We spent a week at this well-located Clerkenwell/Farringdon flat in June 2022, where we were 2 adults and our toddler, with a relative staying with us for 2 nights during the stay.
In summary: Great location; lovely quirky London flat that actually looks better than the photos, although it could do with some upgrading in places (more detail further on) to make it as comfortable & clean as it should be for the price; well equipped and Sophie was a very responsive and friendly host.
More details:
- We loved the location, if you are considering it but aren't familiar with Clerkenwell, you'll be on multiple transport routes including being a short walk from the newly upgraded Farringdon station, which will get you into Oxford St in less than 15 mins on the new Elizabeth line; plus you're walking distance from Angel/Islington, Shoreditch, Holborn and the lovely Exmouth Market which has a ton of great restaurants, bars and cafes.
- The flat is on a pretty quiet street just off a main road, so not too noisy although there is of course some traffic noise especially with the windows open (which as we stayed in summer, we had to keep open a lot).
- It's nice to stay in an Airbnb that is clearly a home, rather than a corporate/serviced flat, so we liked the personality and quirky decor with lots of art on the walls, books on the shelves etc. The decor looks better in person due to a refurb since the Airbnb photos, and the living/kitchen area is way bigger than the photos which was a lovely surprise.
- As we had our baby with us, we cooked in the flat most days and found the kitchen well equipped, we also appreciated that there were basic supplies of cleaning products and some cooking oils etc. There was no high chair, but we were able to attach our portable baby chair to the kitchen table. Having 2 supermarkets right downstairs (Tesco Express & Waitrose) plus a Pret on the corner were some of the biggest advantages of this place!
- On the downside, the bedrooms are small (which is standard for London), and the beds/mattresses are not of a great quality especially for a longer stay - we both had bad backs after a week of sleeping here! I would really recommend that the hosts consider upgrading the mattresses and bedlinen and the towels also - all seemed a bit old and in need of a refresh. Great mattresses, linen and towels would really upgrade the experience here and make it feel like a premium place to stay (in line with the price).
- We used the sofa bed in the lounge for 2 nights when a relative came to stay with us, and while it was helpful to have to provide an extra bed, the sofa bed and mattress were not very clean or comfortable.
- On the plus side, the baby travel cot supplied was good quality and fit well in the second bedroom. One tip for travelling parents if booking this flat would be to bring some sort of blackout cover for your cot if staying here, as there are only slatted blinds on the windows which let in a lot of light especially in the summer while we stayed.
- The bathroom is also small but has a bath with a shower which are both fine - the shower unit is old but pressure was good.
- There are 3 small parks nearby with children's play areas which were useful to keep our toddler amused.
- The flat is up 2 flights of stairs and in a building with just 1 other apartment in the section you'll be in, which helped us feel safe. We stayed with our toddler so we had a lot of luggage and a buggy to carry up & down the stairs, this was ok for us as we were on a longer stay, but if you are just staying for a short time and have a lot of luggage or kids, this may not be ideal for you.
I would recommend the flat but probably more for a shorter stay and it is definitely baby/toddler friendly with some limitations, and I would enthusiastically sign up for another longer stay if the beds could be upgraded!