We loved staying at Catherine's place. It's tucked inside a charming, quiet mews, and we adored the neighborhood. There are a bunch of parks, nice restaurants and pubs, a supermarket and a tube station all within a few minutes' walk.

The home itself is simple and welcoming. If you have ambitions to cook a big meal at home, you might find the kitchen lacking -- there aren't many pots and pans or cooking utensils. But it's a great landing pad from which to explore the city.

We stayed with our 15-month-old, and it's worth noting that it's a tough place to have a toddler given all the stairs, some of which don't have backs (meaning there are basically toddler-sized gaps between each step!). With a younger baby who can't get around or an older one who can navigate stairs I'm sure it'd be easier. That said, the neighborhood itself is wonderfully toddler-friendly, with a fenced in park half a block to the right and a delightful restaurant with ample high chairs and toys for kids half a block to the left.

Catherine was incredibly responsive with every question that came up over the weekend, and all in all we had a great stay.