After finding it so difficult to locate a haunted hotel in London when I first arrived in the UK, I let this feature go when I returned to the big city a few days before my flight home. Even taking into account the no-frills policy of the Travelodge London Covent Garden, I was looking for someplace more satisfactory. During my 1995 trip to the UK, I used The Best Bed & Breakfast guidebook and was absolutely delighted with every place I stayed. After previously staying at the Ellesmere Guest House in Edinburgh over a week before, I was happy to see that this agency retained all of its excellent standards just as I had remembered.

While visiting one of my old friends, Jayne, in Staffordshire, we looked through Best B&B's guidebook and she recommended I take something in Kensington. While I had no particular preference, Jayne's taste has always been impeccable. I knew it was only matter of location, since I knew I would be content regardless.


Booking and arrival

Unlike the countryside places listed in the Best B&B book, which can be found in the travel section of new bookstores or purchased online, making a reservation with one of their London hosts is a little different. Outside of London, most of the hosts have actually named their businesses with signs outside their establishments and do their own bookings. In London, the majority of their hosts are simply letting one or three rooms from their own homes. These places can be booked only through Best B&Bs, either online or by phone, fax, or snail mail. Since I had no internet access at that particular moment, I gave the London office a call. Giving them only a day or two notice, they said they would have to return my call. It seemed to me Wednesday through Saturday would be easy enough. Within a couple of hours, they called to check if I was a smoker. When I said no, they said they found something meeting my specifications. Home no. 60 was hosted by Jasmyne King-Leeder and the rate was £57 per night. A deposit of £21 was required. I gave the agency my Visa number and estimated time of arrival. My arrangements for a place to stay during my last three nights in the UK were finalized.

My suitcase had grown heavier and heavier throughout the course of my three-week trip, not to mention the shopping bag I filled up, so I splurged on a taxi after my train arrived at Paddington Station. Before leaving the station, I gave Jasmyne a call to let her know I was coming. ETAs are important when dealing with this type of B&B. There usually is no staff. These hosts do everything themselves, so in order to gain access to the room, arrangements need to be made. The neighborhood was a relatively quiet one, on a cul-de-sac off of Kensington Road. The house had a few plaques bolted on the outside, boasting it had once been the residence of a few of London's higher profile citizens, the most notable being Virginia Wolfe.


Checkin

After my taxi driver helped me take my bags to the door of the apartment house, I rang the bell for flat no. 3. Although this building had a small elevator, I wondered about the logistics of it. Each flat took an entire floor. The staircase criss-crossed between landings for the height of the house and the elevators opened on the landings between floors. This meant I still had to drag my suitcase over a half flight of stairs. I suppose that was better than having to drag my heavy duffelbag up three full ones.

Jasmyne, who I later learned was an Australian expatriot, greeted me with a smile and immediately showed me to my room. She handed me the keys and explained some of the trickiness of the doors and entering the building. She asked if breakfast at 8 a.m. was all right and it was as good a time as any for me, since I had no definite time to be anywhere until my flight home.


Home no. 60's room

After the plainness of my rooms at the Travelodge, Quality Hotel in Glasgow, and Famous Schooner Hotel, this room was absolutely gorgeous. It was decorated primarily in pinks, corals, and maroons with white trim. There was a king-size brass bed with coral, maroon, and white bedding. Its "headboard" was tucked into a small alcove made out in a wall of floor-to-ceiling white wardrobe and had overhead lights for reading in bed. Small shelves built into the side of the alcove served as an end table, although a small one topped with a pretty arrangement of flowers was positioned in front of a full length mirror. An open window gave a view that was nothing special, but it was nice to have it. Several pieces of art hung on the walls. There was also a black director's chair.

The room also supplied a color television set, alarm clock, small oscillating fan, radiator, and hairdryer. I was also quite pleased to find the nicest in-room tea service during my whole three-week trip to the UK. Not only was there an electric tea kettle, but there was also a little pitcher of fresh milk and selection of cookies. Everything was quite homey.


The "bathroom"

The plumbing facilities were actually split. There was no bathtub. A shower and small sink vanity was ensuite to the room, but the toilet, which also had a small sink, was just outside the bedroom door. I was surprised to see some toiletries provided. It's always a tossup what you'll find at B&Bs.

Both were small rooms, but were kept very clean, well maintained, and decorated as nicely as they could be. Although they were small, I had no problems maneuvering in them as I have had in other accommodations. The shower pressure was quite good and there were no problems trying to figure out how to use it.


The locale

Needless to say, the Kensington district is one of the nicer ones in London. However, even when I've stayed in rougher neighborhoods, I've never felt threatened in this wonderful city. Aside from Virginia Wolfe having once lived in the house I stayed, I saw another one of those plaques claiming Winston Churchill occupied another across the street. One of the first things I needed was a second suitcase for all the stuff I had already accumulated and especially for my planned shopping expedition to the Twinings Tea Shop. I found a luggage store after walking a few short blocks down Kensington Road.

The closest tube station is High Street Kensington, but not seeing it, I walked a little farther to the one on Gloucester Road. I suppose liked the look of shops in that direction a little better. There were oodles of shops, restaurants, and ATMs nearby to provide for whatever I needed. This particular location was practically across the street from Kensington Gardens. It was also within walking distance of Royal Albert Hall. The Victoria & Albert and Natural History museums are also incredibly close by.


Living at home no. 60

I found my visit at home no. 60 to be a really good match. The fact it was a non-smoking establishment was a big bonus to me. I received lots of individualized attention; on the other hand, someone was aware of my comings and goings. I used my last three days in London to catch up on things I wanted to see and purchase while I was there. While I was out, my room was tidied.

When I woke up in the morning, Jasmyne always prepared an appealing spread for breakfast, which was served in her lovely living room. My appetite was never huge enough to handle some of the meals most of the places I stayed at provided, but she nonetheless was ready to serve all that extra food. I was offered a cereal starter, but once she gave me a veggie egg scramble, toast, juice, and tea was a suitable accompaniment. She even made things to order as she learned I don't like strong tea or eating excessive food.

I spent my days running around the town sightseeing and shopping, so by 7 or 8 p.m., I was too tired to do much more than lay around in bed watching TV or reading. Jasmyne was quite helpful with suggestions about the neighborhood. She reminded me which train station I needed to go to for visiting Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle. With all of the bags I had, she said she knew a driver who could give me a ride to Heathrow at a better rate than a black cab. I took advantage of that offer.

Checkout was simple enough. As a general rule, since most B&Bs have few perks compared to a full-service hotel, they offer breakfast to compensate. There was no need to double check an account statement to see if I was correctly charged for any additional services rendered. I just handed Jasmyne £150 in cash as I left. It was cheaper and so much better than the Travelodge.


The bottom line

Best B&B points out every B&B is different. The central office acts a conduit for dozens throughout the whole city of London. Folks looking for a place to stay need only to determine their requirements, such as price, district, permitted smoking, children's accommodation, television, etc., and the folks there can help them find a B&B. With their website or guidebook, it is also possible to select and request a specific location. I have stayed at several places in their network and was quite pleased with every one. At the time, the exchange rate translated the cost of my stay to approximately $102.00 U.S. per night.

Best B&B's biggest disadvantage is that it may not give the most privacy, but this was never an issue for me. Traveling alone as I did, this was probably more of a strong point. I highly recommend this option to anyone visiting London. It may not be for everyone, but I found it superior.


Recommended: Yes