London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [121]
The Apartment Service (5 Francis Grove, | Wimbledon | SW19 4DT | 020/8944–1444 | www.apartmentservice.com) specializes in executive apartments for business travelers in and around The City, so prices are high, but so is the level of quality. Aside from a few super-cheap places in parts of town you wouldn’t want to stay in, prices start at £74 per night for a one-bedroom near the Olympic Village, rising to £585 per night for a four-bedroom near Buckingham Palace.
At Home in London (70 Black Lion La., Hammersmith | W6 9BE | 020/8748–1943 | www.athomeinlondon.co.uk | MC, V) has rooms in private homes in Knightsbridge, Kensington, Mayfair, Chelsea, and West London. Prices average around £80 a night per room, making this a great alternative to budget hotels.
The Bed and Breakfast Club (Suite 192, 405 Kings Rd., Chelsea | SW10 0BB | 0870/803–4414 | www.thebedandbreakfastclub.co.uk | AE, MC, V | There’s a 2.5% fee for using a credit card; debit cards incur no fees; the full price of room must be paid in advance. Check cancellation policies carefully) offers delightful little London flats in Knightsbridge, Kensington, and Chelsea. Most properties are available for £60–£125 per night with full English breakfasts.
Stay in the properties of Londoners who are temporarily away with Coach House London Vacation Rentals (2 Tunley Rd., Balham | SW17 7QJ | 020/8133–8332 | www.rentals.chslondon.com | AE, MC, V | Payment by credit card only; 10% deposit required). Attractive apartments and houses are primarily in Notting Hill, Kensington, and Chelsea, and most cost around £125 per night. The minimum booking of five to seven nights is a bit limiting, though, and you must make a substantial security deposit (usually between £200 and £1,000), which is returned after your stay.
Landmark Trust (01628/825–925 | www.landmarktrust.org.uk) has London apartments in unusual and historic buildings; prices start at around £100 a night, but many buildings require a minimum stay of seven days.
Uptown Reservations (020/7937–2001 | www.uptownres.co.uk | AE, MC, V) accepts only upscale addresses, and specializes in hosted homes or apartments for Americans, often business executives. Nearly all the homes on its register are in Knightsbridge, Belgravia, Kensington, and Chelsea. Prices start at £105 per person, per night. There’s limited information on their Web site; bookings must be made over the phone. A nonrefundable deposit is required.
Additionally, travelers at Fodors.com recommend these rental services:
“I’ve used London Guest Suites (www.londonguestsuites.com) many times and like them. They have rentals of all lengths. I also just booked a flat at A Place Like Home (www.aplacelikehome.co.uk).” —carrybean
“We stayed in 1 Sloane Ave. and were extremely happy and pleased with the apartment and the company The Apartments (www.theapartments.co.uk).” —jrecm
“Try the biggest rental site in Europe: Holiday-Rentals from Home Away (www.holiday-rentals.co.uk).” —travel_tomato
“Check out VRBO (www.vrbo.com), lots of London listings, and Farnum-Christ (www.farnum-christ.com), which is a high-ish end agency with some wonderful flats.” —janisj
“I’ve used London Connections (www.londonconnections.com) several times and I’ve been very pleased.” —Tinathread
HOME EXCHANGES
If you would like to exchange your home for someone else’s, join a home-exchange organization, which will send you its updated listings of available exchanges for a year and will include your own listing in at least one of them. It’s up to you to make specific arrangements.
Exchange Clubs HomeLink International (2937 NW 9th Terr., | Fort Lauderdale,FL | 33311 | 954/566–2687 or 800/638–3841 | www.homelink.org); $119 yearly for a listing and online access.
Intervac U.S (Box 590504, | San Franciso, CA | 94159 | 800/756–4663 | www.intervacus.com); $99 yearly for a listing and online access.
HOSTELS
No matter what your age, you can save on lodging costs by staying at hostels. In some 4,500 locations