The Bowling Hall

I’m sorry but we have to disagree with the previous 2 posts on Bowling Hall.

For the price of a B&B, which let’s face it, normally gives you a room (and ensuite) and the opportunity to have breakfast in a common dining area, Bowling Hall gives you so much more. You get an apartment to yourself, 2 bedrooms, a good living area including TV, your own kitchen and dining area and a good bathroom and laundry facilities! What’s not to like?

We stayed for 3 weeks and so did not want a daily breakfast, but were pleased to find the fridge pre-stocked with everything we needed after a long trip from Australia. Catherine, Peter and their family were very friendly and happy to talk whenever we needed them. They went out of their way to ensure the wi-fi covered the entire apartment, and give us advice about what to see and how to get there. They provided us with plenty of literature and books showing what to see and do while in London.

The apartment is furnished but , as a B&B, is part of their house, and so has some personal bits and pieces on display - that is what we like about staying at B&Bs. There is a storage area behind a curtain, but it is out of the way and didn’t impact on our stay. If we wanted sterile single rooms, we would check into a hotel. Similarly we found it as clean as a typical house would be. It wasn’t pristine so, I’m sure that if we went looking behind doors etc. we too could find some dirt and things to complain about.

The location is wonderful, and we could walk to the Themes and the Tate or catch the tube (2 handy stations) or Bus (just around the corner) , Catherine even offered to drive us on a couple of occasions. Kennington had some nice pubs and little restaurants and a Tesco only a 3 minute walk away.

Overall we found the apartment to be great value, in a good location and Catherine and her family wonderful people and hosts.

My wife and stayed for 2 nights at Bowling Hall, SE11, for a special occasion necessitating a stay on London. Good location - nice host - restaurants near - but we were astonished to see the dirty and broken state of the apartment and should have perhaps complained and gone elsewhere. We English are strange, and don't like to complain - or say 'No' - even when our host asked us if the next arrivals, who were due to arrive early at Heathrow on the morning of the 12th, could put their bags etc. into 'our' bedroom! So much for a lazy breakfast.

Our host left the house on the morning of the 11th and we were left in the care of her son - and a relative. At breakfast we didn't have the promised "fresh bread will be delivered to your door". We simply got half used loaves in the fridge, which were 'out of date' and half used cereal packs, but the egg and bacon was fine.

We had to get up early on the morning of the 12th for the son to change the bedding and the relative to clean the bathroom - no other cleaning was done. Half way through a hurried breakfast the next tenants arrived and put their baggage in the bedroom - as we ate breakfast!

All this cost £180 - which on reflection I don't think I should have paid so easily. As our visit to London was for a special occasion I didn't want to create a bad atmosphere by complaining to our host, for my wife's sake. Again why do we English put up with such shoddy standards and service so easily?