Happy Monday!

Wanting to see if the London "experts" out there would offer an opinion on location of this apartment:
http://tinyurl.com/4vhrfq

It is for 2 persons, one adult woman and one eleven year old child.

thanks as always in advance,
Dawn

I sure aren't a London expert, but we stayed in the area some years back. This is a very good area to stay. The apartment looks very nice!

Thank you so much. I have opted instead of a few nights to spend a week in London and definately want to do an apartment!

The writer of this blurb seems to know no other adjective than 'beautiful' - practically the least appropriate word imaginable for anything to do with Imperial College (an academic institution of extraordinary excellence, claiming to have won more Nobel Prizes than France, but compensating ugliness). To claim the Royal College of Music has "operas during the evenings" is - well, a spectacular exaggeration (there are about four opera evenings planned there this summer.

Queensgate is a fairly busy street with quite a lot of through traffic, and though - like most London streets - it's got some trees, calling it tree-lined gives an utterly misleading impression. Although its buildings are handsome, the street can't possibly be called "beautiful" by anyone who cares for accuracy in language.

It's handy enough for those parts of London it's handy to: but it's clear the writer is better at hyperbole than honesty. So watch it.

more good feedback - thank you.

London Perfect does get good ratings on Slowtravel as do their sister agencies, Perfect Italy and Paris. I am using Perfect Italy for our rental in Florence.

We stayed next to a music institute in Rome - by the Spanish Steps and it was delightful. We were privy to hearing lovely music floating up and one night a magical concert - I was worried at first it would be annoying but it was great.

It looks like a lovely apartment. The location sounds good, but I'm certainly not an expert.

sorry - I should not have asked for experts! I hate that as it makes me reluctant to reply to threads since I have only been to Florence once, Rome once, Paris once... so I think "what do I know?".

I have NEVER been to London so really love the feeback. Thank you.

I suppose the apartment description provided by the owner would sound exceptional and it is true about 'renter beware', but we liked the immediate area.

The flat looks quite newly decorated and is in a terrific location for sightseeing. Mid-way between Gloucester rd and S. Kens tube stations and walking distance to the museums, Hyde Park/Kens Gardens/Kens Palace/Royal Albert Hall.

And it would be cheaper than a hotel suite. But it is really just a studio. One long skinny room w/ kitchen/tiny table/very small sitting area plus the loft. Note that when the sofa is opened out to 2 beds, it totally fills the "living room".

The decor looks quite fresh and I'd personally feel comfortable staying there. But you need to decide if nearly £1000 a week is worth it for a studio.

oh - my comment about the two beds wasn't that I though you'd be using the sofa that way - it was just to describe how small the lounge area is.

That is the clintcher huh? It is pricey imo for "what" the size is. I am paying for a few things - the ability to use my credit card in advance and not deal with bank transfers etc which I have found to be a pain (I know everyone has a different experience), the reputation of the company that I am dealing with.

It is pricey imo for the size and I noticed that the tv is not even where you can view it if it is correct according to the photos.

I am assuming (and rightfully so imo) that we are going to be tired of traveling a bit at this point. It is why I have opted to "scale" back and do a week in London as opposed to crazy traveling/changing.

One thing I am counting on is that you are correct in that many of the museums are free so that it makes up for some of the extra cost in London.

Your eleven year old might be interested in the Ceremony of the Keys, at the Tower. You can google it, and request tickets by mail. They are free. It is an interesting, historical evening event which a spokesperson explains to you as it's being done. It's the locking of the Tower for the night. It's cool to be there as the sun goes down.

I think the flat is nice and it is in a very convenient location for tourists. It certainly has squeezed a lot of amenities into a small area and looks well planned.

You are mainly paying for the location. London Perfect is connected to Paris Perfect -- it is very good agency, but is not known for budget accommodations/rates.

Yes, almost ALL of the museums and galleries are free. Other sites can be fairly pricey - Westminster Abbey, the Tower, St Paul's, the Eye, etc. But w/ all the free bits, plus being able to do some of your meals in, you can visit the "for pay" sites and still stay w/i a budget.

re PeaceOut's post: Yes, the Keys Ceremony is terrific. But since your visit is at the end Oct, it will be pitch dark - not sunset (which only makes it more interesting IMO).

You have plenty of time to request the tickets but do follow the instructions to the T. Your biggest problem may be finding a local PO that has the required International Postal Coupons. You may need to have your PO order them for you.

Great feedback - thank you.

You know I am counting on you all as the time grows closer to PLAN the time in London.

I am actually very excited at the thoughts of spending 7 nights there. I have been afraid due to the cost but think that there are good ways to cut back.

Yes, we will eat most of our breakfast if not all in - and many dinners.

btw - this is the other flat - I prefered the studio but thought I would share this one as well:

http://tinyurl.com/8sxgc

I am really bad about anything that gets to complicated. First to admit it. I was/am trying this convent in Venice and about to throw the towel in because it is just so flippin hard to make the reservations.

Hi MomDD:

My husband and I rented this apartment from April 22-29, 2008, so perhaps I am the "expert" you are looking for. We had rented from ParisPerfect and ItalyPerfect and had excellent experiences. The owners were very responsive both before the trip and during our rental when we had a minor issue.

The apartment is very nice and has good natural light. The bathroom and kitchen are great. We knew that we wanted to cook our breakfasts and some suppers in order to save money. We did save money compared to a hotel and eating out all the time. We bought our food at the Waitrose supermarket next to the Glouster Road tube station-very convenient and good prepared foods. The bed in the loft worked fine for us, although, as FlannerUK says, the street is noisy, and you can hear it from the loft. The TV has an arm which swings around so that you can see it from the seating area and from the kitchen.

The location of the apartment is really unbeatable....close to two tube stations, restaurants and several parks.

You will not regret staying in London for a week. We took 2 day trips (Hampton Court and Cambridge) and had a great time using London as a base. The apartment is very close to the Victoria and Albert Museum (one of my favorites) and the Natural History Museum which are both free.

Be sure to get a pay-as-you-go Oyster pass or 7-day travelcard for the bus and tube. This and the free museums were the best bargains in London, although we did find pub food and Indian restaurants that made my American dollar go a bit farther.

OOH - that is a lovely flat (though the faux painted fridge is a bit weird ) - and Kens Church street is quite posh. But it is even more expensive and it is a bit less convenient for transport.

jan - yes, it is a bit more expensive and as we all know - everything adds up!

Steam - I want to make sure you rented the first studio I made reference to?

I am so thrilled you loved it! Did you feel cramped after a week? It is tiny but gives the impression of doing well with the space.

I am renting through them in Florence for two weeks.

Thanks again everyone. This forum is invaluable.

Yes, we rented the Queen's Gate apartment which is the first one you mentioned. We did not feel cramped, although there was not a lot of room to store clothing in the loft; we had to use the closets downstairs too. We are used to the smaller rooms in Europe. The design of the apartment is really quite remarkable. You won't believe the size of the bathroom.

Oh Boy! I rented and apartment from ItalyPerfect in Florence in 2004-the Medici! Could it be the same as yours?