We are visiting London and Paris in May and I’d like the convenience of a VRBO but my husband is concerned with some of the negatives he has read about them so we’ve booked a hotel. We will be in London for a week and Paris for 3 days with 2 kids aged 10 and 12. I feel like we will be tripping over each other and could really use the space and will be more relaxed in a VRBO - does anyone have good experiences they can share? We are looking to stay around Hyde Park, Marylebone or Paddington. Thanks!
Posted by
San Franciso Bay Area, USA
1043 posts
My husband likes the amenities of a hotel, especially the daily housekeeping while I like to have an apartment when I am in a city for the same reasons you mentioned, the extra space along with the ability to have some meals at at the apartment if we like. In London, I found the Cheval Apartment/Hotels. We stayed in South Kensington in December for 6 nights, but they have other locations, including around Hyde Park.
What I liked about Cheval is that they have some amenities of a hotel such as 24 hour desk service, daily cleanings (not towel or linen changes, and knowledgeable staff to help you. They also have slippers and robes. Each apartment has a washer/dryer along with a full kitchen. We had a studio which was more than enough for 2 people, but they have one and two bedroom apartments as well.
They can be a bit more expensive than an Airbnb or VRBO. However, they do run specials, specifically for longer stays. It was less than staying at our other options we considered, including Hilton and.Marriott. We booked the special through the Cheval website which entitled us to a free complimentary breakfast the first day. What was really surprising was that that breakfast fed us more than one day: croissants, bread, half dozen eggs, cheese, salami, orange juice. They also provided daily water refills and Nespresso machine for fast coffee in the morning.
I am going back to London again in 2025 and will be staying there again.
Posted by
Chicago
704 posts
Staycity is another chain of aparthotels that has a few locations in London,
including Paddington area. Also Citadines. If you want more, an easy way
to find them is to go to Google Maps, scroll down to the general area you
want to stay in, and then search on "aparthotel". You will get lots of hits
and can drill down to investigate specific properties in the area you want
to stay in.
The negatives of VRBO, in my opinion, are not with the overall business model,
but the potential inconsistencies of individual units & owners.
I assume you know that hotel rooms in London can be quite small and if you've
only booked 1 room for the 4 of you, you most likely will indeed be tripping over
each other most of the time. For the price of 2 rooms, I suspect you can get a
decent apartment/aparthotel.
Posted by
Glostrup, Denmark
1408 posts
We have used VRBO in London 3 - 4 times and usually been satisfied.
One apartment had an elevator but there were 16 steps from street to elevator and 12 steps from elevator to apartment. Not a problem for us, but a person in a wheel chair would not have been able to get there. It is always a good idea to ask about things like that, if it is important for you.
In general we enjoy having breakfast in our own pace (2 - 3 hours), having a washing machine, having a separate bed room, etc
Posted by
Freedonia
16597 posts
There are numerous aparthotel chains in London with multiple locations. You could get a one bedroom unit where the parents take the bedroom and the kids sleep in the living room. These places offer kitchens in each unit and a laundry room. Some offer free breakfast.
Each is run like a hotel so there is a front desk/reception open 24 hours a day if you have a problem or a question.
Some chains are (In no particular order);
Staycity
Wilde by Staycity
Locke Hotels
Citadines
Fraser Suites
Staybridge Suites
Residence Inn
Some of these chains are also in Paris.