Richard’s place provides excellent value. The location is very convenient to the tube and shops, the neighbourhood felt safe, and we had some pleasant walks nearby. I genuinely enjoyed the back sunroom, overlooking the tennis courts, made all the better by the incredible weather we were blessed with during our visit. A wonderful place for reading and enjoying a morning or afternoon beverage. The clothes’ wardrobe and drawers in the bedroom were ample, more than enough to fully unpack a week’s worth of luggage for two. The bathroom was comfortable (lots of hot water!), with enough storage space for toiletries for two for a week, and the TV was sufficient for our needs - we watched a couple of long movies on the cozy sofa. Wi-fi worked well. Richard was responsive before, during and after the visit, and allowed us to check in at 11 AM, which I very much appreciated. For what I paid, I can have few complaints, and was overall quite pleased.
Just two caveats (note that I did not address these with Richard, and I am sure he would have assisted as best he could had I done so): 1) The place was generally clean, but I found it a bit dusty upon arrival, and a few random items (e.g. some dishes and cutlery) were not properly cleaned. I did some simple cleaning as I unpacked. I did wonder if I could recycle, but I was not informed of a program, so threw all glass, paper and plastic away. 2) The bedroom was very loud at night, with outside foot traffic. I am a light sleeper, and awoke on many occasions. The windows were not open, and I could not figure out a way to dampen the noise. Perhaps thicker drapes would help? If I returned, I would bring earplugs.
Other minor items of note: there’s no dishwasher, and the clothes washer dries clothes to nearly dry, but not entirely. Richard provides proper tools to both hand wash dishes and hang dry clothing - these worked well on all occasions. The kitchen would suit very simple meals best - equipment was somewhat limited, and the refrigerator is not full size. But we made do well enough. The fireplace is non-functional, but housed some lovely flowers that smelled wonderful, and complimented the airy living room.
I would absolutely recommend to a friend with very minor caveats. We both felt at home here, and would return (equipped to suit our unique needs). Thanks, Richard!