A small, charming city with thousands of years of history, St. Albans sits in London's greenbelt with excellent transport links and plenty of available serviced accommodation.
St. Albans is a Hertfordshire city based in the commuter belt just north of London. In fact, the city is only around thirty miles north of the capital. It sits between Hatfield and Hemel Hempstead to the east and west respectively. St Albans, rather confusingly, also identifies as the main urban area in the City and District of St Albans. The wider St. Albans district stretches from Colney Street in the south to Harpenden in the north. The city of St. Albans itself though naturally sits at the centre of the district with a population of around 60,000.
Although corporate travellers who decide to come and make use of our St. Albans serviced apartments might have business locally, they often have a business in the capital and prefer to stay in apartments outside of the hustle and bustle of the London’s centre. St Albans’ great transport links help make this a viable option. The city has two railway stations, as well as Luton and Heathrow airports both nearby. The M25 and M1 motorways also run to the south and west of the city respectively. For all these reasons, staying in furnished short lets or furnished housing in St. Albans would appear to be a viable option.
Reviews of the city’s economy and business climate are typically addressed regarding the entire District and City of St. Albans. However, the city itself is considered to be a significant marketplace and home to a strong range of specialist independent businesses and retailers. All in all, the local economy is predominantly made up of offices, retailing, tourism-based and small enterprises. St. Albans has a reputation for luring a bulk of significant companies to establish themselves here too, such as AECOM, Deloitte & Touche, Hewitt and Premier Foods.
The likes of the St. Albans District Chamber of Commerce, the Enterprise Agency, Business Link and the Federation of Small Business all provide the necessary support to enable smooth start-ups and the maintenance of current businesses in the area. Perhaps most well-known amongst businesses in the area though is Hertfordshire’s ‘Better Business for All’ campaign. This sets out an ambition to regulate burdens on businesses, whilst also supporting companies to build relationships and grow as much as possible.
The existing local business climate is appealing too. For instance, relocating businesses are attracted to the vibrant evening economy, which benefits from a wide range of restaurants, bars, shops and tourism establishments in the area. It is important to not forget also the excellent transport links within St. Albans. From the comfort of our corporate accommodation in St. Albans there is always an easy way to travel in, out and around the city. Whether it is via the nearby major roads (M1, M10 & M25), through the many train stations within the city and across the district or by means of the extensive bus network, guests in corporate housing in St. Albans can always be in touching distance of a strong, local business climate or the ability to commute further beyond the city.
Historically, St. Albans has long been a well-known final stop on the road to London. Nowadays, sitting in the greenbelt surrounding the capital and having become a favourite with London commuters, this small city’s charms make it easy to see why there is a demand for serviced apartments in St. Albans. The city’s beginnings trace back as early as 20BC. Like most Old English destinations, Roman and Saxon civilisations then emerged in the following centuries. Amid all this though, when the city was named ‘Verulamium’, was the rise and fall of Saint Alban himself. Alban is regarded as the first ever Britain Christian martyr on record until he died in 305AD. Standing over his burial place is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain, St. Albans Cathedral. Still today the site remains a centre of worship, despite being rebuilt three times throughout history.
Other remaining remnants of the city’s history are the Medieval Bell Tower and the St. Albans Market. Whilst the bell tower, completed by the early thirteenth century, is the only of its kind still standing, the historic market has been paving the street ever since the ninth century. On the whole, visitors to the city can expect a place brimming with historic relevance. For a broader evaluation into the city’s history though, visitors can always explore the St. Albans Museum and Gallery, which is just down the road from Situ’s St. Albans aparthotels.
Part of the joy of using serviced apartments is having your very own base right in the heart of an area, and travellers using our serviced apartments in St. Albans has a lot to enjoy on their doorstep. With 2000 years of history, brought to life wonderfully in the Verulamium Museum, the country’s oldest pub, a stunning cathedral and all the shopping delights of an ancient market town, St Albans will likely not disappoint.
The Verulamium Museum exhibits treasures and remnants which illustrate the everyday life of those living in one of Britain’s largest Roman cities. Entire families are welcome to delve into the many aspects of Roman life, as well as then explore the further remains of an older St. Albans around the on-site Verulamium Park and Lake. The one-hundred-acre green space is stunning and encapsulates both the history and natural beauty of the city. Alternative nearby pleasant green spaces include Clarence Park and Tiberius Square. It is also worth walking along the city’s intersecting River Ver.
Even if guests are only staying in short term accommodation in St. Albans, they should ensure that they make time to visit the famous Cathedral and Abbey Church of St. Albans. As mentioned previously, this site holds immense historic significance, lying above the body of Saint Alban and acts as a hub for Christian worship. Whilst you may not visit the Cathedral for religious reasons, the site is still a sight to behold and stands proud as one of the most architecturally magnificent buildings in the country, let alone the town.
Furthermore, St. Albans’ traditional street market is also a city highlight. Running the length of St Peter’s Street in the city centre, this famous society tradition offers a fantastic shopping experience alongside the surrounding retail stores along the street. As well as earning great popularity for its 160 stalls, the market is brimming with history and makes for an experience unlike any other. Why not also finish or start a day’s shopping by visiting the beautiful Clock Tower too, a fifteenth-century belfry featuring a nineteenth-century clock?
Each of these attractions, and many more across the city and further district area, are loved by locals and tourists alike and make it hard not to be tempted to book a stay in extended stay apartments in St. Albans.
Within the city of St. Albans’ ‘unofficial’ boundaries, there are two railway stations to travel to-and-from. These are St. Albans Abbey station, which runs along the Abbey Line, and St. Albans City station which sits along the Midland Main Line.
Other train stations nearabouts St. Albans in the surrounding smaller villages include Park Street, How Wood and Bricket Wood.
St. Albans is excellently connected by its local bus network, served by three operating companies. As well as being accessible thanks to bus routes from North London, Luton, Watford and Hatfield, buses run also run extensively across the city and its outer borough.
Buses run from the city centre and the St. Albans railway station to areas across the district such as; Bernard’s Heath, Marshalswick, Jersey Farm, Fleetville, Cell Barnes, Tyttenhanger, Sopwell, St Julians, Cottonmill, Verulam Estate, Townsend and New Greens.
The fifth-busiest airport in the UK, London Luton is only a twenty-five minutes’ drive north of St. Albans, along the M1 and A1081. Travel to-and-from this airport can also be enabled via the airports own coach station and Luton Airport Parkway train station.
Alternatively, those travelling from St. Albans can fly from London Stansted (STN), London City (LCY) or London Heathrow (LHR) airports to east and south of the town. They are all between thirty and sixty minutes away by car. Airport taxi transfers can also be arranged from many of SITU’s St. Albans city apartments.
The nearest underground station is the Watford Underground station, a twenty-five minute drive away from St. Albans city centre.
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