This downtown Barnes home is large - two double bedrooms, one single, and a large king bed in the third floor alcove. Views are spectacular - beautiful St. Mary’s churchyard in the front, and in the back, an expansive vista overlooking chimney tops for what seems like miles. The attached patio is pleasant, the two bathrooms sufficient, and the wood-burning fireplace in the sitting room a lovely surprise and a most welcoming sight on the chilly afternoon we arrived.
This listing worked well for our family, as we were attending a wedding party in Barnes, a thoroughly delightful village nestled in the SW corner of London. We really liked being steps away from some great cafes and restaurants, and fell in love with the quaintness of this part of London. There are some gorgeous riverfront walks, and the London Wetlands Centre, an amazing nature preserve, is only five minutes away by foot.
On the other hand, if you plan to spend most of your time in central London, this area may not work for you. Since the underground doesn’t extend to Barnes, you have to catch a bus to Hammersmith and then connect to the tube there. Not very convenient. It's also worth mentioning that this is an old house, which is a good deal of its charm, but the four flights of narrow stairs might prove to be formidable to some visitors.
There are some minor details that could be improved. This property was not as well-kept as I would have expected. However nice the owner is - and Paula was very personable and friendly- I didn't think this house had been properly prepped as a rental. All sorts of personal food was left in the fridge, like a bag of spinach, a punnet of mushrooms, and a half-finished gallon of milk. Neither tea towels nor paper towels were available, a few burners on the cooktop didn’t work, some glasses and mugs were chipped, the bath towels were thin and stiff, and only one closet out of the four bedrooms (the loft bedroom was lacking a wardrobe completely) had been halfway cleared for our use. However, these are all fixable items, and we feel confident that Paula, being the enthusiastic host that she is, will address these concerns promptly and make this home even more attractive and inviting.
In spite of the few inconveniences we encountered, we would recommend this property. Our family definitely enjoyed our stay in Paula's place and fell hard for the neighborhood of Barnes. If you’d like to get to know a beautiful part of London south of the River Thames and spend a holiday in an authentic, historic village home, this is the place for you!