The Away Supporter's Guide: 7 Reasons Why Paddington is Perfect for Your Chelsea FC Away Day
- Fleur Barton
- Oct 1
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 20
There's something beautifully masochistic about following your team to Stamford Bridge. The tribal pilgrimage across London, the nervous energy, the hope eternally springing despite decades of disappointment. But here's the thing about Chelsea away days that the guidebooks don't tell you: where you stay can transform the entire experience from endurance test to genuine pleasure.
I've been making this journey for the better part of two decades, and I've learned that the conventional wisdom—stay as close to the ground as possible—is spectacularly wrong. The real secret? Base yourself in Paddington, and you'll discover an away day that's as much about the experience of London as it is about ninety minutes of football.
1. Transport Links That Actually Make Sense
The journey to Stamford Bridge couldn't be more straightforward. A gentle fifteen-minute trundle on the District Line from Paddington to Fulham Broadway, with services running every few minutes on match days. No changes, no complications, no stress about missing kick-off because you're stuck in traffic or wrestling with London's more temperamental tube lines.
One insider tip: while getting to the ground via Fulham Broadway is simple, the return journey often requires a slight modification. On busy match days, Fulham Broadway frequently operates as exit-only to manage the crowds, which means a short walk to Earl's Court—about ten minutes through residential streets—for your District Line connection back to Paddington. It's hardly an ordeal, and many supporters use it as a chance to decompress from the match atmosphere before settling in for the journey back.
The beauty of basing yourself at somewhere like the Lancaster Hall Hotel on Craven Terrace is that you're less than five minutes' walk from Paddington Station. Whether you're heading to the match or exploring London, you're perfectly positioned without the usual pre-journey stress.
2. Proper Pubs (Unlike the Tourist Traps Near the Ground)
While home supporters have their patch sewn up around Stamford Bridge—and let's be honest, they're not exactly rolling out the welcome mat for visiting fans—Paddington offers a proper London pub crawl that would make any away day memorable.
The Swan on Bayswater Road is where you want to start your day. A gorgeously traditional Victorian boozer that hasn't forgotten what hospitality means. The Guinness is properly kept, the atmosphere is convivial without being intimidating, and on a sunny day, the upper balcony is one of the best kept secrets in West London.
The Monkey Puzzle on Sussex Gardens is one of the more genuine London boozers with well-kept beers, exemplary service and food that just hits the spot. The surroundings feel distinctly un-touristy despite the location and it is the kind of place where locals actually drink, which is always a promising sign.
For the full heritage experience, The Victoria is unbeatable. This isn't just a pub; it's a piece of London history, complete with etched glass, mahogany fittings, and that particular brand of theatrical Britishness that makes visitors fall in love with London pubs in the first place.
The timing works perfectly too. While supporters staying near Stamford Bridge are queuing for overpriced pints in heaving sports bars, you're enjoying a civilised drink in proper pubs, then hopping on the tube at a leisurely pace.
Book your Chelsea away match stay
The Lancaster Hall hotel is ideally located for Chelsea F.C. Take a stroll to the bustling Portobello Road market on a Saturday morning before the match, with its antique stalls, great pubs, and restaurants.
3. You're Literally Next Door to London's Most Beautiful Parks
Here's what the football-focused hotel guides miss entirely: when you choose somewhere like the Lancaster Hall Hotel on Craven Terrace, you're not just booking accommodation—you're positioning yourself in one of London's most privileged locations. Less than five minutes' walk from Paddington Station, yet backing directly onto Kensington Gardens, it represents that perfect London paradox: urban convenience meeting green tranquillity.
These aren't just selling points on a website; they're genuine lifestyle advantages that transform a football weekend into a proper London experience. Morning coffee overlooking Kensington Gardens. Evening strolls through Hyde Park after the match. The kind of location that makes you understand why people fall in love with London in the first place.
After a match—win or lose—there's something deeply therapeutic about wandering through these spaces. The Albert Memorial, the Serpentine, the Italian Gardens: these aren't tourist traps, they're genuine respites from urban intensity. Your hotel room might be your sanctuary, but these parks become your extended living room.
4. The Post-Match Journey
This is where staying somewhere like the Lancaster Hall Hotel really pays dividends. Win or lose, the post-match atmosphere around Stamford Bridge can be intense, and having a clear route back to your sanctuary removes one major stress from the day.
Remember that Earl's Court detour? It's actually a blessing in disguise. The ten-minute walk from Fulham Broadway gives you time to process the afternoon's events, discuss the match with fellow supporters, and gradually transition from match-day intensity back to civilised London life. By the time you reach Earl's Court station, you're already winding down.
The District Line from Earl's Court runs frequently even after evening matches, and twenty minutes later you're stepping off at Paddington into a completely different world. Walk five minutes down Craven Terrace, and you're back in an oasis of calm backing onto Kensington Gardens—about as far removed from the tribal intensity of Stamford Bridge as you can imagine while still being in the same city.
If your team has managed to pull off an unlikely victory, Paddington offers plenty of venues to continue the celebration. If they've delivered another crushing disappointment, well, at least you can suffer in comfort with a decent selection of anaesthetic beverages.
5. Everything You Need to Know About Match Day at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea away days have their own rhythm and rituals, and preparation makes all the difference. Here's what every away supporter should know:
Arrive Early at Fulham Broadway. The ground sits in a residential area that transforms into a tribal gathering on match days. Getting your bearings without the pre-kick-off rush is worth the early arrival. Plus, you'll have already enjoyed a proper breakfast in Paddington rather than scrambling for overpriced stadium food.
The Away End Experience. Stamford Bridge's away section is notoriously atmospheric, though not always for reasons visiting supporters appreciate. The acoustics are excellent—your songs will carry—but so will any Chelsea responses. Pack your voice and your sense of humour in equal measure.
Food and Drink Strategy. Options around the ground are limited and expensive, which makes your Lancaster Hall Hotel breakfast even more valuable (Free if you book direct with us)
If you must eat near the stadium, the pubs on Fulham Road offer typical pre-match fare, but don't expect anything memorable.
Security and Entry. Security around Stamford Bridge is thorough and professional, but allow extra time for searches and checks. The stewards have seen it all before and generally maintain a sense of proportionality, but match days can be unpredictable.
Stay Smart. This is London football at its most intense. Chelsea supporters are passionate about their team and their ground, and while most interactions are good-natured, keeping your wits about you is always wise. Stay with your group, keep colours visible but not provocative, and remember that everyone's there for the same reason: to support their team.
Book your Chelsea away match stay
The Lancaster Hall hotel is ideally located for Chelsea F.C. Take a stroll around Kensington Gardens before the match or take in a pint in some of the best pubs in London
6. It's a Proper London Weekend, Not Just a Football Match
Smart away supporters know that Chelsea trips aren't just about ninety minutes of football. They're about experiencing London, and Paddington provides the perfect base for a proper weekend break.
Saturday morning might mean a wander through Camden Markets or a visit to the British Museum. Saturday afternoon brings the match, naturally. Saturday evening could involve a West End show or simply exploring London's incredible restaurant scene. Sunday might mean a full English breakfast followed by a stroll through Greenwich or a visit to one of London's fantastic food markets.
None of this requires complex travel arrangements when you're based in Paddington. You're genuinely in the heart of London, not marooned in some distant suburb for the sake of being theoretically closer to a football ground you'll visit for three hours.
The British Museum, the National Gallery, the West End theatres—all easily accessible without needing to navigate London's transport system from some remote corner of South West London. When you're staying this centrally, London becomes your playground rather than an obstacle course.
7. The Location Delivers Everything Modern Away Supporters Need
Transport links from Paddington are exemplary—not just to Stamford Bridge, but everywhere else in London. The tube, overground rail services, and bus routes all converge here, making this the kind of location that simplifies rather than complicates your London experience.
The area itself has transformed remarkably in recent years. What was once a slightly seedy transport hub has evolved into a genuinely pleasant neighbourhood with excellent restaurants, proper pubs, and that indefinable sense of London authenticity that makes all the difference to a weekend away.
Take the Lancaster Hall Hotel on Craven Terrace as a perfect example—the kind of establishment that understands the difference between accommodation and hospitality. Positioned less than five minutes from Paddington Station yet backing onto the serenity of Kensington Gardens, it offers not just a bed for the night, but genuine local knowledge, recommendations that go beyond the obvious, and service that makes your stay memorable for the right reasons.
The Final Whistle
Chelsea away days don't have to be endurance tests. With the right base—somewhere like the Lancaster Hall Hotel that offers everything you need within walking distance, plus flawless transport links to Stamford Bridge—they become proper London experiences with a football match as the centrepiece rather than the sole focus.
Yes, you'll spend fifteen minutes on the tube to reach the ground (and take a short walk to Earl's Court afterwards). But in return, you'll discover London pubs with character, parks with genuine beauty, and a neighbourhood that feels authentically London rather than artificially tourist-focused.
Your team might let you down—they usually do—but your choice of where to stay doesn't have to. The Paddington area, and particularly the Lancaster Hall Hotel's position on Craven Terrace next to Kensington Gardens, delivers everything the modern away supporter needs: convenience without compromise, location without isolation, and the kind of London experience that makes you want to return even if your team never wins another away match.
Because ultimately, that's what the best away days are about: the entire experience, not just the final score. And from that perspective, this location wins every time.