Whenever I travel I prefer to have the most authentic experience possible. One that allows me to get to know a culture and a place beyond brochures and Top 10 lists. It isn’t always possible. However, it’s for this reason that I enjoy the chance to stay in apartments when I am traveling. Roomorama is one of many options to allow for this type of traveler experience.
Roomorama in the Beginning
I had such an opportunity in London through Roomorama. Initially the experience was not a good one when the first apartment that was reserved fell through. I was already in London and on-site. My contact at Roomorama in Singapore scrambled through the night to find a new place. Around lunch time the next day, I was finally in. WiFi problems persisted throughout my stay. Even that provided an upside though as I took more time to relax and enjoy downtime. This is something I am not good at doing when I am connected.
My Roomorama Apartment
The spacious, modern apartment on a canal in a residential area of London wasn’t particularly convenient to the tube or public bus routes however it was absolutely a local experience. During my stay there, I got to know the man at the corner store where I’d buy late night snacks, found a grocery store and shopped for many a meal (one with friends which led to a nice night in with pizza and beer), wandered the canal and watched the boats go by, even finally found the closest Overland station. It was wonderful to come home from a long day at a work conference and be able to have my own balcony, kitchen and private bathroom within my own private room. It was fulfilling to have what felt like a local experience instead of an insulated hotel-only experience in London!
Of course, I still can’t tell you exactly what neighborhood I stayed in because I don’t think it specifically has a name – I was told conflicting things during my time there. It’s that funny area of London that truly tourists do not venture into. However, I can still recall if I close my eyes — the sound of my feet on the cobblestones, the quirky smile of the man behind the counter at the corner store and the sound of a boat passing on the canal beneath my apartment.
These photographs are courtesy, and copyright, Roomorama and GKLets LTD who provided them in light of my iPhone being stolen at the end of my trip. I’d have preferred to show you my interpretation of the experience. Alas, that isn’t possible. Though my stay was sponsored, the opinions in this post are all my own.
I’ve had some trouble with Roomorama too, but I am very fond of the concept nonetheless, despite all the trouble I had to deal with. Your apartment looks lovely, and I believe this location would be called Shoreditch 🙂 Can’t wait to see the other parts of this article!
I’m glad you say that! They made it sound like we were the only ones ever to have trouble and it was all our fault. I kindly made my review as positive as possible but I could have been *far* more harsh in my stance. It was unpleasant and problematic.
Nonetheless, when we were finally in, we really enjoyed the apartment itself and even had a few people over one evening for a small gathering. That’s a rare, and very enjoyable privilege, when traveling.
This place looks comfy.. book me a room ASAP!