amamax2

Hello,

I am looking for an apt for my family's trip to London in April (2 adults, 2 teens), and would love some opinions about this apartment.

http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p436795

Is this is a good location for a first trip to London in terms of being able to easily get around London from here (walking or the Tube), places to eat, grocery store?, safe at night, etc?

Do you see anything wrong with it? I have looked at so many places my head is swimming!

Is this a good place from which to rent?

Thank you so much!

Cathinjoetown

This is very close to our son's flat, he's the other side of Camden Sq. I didn't find the neighborhood at all unsafe although he has a security system, only sensible in an urban area. The bus connections are very good, I'd guess about 15-20 min to Leicester Sq, much less to Camden Town Tube station. The Camden station is walkable but I can't give you a time as I didn't do it.

The apartment itself looks good but did I miss photos of the living room (lounge)? Also, with those great views it will be on an upper floor. May not be an issue.

If you decide to take it, I'll find out the name of a great pub, good food, on my son's street. He also uses a very reliable car service that is based in Camden, tney quote before you have to commit.

Don't know why Covent Garden is in the description/header. It is NOT close.

Cathinjoetown

There's a large Sainsbury's grocery store at Camden Town tube and small corner shops all over.

bilboburgler

I had a quick look
1) sitting room??
2) wifi included???
3) TV?

avalon

Covent Garden is really a stretch as to location wise. Not very close to any tourist sites but likely good transportation, Id sure check that out!

nytraveler

A couple of notes:

This is a TINY apartment - with the bedrooms barely bigger than the beds. It doesn;t look like there is room for more than 2 people to eat at a tiny cafe table - unless I missed a pic of a dining room. Also, unless I missed it - there doesn;t seem to be a living room at all. I would guess they have turned it into a second bedroom.

Before going any further I would ask for a list of the rooms and specific sizes:

Living room
BR 1
BR 2
Dining area (or is it the cafe table in the kitchen)

And the places they are listing as "minutes" away - are not on foot - they are by tube- and by minutes they mean less than an hour. The area is not bad but it certainly is;t central (as in walking distance).

amamax2

Thank you all so much - that is exactly what I needed!

I hadn't noticed the no pictures of a living room, but you all are right...hmmmm...

I think I will keep looking. While we will take the tube, etc, we also like to walk and would like to be close enough to some sites to do so.

Thanks!

dutyfree

Is Kings Cross the closest tube station? Covent Garden is definitely not close as it is 4 stops away on the Picadilly line.

dutyfree

I just moved my son from his flat where he has lived the past year this past week in Bloomsbury. He was located between the Russell Square tube station and Kings Cross. He was less than two blocks north of the Brunswick Mall which I think is a great location for shopping locally,restaurants/pubs,British Museum and British Library and easy bus/tube access to all over London.You can hop on the tube at Heathrow and be in that area in less than 45 minutes without any hassle or changing-inexpensive way to get into London with a family.
I usually stay down by Glouester Road tube station for work and I like where my son was much better.

CYESQ

Keep looking. I just did a quick check and there are lots of nice 2 bdrms available with living room and real dining room. If you'll notice, all the guest shots are taken in the tiny kitchen which appears to be not quite four people wide.

alanRow

"If you'll notice, all the guest shots are taken in the tiny kitchen which appears to be not quite four people wide."

That style of kitchen is pretty common in 19th century UK housing stock.

The kitchen is clearly the dining area as the photos show two small dining tables. The only thing I'd worry about is the living area - small bedrooms don't matter unless you travel with steamer trunks & the double bed is very large by UK standards - if they'd used a standard UK double bed they'd be no problem as it would be a foot narrower and a few inches shorter

nytraveler

Understand that the kitchen is just a corridor - many older apts in NYC have the same arrangement. But then they either have a separate dining area or a living room that is large enough that it can be used as both living and dining room. (In my old one bedroom the living room was 15' by 28' - so you could use the far one-third as a dining area.

But this place doesn;t seem to have a LR either. Perhaps you eat sitting on the beds- since the "dining" tables shown are more like TV trays..

mjs

It looks decent and the price is good. A bit far to the closest tube which would be about a 20 minute walk to Camden Road. I would guess the walk to Covent Garden to be an hour. Walked down Camden road to the tube stop yesterday so my guesses would be an approximation. Bus would probably be your best transportation option although generally slower than the tube. It would not be my first option but the price is right.

Royal

Keep looking. You have lots of time and as others have said there is no living/lounge area. When you come back to the flat are you all going directly to your rooms? There is no place to sit and chat and plan your outings.

Also this is not anywhere close to Covent Garden so very misleading title.

amamax2

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help and insights!

We are going to keep looking.

janisj

Take a look at these

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hamlet_uk/

Some might say the location isn't very convenient (as I might have prior to staying there a couple of years ago.)

I normally like to stay in Pimlico or Bloomsbury, but needed two flats for my group. These are right next door to the Tower of London next to the river and on a beautiful yacht marina. Lots of restaurants, coffee shop, pub, a large supermarket, short walk to Tower Hill tube station, pier for the river boats, and the #15 bus that will get you to St Paul's, Trafalgar Square, etc.

It was a lot more convenient/quicker getting places than I figured

amamax2

janisj,

Thank you so much - I was hoping you would might have some suggestions. This place looks really nice, although the two bedrooms are booked for our time period.

Did you see inside the units your group rented? If so, do you happen to know how large the one bedroom was? I will email them, too, but wanted your impression.

Thanks again and if you can think of any other suggestions, please do. We will be there a week and can go as high as $300/night, but would, of course, prefer more in the $200 - $250 range.

carolyn

The Morgan Hotel in Bloomsbury has a few flats. Look at morganhotel.co.uk if you are interested. The site lists space for four at £250, but you might double check. John is very nice to work with.

janisj

"<i>Did you see inside the units your group rented? If so, do you happen to know how large the one bedroom was? I will email them, too, but wanted your impression.</i>"

yes- I saw inside since I was part of the group

I was inside a 2 bdrm and a 1 bdrm. There are at least two 1-bdrm flats and I only saw the interior of one so the other one could be different. But the one my friends stayed in would be fine for a family of 4. Even had a large balcony. (I stayed in a two bdrm and it had a very nice terrace).

Three ladies 'of a certain age' used the 1-bdrm and had plenty of space.