When Instagram released its most geo-tagged locations of 2017, not only was London its third most instagrammed city worldwide, but Notting Hill was revealed as the fifth most popular London attraction, sitting closely behind several of the capital’s landmarks.

A glance at users’ images of Notting Hill shows that it's largely photos of mews and pastel-coloured homes that populate the feed. Meanwhile a review of hashtags brings up circa 50,000 images under the 'mews' tag. So what is it that makes mews houses so popular on the photo-sharing app?

Perhaps as the urban version of a chocolate-box cottage London’s characterful mews are a vision of quintessential England. Originally built in the 18th and 19th century to serve as stables, mews are a reminder of the London of yesteryear and their tucked-away position simply adds to their allure and whimsical nature.The individuality of every home, with each one different from the next, also gives photographers the chance to capture a true sense of property diversity. And then, of course, they are just so photogenic: often pastel in colour, with window boxes in full bloom and charming cobbled streets paving the way to their front doors, it's no wonder they are so popular on Instagram.

Festooned in wisteria, Kensington's Kynance Mews is one of the prettiest in London, with the arches at its entrance providing the perfect frame for photographs. The external staircases at Holland Park Mews, meanwhile, are reminiscent of the romantic wrought iron balconies found in Europe and photograph just as well in winter as they do in summer. The only London mews with commercial riding stables, Paddington’s Bathurst Mews is a fusion of splendid architecture, abundant greenery and a proper sense of community where tables, benches and trees sit along the cobbles for residents to socialise. It’s no surprise that this historic mews is such a prevalent Instagram address.

It isn't just the general mews hashtag that garners likes on Intagram. More specific ones, such as #mewsoflondon and #mewsings, are also popular, with both Londoners and visitors embarking on mews trails, taking photos as they go and posting them on their feeds. There's no doubt they are much appreciated: when Savills posted an image of a mews house on Instagram recently it got double the likes of the property posted before and after it.

Further formation

Check out our favourite mews photos and others from across our residential, rural, commercial and international network by viewing Savills Instagram