I’ve just finished a 7 week stint of staying with Rosa and Beep 'At Home' in Ealing. From my very first arrival date, Rosa welcomed me at a time to suit my schedule (it was quite late and interrupted her dinner) when we enjoyed a very pleasant handover of keys and payment in her far from shabby ‘shabby chic’ kitchen. I was then free to come and go as I pleased and felt very much at home.
I’ve stayed in many of the en-suite rooms available and found them all to share a high standard of cleanliness, comfort and style. The shower rooms were all new and thoughtfully planned with heated radiators to keep the towels lovely and warm.
Every room is decorated individually with tasteful and artistic pieces of furniture and art. I had the treat of sleeping in a beautiful ‘Arts and Crafts’ bed one stay and on another occasion Rosa had chosen the most luxurious Persian rug that felt wonderful underfoot. There are pieces of art adorning the whole house that add interest and some definitely took me back to a time when I wore flowers in my hair.
There is a good wi-fi signal on all floors that makes keeping in touch with friends and colleagues really easy to do.
Rosa had thoughtfully placed lots of flavoured tea in the rooms although I’m very much a breakfast tea baby at heart. Breakfast itself is a “help yourself/cook yourself” affair, which is great when one want to do a quick slice of toast to eat on the way as well as when one feels like breaking a few eggs. This alone is a treat using stylish Delonghi appliances that fit in well with the bohemian style – don’t be fooled - every key, door handle, quirky piece of furniture is chosen by a very discerning pallet that knocks spots off any interiors magazine.
I spent 10 minutes one morning watching young foxes frolicking in the leaf pile in the garden that Rosa very kindly opens up to anyone who’d like to use it.
My only word of caution is that this is not a place for folk who prefer plastic, 2 for 1, eat till you burst type establishments and get a thrill out of stealing the little shampoos and biscuits – more for those that appreciate subtle elegance and good taste mixed with a little eccentricity. I’ve had a wonderful experience and can’t wait to turn the key in the big red door another time.
