phatfree

Hello,

I'm torn between decision to stay at hotel Trebovir which is very close to Earl's Court tube station and handy for transportation or try a self catering apartment in the Paddington area which is very near to Kensington Gardens. How easy is transport or getting around the city is Paddington?

My first choice was to stay in an apartment where I could hopefully cut down on eating out all the time and this particular Paddington apartment would set me back around 600 pounds/week.

Which is the better location? In checking google streets, the apartment seems far from pubs, shops etc.

I appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance.

ssachida

Paddington station itself isn't far from food and pubs. Thistle Kensington Gardens (thats what you meant, i'm assuming) is 2 minutes from Queensway and 5 minutes from Notting Hill. You wont be short of places to eat. It's also across the street from Hyde park. Paddington has excellent tube and train connections. It's a great location, but a bit less convenient than Earls Court for getting to sight-seeing venues.

If the apartment really is near the Thistle Kensington Gardens and isn't realtor-speak, I'd be tempted to go for it.

crdtny

A friend of mine stayed at the Trebovir nearly every weekend a few years ago before it was refurbished.....it was a bit of a place where you would take someone for the night if you know what i mean.

I visited my friend there many times and whilst the rooms were not that fantastic it was somewhere you could put your head down for the night and feel safe.

I have not been to the Hotel since it was refurbished so I cannot comment as to how it is now.


The location is fantastic. Minutes from Earls Court Tube station and also minutes from numerous cafes, restaurants, bars,supermarkets,chemists etc. Benjy's is a very popular place to eat especially for breakfast where you can drink as much tea or coffee as you like.It's round the corner in earls Court Road.

I would feel safe in the Hotel and the surrounding area but as always would keep an eye on what I was doing.

The grandness of Earls Court area has declined over the years due to the expense of maintaining large houses. Lots of these houses have been converted into bedsits and are occupied by many homeless people and drug addicts awaiting the result of social housing applications.

ssachida

Benjy's, the chain, went into administration a few years ago.

janisj

You do need to give us more info re the flat. "near Paddington" and "near Kensington Gardens" could mean a lot of different things - some great/some awful. Perhaps give us a link to the flat's listing.

I personally wouldn't touch the Trebovir w/ a barge pole. Well if it was cheap enough I might consider it -- but not very likely. How much would you be paying?

phatfree

Hello,

Thanks for the help. The Paddington apt is through venere. Here are a couple more I'm interested in.

http://www.venere.com/apartments/lon...t/#information

http://www.vrbo.com/22381
http://www.vrbo.com/194536
http://www.vrbo.com/217379
http://www.vrbo.com/52647

Thanks again.

janisj

The venere flat is a couple of blocks west of Paddington Station - not my favorite to be sure.

22381 is in a VERY central location and that is a great rate for that neighborhood. You'd be walking distance of just TONS of things.

194536 is just north of Hyde Park and not far from Paddington (but in a much better location than the venere property)

217379 is too far west (West Kensington if it is to be believed) and to say >>it is close to trendy areas such as High Street Kensington, Portobello Market and the Kings Road and to an array of museums and galleries such as the Natural History Museum, the V&A, and the Tate Britain.

janisj

oops - make that 5 flights of stairs -- same concept though . . . .

colleen61

I would be cautious about renting any apt. that has no comments posted. Unless it got good reviews on another site{such as trip advisor} or someone here gives it a good review.

phatfree

Hello,
How does one go about deciding if legitimate if there are no reviews. Should the listing/publishing date of the apt be of any value; it says it was published in 2003 on vrbo. Does vrbo have an office that I can call. Or, should I just buy insurance? Sorry for the many questions. Thanks in advance.

janisj

On the vrbo site -- click on Home Away (vrbo's rental guarantee)

ssachida

if i had to pick between the paddington area flats and the one near archway (52647), i'd go for paddington. I live near archway, but as a tourist it would be the paddington one hands down.

janisj

ssachida: Archway wouldn't be my first choice either. It is just that a few different Fodorites have stayed in that particular flat (I haven't) and they have each really REALLY praised it for the views and amenities. I've stayed farther up the Northern line in Highgate a few times and if it wasn't for all the stairs, I'd consider the Archway one myself.

I personally would go for it over the venere Paddington flat every time. The vrbo Paddington one is really closer to Marble Arch so wouldn't be bad at all really.

But for convenient/central location, the one behind the National Gallery is pretty much unbeatable.