Hannah and family’s home is a wonderful home in Crouch End—a very pleasant village in outer London developed around the early 1900s, featuring Victorian architecture. We have family there and thus the location was perfect for us. We could enjoy London as tourists when we wanted and live in a fun neighborhood near our English family to boot. I think any family that wants to combine visits to the inner city with time in a peaceful neighborhood with good access to parks close-by and good restaurants, bookstores and shops would love this location. Public transport is abundant. You can take buses or commuter rail to the Tube or directly into town. Our grandkids really enjoyed riding the 91 bus all the way to Trafalgar Square—the views from upstairs were great and they got a feeling for the city. It took about an hour, but they never complained. They loved having their own Oyster cards and quickly learned different routes to areas of the city.
The house itself was great. It absorbed the family well and everyone felt at home. The kitchen is the heart of the house. The table easily fits seven. The work space is nicely arranged and we found everything we needed easily. There are double glass doors onto the patio and garden. Some of us tended to sit outside at the large patio table while others were concentrated inside. It was very pleasant.
We put three granddaughters (cousins) in the study with the queen mattress and they loved being together. Our grandson had the kids room which has bunk beds and a toddler’s bed. When we arrived a week after the others, his aunt shared that room and we took over the master suite. As this is a family home which is let when the family is on vacation, there isn’t much space to unpack, but we managed to arrange most things on top of a chest at the foot of the bed. This wasn’t a problem for us. The room is pleasant with good natural light and the view of the park through the bay windows kept us happy. One daughter and son-in-law had the room above ours, which was slightly smaller than the master but similar. At that height, the bay window and tree tops almost made one feel like living in a tree house.
If we weren’t on the patio in the evenings, the adults congregated in the living room, where we sat and talked or read. Next to the living room is a dining room converted into a playroom for young children. Our little niece loved visiting and her older cousins had fun playing with her there and in the well-equipped back yard (swing set, slide, trampoline). The family celebrated our niece’s five year old birthday with Indian take-out and had a marvelous time.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Hannah was regularly in touch and an excellent host. We highly recommend Hannah’s place.
Pam Jacklin and Leonard Girard