We just returned from the loveliest trip to London with the kids. It’s one of my favorite cities and so child-friendly that I always jump at the chance to go back. I also lived there for a few year with my family as a teenager so it holds a lot of memories for me and it’s wonderful to introduce the children to some of my favorite spots.
We were fortunate enough to stay in one of onefinestay‘s properties in London. Their Ashley Gardens property is a beautiful three-bedroom flat that feels lived-in and inviting. It gave us a comfortable home base with the children (having a kitchen while traveling with kids truly makes all the difference)! I have stayed in a few of onefinestay‘s properties in the past, including their Kinnerton Street home with my family shortly after Peter was born. It was fantastic. You can view all of their London properties here.
What also makes onefinestay stand out is its service offerings for their guests. For example, they had the apartment all set up with children’s toys and necessities for us, including a Stokke chair in the kitchen, building blocks and toys for them to occupy themselves, as well as a small coloring table! They felt right at home. Plus, onefinestay gives its guests access to an amazing members-only babysitting service in London (Bea & Co.) which lets you book accredited nannies as needed. We had the loveliest woman named Laura who came and watched the kids a couple of times so we could go to dinner. This was such a lovely perk as its difficult to find trusted babysitters, particularly when traveling. Laura was extremely playful and lovely and the kids adored her, which made it all so easy.
Onefinestay also provided easy airport transfer for us which made our journey to Ashely Gardens that much easier. I just love the combination of feeling like you’re staying in a friend’s (very tasteful) home, while still having access to many of the amenities and services of a fine hotel.
Above: My coat is Pissenlit, Kit’s coat is Pepa & Co. (old), and Peter’s coat is La Coqueta (old).
We are really getting into a groove traveling with our kids these days, as they are finally at an age where they understand and can get excited about what we’re doing. They love to explore, and have actually adjusted pretty easily to jetlag across the board. It feels like a new era for us, because for so long we were wrangling a toddler or two for the duration of every flight, which left us all exhausted and wondering if it was worth it. In comparison, everything feels like a breeze now with our little adventure buddies!
They loved the Transport Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum as well as the Diana Memorial Playground and the playground at St. James’ Park. We found a great mix of children’s activities and family-friendly restaurants that were fun for all of us.
Above: my dress is Hill House and I’m obsessed with how versatile and flattering it is!
Below: beautiful details in our flat at Ashley Gardens:
Thank you to onefinestay for hosting us. You can search their beautiful selection of properties around the world. They are having a 10% off offer for London, Paris, and LA through the end of March, using code LASTMIN10 for an exclusive offer.