Cosy Central London Pied a terre

* Please note we are not able to offer further swaps till June 2020 *

Our pied a terre is one of only six apartments in a small Georgian property, well located on the northern fringe of Portman Village, Marylebone, on a fairly quiet residential street by West End standards - it is not on a major traffic or bus route.

We live 20 miles outside London so we use the flat for staying over if we work late, or when we come to London at weekends. We love its location - we can walk everywhere and it is so close to the shops on Oxford Street and the museums, galleries and theatres in the West End.

Being so central means there are fabulous amenities right on the doorstep: Boxcar Cafe is directly opposite, and all within a minutes walk are a small supermarket, a Swedish food store, a gastro pub, a wine merchants, a day spa, a leisure centre, a chemist, a laundrette, a dry cleaners, a newsagent, a postbox, a GP surgery, a tailors, a DIY store, a church, a perfumery, a hairdressers and barbers, as well as various specialist shops, restaurants and takeaways.

The flat is small (500 sq ft) but perfectly formed, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
It is on the second floor and there is no lift or concierge. The common stairwell is slightly shabby - suitcase scrapes as a couple of apartments are airbnb’d from time to time.

There is a smallish TV with a basic Sky package, and BT wifi.

Each bedroom has a double bed (not a king) and fitted wardrobes and shelving. The mattresses have toppers and each bed has 4 pillows. One bathroom is ensuite, the other is a shower room. Both bedrooms and the living room have blackout blinds, and the opening windows are double glazed. There is space to store suitcases.

We can provide a travel cot and clip on highchair, and there are plastic plates, cups and cutlery, as well as colouring books, pens, a few board games and so on.

As a second home, it equipped with the basic kitchen equipment needed to cook and eat, as well as spare bedding and towels, cleaning equipment and an iron and ironing board.

There is a dishwasher, central heating, heated towel rails and instant hot water, induction hob, fan oven and microwave. The washing machine has a quick 15 minute cycle and smalls dry quickly on the clothes airer. Heavier items can be tumble dried at the laundrette which is about 25 yards away. Service washes are available. An ironing service is available at the dry cleaners nearby.

The flat is always cosy, and there are fans if it gets warm in the summer.

The space best suits a couple or two single travellers. It will suit a family with one child or two if the children will share a bed. * We are planning to change on double for two zip together twins for flexibility. It will accommodate two couples if the purpose of your stay is to be out and about, but is a little snug for four adults to sit around.

So, please view the photographs and feel free to ask any questions.

About the location

I`ve mentioned earlier the amenities available in the immediate vicinity, and slightly further away, say around 5-8 minutes walk, is Baker Street, with the Everyman Cinema as well as numerous restaurants, bars and bigger supermarkets (M&S Foods is at Marylebone Station and Waitrose is on Marylebone High Street).

The very popular Chiltern Firehouse is ten minutes walk and Selfridges, Oxford Street, Bond Street and Mayfair shopping are just a few minutes further.

For children, The Disney Store and Hamleys are not far away, the nearby leisure centre has soft play and climbing wall, and there are playgrounds in Paddington Gardens, Hyde Park and Regents Park.

The specialist medical centres along Harley Street are also close by.

There is a church opposite the flat (its bells chime!) and the Central Synagogue is walkable as is the Regents Park Mosque.

Tourist attractions within walking distance are Hyde Park (Serpentine Gallery and Princess Diana Fountain), Regents Park (London Zoo, Regents Canal, Camden Market), Madame Tussauds and the Sherlock Holmes Museum. A little further but still walkable are Little Venice, Covent Garden, Soho, Chinatown, the Theatre district and many museums and galleries.

Nearby buses run to the British Library and to Euston for trains to Harry Potter experience, and in the other direction towards Oxford Street, Regent Street and towards Piccadilly Circus and beyond.

Transport links are excellent - The nearest tubes are Marylebone and Baker Street. Paddington station, for Heathrow Airport, is about 20 minutes walk, or easy by tube from Edgware Road; Victoria station for the Gatwick Express is a short tube ride from Baker Street. Buses run to St Pancras for Luton Airport.

There are ZipCar bays nearby and (Boris Bike) cycle stands. Cabs do pass by

RESTAURANTS: Chiltern Firehouse, Roti Chai, Dinings, Jikoni, Locanda Locatelli, Orrery, The Providores, Roganic, Royal China Club, Trishna, Vinoteca - all within walking distance (as are Nando`s, Wagamamas, Bills, Pret a Manger, McDonalds and KFC).

BARS: Artesian, Bar Termini Centrale, The Wigmore, The Dog House, Purl, Seymour`s Parlour - all within walking distance.

CAFES: Boxcar, Blandford`s, The Monacle Cafe, The Daylesford Farmshop, The Nordic Bakery, The Natural Kitchen, Fischer`s - all within walking distance.

SHOPPING: Selfridges, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, Marylebone High Street all nearby.

CULTURE: Royal Opera House, British Library, British Museum, West End theatre land are all close by.

GREEN SPACE: Hyde Park, Regent Park, Primrose Hill & Paddington Gardens all close. Green Park a bit further.

GYMS: Third Space Marylebone, Gym and pool at The Landmark Hotel.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: Madame Tussauds, The Sherlock Holmes Museum and Lords Cricket Ground, Regents Canal and Camden Market are nearby, walk or bus, as well as Little Venice and Primrose Hill.

Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, The Globe Theatre, The London Eye, The Aquarium - all are all a tube or taxi away.

Cutty Sark, Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace, Harry Potter, Beatles Abbey Road Crossing are all easy to get to via nearby transport links.

Conditions of exchange

Nearby