Rudy

Every time I've traveled to London, I've stayed in hotels. I'd like to rent an apartment the next time I go. Any suggestions?

TC

Rudy; I don't have any first hand apartment rental information, but I am doing research for my own trip in a couple of weeks. In a book titeled: Cheap Sleeps in London, 4th Edition by Sandra Gustafson there is a good chapter on apartment rental with how to tips and suggested locations. I have found her books to be reliable sources on past trips to Paris. Hope this helps.

carolyn

We used the London Connection, and they found a lovely three bedroom flat on Queens Gate Gardens in South Kensington for six of us. They met us at Gatwick and took us back at the end of our trip. E-mail me if you would like their phone/fax numbers.

Patrick

I use Farnum and Christ located in Tennessee of all places! They represent only privately owned individual apartments in London. After one stay in the first one we chose, we've returned five years in a row to the same flat! Their phone is 1-800-366-2048. "Our flat" is owned by horse breeders from Somerset who keep it as their in-city residence and lease it out through Farnum and Christ. It is very "lived in" with an incredible collection of art and art books, stocked kitchen cabinets "use what you want and replace what runs out". It is much nicer than most of the apartment rental buildings I've seen.

anna

The BTA publishes a booklet called "City apartments" that contains hundreds of listings of letting agents, many with e-mail addresses and websites so you can see the apartment before you go. In the summer, many student apartments are vacant if you're not looking for anything fancy.

yitz

on the Net try these Web sites
http://www.vacationspot.com
http://www.London4rent.com
http://www.Vacationhomes.com
http://www.10Kvacationrentals.com

Miane

I've been doing some serious research on the subject for business purposes and have met with several London-based com panies. The ones who in my opinion offer the best service and value for money (truly charmin places) are:
- www.gonative.co.uk: ask for Katy
- www.homefromhome.co.uk: ask for George
Their websites definitely need updatrinmg and they have way more in store than they show. My company works with them from time to time and they have a hreat selection in the best neighborhoods of London.

Rudy

To everyone who responded:

Thanks for all the great ideas. I've checked several of the web sites. Are the apartments really as good as they look? Are there any downsides to renting apartments? What neighborhoods would you recommend?

Thanks, all, again.

Miane

Just a personal opinion from an ex-Londoner returning regularly ... there are more upsides than downsides in renting an apartment in London because they are usually of better quality than apartments in other European cities and hotels are SO expensive for what you get! I generally found that there is no bad surprise bewteen the photos/descriptions and the reality. The local area maybe. I would recommend that you stay within the central locations for convenience, close to a tube station with good connections. Anything in the areas around Hyde Park/the Circle Line, west of the Northern Line and North of the Thames would be safe bets, which means: Kensington, Chelsea, South Ken, Earl's Court, Knightsbridge, St James's, Westminster, Pimlico, Belgravia, Mayfair, Bloomsbury, Soho/Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Holland Park, ...: all neighborhoods have their own individual character, from the residential to the busy, the grand aristocratic to the bohemian chic, and it's difficult to advise you without knowing what kind of experience you are looking for. I hate to say this, but I would recommend that you check www.frommers.com which has a good basic description of the various neighborhoods of London at: http://www.frommers.com/destinations...055020048.html. Email me if you need more info.