Location or Comfort? Two Great Britain Airbnb Reviews

Julie Greenwalt

Apr 8

5 min read

As a home base in London for a month, it certainly looked appealing in the photos. Maybe 350 square feet, bright blue furniture, a yellow accent wall, an efficiency kitchenette, and one bedroom with a king bed. The small living space of a fifth wheel is our usual domain, so from the photos we expected this apartment—excuse me, flat—would suit us just fine. Bonus: it even had a washing machine, a non-existent luxury in our RV.

Best of all, it was only a half-block walk from our daughter’s house in west London.

A Great Start in London

Traveling to England from the United States means arriving in the morning, a nice perk. And having an entire month to enjoy everything meant we could go, do, rest, repeat.

That first day was golden: the much-anticipated reunion with our daughter and son-in-law plus three grandkids followed by a sweet afternoon in an incredibly beautiful park. We wandered past a lake full of swans and geese, a museum, café (most English parks include a café—a feature I wish American parks would adopt), open fields and wooded areas. The grandkids played with a gang of home-schooled kids, seeming oblivious to the cold while we huddled under our heavyweight coats. Seasoned Londoners were everywhere, making the most of the weather.

When the AirBnB Doesn’t Exactly Match the Listing

Check-in for our Airbnb was four o’clock, so after the park we dragged our luggage the half-block to our home-for-a-month. And at first glance it was just as cute as the pictures.

Except for the heap of garbage bags in the front garden.

And the non-working toaster.

And the scritch-scratch sounds in the night.

By the end of our first week, our rating for this Airbnb flat went from an 8 to a 6. Maybe even a 5. The trash was still in the yard and now something had been digging into it, scattering pieces across the tiny garden. The Airbnb listing promised fresh linens and towels weekly, but after ten days nothing had yet appeared.

A Nighttime Surprise

Then came the night we arrived home late to find the electricity had been turned off.

Apparently somebody in management overlooked topping up the electric meter for our flat. We trudged through the dark back to our kids’ house, where our son-in-law helped us contact the property management company. We were given a 20-digit code to enter into the meter, thankfully solving the problem.

And an Ongoing Problem

But the most disturbing aspect of our little flat was the scritch-scratch noises. The very first night, I heard it just as we were drifting off to sleep.

“What was that?!” I grabbed Roger’s arm. “Did you hear it? I think it’s inside! Roger, you’ve got to get up and look! Please! I can’t stay in the same Airbnb as a RAT!”

My husband is the best. He rarely gets upset at being awakened by my panic-stricken demands. Not that I panic a lot. Only when there’s a bat in the cabin. Or when our sailboat loses its anchor and crashes against rocks. Or when a rat infestation is imminent.

Clicking on his phone flashlight, Roger bravely searched all 350 square feet for signs of a furry intruder. Nothing.

Then we heard it again—from above our heads. Our final diagnosis: a rat was scratching around above the ceiling, maybe on the roof. Or maybe it was a squirrel. Or a fox. I don’t know about other parts of England, but we heard that lots of foxes roam this area. And I did video one our very last morning in England, just across the street.

So who cared? As long as Mr. Rat didn’t chew his way inside. But after that, we heard it on a nightly basis. And the questions disturbed my sleep as much as the noise. How long before that rodent could dig its way through the ceiling and fall on me in my sleep? What wiring might it chew through?

I might’ve even screamed a little one night when Roger tried to rouse me from a too-real dream—I thought his hand shaking my shoulder was the rat chewing on my hair.

Small Improvements

On our tenth day, the Airbnb’s rating rose a little with the arrival of a cheerful woman from property management bearing a brand-new toaster, fresh towels, and linens. Even though we hadn’t opted for the weekly maid service, she insisted on making our bed. She also cleared the garbage out of the garden and assured us she’d be back the next week. Amazing how clean linens can brighten your outlook.

Airbnb Review #2: Our Wales Experience

After adjusting our housing expectations in London, we weren’t fully prepared for how different our next Airbnb would feel. For our final weekend, we made a last-minute decision to visit Wales. Honestly, we had a couple of reasons for going. First, it’s the land where sheep outnumber humans 3:1. Who wouldn’t appreciate that dynamic? Second, we wanted to add Wales to our list of countries visited (I’m up to 29, if you were wondering). After just two hours’ drive, we arrived at our second Airbnb: a spacious two-story cottage built in 1790.

In contrast to our London flat, this home was offered by the family who owned it. They used to live in it themselves and made many modern upgrades. With four bedrooms, an enormous kitchen, and a charming walled garden, we fell in love the moment we stepped out of the car. The living room was stocked with puzzles and board games (did you know Mouse Trap now includes a toilet to drop the marble into??). Our bed was divine, in a room with seven windows overlooking the pretty little town below.

Two days later we really didn’t want to leave, especially when the owners contacted us offering extra nights at just 100£ (about $130 USD), but an early-morning flight back to the States gave us no choice. Back to London we went for one final night in the now far less desirable flat with the rat.

Comparing Location with Comfort

These two very different Airbnb reviews bring us to the question we’re still wrestling with. When we return to London—and we will because it’s where our grandkids live—will we book the same flat again?

It wasn’t perfect. But being a half-block from our kids makes up for a lot.

So yes, we’ll be probably be back.

But only if the rat moves out.