VanZyl’s Chelsea flat was a wonderful base for our 5x-night stay. The unit is modern, well-maintained, well-equipped, and the perfect size for a traveling couple. We would definitely consider staying there again when next we travel to London. Among the things we particularly liked:
1) Communication with VanZyl and his London Base team was prompt and informative before and during our stay. We had all the information we needed about the unit, facilities/restaurants/transportation in the area, and the like.
2) Our overnight flight put us into London around midday, several hours before check-in. One of VanZyl’s associates met us at the unit so we could drop off our luggage upon arrival and not be burdened with it about town — which we greatly appreciated.
3) While we did not cook during our stay, the kitchen is quite suitable for small-scale cooking. The full-size refrigerator provides more capacity than most guests could possibly need and a full-sized (stacked) washer and dryer gave us laundry options.
4) We slept well on the unit’s bed and were pleasantly surprised at how relatively spacious the bedroom is. The bay window’s bench afforded plenty of space for our luggage (and at a nice height as well) and left considerable room for walking around. The bedroom also has quite decent storage.
Minor issues/considerations — and for us these were precisely that, “minor” — would be:
1) While the unit’s Chelsea address does afford guests good access to most London attractions, it should be noted that the closest Underground station (Earl’s Court) is a 15+ minute walk away. For relatively young, brisk walkers like us this really was not an issue. But for older or less mobile guests — or during periods of sustained inclement weather — this could be.
2) The unit’s bathroom is adequate, but small. Only one person can function in it at any one time.
3) The unit’s layout is very functional, but the bedroom faces the street on ground level and the only window coverings are semi-opaque curtains. This compels guests to be very deliberate about how/when they dress in the bedroom. This could (and should) be easily addressed by adding a second set of opaque curtains.