Places to Stay With EV Charging in London

What "EV Charging Nearby" really means here

There are 44 places published on BritStays in the London region that list EV Charging Nearby. Read that phrase carefully before you book: it tells you a charger is within reach of the stay, not that there's a post outside your pitch or front door. On a city break that's usually fine — chargers cluster thickly around London — but it does mean the sensible move is to message the host before you travel and ask exactly where the nearest one is, who runs it, and whether you can leave the car there overnight.

The mix of stay types is unusual for a city region. Camping dominates with 31 of the 44, followed by nine cottages, two caravanning sites and just two hotels. So if you're picturing a multi-storey with rows of chargers, adjust: most of these are green, edge-of-city sites where you'll charge on the way in or out rather than while you sleep.

Transport links, not parking, are the pattern

Across the set, 25 stays are near a train station and 20 are near a bus stop — but only six list parking at all, and 16 list toilets. That combination is worth understanding. Many of these places expect you to arrive, settle the car, and then use public transport for the rest of the trip. Stays like 1st Malden Scout Group Grounds in New Malden, The Coppice and The Woodford Retreat all pair EV charging with both a train station and a bus stop nearby, which suits anyone who'd rather not drive into central traffic. Mulberry House in Maidstone, Southern England, sleeps six and sits near a train station too.

Choosing an area

Twenty-nine of the 44 are listed simply as London, with another seven under London, Southern England. The rest are scattered in ones and twos: New Malden and Maidstone, Southern England with two each, and single entries in Sidcup, Purfleet, Kingston upon Thames and Croydon.

• Countryside feel: the wooded campsites do the heavy lifting — Frylands Wood Scout Outdoor Centre, Bears Wood Scout Campsite, Farningham Wood Scout Campsite and Ferryman Field.
• City comfort: the two hotels, Travelodge Croydon Central (bar, restaurant, disabled access) and Travelodge in Kingston upon Thames (restaurant, takeaway food, disabled access).
• Self-catering: the nine cottages, including The Coppice and Mulberry House at six each, and The Woodford Retreat sleeping four.

One honest caveat: this is an inland set. If you're after a coastal base, you won't find one here — plan these stays around parks, woodland and the city itself instead.

Families, couples and dog owners

For families, Lee Valley Campsite, Sewardstone lists a playground, toilets and disabled access, and Pinewood Scout Centre lists a swimming pool alongside toilets and disabled access — both unusual finds in this set, since only seven of the 44 list disabled access. The two Travelodges suit families who want food on site rather than cooking.

Couples are best served by the cottages: The Woodford Retreat at four and the train-and-bus links that let you leave the car charged and untouched for a few days.

Dog owners should plan early. Only five of the 44 are pet friendly, and Woollett Hall Farm in Sidcup is the named example, listing toilets, pet friendly and a bus stop nearby. With so few options, flexibility on dates matters more than flexibility on area.

WiFi appears at just nine of the 44, so if you're working remotely, treat it as something to confirm rather than assume — particularly at campsites like The Chefs Walk or Farningham Wood Scout Campsite.

What to do once you've arrived

From a charged car and a train line, the big names are straightforward: Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace and The Shard. For quieter days, Bruce Castle, Red House and Quebec House all offer heritage without the queues, and Emmetts Garden is a good call if you want an afternoon outdoors. Indoor options include Twist Museum, Dennis Severs' House, Chiswick House and Harlow Museum & Walled Gardens. Travelling with children who've had enough of galleries? Oak Farm Animal Park in Buckinghamshire, Trilakes Animal Park in Berkshire, H2O Rampage Aqua Park in Hertfordshire and the Flitch Way Railway Carriage Museum in Essex are all reachable by car.

When to book, and what to do on arrival

With only 44 listings, two hotels and two caravanning sites, the margins are thin. Book campsites as early as you can for summer weekends and school holidays — scout-run sites in particular are often taken by groups months ahead. Cottages sleeping six, like The Coppice and Mulberry House, go first for half-terms.

On the day, check your charging app before you leave the motorway rather than after you've pitched. Charge on arrival if you can, note a back-up charger within a few miles, and never run a cable across a path or pitch. If the stay has no parking listed, confirm where the car lives overnight before you commit.