I have nothing but praise for Lydia. Before our trip she answered all my emails promptly and told us how to get to her flat from Gatwick. She was away on business when we arrived but we were let into the flat and welcomed by a neighbour and Lydia immediately telephoned from the States to welcome us and to check that everything was OK. The flat is beautifully and tastefully furnished (to the point where we wondered whether our host was an interior designer). Also, it was lovely and warm (something which we greatly appreciated since we were there in early March and it was bitterly cold.) The flat is in a quiet and safe neighbourhood. We sometimes arrived after 11pm but the area was well lit and we always felt safe walking home from the bus stop. Transportwise, there are plenty of buses that take you to the centre. It is about a 20/25 min bus ride to Covent Garden. Also, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London are within comfortable walking distance. London Bridge station is under a 10 minute walk from the flat and is very easy to get to. There is also a Sainsburys local just down the road which came in handy. I strongly recommend this flat to anyone who is planning a trip to London and is looking to stay in a quiet residential neighbourhood that is well communicated and not far from the centre. There isn't a TV but there were lots of CDs with good music which we enjoyed listening to and also there was Wifi at the flat.
Lydia is a fabulous host. Her words " Mi casa es su casa" in her first email sums everything up. Thank you for everything Lydia! We hope to return one day.