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 Home At First’s

LIFE IN

LONDON

Home At First’s Life in London — The 1,000 year old Tower of London holds court between the new towers of London city and the iconic Tower Bridge.

The above photo was taken from the south bank of the River Thames within 3-20 walking minutes of Home At First‘s Life in London apartments.

LONDON CAPITAL CITY of the ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD —

Experience Home At First’s Life in London:

Independent Travel using Quality Vacation Apartments

Home At First’s Life in London — Walk out your apartment door into 2,000 years of history & culture.
          The Romans encamped here two millennia ago. Celts, Angles, Saxons, and Normans followed over the next millennium, creating the first English city. Everyone should experience life in London. It just might be the most youthful and interesting city in the world. London is chaotic, loud, diverse, and sophisticated.

Home At First’s Life in London is British Babylon. It is theatre, shopping, museums, royal pageantry, landmarks, red buses, and black cabs. London is the North Bank, the South Bank, the East End, and the West End. London is ancient. London is cutting-edge modern. London is Shakespeare, Dickens, Victoria, Churchill, the Beatles, Queens Elizabeth I & II, and thousands of the most influential persons ever to live. You can find them all still alive in London. Home At First’s Life in London is time travel.


Home At First’s LIFE in LONDON Travel Program in a Nutshell:

Full-Package Destination: 

Includes trans-atlantic flights, Home At First Life in London apartment,
& London transport pass.
Ground-only & Lodging-only options available.
Combinable with Home At First destinations
in Continental Europe, Britain, Ireland, Iceland, & Scandinavia.

Itinerary Character:

1-Week in
LONDON

Live like a Londoner in your own central
London apartment. Experience Life in London at your own pace using public transportation:
the Tube, buses, river boats, trains, taxis & on foot. 

Lodging Types:

Weekly Apartment Rentals

Locations in central London on both the North
Bank and South Bank of the River Thames, in upscale residential neighborhoods near the Tower Bridge and London Bridge close to transportation, restaurants, shops, & services.

On-Site Costs: Food & Activities

$$—$$$$

London can be pricey, but can be done on
a manageable budget, too. Using your apartment’s
well-equipped kitchen can really help save.

Overall Trip Costs: 

$$$

Excellent Value, thanks to Home At First’s
low Full-Package prices.

 Combinable
with many Home At First Continental,
Scandinavian & UK destinations.

Language Spoken Everywhere:

English

Expect English from everyone. However, expect to hear many different English accents, including: Cockney, posh, sub-continental, West Indian, youth, Aussie, and others.

Non-Stop Flight Length from
North America

6.5+ hrs from East Coast
9+ hrs from West Coast

Most North American flights arrive
at London Heathrow (LHR) or London Gatwick (LGW), London’s 2 biggest airports.

Family Friendly?

♥♥♥♥♥

Kids love the activities, the parks, and the food, but may not like a steady diet of  museums, galleries, and historical sites. With so much close by your apartment, it’s possible to do many different things every day.

Foodie Friendly?

♥♥♥♥

British food — like American food — includes a broad range of international influences: French, Italian, Asian, West Indian, Chinese, Japanese, American, as well as English favorites: tea, fish & chips, scones, cakes, and meat pies.

Surprisingly Walkable

Traffic-free walkways along both banks of the Thames connect many prime attractions in Central London. Home At First’s Life in London lodgings are within short walking distance of several important  attractions.

Activities

 Strolling
 River cruising
 Exploring historic sites
 Museums and galleries
Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London
Observation decks on Tower Bridge, the Shard & the Walkie-Talkie
Shopping!
 Eating!
Day-trips to Windsor Castle or Canterbury

The Best Times to Go to London:

April, May, June, September, October, November, and at Christmas. Life in London is at its busiest, and hottest during the peak visitor months of July & August when temps can reach 80º (sometimes 90º) in a city largely without air conditioning.


HOW IT WORKS

Home At First’s Life in London: Independent Travel with Quality Vacation Apartments.

NOTE — FOR BEST VIEWING: move from slide to slide (forward or reverse) by clicking on the direction arrows below each slide. To see any image on this site in large format on a PC, “right click” on the selected slide and click on the “Open image in new tab” (Chrome) or “View Background Image” (Firefox).

First — Request a Free Trip Proposal

Contact Home At First. Tell us about your travel dream of Home At First’s Life in London, England. We will tell you about getting there, where we stay (you’ll love our London apartments and their central locations!), and how best to get around (via public transport and by walking).

A SAMPLER of LIFE in LONDON ACTIVITIES & DESTINATIONS

THE FOLLOWING SCENES ARE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OR A TRANSIT TRIP OF 30 MINUTES OR LESS FROM HOME AT FIRST’S LIFE IN LONDON APARTMENTS

  • The Pool of London viewed from Wapping with The Shard, London City Hall, & Tower Bridge.
    The Pool of London viewed from Wapping with The Shard, London City Hall, & Tower Bridge.

Second — We Design Your Dream Trip for You

We prepare a proposed itinerary & cost estimate. Included are all the lodgings & transportation you need to experience Life in London independently using a quality vacation apartment. We send our individualized itinerary proposal to you via email and/or postal mail.

You review our proposal; accept it, reject it, or revise it until we have it just right for you. It is, after all, your dream trip, to be done the way you wish.

Once accepted, we request an initial payment by check along with your signed acceptance.

We begin putting your plans in place, securing your LODGINGS, FLIGHT RESERVATIONS & TICKETS, LONDON TRANSPASSES and/or any TRAIN TICKETS required. Most Home At First Life in London guests arrive by air at London’s Heathrow or Gatwick Airports. Many others come from elsewhere in the British Isles or from Paris by train, or other parts of Europe by air.

 Payment in full is due 90 days prior to departure, or when you are ready to lock in your included airfares, whichever comes first.

Third — Departure Day Finally Arrives

All travel documents for your trip — including our exclusive “London Activity Guide” — will be sent to you by 30 days prior to your trip departure date.

You follow our directions for your transfer from your arrival point to your London apartment lodging, where you will be met at a pre-set time by your lodging’s host, who will show you the apartment, explain its workings, see to your comfort, and let you get some rest.

Have a nap. Get some groceries for your kitchen. Make supper or go out for a meal. The fun begins now as you begin to experience Home At First‘s Life in London independently from your centrally-located apartment.

LIFE in LONDON SCENES & SURPRISES

  • Statue of Anteros (not Eros) — Angel of Christian Charity — Piccadilly Circus.
    Statue of Anteros (not Eros) — Angel of Christian Charity — Piccadilly Circus.


WHAT COMES WITH HOME AT FIRST’S LIFE IN LONDON TRAVEL PROGRAM?

HOME AT FIRST BUILDS INDIVIDUAL TRAVEL PACKAGES TO LONDON THAT INCLUDE:

Quality Lodgings: a choice of apartments in safe, pleasant neighborhoods located in east-central London. Apartments are convenient to the Underground (“the Tube”; the subway in American), and near a wide variety of shops, restaurants, cafés, and other services. All apartments come with hosts on-site or on-call during your stay for questions, suggestions, problems, or emergencies. Home At First‘s Life in London apartment locations make ideal bases for exploring London independently & efficiently.

Round-trip Flights: Our airline experts plan your round-trip flights to London from your home airport. Our  price chart includes round-trip fares based on flights from New York (JFK) or Newark (EWR) to London (LHR or LGW). Flights from/to all other airports available for applicable fare supplements or reductions.

London Transport Pass: valid for travel throughout 9 zones of Greater London on the trains of the London Underground (“Tube”), Crossrail (from Heathrow Airport), Docklands Light Railway, Thameslink  (from Gatwick Airport), and the London Overground,  as well as London Transport buses, and certain passenger cruise lines on the River Thames.

• Guidebook Keyed for Your Destination: our exclusive “London Activities Guide” helps you make the most out of your visit. Includes suggestions for touring, walking, restaurants, pubs, shopping, museums, galleries, royal London, day-trips outside London, and much more.

Optional Combination with Paris: Experience your own Tale of Two Cities. Before or after your 1-week visit to London, add a week in an apartment in Home At First‘s Paris. Conveniently, both cities are connected in about 2.5 hours by Eurostar train via the Channel Tunnel. 

LONDON PRICING

REAL PEOPLE PROVIDING REAL HELP IN REAL TIME: Home At First continuously monitors all the steps necessary to officially enter, efficiently move about, and properly return home from their international destinations. If conditions change during your travels, our support staff remains on-call to answer your questions and provide any assistance needed.

 


Home At First’s Life in London: Locations & Lodgings

          St. Katharine’s Marina with Tower Bridge, The Shard, and the skyscrapers of the City of London. Home At First’s Life in London‘s visitor apartments are located in and around the marina, close to transportation (Underground, buses, riverboat cruisers, light rail, and trains), shops, restaurants, pubs, and 2,000 years of history. Traffic-free walkways along both banks of the River Thames lead to the Tower of London, the Monument of the Great Fire of 1666, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the HMS Belfast heavy cruiser, Southwark Cathedral (Shakespeare’s church), the Globe Theatre, Millennium Bridge, and the Tate Modern art museum. Along the footpaths are pubs, shops, restaurants, and — along the south bank side — the delightful Borough Market open-air shopping mecca.

         Convenient public transportation puts all of central London within easy reach — longest journey time: 45 minutes. Home At First’s Life in London‘s apartments are located across the Tower Bridge neighborhood, from the western end of upscale Wapping to Monument on the north side of the Thames, and from historic Shad Thames throughout Bermondsey west to London Bridge. Take a moment to study the above Home At First Map of Central & East London to get a good impression of the ideal nature of Home At First‘s Life in London Lodging Locations.

“HOME AT FIRST’S LIFE IN LONDON” APARTMENT LOCATIONS: Home At First offers vacation apartments of various sizes (studios, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartment) and capacities (sleeping & feeding up to 7 persons) in central London on both sides of the River Thames from just east of Tower Bridge to just west of London Bridge. Wherever located, our accommodations are near transportation, services, activities, stores, pubs, and restaurants, making it easy and convenient to shop and eat locally.
          Home At First‘s Life in London apartments are located in safe, prosperous neighborhoods within short walking distance to the Underground (Tube), bus, riverboat cruisers, the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), and three mainline rail stations.

          All Home At First Life in London apartments are well-situated as bases for exploring central London and beyond. Each of our apartments is within easy walking distance of noted landmarks and visitor attractions, including the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Monument to the Great Fire of 1666, The Shard skyscraper, and bustling Borough Market. Your London apartment is also a refuge from the noise and bustle of the city. Apartments have much more space than a hotel room and a made-to-order kitchen with a table waiting.

Neighborhoods North of the Thames: Home At First‘s Life in London apartments are found on the north side of the River Thames primarily in the St. Katharine’s Marina area just east of the Tower of London as well as close to London Bridge at Monument. These locations are served by Tube stations at Tower Hill and Monument (each with multiple Underground lines), as well as DLR stations, numerous bus stops, and passenger boats at St. Katharine’s Pier and Tower Millennium Pier.

          Mainline rail services are nearby at Fenchurch Street, Cannon Street, Liverpool Street, and London Bridge stations. An excellent supermarket serves the marina area, and several grocery stores and convenience markets serve the Monument area. Restaurants, shops, and pub are plentiful in these neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods South of the Thames: Home At First’s Life in London apartments are also found on the south side of the River Thames. Some are in the Bermondsey area at the south end of Tower Bridge. A few others are further west nearer London Bridge. These locations are served by Tube stations at Tower Hill and London Bridge (each with multiple Underground lines). Other nearby transport includes numerous bus stops, and passenger boats at London Bridge City Pier.

          Mainline rail services are nearby at the major London Bridge station. Several grocery stores and convenience markets serve Bermondsey and London Bridge neighborhoods, and are augmented by the large Borough Market and eclectic weekly Maltby Street Market. Restaurants, shops, and pubs are plentiful in these neighborhoods.

GETTING AROUND LONDON: Driving and parking in London are daunting challenges and expensive. We recommend guests use the Tube, buses, and, occasionally, taxis to get around the city.  As part of their full package, guests receive a London transpass valid on the Underground, buses, DLR trains, some Thames riverboats, and some mainline trains.
          While public transportation makes getting around the city easy, most visitors find London very walkable, especially on the traffic-free footpaths that trace both banks of the Thames. Regardless whether by Tube, red double-decker bus, black cab, speedy river cruiser, or on foot, you will love experiencing Life in London independently from your quality vacation apartment.

ARRIVING IN LONDON: Home At First will provide detailed suggestions with specific instructions for your arrival scenario. Most guests arriving by air may arrive at one of two major London airports: Heathrow and Gatwick. We can arrange personalized taxi transportation from either of London’s two major airports using a dedicated driver/owner who knows the locations and arrival procedures at all of Home At First‘s Life in London apartments.

          Although door-to-door taxi service still takes over an hour from either airport, and the cost is higher than the cost of taking public transport (see next paragraphs), many guests prefer not to have to make their own way across London using unfamiliar public transport while under the influence of jet lag. For those familiar with public transport in London who feel confident on making their own way to their London apartment, here are the recommended arrival procedures: 

Heathrow: Most arriving flights land at Heathrow (LHR), one of the world’s busiest airports. New arrivals can use public transport to get from LHR to their London apartment, taking the London Underground (58-65min) to the nearest Tube station to their flat; or by taking the new, high-speed Crossrail Elizabeth Line (40min) from LHR to Liverpool Street Station, then by taxi for the short ride (10 minutes or less) to their London apartment. Total arrival journey: ~90min.

Gatwick: Arrivals at London’s second-busiest airport, Gatwick (LGW) can take a high-speed Thameslink train 40min to London Bridge Station (for apartments south of the Thames), or 47min to Blackfriars Station (for apartments north of the Thames), then by taxi for the short ride (10 minutes or less) to their London apartment. Total arrival journey: ~60min.

Other Arrivals: Arrivals at London’s other airports, London City (LCY), Stansted (STN), and Luton (LTN), can take public transport into central London, then taxi to their apartments. Arrivals by rail at any of London’s dozen-or-so train stations can continue by Tube or take a taxi to get to their London apartments.

                                                                   


Home At First’s Life in London Apartments

Minimum lodging time in London: 3-7 nights. Our recommendation: first-time visitors need at least 7 nights to get to know the city.

Home At First offers quality central London apartments like this one, "Queen Elizabeth I", which features 3 bedrooms, a balcony, and a private patio terrace, located near the Tower of London. Photo © Home At First.

          Home At First’s Life in London apartments range in size — from studios to 3-bedrooms — sleeping anywhere from 1 person to 7 persons. Our apartments vary in location, and are found in interesting, safe, central, convenient neighborhoods across east-central London from a little east of Tower Bridge to a little west of London Bridge on both sides of the River Thames.

          Our apartments are generally modern in decorative style and furnishings, well-maintained and comfortable. Many have usable outdoor space — balconies, patios, or terraces — ideal for snacking, light meals, or relaxing during fine weather.

Home At First’s Life in London vacation apartments are located across eastern central London in safe, convenient neighborhoods on both sides of the River Thames from Tower Bridge to London Bridge. Although each apartment is unique, all must meet our quality standards for comfort, ease and security of entry, cleanliness and care, being well-equipped, and caring, English-speaking hosting.

AMBIANCE: Home At First’s Life in London apartments are attractive, comfortable, quality lodgings. Each is unique. Almost all are decorated and furnished in a contemporary style. Many of our London flats come with private balconies or furnished patio terraces for outdoor sitting. Some feature window or balcony views overlooking gardens, waterways, or streets with glimpses of London landmarks.
  Floors & Entries: Although reaching some of our apartments requires climbing a flight or two of stairs, most upper-floor apartments are reached by elevator. All are well-located, safe, and very livable. Building & apartment entries are secure. Some even have concierge service on-site.
  Care & Cleanliness: The apartments have been thoroughly cleaned prior to your arrival, but are not maid-serviced during your stay. They are normally equipped with laundry machines. Apartments are non-smoking and do not permit pets. Basic kitchen & bathroom supplies are provided.

  Well-Equipped: As with apartments at any Home At First destination, most Home At First‘s Life in London apartments have, as a minimum, bedrooms, private bathrooms, living and dining areas/rooms, and well-equipped kitchens.

        Some multiple-bedroom apartments come with multiple bathrooms, often en suite with the bedrooms. Some few studio apartments have open-plan living-dining-sleeping space and/or kitchenettes without ovens. Bed and bath linens and a hair-dryer are provided. Flat-screen cable TVs and free internet WiFi are almost universal. 

HOSTING: Importantly, all of Home At First‘s Life in London apartments come with the welcoming, enthusiastic attention of your hosts, who are committed to making your stay in their accommodation delightful and problem-free.

        Your English-speaking landlord/host meets you upon your apartment arrival and introduces you to your apartment and its operation. Your landlord/host is available throughout your stay for any questions, problems, or emergencies. You will appreciate knowing support is on-site as you experience Life in London independently from your own apartment.

A Selection of London Apartments & Locations

  Shown and described below are six popular Home At First Life in London apartments in four different locations. They are shown here as examples of different sizes and capacities. While the full range of our available Life in London apartments and locations to choose from is extensive, the standard of quality and service is the same regardless of apartment or location.

NOTE — FOR BEST VIEWING: each of the following apartment descriptions begins with a slide show.
These slide shows do not advance automatically. You can move from slide to slide (forward or reverse) by clicking on the direction arrows below each slide.
To see any slide in large format on a PC, “right click” on the selected slide and click on the “Open image in new tab” (Chrome) or “View Background Image” (Firefox). 

Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

st. katharine’s marina:
“QUEEN MARY I” 1-bedroom FLAT

  • Queen Mary I Apartment - Living Room and Balcony.
    Queen Mary I Apartment - Living Room & Furnished Balcony.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

QUEEN MARY I APARTMENT

Nearest Transit: Tower Hill — Circle, District, & DLR Lines.

  Located in within the traffic-free sanctuary of St. Katharine’s Marina, Home At First‘s Queen Mary I Apartment overlooks one of the marina’s three nearly silent yacht basins. Life in London is very good here, indeed. Its comfortable, furnished balcony enjoys the peace and beauty of its upscale setting while showcasing a sweeping view of London, featuring glimpses of such iconic structures as Tower Bridge, The Shard, and the Walkie Talkie among the towering cranes of the city’s evolving skyline.
       The 2-3 person apartment is three floors above the marina’s pedestrian walkway. Its modern decor is both functional and attractive, with blond, hardwood floors in all rooms except the tiled bathroom. The comfortable apartment is spotlessly clean, lovingly maintained, safe, and secure. 

  A small (2-4 persons) elevator arrives at the 3rd floor hall near the flat’s entry. Inside the apartment, the entry hall opens onto the bedroom (king-sized bed), the full, modern bathroom (with large, walk-in shower; no tub), a heated utility/drying room with clothes washer, and through a door to the spacious living room, dining area, and very well-equipped kitchen. The wall-width bedroom closet and spacious utility room provide plenty of storage.

  The living room features a big sofa that converts quickly into a comfortable double bed, making the apartment capacity for up to 3 persons, if need be. There is a large flat-screen TV, and free WiFi. The kitchen has the latest appliances — electric oven and stove top, microwave, sink, dishwasher, full-size fridge/freezer — and lots of cupboard and counter-top space. A 4-person dining table occupies the space between the kitchen and the living room.  
          The splendid, furnished balcony opens off the apartment’s living room. Its two chairs and tea table invite quiet al fresco breakfasts, late-afternoon snacks, and evening nightcaps in its sheltered, peaceful setting. The view from this balcony is ever-changing and mesmerizing at all times of year.
The apartment is non-smoking, pet-free, and centrally-heated with individual room registers as needed, but not air-conditioned. Movable floor fans are provided to provide relief on rare hot summer days in London.

  The street entry is private and opened with a secure code system. A wonderful state-of-the-art Waitrose supermarket is 2-3 minutes from your apartment door. Numerous shops, cafés, restaurants, and several historic pubs are within short walks of the apartment in the pedestrians-only marina complex and along in the charming, history-rich streets of this 2,000-year-old corner of London.

 


Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

st. katharine’s marina:
“queen elizabeth i” 3-bedroom FLAT

  • Queen Elizabeth I Apartment - Eat-in Kitchen.
    Queen Elizabeth I Apartment - Eat-in Kitchen.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

QUEEN ELIZABETH I APARTMENT

Nearest Transit: Tower Hill — Circle, District, & DLR Lines.

  Home At First‘s Queen Elizabeth I Apartment is as practical as its location is desirable. Life in London is good here. Located on the 2nd & 3rd floors of the St. Katharine’s Marina complex, overlooking a quiet side street near the excellent Waitrose supermarket and a small, leafy park, the apartment is a short walk from a wide choice of restaurants, cafés, pubs, shops, stores, and just 3-to-10-minutes walk to transit (two Tube lines, the DLR, and numerous bus lines). The River Thames at London’s iconic Tower Bridge is a 5-minute walk from the apartment, and the millennium-old Tower of London — London’s most popular attraction — is 6 minutes away. 
          The 2-story flat is reached by a small  (2-4 person capacity) elevator accessed just inside the security-coded front door of the apartment building, or by a stairway or a ramp from ground level to the 2nd floor.

  The apartment’s entry opens onto a hallway leading to the large, living/dining room (with its access to the private, furnished patio/terrace, and the eat-in kitchen. A stairway (12 stair steps) climbs from the hallway to the apartment’s upper floor, where there are three bedrooms and one bathroom. Maximum capacity of this 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom, 2-story flat is 6 persons, and is ideal for families or small groups willing to share a bathroom. The apartment has free WiFi and internet. Separately controlled in room heating keeps the apartment comfortable during cooler months. A washer/dryer is tucked away in a back corner of the kitchen.

Lower Floor: The spacious living/dining room is comfortably furnished with a sizable, L-shaped sofa, a large, flat-screen cable TV, and a dining table with seating for 4 persons. Glass double doors open onto the private, open-air patio/terrace, furnished with tables and chairs for lounging or dining in good weather. A modern, well-equipped kitchen opens across the central hall from the living/dining room. The kitchen includes a full-sized refrigerator/freezer, gas range and oven, microwave, dishwasher, and lots of cupboard and counter space. The kitchen’s small bar is a popular place for breakfast and snacks, and seats 3 persons.

Upper Floor: Upstairs are two double bedrooms and a kids’ bedroom, a full bathroom (tub/shower) and a separate powder room. The master bedroom features a queen-sized bed, a flat-screen TV, a wall-length built-in closet, and a small balcony with a view over the lightly-trafficked street and neighboring rooftops. A small second double bedroom does provide a full-sized wardrobe for storage. The third bedroom has a trundle bed that can sleep one or two children. It, too, has a full-sized wardrobe.

 


Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

st. katharine’s marina:
“LADY JANE GREY” STUDIO FLAT

  • London: St Katharines — Lady Jane Grey Studio Flat - Furnished Balcony with view. Photo © DB/Home At First.
    Lady Jane Grey Flat: Furnished Balcony with courtyard view.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

LADY JANE GREY STUDIO FLAT

Nearest Transit: Tower Hill — Circle, District, & DLR Lines.

  Located in within the traffic-free sanctuary of St. Katharine’s Marina, Home At First‘s Lady Jane Grey Studio Flat overlooks a private, landscaped courtyard. Home At First’s Life in London is very good here, indeed. Its comfortable, furnished balcony enjoys the peace and beauty of its leafy setting, a lovely spot to enjoy a sunny breakfast or a glass of wine in the evening.
       The 1-2 person apartment is two floors above the courtyard’s pedestrian walkway. Recently renovated, the flat’s modern decor is both functional and attractive, with hardwood floors in all rooms except the tiled bathroom. The comfortable apartment is spotlessly clean, carefully maintained, safe, and secure. 

  Both a small (2-4 persons) elevator and a staircase reach the 2nd floor hall near the flat’s entry. Inside the apartment, the entry hall opens onto the spacious, open-plan living/dining/sleeping room. An elevated platform serves a s pedestal for the king-sized bed.

  The living/dining area features a small, comfy sofa a flat-screen TV, free WiFi, and a dining table for four.

  The kitchen is a separate room equipped with latest appliances — electric oven and stove top, microwave, sink, dishwasher, under-counter fridge/freezer, a clothes washer — and lots of cupboard and counter-top space.

          The furnished balcony opens off the apartment’s living room. Its two chairs and tea table invite quiet al fresco breakfasts, late-afternoon snacks, and evening nightcaps in its sheltered, peaceful setting.

  The apartment is non-smoking, pet-free, and centrally-heated with individual room registers as needed, but not air-conditioned. Movable fans are provided to provide cross-ventilation relief on rare hot summer days in London.

  The strikingly blue-tiled bathroom features a sculpted basin sink and a large, walk-in shower.

  The street entry is private and opened with a secure code system. A wonderful state-of-the-art Waitrose supermarket is two minutes from the apartment door. Numerous shops, cafés, restaurants, and several historic pubs are within short walks of the apartment in the pedestrians-only marina complex and along in the charming, history-rich streets of this 2,000-year-old corner of London.

 


TOWER HAMLETS, WAPPING:
2-bedroom FLAT: “DOCKLANDS NEW FLAT”

  • London: Tower Hamlets, Wapping — Docklands New Flat - exterior entry view. Photo © Home At First.
    Docklands New Flat: exterior entry on a non-through street.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

DOCKLANDS NEW FLAT APARTMENT

Nearest Transit: Route 100 Bus to Tower Hill & St. Paul’s.

  Home At First‘s Docklands New Flat is as practical as its location is desirable. Home At First’s Life in London is quiet and peaceful here. The two-bedroom apartment is located on the 2nd floor of a small condo complex in an upscale neighborhood in the Docklands just east of St. Katharine’s Dock.

  The apartment’s entry opens onto a hallway leading to the large, living/dining room (large flat screen TV) with its access to a small balcony (garden views), and the fully-equipped kitchen (large fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, kettle, oven, and range). The hallway also leads to two bedrooms (a good-sized king and a small single), and the full bathroom (tub/shower). Maximum capacity of this 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom flat is 3 persons. The apartment has free WiFi and internet. Separately controlled in room heating keeps the apartment comfortable during cooler months. A washer/dryer is built-in under the kitchen counter.

          The apartment building entry is reached by 6 steps. Inside the security-coded front door of the apartment building, 2 flights of 8 stairs climb to the 2nd floor.

  The apartment is a nearly-traffic-free 5-minutes walk from the state-of-the-art Waitrose supermarket and its neighboring restaurants, cafés, pubs, & shops. An additional 5-minutes walk time leads to the shops, restaurants, and cafés of the picturesque St. Katharine’s Marina complex.

  The nearest public transport is the Route 100 bus. A 5-minute walk leads to the nearest westbound bus stop (Route 100 for Tower Hill & St. Paul’s). A 3-minutes walk reaches the nearest eastbound bus stop (Route 100 for Wapping & Shadwell Station). The nearest London Underground station is at Tower Hill/Tower Gateway (two Tube lines, the DLR, and numerous bus lines), just 17-minutes walk, mostly traffic-free.

  The apartment’s location provides quick access to all the principal visitor attractions of London plus insight into one of London’s least-visited and most interesting riverside neighborhoods, Wapping. The River Thames at London’s iconic Tower Bridge is a 12-minute walk from the apartment, and the millennium-old Tower of London — London’s most popular attraction — is 12-15 minutes away. The apartment is within 10-minutes walk of several notable pubs and a few excellent eateries in Wapping, the atmospheric former Thames warehouse district that drips with riverside history. 

 


Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

TOWER HAMLETS, whitechapel:
“jack the ripper” 1-bedroom flat”

  • London: Tower Hamlets, Whitechapel — Jack the Ripper Apt - Building Exterior showing Entry. Photo © Home At First.
    Jack the Ripper Apartment: building exterior showing entry.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

JACK THE RIPPER APARTMENT

Nearest Transit: Tower Gateway — Docklands Light Rwy — 7min.

Tower Hill Station — Circle & District Tube Lines — 11min.

Aldgate East Stn — District, Hammersmith & City Lines — 9min.
Aldgate Station — Circle & Metropolitan Tube Lines — 13min.

  Home At First’s Life in London apartments are usually named after features of local geography or history, often famous persons who once lived in the neighborhood. Although the Whitechapel section of London has seen considerable history over more than 2,000 years, few world-famous people or events are tied to Whitechapel. Undoubtedly, Whitechapel’s most famous resident is a mystery person whose popular alias sits atop all lists of mass murders and unsolved crimes: Jack the Ripper. Home At First‘s Jack the Ripper Apartment is a scant two minutes walk from Whitechapel’s Jack the Ripper Museum in a building that housed both one of the Ripper’s victims and one of the prime suspects in this 140-year-old cold case.

  Two blocks from the museum, the apartment building’s coded entry door opens from a quiet (non-through) street to a large lobby with a concierge desk that is manned some hours every day. Two elevators serve the building from the lobby.

       The 1-2 person, 4th floor apartment opens onto the rear of the building with a furnished balcony. Recently renovated, the flat features modern decor that is both functional and attractive, with hardwood floors in all rooms except the tiled bathroom. The comfortable apartment is spotlessly clean, carefully maintained, safe, and secure.

  Inside the apartment, the entry hall opens onto the spacious, open-plan living/dining room.  The living/dining area features a comfy sofa, a flat-screen TV, a writing table workspace, free WiFi, and a dining table for four. The entry hall has an entry phone for security and a utility closet with a clothes washer/dryer and cleaning appliances. 

  The kitchen opens from the dining area and is equipped with latest appliances — electric oven and stove top, built-in microwave, sink, dishwasher, full-size fridge/freezer,  and lots of cupboard and counter-top space featuring a built-in cutting board. 

  The queen bedroom opens off the entry hall. There is a chest of drawers and a free-standing wardrobe for clothing. The bedroom window opens to permit ventilation. 

  The apartment is non-smoking, pet-free, and centrally-heated with individual room registers as needed, but not air-conditioned. Movable fans are provided to provide cross-ventilation relief on rare hot summer days in London.

  The handsome, spacious bathroom features a wall-suspended hand basin and a large, walk-in shower.

          The furnished balcony opens off the apartment’s living room. Its two chairs invite quiet al fresco breakfasts, late-afternoon snacks, and evening nightcaps in its elevated perch. The balcony overlooks a not-so-busy parking lot. In the distance the skyline of The City is visible. Across the parking lot — approximately 70 yards away — is a one-way secondary street with some automobile traffic. Behind and parallel to this street are the elevated railway lines of the Docklands Light Railway and passenger lines leading east from Fenchurch Street Station.

  Operations are frequent on the DLR (red train): about every 5 minutes or so during busy times of day. Service begins at 5:30AM and ends at 12:30AM. Train noise can be heard readily — but not loudly — from the balcony, and, from the bedroom if its window is open, as it probably will be in summer. With windows and doors closed train noise is negligible.

  The immediate neighborhood surrounding the apartment is a chaotic mix of 19th, 20th, and 21st century architecture. Much of East London was destroyed by Nazi bombers in the Blitz. Much of these Docklands was rebuilt following World War II. In the 21st century modernization and gentrification is changing things again. But some few street blocks and alley rows managed to escape both the German bombs and the British wrecking balls. The Jack the Ripper Apartment is in one of the new (late 20th century) buildings and has a modern infrastructure. But just down the street from the apartment building you can walk back in time to the mid-1800s in the form of a narrow alley upon which is the world’s oldest operating music hall, Wilton’s. Largely unrestored and looking a shabby Victorian dowager of a theatre/bar/restaurant, Wilton’s is a protected historic building that produces lively entertainment in its authentic period theatre, a true relic of London’s East End from the time of Charles Dickens. Food and drinks are served in the bar & restaurant during performance weeks. 

  The nearest grocery is a Sainsbury‘s Local market 4 walking minutes away. A wonderful state-of-the-art Waitrose supermarket is eight minutes from the apartment door. Numerous shops, cafés, restaurants, and several historic pubs are within short walks of the apartment. The selection expands by walking 10-15 minutes to the pedestrians-only marina complex with a wide choice of restaurant styles and prices.

  The Jack the Ripper Apartment is within 7-13 walking minutes of four transportation stations: 3 Underground stations (and 4 Tube lines and the DLR). Liverpool St. Station complex is 20 minutes walk away. Several major attractions are reachable in 20 minutes or less walk from the apartment, including Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the Monument to the Great Fire, Whitechapel Gallery (art museum), Sky Garden observation tower atop the Walkie Talkie, the Gherkin (skyscraper), and at least four vital markets: Spitalfields Market, Leadenhall Market, and Petticoat Lane Market, and the Truman Brewery Upmarket at Brick Lane.

 


Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

TOWER HAMLETS, WAPPING:
“TOBACCO DOCK” 1-BEDROOM APARTMENT

  • London: Tower Hamlets, Wapping — Tobacco Dock Apartment - Balcony view of Tobacco Dock and The City. Photo © Home At First.
    Tobacco Dock Apt.: balcony view of Tobacco Dock & The City.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

TOBACCO DOCK APARTMENT

Nearest Transit: 1min walk to Bus Stop H for Route 100 buses south & west to Wapping, St. Katharines, Tower Hill & St. Paul’s.

2min walk to Bus Stop L for Routes 100 & D3 buses north to Shadwell Overground Station and Shadwell DLR Station.

  Home At First‘s Tobacco Dock Apartment is modern, spacious, and well-equipped. Located in the gentrified Tobacco Dock neighborhood of historic Wapping, the apartment features fine balcony views of The City and close proximity to public transportation, shops, stores, restaurants, and several historic pubs making its location as practical as it is desirable. Home At First’s Life in London is quiet and relaxed here.

  The one-bedroom apartment is located on the 6th floor of a modern (2012) apartment building in an upscale Tobacco Dock neighborhood in the Docklands 3 walking minutes north of Wapping town center and 17 walking minutes east of St. Katharine’s Dock. The apartment building’s coded entry door opens from a non-through service street to a lobby from where an elevator (& parallel stairway) serves the building.

  The apartment’s entry opens onto a hallway with doors leading to living/dining/kitchen, to the bathroom, and to the bedroom & balcony. Maximum capacity of this 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom flat is 3 persons (when employing the living room sofa bed). The apartment has free WiFi and internet, and an entry phone for security in the hall. Separately controlled in-room heating keeps the apartment comfortable during cooler months. A further hallway door opens to the laundry closet, equipped with washer/dryer.

  The large, living/dining room has a flat screen TV, two sofas (one opens into a double bed), and a dining table for four. Sliding French doors open from the living room area to a Juliette (or false) balcony, providing ventilation and fine views of Tobacco Dock and The City.

  Off the living/dining area is the fully-equipped kitchen: large fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, coffee machine, kettle, oven & range.

  The hallway also leads to the spotless, tiled bathroom (tub/shower). 

• Groceries & Local Shops: The Tobacco Dock Apartment is a 3-minute walk south to the nearest convenience market and its neighboring restaurants, cafés, post office, pharmacy, pubs, and fish &chip shop in central Wapping. Four-minutes walk north leads to the small Wapping Supermarket.

• Major Supermarket & more Shops & Restaurants: The apartment is a nearly-traffic-free 13-minutes walk to the state-of-the-art Waitrose supermarket and its neighboring restaurants, cafés, pubs, & shops. An additional 5-minutes walk time leads to the shops, restaurants, and cafés of the picturesque St. Katharine’s Marina complex.

• Public Transportation: The nearest public transport is the Route 100 bus running a circuitous route from Shadwell Overground/DLR Stations to St. Paul’s Underground Station (at St. Paul’s Cathedral) in Central London via Wapping Overground Station (pubs & restaurants), St. Katharine’s Dock (shopping & restaurants), Tower Hill/Gateway Tube/DLR Stations (transit & the Tower of London), Aldgate Underground Station (discount shopping & Petticoat Lane Market), Liverpool St. Station complex (Wormwood St. for Underground Lines, BritRail Lines, and Elizabeth Line), Moorgate Underground/BritRail Station, and London Wall (Museum of London). A 1-minute walk leads to the nearest westbound bus stop (Route 100 for Wapping Station, St. Katharine’s Dock, Tower Hill/Gateway Stations & St. Paul’s Station). A 2-minutes walk south reaches the nearest northbound bus stop (Route 100 for Shadwell Station). Route 100 buses operate mostly every 12 minutes 6AM–12:45AM (Mo-Sa) (Sunday 6:45AM–12:45AM).
         The nearest London Underground station in Central London is at Tower Hill/Tower Gateway (two Tube lines, the DLR, and numerous bus lines), a 15-minute ride on the westbound Route 100 bus, or a 22-minute walk (much of it traffic-free following the Discovery Walk along the scenic Ornamental Canal to St. Katharine’s Dock’s pedestrian walkways to Tower Hill). However, the fastest access to Central London by train (able to reach, for instance, Westminster Underground Station in 20-25min), starts at nearby Wapping Overground Station and connects north at Shadwell (for the westbound DLR) or Whitechapel Underground Station (for the westbound District Line) or south at Canada Water Underground Station (for the westbound Jubilee Line). The choices are many, and frequent.

  A combination of walking and using the apartment’s public transportation options provides access to all the principal visitor attractions of London. Most attractions of Central London, Canary Wharf, and Greenwich are reachable in 15-40 minutes. For example, London’s iconic Tower Bridge and the millennium-old Tower of London — two of London’s most popular attractions — are reachable in 18-25 minutes away by public transit or by walking.

London: Tower Hamlets, Wapping - Turks Head Pub. Photo © Home At First.

Wapping’s Turk’s Head Pub, one of four historic pubs
within 10 minutes walk of the Tobacco Dock Apartment. 

  The Tobacco Dock Apartment’s location is also ideal for exploration of one of London’s least-visited and most interesting riverside neighborhoods, Wapping. The apartment is within 10-minutes walk of several notable pubs and a few excellent eateries in Wapping, the atmospheric former Thames warehouse district that drips with riverside history. 

 


Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

SOUTH BANK — bermondsey:
“shad thames” 2-bedroom FLAT

  • Shad Thames Apartment - Living room with balcony access.
    Shad Thames Apartment - Living room with balcony access.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

SHAD THAMES APARTMENT

Nearest Transit 1: Tower Hill — Circle, District, & DLR Lines.

Nearest Transit 2: London Bridge — Jubilee, Northern, & BritRail Lines.

  Wonderfully located among a few narrow, cobblestone streets that wind through the warren of former South Bank warehouses that operated from the start of the 19th century to the end of World War II, the setting of Home At First’s Shad Thames Apartment is unique, historic, and culturally significant. Shad Thames is the curious name of the most prominent of these one-time hard-scrabble alleyways. It parallels the River Thames running southeast from the Bermondsey end of Tower Bridge a couple hundred yards to the inlet of the River Neckinger where it turns southwest for another 200 yards or so before ending at Tooley Street. The warehouse shells still stand tall on both sides of Shad Thames. A latticework of wrought-iron walkways crisscross the street high overhead. Were he reanimated from his final rest in Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey and ferried downriver to this place, Charles Dickens — who lived and worked along Shad Thames as a boy, and who used images of this one-time dangerous district to set stories, including Oliver Twist. Today, the warehouse shells house exclusive restaurants, shops, apartments, and offices, most appearing incognito behind their 19th century brick facades.
          The 2-4 person, 5th floor apartment is as stylish and comfortable as it is well-located. Its two king bedrooms — each with its own bathroom — sleep up to 4 persons in the queen-bedded master bedroom and twin-bedded second bedroom. Both bedrooms have window views over a quiet pedestrian square, unaffected by any noise that may come from strollers on the neighboring Shad Thames.
          The apartment’s spacious common room includes the living room — with two sprawling sofas and large, flat screen TV — that shares open space with the dining area (table for six), and the fully-equipped kitchen with its handy prep-island. The kitchen has a full-size fridge/freezer, oven, glass cook-top range, built-in microwave, dishwasher, toaster, coffee-maker, and electric tea kettle.  
          Leading off the common room are a hallway featuring a small library and an access door to the furnished balcony, a sheltered perch ideal for a glass and a snack after a successful day of exploring London. 
          This lovely apartment is reached by elevator from the building’s secure, code-operated, ground-floor entry door located on a quiet side street branching off Shad Thames.
The apartment comes with a flat-screen TV, free WiFi, wood and carpeted floors, and a laundry area with washer/dryer. The apartment is non-smoking, and heated by individually-controlled room registers. as needed.
          The nearest grocers, shops, pharmacy, as well as numerous cafés, pubs, pizzerias, and several fine restaurants are within 5-minutes walk in and around the charming streets and alleyways riverside Bermondsey. This is a superb location from which to experience Home At First’s Life in London independently from your own quality vacation apartment. 

 


Home At First’s Life in London Location & Sample Lodging:

NORTH BANK — monument:
“christopher wren” 2-bedroom FLAT

  • Christopher Wren Apartment - Queen Bedroom #1 with en suite bath.
    Christopher Wren Apartment - Bedroom #1 with en suite bath.

Home At First’s Life in London Sample Lodging:

CHRISTOPHER WREN APARTMENT

Nearest Tube stop 1: Monument — Circle, District, & Northern Lines.

Nearest Tube stop 2: Bank — Central, Northern, & DLR Lines.

  Home At First‘s attractive Monument Apartments are conveniently located on the North Bank of the Thames within 5-minutes walk of the Monument to the Great Fire of 1666, designed by England’s great architect, Christopher Wren. Their setting is on a quiet side street a block from the busy shopping street of Eastcheap, and very close to London Bridge. The immediate locale is rife with restaurants, cafés, pubs, 2 or 3 small groceries, a pharmacy, numerous shops, and very near transit (Monument Underground Station and several bus lines). Walking 10 minutes south via London Bridge leads to London Bridge railway station, the many attractions lining the  Queen’s Jubilee Walkway, historic Southward Cathedral (Shakespeare’s church), and fascinating open-air Borough Market
          The 5th floor, 2-bedroom, 2-bath, Christopher Wren apartment is reached by elevator accessed just inside the security-coded front door past the concierge desk (staffed 24/7). The apartment entry hall leads to all rooms: two queen bedrooms with bathroom — one with shower; one with tub/shower. The bedrooms have built-in closets, an upholstered chair, and large windows with cushioned window-seats. One bedroom has a good-sized, flat-screen TV. The bathrooms are supplied with fine toiletries.
          Further down the hall is the galley-style kitchen, well-equipped with a full-sized refrigerator/freezer, oven with ceramic range-top, dishwasher, and electric kettle — but no microwave. Just beyond the kitchen is the large living/dining room, furnished with a dining table for four, and a plush sofa and winged easy chair. A mid-sized flat-screen TV competes for viewing attention with two windows and a set of doors that open onto the apartment’s private 5th-story terrace, itself furnished with table and two chairs and a fine, close-up view of The Monument. The terrace is a lovely place to relax with a morning coffee, afternoon tea, or evening nightcap.
          The Christopher Wren apartment comes with a washer/dryer, hair dryer, free WiFi, underfloor central heating, and — for those rare hot days in London — air conditioning. Guests staying longer than a week will appreciate the weekly housekeeping service at the end of each week. Guests also appreciate the apartment’s security phone connected to the concierge desk by the building entrance.
          From the building entrance it’s a 2-minute walk to Monument Tube Station, ten minutes to Tower Hill, Bank, and Cannon Street Underground Stations, and less than 15 minutes to London Bridge Underground & Rail Station. Groceries are close: 2 chain markets are within 3-5 minutes. Likewise the nearest chemist (pharmacy). The local (pub) is dangerously close (less than 1 minute), and is blessed with a good restaurant — one of perhaps a half-dozen worthwhile restaurants in the immediate neighborhood. The area is busy, but, thankfully, most traffic is of the pedestrian variety, as vehicles are restricted here. The historic Monument district makes a great base for experiencing Home At First’s Life in London.

 


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