A Guide to Living in Stratford

Pre-2012 London Olympics, Stratford was, for many, just a place where the Jubilee line terminated. But the Games put this East London district well and truly on the map. Modern residential developments (with a plethora of amenities) have been multiplying here ever since. Where are the best places to live in Stratford? Discover where to buy or rent in Stratford in our area guide.

4.53

Average Location Score

Excellent

64%

Very Good

28%

Average

Disappointing

Very Poor

Best places to live in Stratford

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

Expand Map

Stratford’s residential transformation

Here East, the former Olympics’ Press and Broadcast hub, is now a thriving digital and creative business park, attracting big names like BT Sport and dance choreographer, Wayne McGregor. Meanwhile, the Athletes’ Village has been transformed into East Village, a mixed-use development of some 3,000 new-build homes and a brilliant range of independent restaurants, bars and cafes, all set among acres of greenery. According to HomeViews’ reviewers, this is one of the best places to live in Stratford.

“Spacious and lovely! Great place to live if you’re young and working in London. The resident team are brilliant and very attentive to any problems you might have. Commute is fantastic, you can get a direct train to kings cross in 7 minutes. The coffee shops below are perfect for brunch!” – Zeynep, verified resident at East Village

East Village is neighboured by the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which blankets a large chunk of the area, and offers nature trails, waterways and sports facilities. Here you’ll find London Stadium, London Aquatics Centre and the ArcelorMittal Orbit – the UK’s largest sculpture and the world’s longest tunnel slide.

Developments to buy or to rent in Stratford

Where are the best places to live in Stratford? Commuters should pay attention to Unex Tower, a Telford Homes development just footsteps from Stratford International and Stratford Underground. Telford Homes is actually the name behind many of Stratford’s residential developments. Stratford Central, like its name suggests, has bagged a prime setting in the heart of E15. Glittering high-rises Stratford Plaza and Stratosphere sold out in record time. And Icona Point, a trio of buildings erected with the help of architect, Stockwool, gives the Stratford skyline a pop of colour courtesy of its neon-hued balconies.

“The development is great. There is a 24 hour concierge who are always on hand to help and the staff are very friendly. There is also a nice on site gym for tenants. I really enjoy living here.” – R, resident at Unex Tower

If you’re after a waterfront location, the apartments at Weston Homes’ River Heights make for a good choice. In addition, another popular new-build property is Stratford Halo, a 42-storey Notting Hill Genesis development nicknamed, ‘The Sidemen Tower.’ This was because members of YouTube sensation, The Sidemen, moved in a few years back. If you’re looking to rent in Stratford Halo – have a look at Folio London at Stratford Halo,

“I like the apartment – it’s a new build and spacious, well designed, and good quality. There is good security on the building and a concierge service 24/7 which is great.” – Anonymous, resident of Folio London at Stratford Halo.

Stratford hotspots

Westfield Stratford City actually opened the year before the Olympics, contrary to the belief of many. Packed with well-known names, this is East London’s most popular destination for fashion and food. There’s a Vue cinema and a bowling alley here, too.

Hip Hackney Wick is at the tip of Stratford’s north-eastern pocket, sandwiched between Bow, Mile End and Homerton. This urban neighbourhood brags a good variety of quirky riverside pubs and cafés, brimming with originality and something of a breath of fresh air compared to Stratford’s heavily regenerated majority. It’s especially lively in the summer months, and getting a water-facing table can be something of a challenge.

Transport links

“Transport links are unrivalled you can get ‘anywhere’ in 30 mins.”

Finally, a word on transport. Stratford is one of the best-connected places in London. The station has tubes running on the Central and Jubilee lines to the West End, DLR links to Canary Wharf, and Overground services to Highbury & Islington. Similarly Stratford International, offers super-fast connections to St Pancras International – we’re talking less than eight minutes.

You can read reviews of Stratford developments by clicking on the properties in the list below. Do you live in a Stratford development? Click here to write a review.

Featured developments in Stratford

Reviews in Stratford

Write a Review

Chobham Manor is a great place to live

Verified Resident

Review Date May 2021

We were one of the first to move here and overall, we have a great place to live. It’s very warm in the winter, feels very safe and the park is beautiful. The road I live in is cleaned regularly. I have great neighbours, everyone in the road is pleasant and friendly. We enjoy being able to walk to a decent coffee shop and Hackney marshes is also lovely and on our doorstep. It’s easy to get into Central London but for me, I like the proximity to the London overground, Kew gardens and Richmond are 45 minutes away.

Please review your development:

The apartment is really well designed, spacious, light and remarkably, for a new build, it has lots of storage.
Facilities locally are excellent, shops, good restaurants, doctor and dentist.
L and Q as managing agents are patchy in response and the service charges have been farcical with lots of changes and confusion. The residents association are active and brilliant. Overall, a great place to live.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

It’s busy and lively on the park in the summer

What is the best feature of your home:

Light, spacious, well designed and lots of storage, great roof space

Facilities

Design

Location

Value

Management

Read all Read less

If you can afford it, don’t hesitate. It’s great.

Verified Resident

Review Date Apr 2021

In terms of location, is great – it’s an oasis from the noisy area, but close enough to be connected with such a big station like it’s Stratford, the heart of East London.
I can’t comment much on parking, but I know they were a lot of options. In terms of shops, you will find a lot of independent owners, and on a rainy weekend you won’t need to leave the neighbourhood: a brunch in one of the local cafes, a walk in the Wetlands and a cinema night in Westfield. Super safe, green and clean.

Please review your development:

Although some developments are better than others, in general, the design and facilities are great. I lived in three different flats and they have their unique differences, but also very practical perks – like washing machine room, super edgy key system etc. Storage, in the other hand, is not the forte of these developments, so get ready for a minimalist lifestyle!
In terms of management, they have come a long way – when I moved back in 2017, the customer service was by far, the worst thing of living in East Village. Around mid 2019, management started to change and you could see the difference in the service, the possibilities and their attitudes. During the pandemic, probably more than 50% of East Village tenants were working from home, and it wasn’t always easy. Get Living staff -including their 24h security service staff -went beyond and overcame many of the ad hoc problems that raised during that period.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

– Good: your guests will love visiting you in your East Village flat, trust me Make sure your living room is cosy and as spacious as possible. If you can, get flats with balconies facing the Olympic village, it makes a difference.
-not so good: low storage capacity – which will probably help you stop hoarding and live with loads of unnecessary items. If you absolutely need storage, find one of the flats where you can get creative for it.
-Bad: their monopoly with certain utility bills, like for example ELE. They have some partnerships since they started the development , and that means tenants sometimes have no freedom to decide suppliers and accepting some extra nonsense fees.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Maintenance, great – you call them and they will come maximum 48 hours later unless it’s a real emergency. Customer service en general, very good. There is a lot of perks and initiatives in the village, and they are there for you to enjoy them.

Facilities

Design

Location

Value

Management

Read all Read less

Manager Response

Hi
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this excellent review, it is greatly appreciated and I will definitely share with the team as it helps us to improve and continue to provide the best service possible for all our residents to enjoy living in East Village.

Love it here!

Verified Resident

Review Date Mar 2021

I stayed at Insignia Point, well furnished, with Sainsbury nearby and major transport network nearby. Love it!

The bad aspect is maybe because my unit is road facing and there is hospital nearby so sometimes at night, the siren sound could disrupt light sleeper

Please review your development:

Great resident team! The facilities are good and the park nearby help us to exercise more. The tenancy agreement are very straightforward and I love the 6 months tenancy break clause that gives me flexibility. Maintenance team are super helpful, I requested for my faulty washing machine to be replaced and it was done swiftly. Recommended!

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

No microwave :(,

What is the best feature of your home:

High floor, close proximity to Sainsbury and transport hub

Facilities

Design

Location

Value

Management

Read all Read less

Manager Response

Hi
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide feedback. We are so delighted that you rate our service as 5 star as we strive to provide just that for all our residents.

In love with this place

Review Date Mar 2021

It’s a very nice area and well connected. Very pro-active staff and once you meet them is like part of the your family

Please review your development:

Very well furnished and modern design. If something breaks, write an email and your problem is gone very quick. Very straight forward and I loved how they raised the quality of maintenance over the years. Probably the price is a little bit higher than other places in the area, but the quality of services pays off.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Very transparent, so no issues

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Very quick and professional. In most of the cases were done in less than 24 hours

Facilities

Design

Location

Value

Management

Read all Read less

Manager Response

Hi
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us your feedback, it is greatly appreciated as it helps us to maintain an excellent standard of service.