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Review 2895: Owner, Albany Court (#47902)

www.vrbo.com

Recommended. Review by twk from TX

1bed/1bath apartment near St. James Park, London

When

June, 2007, one week

Location

Albany Court is located at the corner of Palmer Street and Petty France, one block south of St. James Park. The Palmer Street entrance to the St. James Park tube station is only 30 yards away. Major bus lines stop two blocks south on Victoria street, and a taxi stand is located nearby, across from the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The former Home Office building and Wellington Barracks are across the street, and New Scotland Yard is just around the corner, giving the neighborhood a high security presence. Not a quaint or picturesque location, but extremely convenient, and probably fairly quiet for central London.

Nearby Amenities

A large (by Central London standards) Sainsbury's store is located on Victoria Street, a short walk away. A convenience store is located on the ground floor of the apartment building. Several ATMs are located in the neighborhood, along with various pubs and restaurants. St. James Park is just a few minutes walk if you need to see some green space.

The House/Apartment

The building appears to be a post-war building, in relatively good shape. The apartment is clean and functional, if not luxurious. It has a bedroom with a king bed, a living room with a Murphy bed, table and two chairs, leather sofa and new flat-screen TV with digital channels. The kitchen includes a washer/dyer unit, and the bathroom is fairly spacious, with a bath and shower attachment, and heated towel rail.

Garden

No garden or sitting area, but St. James Park was only a short walk away.

Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

The furniture is rather sparse, but I would consider it new and comfortable enough. Not suitable for entertaining, but it provides a better place for tourists to regroup than your typical hotel room. No separate dining area, and with the limited chairs, it's probably set up more for a couple or even a single (apparently, the apartment has been used for corporate stays in the past), so you aren't going to be throwing any dinner parties here.

Bedrooms/Bathrooms

Beds were fairly comfortable, and bathroom space was adequate, given that the apartment only accommodates three. The shower attachment was functional, but with the curtain set up, one has to be careful not to let water too much water spray out of the tub.

Kitchen

Kitchen was functional, and provided enough pots and pans for the limited cooking that we did (breakfasts of eggs, bacon, etc.).

Problems or Bonuses

The location was outstanding, but one of the biggest convenience factors (the proximity of the tube) was not present over the weekend as the District and Circle lines were closed down for the weekend. Internet connection worked well, and the new TV with digital channels was a real treat, especially considering the limited selection we saw elsewhere on our trip.

Agency and Representatives (and price)

The landlord was great to work with. Helped us get tickets to the final dress rehearsal for Trooping the Colour (if you are going to be staying here in June, you need to look into this -- must send in an application in January or February). Also, saw to a problem we were having with hot water when we first arrived (building-wide problem with the boiler, was fixed the next day). The apartment was exactly as depicted in the website, and the price of £700 per week made this a good deal for Central London.

Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

I would stay at this apartment again and would recommend it for budget conscious parties of two or three who want an excellent location. I would not recommend it for those looking for a quaint apartment (interior or exterior), or five star luxury.

Things to do in this area

The apartment is within easy walking distance of St. James Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the Houses of Parliament. Some shopping is available on Victoria Street, and West End shows are located nearby.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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