Arlington House: Our Temporary London Flat

After a week of touring the gorgeous English countryside, we returned to London, ready for a week of fun. London has been ranked the most expensive city in the world, so when my parents and I planned this trip, there was a lot of discussion with regards to where we would stay during our week in London. We looked at various hotels, but the rates were exorbitant! That's when we began to contemplate renting a flat. Sure, the flat wouldn't be cheap, but surely, it would be cheaper than a hotel. After several weeks of searching, we asked the women from British Heritage Chauffeur Tours who organized our two trips for some suggestions. She told us to look into "Arlington House," and boy are we glad she did!

To quote the Arlington House website, "Arlington House Apartments St James's offers a range of luxury serviced apartments in central London. The apartments are designed to provide you with a "home from home" experience with fully equipped kitchens with Miele appliances, a comfortable spacious lounge to relax and unwind, surround sound music system, wide range of television channels and individually controlled air condition. Most are designed in a contemporary modern style but also a selection of apartments have a more traditional feel. Many of our apartments overlook our beautiful tranquil garden with a foundation and some also have a direct view into Green Park." This location of this place is beyond ideal. It is right next to Green Park, directly behind the Ritz, and around the corner from the Green Park tube stop. We could not have asked for a better location!

When we arrived at Arlington House, the place looked posh, but I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I lived in London briefly and my flat was tiny. I've also visited friends' London flats and they are also quite small, so I had prepared myself for a small space. My goodness, I was wrong. When we opened the door to our flat, I was blown away!

The flat was on the top floor and was HUGE. The flat was "L shaped", but it worked. When you enter the flat, the kitchen is directly to your right. It is long and narrow and beautifully maintained. As you walk down the hallway, you end up in the rather spacious living room. Instead of entering the living room, if you make a right at the end of the hallway, this takes you to the two bedrooms. I was really and truly pleasantly surprised by Arlington House.

The long hallway from the entrance to the living room

The kitchen

The living room

Hallways from the bedrooms to the living room

My parent's room

My parent's bedroom

My bedroom

My bathroom

Another view of my room, but this features the giant closets

Living here during our week in London was such a pleasure. Staying at Arlington House was like living in a hotel in the sense that you had a maid service come and clean your room, but it was nice because you have some independence. Also, having our own kitchen allowed us to try local foodstuff and the availability of a washer/dryer was super convenient. 

I would have to say that my favorite part of staying at Arlington House was the amazing view of the London skyline from my bedroom. It was really phenomenal. From my room, I had a direct view of Big Ben, The London Eye, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and the Gherkin Building (sort of). What could be better?! When we were settling in and I realized this, I could've believe my luck. Sometimes, if we hung out in the apartment after exploring, but before dinner, I would spend about 10 minutes just staring out the window, taking in the view. At night, the London Eye and Big Ben were both lit up, and I loved staring at them, as I fell asleep. 

I could totally get used to this amazing view! 

Overall, I have to say that Arlington House was a major find. I think it's safe to say that I know where we will be staying during all future trips to London! For more information on Arlington House, click here.