London experts-Opinions needed on Paddington area neighbourhoods

My company is closing our business unit and as a result my whole department is being transferred to St. Mary's Hospital near Paddington station.

One of my colleagues wants to be able to walk to work (up to 45 min), yet no one in our department knows the neighbourhoods surrounding Paddington well enough to advise her where to look or even where NOT to look.

She will be looking for a studio or a 1 bed and is single so safety is important.

I know loads of you have excellent London knowledge so I thought I would throw it out there. Thanks! 

I'm not a Londoner, but I've stayed in Bayswater a few times and it seems pretty decent.

I'm a big fan of Westbourne Grove and part of Bayswater directly south of Royal Oak tube station. I lived for a while on the quieter end of Gloucester Terrace and loved it. Great amenities, restaurants etc. Bayswater has loads of studio flats. And you couldn't ask for a better location, esp if she has to walk to Pads.

If it were me and I had the money, I'd either be focusing my efforts on Marylebone, west towards Notting Hill Gate and maybe Little Venice (Warwick Ave tube) and around the Regents Canal. How awesome would that be to walk along the canal every day to work? And slightly further afield, around Primrose Hill - but that'd be a heck of a walk.

Honestly, when it comes to Paddington, there aren't many areas I'd say to stay away from, except for maybe right next to the station - far too busy for my tastes. I've always found Edgeware Road to be a bit on the dodgy side, however I have girlfriend who lives just off it and loves it, so to each their own.

Excellent info! Thank you both!