junk4rp

@PatrickLondon: So the Earl's court is not really walkable to central London?

Cholmondley_Warner

No! But it's easy to get there on public transport.

PatrickLondon

You are very unlikely to find anywhere within walking distance of more than a fraction of what you will want to see - London is a huge city, and anywhere right in the centre is also likely to be expensive and still some distance from quite a few things you want to see.

You can have cheap; you can have central; you can have space; you can have two of those together, but not all three - the most likely compromise is going to involve a fair amount of public transport.

junk4rp

@PatrickLondon: I will take cheap and cental!

BTW everyone here is my current batch to get some feedback:

1. www.carena-apartments.co.uk
2. http://www.athomeinlondon.co.uk/detailsR.php?refno=296
3. http://www.vrbo.com/132885
4. http://www.dolphinsquare.co.uk/house...nts/twobed.php
5. http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p407406?uni_id=1023865
6. http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/ren...n-zone-2/68370
7. http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p405316
8. http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacat...als/51247.html

I know I am asking a lot of help, but I feel I am getting a lot of detail feedback which is helping me weed things out.

Thanks,
RP

texasbookworm

We have been most happy with the service from At Home in London--but I thought you were a family of 5? And this room is for 3 (or maybe you're thinking of renting both rooms?)
Anyway the office was most helpful in all our dealings in 2008 and we liked our room in Belgravia; they were again most helpful last fall when making arrangements for our room for 3 this July. We couldn't (won't be able to) use the kitchen for any dinner preparations in either place, as they were true B&B's in someone's house, but could store a bit in their refrig (unlike at a true flat).

janisj

#1 is near Tufnell Park tube station. I know the areas just north of there (Archway and Highgate) pretty well, but I have never left the tube at Tufnell Pk so I don't have any personal experience w/ that specific neighborhood. You'll get more help if one of the locals sees your post.

#2 each room only sleeps 3 max that I can see - and two rooms would be very expensive. Plus it is at Parsons Green on the southern leg of the District line. It will take quite a while to get anyplace.

#3 is an absolutely <B>WONDERFUL</B> location very near Sloane Sq tube station

#4 Is in Dolphin House (Dolphin Square) in Pimlico. I LOVE this area -- it is the neighborhood where I usually rent flats. It is on the river and walking distance to Pimlico tube station. One advantage is -- it has the amenities of a hotel like a concierege but w/ the space of a flat. Pretty pricey though.

#5 looks great if you like modern/minimalist. It is out near Aldgate East - (north of the Tower of London and east of Liverpool street station). I personally wouldn't stay there if I had other choices. If I wanted to be that far east - I'd stay in St Katherine Docks on the river.

#6 Nope - it is in Canning Town near Customs House DLR station. Out beyond Canary Wharf.

#7 Near St Paul's Cathedral. VERY quiet at night/weekends. Business district.

#8 Nope IMO. It looks like a very nice flat w/ views but it is out at Canary Wharf.

PatrickLondon

Location-wise, I agree with janis. I don't know Tufnell Park, but I have no reason to suppose there's anything wrong with it. 3 and 4 are probably the best locations for visitors. 5 isn't beyond the pale, but it is an outpost of swanky new development as it encroaches on the old working class garment district, right beside one of the busiest main roads into London - not ideal if you're looking for family-friendly charm. 8 is near where I live, and you would find the commuting an expensive chore.

Bowsprit

Experts: Why would there be an additional service charge to renting a flat? #3 has a £125 service charge tacked on to the rental fee?

janisj

Bowsprit: That is fairly common -- not a majority to be sure, but not unheard of. I've found it more often in Paris than in London -- sort of a 'cleaning fee'.

Found it more often on higher end flats -- like #3 above.

Palenque

I don't know Tufnell Park, but I have no reason to suppose there's anything wrong with it.>

I stayed in a B&B there once and though there is nothing really wrong with it there is nothing really great about it either - rather remote and a generally down-scale neighborhood IME - only go there if the price is great IMO

junk4rp

@PatrickLondon: Is #5 too far away to make it inconvenient for us to spend quality time in Central London?

@Bowsprit & @janisj: The owner told me that she would not charge a service fee, if I pay the full rental fee upfront. Is that common?

@Palenque: I will check what the fee this apartment has and may not consider if I can find something in the same fee or a little bit higher in a closer are.

Thanks everyone,
RP

janisj

"<i>The owner told me that she would not charge a service fee, if I pay the full rental fee upfront. Is that common?</i>

Sounds like a reasonable concession - looks like she treats the service fee as a sort of non-refundable deposit.

But be SURE to get travel insurance whenever you have non-refundable costs like flat rentals (and air fare for that matter)

Bowsprit

I don't know that I'd pay the full fee upfront. Maybe she'll make the same concession if you offer to pay her cash upon arrival? I think travel insurance (as long as you are really clear about what it covers) is a necessity for this trip.

Thanks janisj for the clarification!

janisj

"<i>I don't know that I'd pay the full fee upfront. </i>"

Why not? That is more common than not. Most flats and cottages do require full payment at least 30 days in advance -- some 60 or 90 days.

Bowsprit

I wouldn't be at all comfortable to give a complete stranger thousands of dollars up front. My opinion, that's all.

janisj

"<i>I wouldn't be at all comfortable to give a complete stranger thousands of dollars up front. My opinion, that's all.</i>"

Just saying -- most agencies and some private owners do require full payment before arrival. Just think -- would they be willing to tie up a flat w/ a complete stranger -- w/o having the money up front??

Your choice of course. But that's the way most rentals work.

Bowsprit

That just hasn't been my experience. I've paid a deposit (no more than 50% but usually 20%) and then I've paid the remainder by cc one week before arrival or when I've arrived. I've felt very comfortable doing this and am frankly surprised to read about this other method here. I wouldn't rent a flat from anyone who required my full amount months before my stay.

Once, I rented a flat and the flat was sold before my arrival so I only lost the 50% rather than the entire $3,500.00. Bad enough, but not devastating. I surely wasn't going to track down the prior owner to get my $1700.00 back. Anyway, there are enough payment options for everyone's level of comfort, right? Cheers!

nona1

In this case the owner is giving a choice.

Pay in full - no service charge.
Pay deposit - add on a service charge.

You pays your money you takes your choice.

SteffieG

I would consider this when staying in London...if you are short on time suck it up and pay more to save travel time on the tube. The farther out from the center you are is time wasted travelling back and forth to the things you want to see. London is in fact one of the most expensive cities in the world and there really is no way to escape the cost. The tube is efficient but spending 30-45 minutes to get where you want to be can be tiresome, plus you can't really pop back to your flat in the middle of the day if you need a break.

Good luck!

janisj

Like I said -- your choice. But the vast majority fo agencies do require a deposit at time of booking and full payment at least 30-60 days in advance. If one books w/i the 30 or 60 period, full payment is due at time of booking. Some private owners don't require anything but a deposit ahead of time.

Now, I have gotten around that requirement several times -- either by sending a US$ check that they held til I arrived and I'd pay in cash (so essentially I WAS paying up front but they just wouldn't cash it unless I didn't show up) - or - by having a history w/ the agency having rented from them several times and them waiving the pre-payment. I used to book a lot through a great little agency in Victoria/Pimlico who would take the balance on arrival (or even a few days after arrival). But unfortunately, they have gone out of business -- partly because of those very business practices.

Now, In Paris I've had totally different experiences -- I've often just paid a deposit and then the remainder on arrival.

I've rented probably 20-25 flats in London and even more self catering cottages around the country

B&Bs often don't require a deposit -- but self catering places are a different story.