,41% |
| Redbridge | 586 | 732 | 24.91% |
| Hillingdon | 471 | 659 | 39,92% |
| Bromley | 565 | 677 | 19,82% |
| Waltham Forest | 1,206 | 1,493 | 23,80% |
| Croydon | 950 | 1118 | 17,68% |
| Brent | 2,130 | 2,601 | 22,11% |
| Hounslow | 915 | 1088 | 18,91% |
| Greenwich | 1,497 | 1,736 | 5,97% |
| Enfield | 512 | 709 | 38,48% |
| Kingston upon Thames | 434 | 541 | 24,65% |
| Merton | 1,247 | 1,394 | 11,79% |
| Richmond upon Thames | 1,098 | 1,221 | 11,20% |
| Newham | 1,798 | 2,053 | 14,80% |
| Haringey | 1,941 | 2,247 | 15,77% |
| Ealing | 1,527 | 1,815 | 18,86% |
| Southwark | 4,464 | 4,972 | 11.38% |
| Wandsworth | 3,778 | 4,373 | 15,75% |
| City of London | 441 | 462 | 4,76% |
| Camden | 5,124 | 6,220 | 21.39% |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 3,732 | 4,281 | 14,71% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 5,274 | 6,129 | 16,21% |
| Lewisham | 2,028 | 2,325 | 14,64% |
| Westminster | 7,885 | 9,925 | 25,87% |
| Tower Hamlets | 7,247 | 8,545 | 17,91% |
| Lambeth | 4,409 | 4,963 | 12,57% |
| Islington | 4,590 | 5,179 | 12,83% |
| Hackney | 5,653 | 6,391 | 13,06% |
| Sutton | 237 | 317 | 33,76% |
| Havering | 203 | 255 | 25,62% |
87,235
Airbnbs in London as of 7 July 2020.
Average occupancy of London Airbnbs
The average Airbnb in London is occupied approximately 11% of the year, which is roughly 40 days. The borough with the highest occupancy rate is Hillingdon, where the average Airbnb listing is taken around 17% of the year, probably as a result of its closeness to Heathrow airport. The borough with the lowest occupancy rate is Bexley, at 7%.
Top 5 boroughs for Airbnb occupancy
5 boroughs with the lowest occupancy rate
Average listing costs
The typical London Airbnb listing charges £125 a night. This average changes depending on the type of listing, such as whether it’s a shared or private room, as well as what area of London it’s in.
By listing type
- Private room: £60
- Entire home: £176
- Shared room: £73
- All: £125
By borough
| Borough | Average price | Private room | Shared room | Entire home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | £221 | £86 | £223 | £248 |
| Westminster | £219 | £99 | £50 | £257 |
| City of London | £188 | £128 | £122 | £196 |
| Camden | £149 | £76 | £52 | £190 |
| Richmond upon Thames | £130 | £65 | £100 | £180 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £142 | £71 | £110 | £179 |
| Wandsworth | £127 | £61 | £107 | £175 |
| Islington | £117 | £58 | £41 | £151 |
| Merton | £113 | £61 | £59 | £179 |
| Southwark | £111 | £64 | £43 | £150 |
| Hounslow | £103 | £65 | £35 | £146 |
| Lambeth | £97 | £51 | £136 | £139 |
| Hackney | £95 | £52 | £58 | £131 |
| Tower Hamlets | £94 | £52 | £34 | £139 |
| Brent | £97 | £58 | £25 | £141 |
| Barnet | £91 | £58 | £121 | £131 |
| Kingston upon Thames | £81 | £52 | £40 | £121 |
| Ealing | £89 | £57 | £36 | £122 |
| Greenwich | £88 | £47 | £55 | £136 |
| Newham | £82 | £50 | £33 | £133 |
| Haringey | £95 | £57 | £55 | £142 |
| Havering | £68 | £41 | £15 | £116 |
| Waltham Forest | £71 | £43 | £48 | £105 |
| Lewisham | £71 | £44 | £39 | £107 |
| Redbridge | £70 | £50 | £63 | £115 |
| Enfield | £67 | £43 | £178 | £105 |
| Harrow | £82 | £45 | £44 | £152 |
| Bromley | £64 | £45 | £105 | £93 |
| Hillingdon | £68 | £48 | £49 | £110 |
| Barking and Dagenham | £60 | £42 | £46 | £103 |
| Croydon | £70 | £56 | £32 | £94 |
| Sutton | £84 | £81 | £48 | £91 |
| Bexley | £58 | £42 | £41 | £95 |
Sources
Inside AirbnbAirbnb
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