Shandelle Battersby gets a taste of big city living in a contemporary London apartment.
Getting there: You forget, in between visits, how long it takes to get anywhere in London on public transport - especially on weekends when they do maintenance on the lines. The best way from Gatwick is on the overland train, changing at London Bridge. The hotel is between the Greenwich and Deptford Bridge stations, on the Greenwich High Rd.
Check-in experience: We arrived a few hours before check-in (3pm) but happily our room was ready. After a very early morning flight from Barcelona, this was such good news we nearly cried. Reception is staffed 24 hours a day.
Room: Third-floor studio, with split twin beds, stylish bathroom with rain shower, kitchenette with dishwasher and microwave, air-conditioning, iron, hairdryer. A large flatscreen telly had gazillions of channels. We had a balcony with a large sliding door.
The decor: Simple and contemporary, with a bee motif running throughout. Staycity Aparthotels are a chain with properties in eight cities across the UK and Europe, and you can find them by searching Booking.com. If you book for seven nights, the room is cleaned mid-stay, or by arrangement for a fee. Towels are changed and rubbish collected during stays of four to six days, while no service is included for one to three nights. Extra towels are available on request, also for a fee.
