Where Was Notting Hill Filmed?

It’s a whopping 25 years since Notting Hill hit the big screen in 1999, one of many Richard Curtis rom coms that fast became a classic. Starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, we follow a romance between a British bookseller and a famous American actress who happens across his bookshop one day. The beloved flick is backdropped by leafy streets with colourful terraced houses, displaying an idyllic side to west London. But where was Notting Hill filmed? And can you visit the locations? We’ve got the details.

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Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts star in Notting Hill (© Universal Studios)

Where Was Notting Hill Filmed?

Notting Hill was filmed in Notting Hill – a residential district in west London – and other locations across the British capital. Director Richard Curtis chose to set and film his rom com here because he lived in the area and thought it would be a great place to set a movie. ‘Notting Hill is an extraordinary mixture of cultures,’ Curtis said at the time. ‘It is rich and poor and Portuguese and Jamaican and English, and it seemed like a proper and realistic place where two people from different worlds could actually meet and co-exist. That Anna would be shopping there, that William would live there and that Spike might think it was a groovy place to dwell. Notting Hill is a melting pot and the perfect place to set a film.’

However, filming in the busy British capital naturally presented some challenges. ‘Early on, we toyed with the idea of building a huge exterior set,’ producer Duncan Kenworthy said. ‘That way we would have more control, because we were worried about having Roberts and Grant on public streets where we could get thousands of onlookers – and obviously the police would have something to say about that. But, in the end, we decided to take the risk and go for the real thing. You can’t create that sort of reality on a studio back lot. To film in the real streets gives a fantastic tone to the film.’

‘It was a mammoth task,’ Notting Hill’s location manager Sue Quinn said. ‘It is unbelievable how many people live in the Notting Hill area, how diverse and different they are and how many different sections of the community you have to contact. The major problem we encountered was the size of our film unit. We couldn’t just go in and shoot and come out. We were everywhere. Filming on the London streets has to be done in such a way that it comes up to health and safety standards. There is no such thing as a road closure. We were very lucky in the fact that we had 100 percent cooperation from the police and the Council. They looked favourably on what we were trying to do and how it would promote the area.’ To court favour with local residents and businesses, the Notting Hill production team delivered thousands of letters pledging goodwill payments to favourite charities if they co-operated with filming, resulting in more than 200 charities receiving donations.

‘We wanted to capture the real flavour of Notting Hill, which meant filming in the most densely-populated areas, the main area being Portobello Road where William’s bookshop was situated,’ Quinn says. Here’s a look at the filming locations in question.

Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts star in Notting Hill (© Universal Studios)

Notting Hill Filming Locations

The Travel Book Shop

A centrepiece in Notting Hill is Will’s bookshop, a higgledy piggledy space with a simple name: The Travel Book Shop. Exteriors were filmed at 142 Portobello Road – a gift shop that really cashes in on its Notting Hill cameo – while interiors were filmed on set at Shepperton Studios. However, The Travel Book Shop was inspired by a real bookshop: The Notting Hill Bookshop just around the corner.

Visit: 13 Blenheim Cres, London W11 2EE. thenottinghillbookshop.co.uk

Portobello Road

Another central feature is the beating heart of Notting Hill, Portobello Road. This famed street cuts right through the centre of the area and is home to a huge market boasting vintage garms, antiques, street food, souvenirs and plenty more. It’s open every day except Sunday, with Saturday the main day to visit. (See more opening times at portobelloroad.co.uk)

Other filming locations in the area include Golborne Road, Landsdowne Road and Westbourne Park Road, a quaint mews of colourful houses.

William’s Flat

Another iconic sight in Notting Hill is the famous blue door to William’s flat. So iconic is this door that it was actually auctioned off for charity. However, the replacement black door has since been painted blue to keep the fans and tourists happy.

Visit: You can see the blue door at 280 Westbourne Park Rd, London W11 1EH, but tread carefully – this is a real home. You’re not missing much by staying beyond the doorstep, anyway: the interiors were filmed on set.

The Coronet Theatre

When William goes to catch a film starring Anna, he chooses The Coronet, a local Notting Hill joint that is now a theatre rather than a cinema. Dating back to 1898, the Coronet emerged as an Off West End theatre, but worked as a cinema from 1923–2014.

Visit: Find it at 103 Notting Hill Gate, London W8 7TA. See what’s on at thecoronettheatre.com

The Savoy Hotel

The backdrop to Anna Scott’s press conference is the real Savoy Hotel, one of London’s most historical luxury hotels. While Anna sticks to the Lancaster Room, you could check into one of the swanky rooms for the real celebrity experience.

Visit: Find it on the Strand, London WC2R 0EZ, and book your room at thesavoylondon.com

Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts star in Notting Hill (© Universal Studios)

Nobu, COMO Metropolitan London

When Will and Anna go on a dinner date, we’re actually looking at one of London’s Nobu restaurants. While you can find Nobu restaurants in Shoreditch and Portman Square, the one featured in Notting Hill is the Mayfair branch tucked away in COMO Metropolitan hotel.

Visit: Find it at 19 Old Park Ln, London W1K 1LB and book your table at noburestaurants.com

Kenwood House, North London

It’s a meta moment when William visits Anna on a film set. The real regal spot she’s filming at is Kenwood House, a real 17th century stately home tucked away in the sprawling Hampstead Heath.

Visit: You can find Kenwood House at Hampstead Ln, London NW3 7JR. It’s free to visit, and you can learn more about what to expect at english-heritage.org.uk

Leicester Square

Notting Hill’s movie-within-movie premiere was filmed at London’s iconic premiere spot, Leicester Square in the West End. Production created a stunning spectacle of excited fans and eager paparazzi outside the Empire cinema – with only 24 hours notice due to delayed approval thanks to health and safety concerns.

Visit: Empire is now a Cineworld Cinema, and you can find it at 5-6 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7NA. See what’s on at cineworld.co.uk

Zen Garden, Hempel Hotel

Scenes for the wedding reception were filmed in Hempel Hotel’s zen garden. Bad news for fans on this one: the hotel closed in 2013 and was demolished to make way for new luxury apartments.

Rosmead Gardens

Another one you sadly can’t visit is Rosmead Gardens, the private gardens Anna and William break into, that are actually private gardens. They are tucked away in Notting Hill, shared by a group of houses and locked up so pedestrians cannot enter. This is where the iconic bench scene was filmed, but don’t worry, it was only put there for the film anyway.

Is Notting Hill A True Story?

No, Notting Hill is not based on a true story. Curtis has commented on his inspiration on the film, saying: ‘When I was lying sleepless at night, I would sometimes wonder what it would be like if I just turned up at my friends’ house, where I used to have dinner once a week, with the most famous person at that time, be it Madonna or whomever. How would my friends react? Who would try and be cool? How would you get through dinner? What would they say to you afterwards?

‘That was the starting point,’ Curtis said. ‘The idea of a very normal person going out with an unbelievably famous person and how that impinges on their lives.’

That said, in a 2018 interview with GQ, star Grant suggested there was more truth to Curtis’ script than he would have us believe. Grant suggested Notting Hill was based on a friend of Curtis who fell in love with a real celebrity after meeting her in Harrods.

Where Is Notting Hill Streaming?

Notting Hill is available to stream on Netflix. netflix.com