In the last week of 2016, we travelled to London for a few days and instead of staying in a hotel we opted for a self-catered apartment rental through
FG Properties. FG Properties help travellers find and book holiday rentals in London and Paris. The company has a large property portfolio with apartments to suit different budgets and style. We were looking for a place near
Kensington Olympia and it was very easy to find a number of properties in our preferred location through FG Properties' website. The booking process is pretty straightforward - you can either directly book the holiday apartment via the FG Properties website or you could contact their reservations team via email with your requirements. Once the booking is done, you receive a confirmation email with all the relevant details.
City Relay
City Relay are the guest services team for
FG Properties. They provide front desk services like guest check-in and check-out, cleaning, guest support and maintenance etc. City Relay are the main point of contact for guests during their stay. The booking confirmation email was also sent by City Relay and included a short survey which enables them to help guests plan their trip better. Based on the information supplied by the guests, City Relay provide tips on great places to eat and drink and also suggestions for sightseeing.
Check-in
We co-ordinated with the City Relay team prior to our arrival in London and arranged to meet one of them at the apartment, close to the check-in time. We were booked in at the Kensington Hazlitt Hideaway, a 2 bedroom flat located within 5 minutes’ walk from the Kensington Olympia tube station. The journey to London was comfortable and finding the flat was very easy. We were met by Christy, one of the City Relay team members whom I had interacted with earlier, at the apartment. She gave us a quick orientation tour of the flat and we had the chance to check out the flat and ask her any questions we had. Christy was our point of contact throughout the stay and was only a phone call or email away should we needed any help.
The Flat
The Kensington Hazlitt Hideaway, where we stayed, is on the ground floor of a typical London building. It is a 2 bedroom flat and both the bedrooms were well lit by natural light. There was ample storage space in both the rooms - perfect if you are planning to stay longer or are travelling with a large family. Hairdryers, iron and ironing board were provided. The living room was spacious and had a comfortable sofa (that could be converted into an extra double bed) and a widescreen TV. Clubbed with the living room was a small dining area which had a dining table able to sit up to 4 people. The kitchen was compact but modern and clean and equipped with all necessary amenities like an oven, microwave, washing machine, kettle, toaster and all kinds of kitchen utensils. The bathroom was accessible from the living room and had a combined shower and bath. Fresh linen and toiletries were also provided. The flat did not feel like a rental apartment at all; rather it imparted a very homely feel.
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Bedroom One |
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Bedroom One |
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Bedroom One |
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Bedroom Two |
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Living Room |
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Dining Area |
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Kitchen |
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Bathroom |
We loved the place. It had the comforts of a hotel but the privacy and tranquillity of a home. I also liked the independence the rented flat afforded. The flat had all the amenities we needed. The heating was perfect and we slept well. Wi-Fi connection was good. There was a slight issue with the TV connection but this was down to the service provider. It wasn't a deal-breaker in any case as we were out exploring most of the time. What I also loved was that during our stay, City Relay were in touch with us via email enquiring if everything was in order and if we needed any assistance. Full marks to the guest relation team at City Relay for their 24/7 support.
Location
The Hazlitt Hideaway is located within walking distance to the Kensington station so getting around and
exploring London is very easy. We visited some of the local/nearby sights - Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge etc. for a spot of
night photography. We also did a small section of the Thames Path and the route took us through beautiful riverside scenes and some of
London's famous landmarks. During our visit,
Winter Wonderland was on at Hyde Park and so we spent a fun evening there as well. For those of you who love shopping Westfield London, Harrods etc. are also within easy reach.
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St. Paul's Cathedral |
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The Shard |
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Winter Wonderland |
Booking with FG Properties
Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the FG Properties apartment. The check-in was simple, the flat was well furnished and comfortable and when we departed at the end of our stay, we simply closed the door behind us. Check-out complete!
Prices for the Kensington Hazlitt Hideaway start from £99 per night which I think is a very good deal considering that the 2 bed flat is located in the heart of West Kensington and just a few minutes away from Kensington Olympia station. If you are planning a visit to London, this flat can act as a good base to discover all of London’s key attractions.
FG Properties have apartments both in London and Paris. You can browse through the entire selection of properties on their website -
fgproperties.com
Our stay was kindly sponsored by FG Properties. But all opinions, as always, remain our own.
Lovely flat which anyone would be proud to stay or live in.
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful and like use would of had a great time
ReplyDeleteLovely for a London getaway
ReplyDeleteFabulous idea, great for that something a bit different and a home away from home experience. Although if that flat is anything to go by my home is no where near as good as that! Worth thinking about doing, we always say we are going to pop to London, maybe 2017 will be our year.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a great option for a family stay in London, especially with the cost of the average hotel xx
ReplyDeleteLooks absolutely fabulous. Perfect for a family too.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, I am always a bit nervous about booking private apartments especially through places like booking.com but this seems like a more trustworthy option.
ReplyDeleteHave never of thought of this so simple yet classy.
ReplyDeletelooks amazing i particularly love the style of decor in the property very modern yet homely xx
ReplyDeleteVery good idea indeed, especially if, like me and hubby we don't like the 'pressure' of staying in a hotel, as we like our own space and like to get up when we want!! Lovely decor by the way
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea. Great looking accommodation.
ReplyDeleteI work in Kensington and this seems ideal to recommend to visitors as the hotels are so expensive!
ReplyDeletethe photos look amazing, I'm also nervous when staying places unknown to me, but i will keep this place in mind - it looks great x
ReplyDeleteReally great and something to consider instead of a hotel. I love London. It will definitely give it a try.
ReplyDeleteA great place to stay -definately worth considering
ReplyDeleteI much prefer renting a flat, apartment or even house to staying in a hotel, it usually works out cheaper and you can have breakfast whenever you want.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely place to stay while in the big smoke!
ReplyDeleteI would to stay somewhere like this when I visit London! Great review, thanks :)
ReplyDeleteGreat rooms - style and comfort all in one - I would love to stay there
ReplyDeleteI would love to stay somewhere like this it looks lovely xxx
ReplyDeleteVery nice interior design. Looks like a home away from home but with a better view lol! ;0)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful place to stay x
ReplyDeleteLooks an amazing place, to stay in, on a trip to London
ReplyDeleteWe all need good sleep
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place to stay. stunning photography winter wonderland looks wonderful will have to go next year
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great place to stay, so much more enjoyable than a hotel.
ReplyDeleteLOOKS FAB
ReplyDeleteLOOKS FAB MODERN LIGHT AIREY LONDON IS AMAZING PLACE
ReplyDeleteLooks awesome, would be amazing for a break in London
ReplyDeleteLooks wonderful great photos brilliant idea also thanks good to know
ReplyDeleteThe apartment looks great - modern, clean, well decorated and in a fantastic location too
ReplyDeletewould love to stay somewhere like this it looks amazing
ReplyDeleteThe look beautiful apartments and would love to take my son their one day
ReplyDeletethis is the kind of place I could really relax in and chill, something I'm in great need of at the moment!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photography as always! This looks much better than a hotel, I'd love to stay there!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing looking flat and the area looks fantastic
ReplyDeleteA really good option especially for a short family stay in London or if you are hosting visitors from overseas and are short of space.
ReplyDeletethe flat looks gorgeous,really love the decor.Would like to stay there sometime.
ReplyDeleteit looks wonderful there, makes me think about added it to my list of places to visit
ReplyDeleteWow this looks so comfy and stylish I would not want to leave!
ReplyDeleteI've wondered how much benefit you could get financially by renting out.
ReplyDeleteLooks like an interesting alternative option. I do wonder though how expensive it would be to rent a London apartment when hotels in the capital are already very expensive. Not a good option if on a budget, but nice for a real treat.
ReplyDeleteMy house is too small to always accommodate guests here in London, so this would be a great solution. As usual, your photos are amazing. x
ReplyDeleteReally nice place to stay. My friends in London are running out of room with families growing so this would be perfect when I visit.
ReplyDeleteThis looks a perfect place to stay while visiting London
ReplyDeleteCaroline Watson
Great looking place and very good value too in an ideal location :)
ReplyDeleteMuch better than staying at a hotel and cheaper too.
ReplyDeleteTHE apartment looks great and has given ome a a few ideas for mine
ReplyDeleteIt's definitley a good price when compared to hotel stays.
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to hear about this company and this flat in London. It would certainly be better than a hotel because the prices in London for hotels are astronomical.
ReplyDeleteLUSH , anyone with any sense of style and an eye for detail would love to stay here, including myself.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely apartments and what a find, much easier for those with families to visit London. Thanks for the interesting post.
ReplyDeleteThis looks so stylish - it would be brilliant to stay there
ReplyDeleteThe apartment looks amazing x so stylish
ReplyDeletea wonderful place to stay want to be there now
ReplyDeleteThe room looks really stunning and something I would love
ReplyDeleteLooks very cosy and comfortable and the perfect base for exploring.
ReplyDeleteLooks nice and clean and perfect for a stay to London
ReplyDeletelooks like a lovely welcoming, relaxing place to call home
ReplyDeleteYour blog looks great! Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great blog, thanks for your time.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a lovely apartment, it would definitely suit us.
ReplyDeleteWow what a lovely place to stay. It looks fabulous. I will definitely be looking at apartments rather than hotels next time I book a holiday. Seems like it would make it feel more homey than staying at a hotel.
ReplyDelete