DBR Kew Gardens Richmond Greater London Homestay

Great host and location great for one adult

The room was clean and comfortable, it was close to public transport and the neighborhood is very quaint and pleasant. The host is wonderfully helpful, friendly and kind. She was very knowledgeable about London and the area. I was on a research trip and this location is very close to the National Archives. There are also a number of nice restaurants in the area.

This stay is in a great location with easy access to buses, trains, and ferries on the river Thames. The home and room are very clean, cosy, and comfortable. The host, Jennifer, is friendly, very helpful with suggestions for things to do, and getting around. She is a positive and energising person, and it was really a delight to be able to share her home for three days.

Clean, consistently warm shower, niceties such as a sandwich and a few other vittles in the room on arrival, and a couple of personalised welcome messages. The decoration in the apartment is very nice. It was interesting to share stories with this highly knowledgeable and worldly-experienced woman. There are phone chargers provided, and a kettle and small fridge in the room. Apparently you can use the toaster.

This is a homestay. A homestay, a homestay. I didn't realise this before coming (my bad). Host texted me asking me to take the recycling out to the depot on my way to work, texted me at work to ask me to take pictures of central London for her as it was sunny, called me to ask where the keys were when I left the morning of checkout, whilst I was in a work meeting (which I told her)&(they were in the room door which they work to unlock (interior room which only she had access to); the windows were left open all throughout the apartment all day and night, so it grew very cold at night (though the guest room was warm), I was instructed to put the toilet seat down when flushing, as if I were her child, because if I didn't 'tiny splashes of water would go everywhere and she would have to scrub and sanitise the whole bathroom', there were no shoes allowed in the house, the advertised kitchenette cannot be used for cooking as the host informed me she couldn't take the risk of cross contamination, as she runs a food business out of her apartment too (about which business she is very knowledgeable); the host rang me whilst I was in a meeting at work (which I told her) to not just ask after the keys which were in the bedroom door, but to complain at me for leaving food packaging and some rubbish in the room when I had to leave. I have never in all of my experience in staying in paid places around the world, been rang like this to complain about some stuff to be cleaned (it's not like I left trash out everywhere in a lackadaisical and crappy manner, there were some tins and cardboard packages on surfaces, and a bit of food in the fridge) - the room I pay for I expect to have cleaning done to it inclusive in the fee, like it is everywhere else. Also, the room had no bin. That would really help. The apartment does have a bin in the kitchen.