The Cornwall

Relax in your patio garden after a long day of sightseeing
Our London vacation apartment that we call The Cornwall is one of our most popular rentals. This newly remodeled one bedroom, one bathroom apartment sleeps up to four and features an Italian cloister-style garden and small conservatory!

This beautiful apartment rental is located on the garden level of a quiet and safe street of white Victorian homes, right in the heart of Kensington. Enjoy a sunny view of the front garden from the living room and for sunny days, enjoy dining al fresco in the patio garden at the back. Guests say it's so quiet that they can't believe they are in Central London.

Charming front garden of our Kensington apartment
It's believed that the beautiful white stucco houses on the street where our apartment is located were built for Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting in the early 1800's. The 28 houses on the street miraculously survived intact from the terrible bombings of World War II. They are now listed buildings and the exteriors cannot be altered or modified, in order to protect their beautiful facades from any alteration. Because they retain their unique Victorian character, the street has been used for filming movies and TV series of Victorian times.

Some of the houses lost their metal balustrades and balconies during the war, as they were melted down to provide metal for armaments. When America joined the war in 1942, U.S. industrial might made further removal unnecessary. The missing balustrades and balconies are slowly being copied and replaced, but the houses which lack them offer a reminder of all England has survived through over the centuries.

This is a beautiful and safe neighborhood. A number of well known actors and personalities own houses in the area, including Dustin Hoffman and Lord Snowden (ex-husband of Princess Margaret). A number of Lord's who own large estates in the country have homes on the street and use them for 'the Season': Ascot, the Rowing at Henley and tennis at Wimbledon.

Delightful glass conservatory
This charming conservatory is Victorian-style with pretty peaked glass roof and chandelier. This heated little greenhouse has a built-in bench with red gingham checked cushions and small table. The conservatory has a display of old English mahogany carpenters tools that we found at Portobello market. They remind you of the days before power tools and date from the early 1900's.

Relax here from dawn to dusk, enjoying morning tea, a glass of wine or meal at the end of a day, listening to the birds and simply enjoying time off. Write postcards home or work on your computer as there is wireless access. You'll pinch yourself to believe that you're staying in the middle of London!

Award-winning Italian style garden of our Cornwall rental
Through the arches on your right is the award-winning Italian style garden. Arches and a narrow tiled roof around the outside are reminiscent of Italy, and a beautiful tile table from Morocco with comfortable armchairs sit in the center. The patio is full of flowers and plants with an old fountain at one end to complete the Italian look. Without exception, our guests cannot believe they are in the middle of a large, bustling city while staying here, because the garden and street are so green and quiet.

Welcome to your vacation rental apartment in London!
Enter our London short term vacation rental from the secure covered side passage of a pretty white stucco Victorian home. The sunny living room is straight ahead. There are two large windows on the left, which open onto the front garden. The garden won second prize in the Kensington Neighborhood "Happy Gardens Scheme" (so very English!) and you will enjoy gazing out on it when you are home.

Marble fireplace with flat screen TV and antique desks
Facing the sofa is the beautiful gray marble Victorian fireplace (decorative only). A large flat-screen TV features above the fireplace with antique mirrors in lit alcoves on either side. You'll also find a stereo so you can listen to your favorite music and relax with friends and family while discussing your day.

Sofa faces two armchairs and the large, flat screen TV
The living room is bright and cheerful, furnished with a mixture of antiques and modern furniture. There are pale cream curtains and matching colored walls. The long, cream-colored sofa was made for us in Italy, extremely comfortable during the day and long enough for taking naps on lazy afternoons.

Behind the sofa, we've installed contemporary reading lamps in chrome which accent the Italian architectural picture with its hand-made frame in pale rust colors. The colors blend nicely with the pale beiges of the walls and curtains.

View towards the long sofa and entrance to the apartment
Pale colors are highlighted by the pretty rust tones of the picture frame. The coffee table is an antique Burmese wooden box. The sofa was made for us in Italy, offering both comfort and practicality. Stretch out during the day and at night, it converts to two single beds.

Italian sofa bed converts to two single beds at night
The sofa converts to two single beds at night and beds are meant for every night sleeping. Simply remove the cover for the first bed and slide out the trundle underneath for the second bed. It pops up to make a second single bed, complete with headboard! It's an excellent solution for families or couples who prefer two separate beds.

Living room has a desk and free internet access
Next to the living room window is a writing table, useful for reading or work. There is a free high speed internet connection so you can catch up with friends and family on your vacation.

Desk next to window

Framed antique London postcard

Antique style French clock

Bookcase in living room with loads of London maps and books
Behind the dining table is a bookcase with more storage and loads of London maps and guidebooks for you to use. You don't need to buy any guidebooks before coming.

French oak dining table adds the perfect touch
The dining table is actually a marble-topped bistro table from France and sits to the right of the sofa with four chairs around it.

Fine dining in our Cornwall apartment in London
One advantage of this apartment is the prime location near restaurants and supermarkets. Whole Foods is five minutes walk away and there are three excellent supermarkets too. English supermarket chains are ahead of the U.S. in offering excellent, fresh pre-prepared dishes, from soups and hors d'oeuvres and full meals. After a long day of sightseeing and shopping, it's an easy and excellent solution for fine dining and you'll save considerably by not having to eat at restaurants for every meal. It's part of the experience to discover the wonderful, fresh foods on offer at the nearby Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer!

View from dining table towards desk and kitchen

Antique London postcards frame the wall

View from the kitchen towards bedroom and garden

Newly remodeled kitchen has every appliance you need
The modern kitchen of our short term London apartment rental is next, with off-white cabinets and anthracite gray worktop. Find a large refrigerator with freezer on the left, a dual microwave/convection oven, electric stove, toaster and dishwasher. There is a drip coffee pot and an espresso machine, complete with a small selection of espresso capsules. Of course you'll find a tea boiler and tea pot. Italian pottery dishes in blue and white are a pretty accent for dining at home and kitchen comes with all the cookware you need to prepare full meals at home.

Raspberry red splashback accents granite countertops

Stylish large framed pictures of antique knife from France

Screen printed vegetables decorate the kitchen wall

Corridor with bathroom on right, bedroom at end

Luxury bedroom with dual-king bed
The apartment bedroom is located at the end of the hallway. Find a large dual king bed that can be made up as a king or as twin beds. The beds are new, high quality and comfortable; it's a pleasure to hear guests remark that they can't wake up in the morning!

French oak dresser and plenty of storage in bedroom
The bedroom has three closets for excellent storage and a long pine dresser. Find a Miele washer and dryer in the closet next to the French doors so you can bring the minimum of clothes. A beautiful antique empire daybed sits at the foot of the bed, where you can relax and read.

Watch movies from the comfort of your bed
At the end of the bed is a large flat screen TV with dual standard DVD so you can bring videos from home and watch them in bed. For families, it's nice to let children relax in the bedroom while you relax with a glass of wine while preparing dinner.

Antique mahogany desk sits in front of the French doors

Elephant lamp in bronze graces the dresser

Beautiful marble-topped desk with free wireless internet

Enjoy a cup of tea in your garden conservatory
The piece de resistance: garden conservatory where you can enjoy a cup of tea, answer emails and simply enjoy!

Bathroom on left towards kitchen and living room

Fully remodeled bathroom with shower, sink and toilet
The bathroom has been completely remodeled in limesone colored tiles; features an extra-long shower, porcelain sink and toilet. The large hot water tank means there is plenty of hot water and you can comfortably relax in a hot shower after a long day of sightseeing.

Long shower has beautiful glass doors that slide open

Luxurious shower with fixed and flexible showerheads

World-class shopping around the corner
You are a stone's throw to the world-class fashion boutiques of Kensington High Street -- from Zara to H+M, Top Shop, Marks and Spencers, classic clothing by some of the top English boutiques., trendy stores such as Urban Decay, Monsoon, Accessorize and more. Harrod's and Harvey Nichols are a beautiful 25 minute walk straight across the park.

Award-winning restaurants just one minute walk away
There are two award-winning restaurants one minute away, The Launceston Place restaurant where the sous-chef won Iron Chef and L'Etranger, a fantastic blend of French/Asian fusion.

Our favorite pizzeria is on the corner of High Street Kensington, where Princess Diana took her sons. Find numerous pastry shops, Starbucks, French pastry shops, bistros, café's and restaurants around the corner and you will delight in trying them all.

Four supermarkets are within walking distance: Waitrose, our favorite, Whole Foods, Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencers' excellent food store.

Queen's Cavalry having a tea break at a local café
A most charming sight that we captured one morning! The Queen's Cavalry catching a tea break at the local café just around the corner.

Kensington Palace is nearby; a wonderful place to visit
Kensington Palace is nearby; wonderful to visit and stroll around the enormous gardens. Find playgrounds, ponds, boat rentals, tennis courts....and more!

Enjoy a day in Kensington Gardens
Enjoy a day in Kensington Gardens where you can picnic, play, skate, bicycle or simply picnic on the grass! This is one of the largest parks in any city in the world and is only minutes from the Cornwall London apartment. Here is the famous stature of Peter Pan, celebrating where J.M. Barrie wrote this timeless novel, just next to the Serpentine Pond.

Princess Diana Playground has a Peter Pan theme
The Princess Diana Playground in Kensington Gardens has a theme of Peter Pan. After all, this is where J.M. Barrie wrote his famous book!

You are ten minutes walk from the famous 'Museum Row'
You are ten minutes walk from our Cornwall London vacation apartment to the famous 'Museum Row'. You will be overwhelmed deciding which to visit first: The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the famous Victoria and Albert Museum, The Royal College of Music, The Royal College or Art or the less known Geographic Society. They are all worth a long visit!

The London Eye is just across the river from Big Ben
The London eye is just across the river from Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. Hop on the tube and in six stops, you're there!

Stay in central London and experience life as a Londoner!