Kew Gardens & National Archives

Very comfortable, large, bright, clean room with everything I needed. Appreciated the small fridge, microwave and crockery etc - good for breakfast or microwaving own meals. Quiet and safe neighbourhood, near a tube station and close to Kew Gardens. Friendly and helpful hosts: while you are staying in their home, they respected my privacy and never made me feel like I was intruding. I shared the bathroom with one other room without any problems.

It wasn’t a hotel but in a residential area very near to where we wanted to be. It wasn’t expensive for the area either.

Nothing. It was just a nice room in a very nice house in a very pleasant area of Richmond.

Large, airy room with comfortable beds and lounge/eating area with television,. two easy chairs and a desk chair. The kitchen area was well equipped with a good size fridge which proved very useful, microwave, kettle, toaster and other kitchen aids. The ensuite bathroom was fitted with an extractor fan and had an excellent shower fitted over the bath. We were supplied with towels, hairdrier, tea towel and washing up bowl and liquid. There were other bathroom products such as shampoo etc. The house was extremely well situated for access to the London underground (Kew Gardens Station), frequent bus service and also Kew Gardens. There was a decent shopping area by the underground station with a good choice of eating places. The Thames footpath was 5 mins walk away and there were some lovely pubs overlooking the river serving good food.

Not having a lock for our bedroom door, especially as there were other guests staying at the property. Also, the bathroom window did not have a blind. The bathroom was overlooked by 2 windows of the neighbours house. The weather was extremely hot which meant their windows were wide open. This gave us no privacy while in the bathroom and we had to keep our bathroom window shut. Very, very, hot!

The big plus of the property is the location. Literally a 5 minute walk to the underground, bus stop, groceries, bars and restaurants. The room I had was large, clean and had a kettle, fridge etc. The bathroom was en-suite (critical for me) and had the basic amenities. Wi-fi was strong enough for my needs.

A few things stand out: no lock on the bedroom door (this has been mentioned by other reviewers as well - so not sure why this hasn't been fixed) - I think that this is a basic requirement and this is a prime reason for the lower rating. There are no curtains (so light does stream in even with the shutters closed). It was quite warm during the day and the windows are locked - I am sure the owners would have unlocked them if asked. Lastly, the basic info on the listing is a bit misleading: Kew Gardens & National Archives is located in the Mortlake district of Richmond upon Thames - there is nothing initially to suggest that this is a room in a house till you get to the part about the homestay - and non-English travelers may not be knowledgeable about that term.

Ideal location for kew gardens

Slightly outdated property

It was a really nice place , and we were made very welcome , we will definitely visit again .

We were happy with everything during our stay.

Friendly, relaxed hospitality. Made to feel at home. Excellent location.

Sharing a bathroom is not a plus but that was always part of the deal.

Great location

N/a

I had a very nice time in this family house in a silent street in Kew next underground and bus station. Big cozy room with refrigerator and microwave etc. Bathroom next door.