About West Kensington West Kensington may lack the wealth, style, up-market shopping and grassy acres of Kensington, and the fabulous museums of South Kensington, but it is a down-to-earth and homely place defined by its diverse array of small shops, fun pubs and multicultural restaurants. This is a predominantly residential area, with a wide cross-section of housing that ranges from impressive Victorian mansion blocks and terraces to local authority flats and tall neo-Georgian townhouses. The big draw in West Kensington is Olympia, the world-class exhibition complex that is partnered with Earls Court. The area is well-served by tubes and buses and there are easy road routes to both Heathrow and central London.