portageur
July 2014
This looks to be a very recently and dramatically renovated apartment in a very nice, historic stone structure. Everything seems brand new, including plumbing fixtures and kitchen appliances. Two of the bedrooms are quite pleasant, and the third very small. Just one bathroom, but it is spacious, as is the living room and dining area. Location is excellent, with windows looking out on the old catholic church, immediate walking access to the network of cobblestone yards and narrow streets that is the heart of Kendal. Just a block from the river, and from the Saturday street market. Kendal is outside the thickest part of the tourist scene, and in early July we found many (most?) restaurants closed for dinner. Owners are reasonably responsive via text (if you have such service whilst traveling), though communications is sometimes a bit muddled.
Sustainability: No means of recycling provided (though it is offered in the town). Efficient heat & hot water system. Energy hog ventless electric dryer. An odd mix of efficient and very inefficient lighting.
Parking: A single spot, conveniently close but very crampt and tricky to get into. Hard to avoid bottoming out. Best to back in. Free parking is also available across the road by the river, but this gets very full during the day.
Pros: Location, well-equipped kitchen, everything clean and new.
Wish List: A recycling bin. Towel hooks in bathrooms and bedrooms. Make it strictly non-smoking. Replace those ridiculous streetlights outside the windows with lower-mounted, fully shielded fixtures that shine down and not into windows! A few DVD’s or books left for guests to enjoy. Unlike other rentals , the owners supply only a partial role of toilet paper and not a bit of soap, shampoo, tissues, or dishwasher or laundry detergent. It would be nice if some small quantities of these were provided for convenience. Shrub trimming and some resetting of cobblestones to make parking more usable.