Copenhagen - London Swap

June 16, 2004 11:16 AM

Housingfilter: My girlfriend and I are going to be "stuck" in London for two weeks (waiting for a flight layover). Does anyone have any cheap suggestions OR interest in a housing swap (we live in Copenhagen)? (MI)

It will be from July 21 - August 4. We're basically trying to spend as little money as possible and since the apartment here will be empty the entire time, a trade seems logical (if improbable). Any suggestions?

posted by AwkwardPause to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

cheap suggestion: Check out all the colleges/universities in town or nearby...they should have cheap student housing that they rent out to tourists when school isn't in session.
posted by amberglow at 12:15 PM on June 16, 2004

Wow, I once had a six-hour layover in Charlotte, and I thought that was long.
posted by waldo at 12:55 PM on June 16, 2004

The King's College (University of London) Conference and Vacation Bureau rents rooms in the summertime, starting at £20 a night.

I believe other U of L colleges do the same -- I stayed at one residence hall near the British Museum when I was a kid, but unfortunately I don't remember the name or contact info.
posted by Vidiot at 3:54 PM on June 16, 2004

To add to Vidiot's post: the older residence halls near the British Museum are cheap but very, ah, bare-bones. The newer ones, like the Great Dover Street Apartments, are somewhat more comfortable, have private bathrooms, and are still inexpensive as far as London accomodation goes (about $50/night when I stayed there last summer). OTOH, if you stay near Russell Square, then you'll be walking distance to a whole lot of things, whereas the newer residence halls will require you to spend more time on the tube.

In any event, the Victorian Research Web has a ton of links to other inexpensive places to stay, including bed & breakfasts.
posted by thomas j wise at 4:12 PM on June 16, 2004

Sabbatical Homes

Expatriates.com

Do you belong to any professional or social organizations that have chapters in London? Sometimes folks are willing to host associates from other cities/countries.

Does your company have an office in London? If so, do they have an apartment where they put up traveling execs, that perhaps won't be being used when you are there?

(By the way, I can't personally vouch for the links, just thought you might want to explore them.)
posted by vignettist at 4:34 PM on June 16, 2004