Meet Catherine
Outgoing, Chatterbox, Energetic
Very friendly, chatty and hope to help.
On a typical day...
I’m mostly at home/work from home.
When I host guests...
I’m helpful and hands on. I can show them where to go and help them get there.
Hosting guests since
1973
Response Rate
85%
Response Time
Within a few hours
About the Homestay
- Welcomes
- Males
- Females
- Couples
- Families
- Students
We live on a busy road in Kingston Upon Thames in a very safe neighbourhood, very close to the train station - which gets you into Waterloo - Central London, in 25 minutes. From Waterloo, there are various tube lines and buses which will take you wherever you wish to go in London. We are on the superloop (which is the express bus route) from Heathrow Airport. There are also 3 24-hour buses from Central London which run close by. Kingston itself is a very historic town with lots to see and do. Kingston was indeed the first place that the occupying Romans could ford the river and lots of Kings in the middle ages were crowned here. The Coronation stone is available for everyone to see where the King had to sit whilst he was crowned, it has a University so lots of cafes, bars and nightclubs as well as historic places of interest to visit as well as a central market, a shopping mall (The Bentall Centre) and shops and boutiques galore. We live within walking distance of Richmond Park a huge royal park with wild deer and perfect for long walks but also the river Thames which is great for local walks. We are also within a bus ride from Hampton Court Palace and Bushey Park, also great places to visit.
Our house has 4 bedrooms but our children have now left home, so there are only my husband and myself here now. We have a small double room with a king-sized bed on offer with an en-suite shower room for 2 people sharing, it has french doors onto a balcony and over looks the garden and it has it's own TV. Plus a single room for one person, also with its own TV - residents will use the family bathroom solely for themselves because we have our own bathroom. We also have a chairlift for anyone not able-bodied enough to climb the stairs and there is wi-fi throughout the house.
Along with the basic light breakfast of tea/coffee/juice, fruit salad, cereal and/or toast, we will provide an evening meal of two courses (traditional English food) if required, at a cost of £10 per head.
My Pets
Tortoise, Fish
Bedrooms available for booking
About the Area
Our house is located in the North of Kingston Upon Thames in the same road as Kingston hospital (so impossible to get lost). We are within walking distance of Kingston Town Centre, which is full of trendy bars, cafes, restaurants and even a number of nightclubs as well as a leisure centre with swimming pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, etc. Kingston has it's own Museum and there are numerous riverside cafe's and bistro's plus a theatre for live entertainment. The town is a shopper's paradise, has 14 cinema screens and even has a ten pin bowling alley it also has a historical market. Our house is within walking distance of the railway station, which will take you into Waterloo, Central London in 20 minutes - which means you can visit any and all of the many tourist attractions in the city whether modern or historical, although Kingston town centre itself is quite historical town and very interesting.
Local Area Facilities
- Tennis
- Park
- Gym
- Swimming
- Bowling
- Cinema
- Library
- Museum
- Shopping Centre
- Amusement Park
- Horse Stables
- Health club
- Fishing
- Restaurant
- Bus Stop
- Train station
- Hospital
Meals
Hosts can offer a complimentary light breakfast at their discretion. All other meals, including a full breakfast, might incur an additional cost, if offered. Meals and any additional payment should be arranged directly with your host.
Included in the stay
- Complimentary Light Breakfast
- Use of Kitchen
Available on request at an extra cost
- Half Board
House Rules
Room door should be left open when the guest is NOT in the room. Smoking is allowed outside the house but NOT indoors - we have a patio available for smokers. Whilst not allowed to cook in the kitchen, guests are allowed to make themselves a hot drink (ie tea/coffee) at any time.
Smoking Rules
Your host is a non-smoker.
Smoking is not allowed.
62 Reviews
February 2024
This guest awarded the host 5 hearts but didn’t leave any comments.
October 2023
This guest awarded the host 5 hearts but didn’t leave any comments.
September 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed my home stay with Catherine and Mervin. A very welcoming, kind and friendly couple who were always available to supply information, advice and help on how to get the most out of my time in London. They welcomed me into their home and into their lives but also maintained a level of privacy and respect towards me. Catherine makes the most delicious fruit salad and my favourite times were at breakfast when we would all sit, talk and laugh together. This truely lovely couple made my holiday that little bit more special - thanks Catherine and Mervin - you’re the best xx
Host reply
That is so kind of you Leanne - we were very happy to host you. Lots of love X
August 2023
Catherine et son mari sont de très gentilles hôtes, nous avons apprécié notre séjour merci :)
Host reply
Thank you very much.
July 2023
Perfect place with beautiful people love them always clean and well done
May 2023
Lovely stay, felt very welcome and comfortable. The room was just what I needed. Cannot recommend enough.
Thanks again!
May 2023
Lovely place to stay and very kind hosts. We will definitely return.
Host reply
Thank you - you are very kind. It was lovely to meet you too !
December 2022
I had a fantastic week staying with Cathy and Mervin, the accommodation is very spacious, clean and well located. They are phenomenal hosts who provided everything I needed and some! Truly lovely couple who got to know me as a guest I’ve never felt more welcome! As someone who travels a lot for work I will 100% return to stay here again and am already looking forward to it.
December 2022
Very nice house, pretty close to the station, quiet street. Really clean. Very friendly people. Train from London seemed quicker than I expected. Took a while to figure out the wifi but it seemed to work in the end, and the room had a tv anyway
Host reply
Thank you Milton - have a lovely trip !
November 2022
The days I spent on Kingston Upon Thames were really great! There was safe and quiet place. Host was so kind and told me a lot of information about transportation or sightseeing. If I visit London again, I strongly want to stay there.
Host reply
and of course you would be very welcome back again.
How do I book?
Contact the host to check their availability and ask them any questions you have about staying with them. Once the host confirms they’re available for your dates, you can complete your booking.
When do I pay?
Once a host confirms they're available, you can go ahead and pay the 15% booking fee (maximum of 250 $£€ for longer term bookings) using a choice of payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Laser, JCB & PayPal (not available in certain countries). You then pay your host on arrival or as stated by your host on their profile and agreed by you on booking. Please be cautious if a host requests advance payment if its not included on their profile. Our hosts have been advised that if they wish to request advance payment they must make this explicit in their profile. We do not recommend the use of Money gram or Western Union.
When can I share my contact details?
Host and Guest email address, phone number and home address will be exchanged in a confirmation email sent to both immediately after a booking is completed. It's against our policy for Guests and Hosts to exchange direct contact details via our messaging system.