Sunlight streams through the skylights and herringbone parquet crisscrosses the floors of this South Kensington garden house. Grown-ups will appreciate the delicate moldings and kaleidoscopic damask wallpaper; kids will love the family room and treehouse bed. Built in the Victorian era, the villa is a 10-minute walk from one of the period’s greatest legacies: the Victoria & Albert Museum.

 After a day of exploring the city, light the charcoal-burning barbecue in the private courtyard and sip a Pimm’s cup—perhaps one of the U.K.’s finest inventions—while you wait for it to heat up. In inclement weather (this is London, after all), take a honeymoon from the everyday and mix up a cocktail at the indoor wet bar, put an album on the Sonos sound system, browse your feeds via Wi-Fi, or play to win in the games room.

 The villa still carries the elegance of its 1850 heritage in its white stucco exterior, columned entrance, parquet floors, and windows stretching nearly to the tall ceilings. But it also has an edge of modern luxury in pieces like a curving black velour sofa in the living room, large-scale bird-and-butterfly wallpaper in the dining room, and marble countertops in the fully equipped eat-in kitchen.

 This vacation rental has three bedrooms: a master suite with a queen bed, one with a double bed, and a children’s room with a queen bed. For larger parties on holiday together, there are two more kids rooms: one with a twin treehouse-style bed and one with a single size bed. All of the bedrooms have private en-suite bathrooms.

 The villa is a 10-minute walk from a Daylesford Organic Farm shop and cafe, where you can pick up award-winning cheeses for a picnic or stop for a cup of tea, and the world-class collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. It’s less than 5 miles to many of the must-see sights of greater London, from the splendors of Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey to the glass pods of the London Eye.

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*Bedding for bedroom 4 & 5 can be reconfigured to include additional bedding upon request and at extra cost. 

Included

Extra cost (advance notice may be required):