New York Habitat Blog

Photo of a room on display in the Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection in London displays art from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The Collection of nearly 5,500 items is housed in a historic townhouse. Admission to the Wallace Collection is free and is available seven days a week including special exhibits.

If your image of London town includes grey skies and dreary weather, you’re way overdue for a trip to England’s capital. With summer temperatures and (almost) constant sunshine, London goes al fresco all season long with unlimited outdoor activities and entertainment. And since many events are free, all you need to enjoy them is a New York Habitat vacation accommodation—oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Since the Olympics are only two years off, why not take a beginner’s kayaking lesson to learn the sport? Sponsored by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, these courses go through August and take place on the Thames.

Another sporting activity in which you can participate is Ping. A month-long, citywide initiative, Ping will have ping-pong tables popping up in outdoor locations throughout London. Balls and racquets are provided, it’s free to play and it’s a great way to make friends.

Of course, what’s a visit to London without attending the theatre? Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre is a great spot to catch a play under the sky. If you’re looking for entertainment without a price tag, consider the free shows at the Scoop or the endless offerings as part of the National Theatre’s Watch This Space, both on the South Bank.

If film is more your thing, book tickets for the Somerset House’s extensive Summer Screen series, shown in a stunning setting, or Cinema Under the Stars at Syon Park. Although movie screenings are always a rather cheap source of entertainment, the Scoop again goes one better with free films and a fine backdrop of Tower Bridge.

Add to all that: backyard barbecues at local pubs, swimming lidos, beer gardens, outdoor markets, and al fresco dining, and you’ll be soaking up the London sun from early in the morning until almost nine at night. Unless, of course, you’re tempted to spend most of your time in the comfortable surroundings of your New York Habitat vacation rental, such as: 

Photo of London Accommodation (LN-915)

· A bright and modern studio in Bloomsbury, Westminster (LN-940) on the first floor of a walk-up Edwardian mansion block. This flat features a double bed, walk-in closet, courtyard and roof terrace—and best of all summer amenities: a pool!

· A studio in Bloomsbury, Westminster (LN-915) with loads of natural light! This accommodation is in a 1930s mansion block and comes with a fully equipped kitchen and double Murphy bed.

· A 1-bedroom vacation rental in lively Kensington-Chelsea (LN-953). This first-floor rental accommodation offers a queen-sized bed, laundry and lovely garden views.

London is the perfect vacation destination this summer—and with New York Habitat vacation rentals, you’ll have the best place to stay!

Which outdoor activities will you take part in? Let us know with a comment below.

Photo of Portobello Market

Portobello Market is a world famous market stretching 2 miles along Portobello Road which runs through Notting Hill, the London area made famous by the movie ‘Notting Hill’. Portobello Market is a huge tourist attraction and definitely worth the trip, at the market you can buy almost anything ranging from fruits and vegetables to antiques and handmade goods.

-This 2 bedroom vacation rental in Kensington-Chelsea (LN-39) is located in Notting Hill near plenty of restuarants, bars and shops.

The London zoo which is home to over 15,000 animals of 755 species is the world’s oldest scientific zoo. The London zoo was also the first zoo to include a reptile house, a public aquarium, an insect house and a children’s zoo. The London Zoo is open every day and is the perfect place to visit if you’re looking for fun for the whole family.

-If you are still looking for a place to stay during your trip to London, start your search with this studio apartment in Primrose Hill, Camden-Brent (LN-487) which is walking distance from the London Zoo.

Photo of the Spencer House in London

Spencer House is the only intact surviving palace of the 18th century in London today. The house was completed in 1766 for John, first Earl Spencer who is an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales. Spencer house is located close to Buckingham Palace as well as many other well-known attractions making it a great place to see when touring the palaces of London.

Photo of Bryant Park

Over the past dozen years or so, Bryant Park has increasingly diversified its programming to the point where today’s green oasis in the middle of Manhattan has become a major cultural destination. Bryant Park is now home to an endless program of author readings, film screenings, concerts and performances. And let’s not forget about the hundreds of office workers, tourists and passers-by that stop to eat lunch, read a book or just chill out on the park’s manicured green grass. For such a small space, the amount of programming is staggering.  We’ve gushed about the park before, but the park’s transformation into a free cultural venue has made it an absolute must-see for any out-of-towners in the city.

This summer, the folks at Bryant Park have outdone themselves. Each Thursday, for the rest of the summer, Broadway’s biggest stars will take the main stage at Bryant Park during the lunch hour for performances worthy of, well, a Broadway stage. Among the performances will be the cast of the long-running Broadway favorites Chicago and the Phantom of the Opera while relative new-comers such as the casts of Billy Elliot, South Pacific and In the Heights will also share the Bryant Park stage. Even the cast of the smash hit Fela! will migrate from the stage of a Broadway theater to the open-air stage of New York City. Many of the shows invited for the Bryant Park performances are tough tickets, with some sold out for months. Here in Bryant Park, they are all free and open to the public. The last Broadway on Bryant Park performance is scheduled for August 12. You can catch performances every Thursday at 12:30 until that date.

New York Habitat still has many apartments available both on, and off, Broadway this summer. Below are a few to help get your search off the ground:

Photo of New York Apartment (NY-12498)

- This 1-bedroom rental apartment in Murray Hill, Midtown East (NY-14344) can accommodate up to 5 guests and features an ideal central Manhattan location.

- This tastefully designed and decorated 2-bedroom rental accommodation in Midtown East (NY-12498) features hardwood floors lots of direct sunlight and is in short walking distance of Broadway’s theater district.

- This 3-bedroom rental apartment in Midtown East (NY-6718) features stunning Manhattan views and can accommodate up to 6 guests comfortably.

Photo of Lincoln's Inn

Lincoln’s Inn is one of the four inns of Court in London. The four inns of court are where barristers are called to the bar. Lincoln’s Inn is said to be named after Lincoln de Lacy, the third Earl of Lincoln, there is also some proof that this may be the oldest of the four inns. This beautiful building is a great place to see during your trip to London.

-If you plan on visiting London but haven’t found a place to stay, take a look at this two bedroom apartment rental in Camden Town, Camden-Brent (LN-933), it is fully furnished with a terrace and is within walking distance of many of London’s most famous attractions.

The Tate Gallery of Modern Art

The Tate Gallery of Modern Art in London is home to Modern art from around the world. The gallery which opened in 2000, holds art from 1900 to the present. Admission to the Tate Gallery of Modern Art is free and the gallery is open 7 days a week.

-This two bedroom vacation rental in City-Islington (LN-843) is fully furnished and is only a trip over the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Gallery of Modern Art.

Photo of The London Eye

The London Eye is the tallest ferris wheel in Europe and is one of the most popular and fun attractions to see while visiting London. The London Eye is located on the south bank of the River Thames and is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary as London’s most iconic landmark.

Stay in a New York Habitat apartment rental while visiting the London Eye:

-This one bedroom vacation rental in Lambeth (LN-255) has great views of The London Eye, The River Thames and Parliament from its rooftop deck.

Although not as world famous as some of the hot spots on the French Riviera, the walled town of Hyères has nevertheless been around for much longer than many of them, all the way back to the fourth century BC, to be exact, when it was a Phoenician settlement. The Romans took over two centuries later, the Middle Ages brought their fair share of barbarous invasions and devastating wars, but Hyères survived through it all and is now a well-preserved, attractive city offering a wide range of options to its happily surprised visitors.

Church of Saint-Paul in Hyeres France

History buffs will be happy to check out the Castle of Saint Bernard, perched on top of its hill, the Olbia archeological site, where Greek, Roman and medieval artifacts have been excavated, and the picturesque Old Town. If you’re into contemporary art, a visit to the early modernist Villa Noailles is a must. Nature lovers will wander through many gardens and parks, the most spectacular of which being the Parc Olbius Riquier, whose main features include a dense, varied collection of trees, a glasshouse with tropical plants and exotic birds, a lake, and a zoo. As for those who cannot stand still, opportunities to indulge in water sports abound and can be fully enjoyed all year round.

But that is not all. As soon as you get out of the town, you will enter a seemingly endless nature’s paradise. Not only is the whole area as pretty as can be, but it also boasts widely different ecosystems such as a rocky coastline, dunes and sandy beaches, pines groves off old salt marshes, and hilly woodlands. Those, in return, host an extraordinary biodiversity in terms of flora and fauna, all of which will keep even the less scientific-minded among us engrossed for hours.

In order to fully enjoy everything that Hyères and its surroundings have to offer, there is no better base than staying right there.

Photo of South France Apartment (PR-974)

Depending on the size of your party, you may stay in a quiet, sun-soaked 2-bedroom rental – Hyères Marina (PR 974) with 24/7 security access. This prime location gives you easy access to the beaches and is not far from the Old Town either. If you ever need the amenities of a big city, Toulon is only 21 km away.

If you prefer it more intimate, we have a smaller but still spacious 1-bedroom rental – Hyères Marina (PR 714) that basically stands by the water. Also a few steps away from a lively assortment of restaurants and cafés, it is the perfect pied-à-terre.

One of the benefits of staying in the marina is its proximity to the enchanting Golden Islands (Les Îles d’Or). Porquerolles, the largest one, is home to a renowned botanical conservancy, Port-Cros, the smallest one, wins the beauty prize for its historical nature reserve, and Le Levant, at the easternmost tip of the archipelago, is mostly occupied by a French navy facility but remains open to outsiders. Nothing spells “vacation” like a cooling boat ride on pristine waters to one of these floating gardens.

If you are familiar with Hyère’s multiple charms, would you care to share with us what you think of them?