Upscale London B&B's

Uptown Reservations is an accommodation agency which finds upscale London b&b's in desirable locations like Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington & even Soho in the West End

Hotels are fine but you can get much more from a vacation in a city like London if you stay with a host family in a b&b. It can be easier on the budget too. Uptown Reservations has over 80 upscale London b&b's on its books, all in prime locations like South Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge and right in the heart of the West End – yes, people do live there! Prices start from £72 (US$135) for a single room or £95 (US$180) for a double/twin room, including taxes, breakfast and your own private bath or shower room.

The Uptown Reservations website (click here) doesn't have a full listing of its properties, as they prefer to find London visitors exactly the right home for them. Some hosts will make you feel part of the family, while others will leave you to be independent if you wish. If you're planning to visit London's theatres a lot, then a room in Soho means you can walk home afterwards. If you're traveling with children and want to spend time in the museums, a place in South Kensington will put them right on your doorstep.

The hosts are all different too, of course. One's a photographer whose Kensington home has rooms furnished with flair, one whose bathroom is in a kind of cosy crypt, reached by going down a spiral staircase. Other of these upscale London b&b's are owned by actors, businessmen and diplomats. They are all happy to help you with your vacation, almost like having your own private concierge, and can be a more accurate unbiased guide to restaurants and shows than any guidebook. One home is owned by a real English Lord, whose central London house has its own private ballroom. Now wouldn't that be something to tell the folks back home!

Visit the Uptown Reservations website by clicking here.

Read about Walking Dickensian London by clicking here