I love this waterstones! It is one of my favorite bookstores I have been to. The building is interesting and has nice areas for sitting. The cafe is usually busy, and seating can be hard to find, but there is often some available. read more

Waterstones - Cinnamon roll - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

I'm generally not a fan of chain stores, especially chain stores which sell books. The clinical aspect a coorporation brings detracts a great deal from the buying experience; I like the idea of rooting through a mountain of crap in order to find that one elusive beauty. Book stores especially seem to almost need this atmosphere of chaos to be credible. However, Waterstones on Gower Street, the flagship store of the Waterstones empire, and , therefore, supposedly the belly of the beast, is just annoyingly good. I want to hate it but try as I might I've been won over the the excellent choice, service and air-conditioning. Gower Street boasts 160,000 volumes along with a willingness to acquire new texts at your behest. Due to its close collaboration with the University of London, this Waterstones has a distinctly academic feel to it and is a great place to come and stock up for the new semester. They periodically offer gatherings and signings involving various authors and last year famously hosted a talk by Professor Stephen Hawking. read more

Waterstones - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

By far the best bookstore I have ever been in. A wonderfully unique collection, charming building, and very helpful staff. I spend a few hours in here and could have spent a few more. Didn't try the cafe though, I was too busy! read more

Waterstones - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

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Great bookshop,record store meeting place,venue for talks by authors : for example in 2011 An Evening with. . .Owen Jones Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class read more

Waterstones - beautiful Waterstones,Gower Street - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

While it may not have the most expansive catalogue of available books in comparison to other London bookstores (coughFoyles), because of this Waterstones' Bloomsbury address, it has a fair selection of academic titles. It has an entire section dedicated to the medical field and it even houses a Ryman the Stationer for the ease and convenience of academic customers. But what I like most about this Waterstones is its used book selection. Its used book section alone could defect from the main store and become its own used book store. And the prices of the used books are completely reasonable. I once found a hard-copy edition of Sweet's _Anglo-Saxon Reader_ for £7. Sweet. All of this on top of the dark olde-worlde vibe complete with winding staircases and labyrinthine corridors and nooks that the Waterstones building puts off makes this one of my favourite book stores in which to browse. And, of course, no good book store would be complete without a cafe, which this one houses on its lower ground floor. I appreciate this, as it means the noise from the espresso machine cannot be heard throughout the entire facility. Plus, 3-for-2 sales abound in the contemporary areas, as it is Waterstones we're talking about here. read more

Everytime I come back to London, this Waterstones is a surefire pitstop. So I live in the US now, and sure, I can get books from amazon super easily, but it's never the same as walking around in a store, poking around at the tables, and just... the smell of all that paper. It's one of my favourite things. This store has just bags of character - the recommendations are almost always spot on (except that one time someone recommended I buy A Confederacy of Dunces... never before has a book made me so ANGRY) Best bookshop in London. read more

I bought myself a Moleskine city notebook for New York and the last Harry Potter before I left for the airport. I felt the latter was the best investment I made that day since I had long waits at Heathrow, JFK, and the tube. I wasn't around long enough for a book signing. It helps that this is a flagship location. My friend usually steers me away from chain bookstores but it was conveniently within walking distance of my errands at the time. read more

My local book store. Conveniently located next to the University of London, University College London, SOAS, Birkbeck and many more, this book store serves mainly students. Next to the normal range of books on cooking, DIY etc., this store has a huge range of academic books in stock at all times. You can find books on almost every subject here, ranging from politics to medical studies. Additionally, the Waterstone's also has an in house Costa Coffee on the lower ground floor and a Ryman's on the same level. You can easily spend an entire day in this store, reading, writing, and also listening to one of the many authors that are coming in for talks and book signings. Five stars for this all-around perfect book store! read more

As a student and knowledge junkie I love book stores. The Gower Street Waterstones although part of a chain does have the feel of an independent. If reports are correct it has the largest saleable collection of academic books in Europe. The store is huge and they frequently run book clubs and signings. They were recently offering 50% discount on secondhand books and sensational deals on their remainder titles. There is an onsite Costa Coffee so once you've purchased your books you can sit, relax and start reading. The staff are attentive and helpful and will order you books if they are not in stock. I would class Waterstones Gower Street as one of the best book store in London. read more

SO you're sittin in class and thinkin to yourself "I really wanna get the hell outa here and watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall, unrated edition," right? Well luckily Birkbeck College is a pebble's throw from this Waterstone's, as it virtually sits on campus. I could honestly care less about books (though I have purchased a few here for classes), so the DVD/music section is where I head every time. They have INCREDIBLE prices, like even better than HMV. Tons of their DVDs are an astounding 3 pounds. Ya know that Forgetting Sarah Marshall, unrated edition you were daydreaming about in class? Well yeah, 3 pounds yo. In the end this is an expansive bookstore but it's got a really impressive media section. They even have a nice selection of vinyl, how rare is that in a chain store?? Fun to explore, and with their lights out prices your wallet ain't gonna bleed. The bookstore part is a little overwhelming but I've never had too much of a problem finding what I need. The used books section upstairs is a bit all over the place and I get lost there every time. Therefore I've never bought a used book here because I start crying for my mother as I search endlessly for something that resembles anything I'm looking for. Waterstone's is keeping the dream alive for all you readers, so take advantage of a truly legit book store. And get DVDs for when you wanna procrastinate. read more

I am in book heaven! As soon as I stepped in I thought I was in a dreamland and dared anyone to wake me! I've come here a few times to collect items for work, so I never get to spend more than 20 mins. The staff are incredibly friendly and would go above and beyond to help their customers. I'm hoping my next visit would allow me more time to explore from top to bottom. Love this bookshop! read more

Waterstones - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

My favourite waterstones bookstore, set up in an old georgain building. The best feature of this bookstore is the little balcony alcoves where you can browse a book. The different sections and floors each have a unique extensive collection. The basement has Costa coffee with ample sitting. For the academic and students this is truly a heaven. Even people working in nearby offices tend to drop in for a quick break. read more

This is definitely my favourite Waterstones in London. The proximity of the store to UCL University means that they have a wonderful stock of academic books and study aids, amongst the other bookshop standards. The staff are sensational, and know exactly where every book in the whole store are. They have a particularly amazing philosophy and anthropology section. The shop is in an old Georgian building, so the stairs are steep and climbing to the top floor can be a bit of a slog for the unfit. This architecture adds to the feel of the shop though, almost as though you're thumbing through the bookshelves of a posh friend as opposed to a bookshop. They have a good Costa coffee too, so you can grab a take away latte and get stuck into the books. read more

Very good coffee latte and amazing bookshop. Friendly and inspiring. The fact that a lot of known authors have visited this place make it more joyful. I'm a fan of Barbara Hepworth and they have several books that I didn't know. Richard van Bremen, the Netherlands read more

Went in to get recent Peter Robinson mystery. Asked a clerk and she.took me to crime section. Book was not there, so she checked and it was out of stock. She called to the Tottenham Court store and had them set one aside for me. Book awaited me there. Excellent service. mf read more

Waterstones, on Gower Street, is certainly a very good book shop as can be expected with it being next to one of the London University campuses. It is housed in a huge, characterful, building and is arranged over several floors. However, to me it feels somewhat dated in its design, possibly due to the limitations imposed by the building. It feels a bit like stepping back in retail time by about 20 years. If you like exploring the range of books available in such a place this probably doesn't matter, but to me it felt undesirable to spend too much time in there. Overall a good book store despite the somewhat dated retail experience. read more

I'm spoiled by American mega-chain bookstores, but this Waterstone's is still a great little place- well organized books, and a mini-Ryman's and a Costa's on the lower floor. There's a really great selection of academic books and I've discovered you can access UCL wifi in some areas of the store (shh). read more

Another one of my favourite bookshops. They have a a specialist medical section, including a great section on Epidemiology and Medical Statistics which is where I spend a lot of my time (yes, I admit it, I'm a geek), and you can find most books from the LSHTM reading list in stock. They have quite a big fiction section as well though and although it's a little disorganised and hard to find things, due to lots of little cubby holes and secluded parts of rooms, there's actually a lot here if you have the patience to look. If you don't have time, the staff are very helpful, and can quickly tell you if a book is in stock or not. I really like the personal comments that waterstones' staff write about various books around the store. I've spent many a lunch break in this shop. read more

The thing that I love best about this waterstones is that it doesn't feel like part of a chain. Most chains have no character to them but this building is full of character and is a really pleasant place to visit. The staff are very friendly and helpful and seem very knowledgable about the books. It's probably the best place to go for academic books of any kind. read more

I guess I prefer this store to the the one on Oxford Street. It's quieter and has a bit of an antiquated but nice feel. With all the uni campuses around your likely to find the textbooks you need, although I've found myself having to ask for books to be ordered in on several occasions. They occasionally have the odd book signing, the last I went to on Gower Street, was for Aravind Ardiga's White Tiger. Staff are helpful enough. All in all a decent book store. read more

Amazing bookshop. Holy smokes. History section beyond the beyond. In the basement is remainders -- go there! They are awesome! read more

Lovely, large bookstore with clientele as varied and colorful as the characters in all the books' pages! All clearly lovers of books, everyone mesmerized by all the titles. While I didn't manage to find the book I was looking for, I did walk away with four new books and a smile in tow. The selection of books is huge, and with so many comfy chairs sprinkled about (in addition to a Costa downstairs) you can easily spend half a day here. read more

Waterstones - Has a great selection of London-centric books, perfect for any tourists wanting to bring home a literary slice of the city! - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

While I generally prefer the intimacy of non-chain bookstores, there is something very special about the Waterstone's on Gower. Not only does this place have 4 floors of books on all sorts of subjects, but it has the nice old charm of a library with a Costa coffee in the basement. Check it out and have a browse or stop here if you have something specific in mind - they have quite a selection of texts for you academic types. I personally like the poetry section. read more

This Waterstone's has to be the most beautiful bookstore I've ever been in. I adventured in here recently in search of coloring books (which are on the top floor in the children's section if anyone is wondering). They have an awesome selection of second hand, cheap books, and the staff is very helpful. Also, Ryman's in the basement! read more

Of course I love it... it's a book haven!! But not simply that - we have many booksellers around the country - so why specifically Waterstones? a) I have never come across such an extensive collection of books (aside from Senate House Library - and those aren't on sale!) b) I've never seen such patience exhibited by staff especially when you have a student blaring and going completely insane about not being able to find the right edition of a Woolf classic! and finally c) The BEST book signings and book club gatherings which are absolutely free and include some of the greatest conversations I have ever had. Obviously I had to have a favourite! .... Gower Street, it's HUGE!!! read more

This is definitely the most beautiful Waterstone's I've ever seen. I had a great time browsing the photo and knitting books - and the selection for both was very generous. My husband would tell you that I spent too long, and for that he did not appreciate this Waterstone's. He would also want me to tell you that the coffee shop during our visit did not do well at keeping up the toilet, and he appreciated the store's proximity to ULU. (Caveat emptor?) read more

The best Waterstone's if you're a student. This place on Gower Street has plenty of academic books and the sort of specialist texts that you would normally only find on Amazon. The location is great. Gower Street is one of the quietest parts of Central London and nearby Bloomsbury one of the nicest places to go for a walk. Although the Waterstone's looks as though it would house only a limited range, the building is a lot like the tardis with lots of tucked away sections that hold a treasury trove of reading. If you're over in Bloomsbury, check it out. I bought most of my reading here for two years when I worked nearby. read more

Definitely one of the best bookshops. In the heart of UCL etc this place specialises in academic texts but don't let the crowds of med students put you off. This is like a tardis - 3 floors rammed with books and they will almost definitely have what you want, from obscure military strategy to classic feminist fiction (my two most recent purchases!) Staff are knowledgeable and helpful. read more

This store is great because it has 4 storeys and loads and loads of copies of each title, unlike it's sister on Oxford Street when if you are after a book and they happen to have it, they have only one piece and that of course noone is able to find, even from the staff. Also it has a wide range of classics which is always good to know as all book shops seem to be obsessed with the modern writers who just got published. read more

This particular store is a haven for students. It has four floors including the basement. The array of academic material available for purchase is really impressive. The store is well laid out and staff are pretty helpful. I highly recommend this store for parents. If your child is going to make that strange and scary change from primary to secondary-then you should make a trip to this store. It has so many books on the 3rd floor for help with the 11+. read more

Excellent range of books spread over four floors. The business section is impressive, and the warren of rooms makes it an interesting place to kill time. The Costa Coffee is handy, particularly if you're at Birkbeck for a seminar on Saturday. Staff, as with almost all branches of Waterstones, are very helpful and I've even found they'll guide people to the section they need when it's in a particularly warren-like part of the shop. read more

Waterstones is one of the best bookstores for all types of books, and this store is great. The staff are very helpful, and the store is well stocked, with a very large range of titles. read more

Good if you're studying something serious, like medicine, science, that sort of thing. Average in other areas, but that's fine because they are specialising. A bit cramped. read more

I love this cozy University Bookstore cum Reading Lounge. This bookstore is a delightful place to read and browse for books: it has four floors crammed with plenty of fiction and non-fiction books in every subject. The books are easy to find, and there's a massive selection. Being close to a university, there are plenty of academic titles. There's a Costa Coffee in the basement which is always busy and full of chatty locals, or students cramming for exams. The art and design books are located on the second floor, with a window seat in the tower. The "grand staircase" always has a nice and tempting display of new books. Really a lovely place to stop by and browse for books; my favourite bookstore in all of London. read more

Worth a look for the architecture alone!

Fantastic bookshop. I love going into this bookshop, bring my own coffee and sit there reading for hours. It's the perfect place to 'meet friends' as there are plenty to read in case your friend is stuck in the traffic. read more

Whis bookstore is like heaven for all book lovers. Located in Picaddily Circus, this bookstore stocks up a wide variety of books. I absolutely love this bookstore and would always visit their coffee shop located on the top floor to make my stay a little longer and cosy. read more

Excellent resourceful place with 3 floors ranging with all types of books, in all fields. Specific floor for specific field along with the helpful staff ready to meet customer's demand. Best place for students to read, relax with coffee. As the books are ranged specifially by their fields, they are really easy to find. According to me, it's a good bookstore. read more

Oh, how my hours have I spent here while studying in the UCL. And it's not like I didn't enjoy it, because I love books and Waterstone's is the best place to get something new to read. This is the heaven for book lovers as myself. read more

Every time I visit Waterstone I find something new. I have spent there lots of hours looking for the right book and every time leaving with at least 4. They are certainly the best! read more