Renting a Stroller in London: Airtots Review
We received a discount on our stroller rental in exchange for sharing a review of the service. All opinions are my own.
For our recent trip to London, we knew we would be walking more than most trips we’ve taken with the boys. But we really don’t like flying with strollers. They are bulky and you have to pay extra on most airlines for the size stroller that we have.
Plus, I just don’t trust the airlines with handling my expensive double stroller with care.
So we wondered about renting strollers and whether or not that was a possibility.
Stroller Rental in London with Airtots
What we found was a company called Airtots. Airtots rents out baby equipment from strollers and high chairs to toy sets and diapers in the London area. It’s a brilliant idea and was so convenient for our travels! Renting a stroller was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made!
When we arrived to check in at our hotel, our Maclaren Twin Stroller – Triumph was waiting for us with the concierge. We didn’t even have to ask for it. Airtots had arranged a drop-off with the hotel and notified them of our names and to give it to us upon arrival. It could not have been easier.
When we received the stroller it was in perfect condition. It was clean and all of the parts worked! They even packed a rain guard, which we were grateful for, because it turned out to be a bit wet a couple mornings!
We couldn’t wait to test out the stroller and took it with us to Exmouth Market that afternoon for an early dinner.
The boys found the stroller super comfortable and we loved that it folded up compactly (ours at home is not an umbrella stroller and doesn’t do that) once we got to the restaurant. This is a perfect feature for a travel stroller since you won’t usually have a car or anywhere to leave the stroller when you get to your destination.
Using a Rental Stroller in London
Having a stroller in London is a must in our opinion. Seeing everything there is to see means a lot of walking and there is so much to see that you often cram it all into short amounts of time. We averaged about 10 miles walking each day we were in London! We could never have done that without having a stroller.
I think the thing I love most about renting a stroller for our London trip is the convenience factor. We booked online a few weeks before our trip and entered all of our details and Airtots took care of the rest. Upon leaving our hotel, we simply left the stroller with the concierge and Airtots came to pick it up later that day. It could not have been easier.
The website is incredibly easy to manage and the Airtots team will reach out if any further information is needed. We also found Airtots to be competitive pricing to other rentals we looked at in London and other cities in Europe.
Renting a Stroller in London: Using the Underground
The London Underground can be a bit tricky with a stroller, because there are definitely stations without lifts (elevators). Jon found a really useful resource for using the Underground with strollers or for anyone in a wheel chair. It has been really helpful for finding stations with lifts and how to interpret the maps.
One tip from us is that even if you see a lift, make sure it’s the proper one for your needs. Not all lifts go to all platforms or to the street. There will be signs saying “Lift to Exit” or “Lift to Victoria and Jubilee Lines”.
We also tried to avoid the tube at rush hour. Twice we had to wait for a second train because the trains were so full we couldn’t get the stroller on.
But once you get passed the logistics, it’s really easy to manage the Underground with a stroller. It was easy to get on and off the trains and the best part was that the boys were able to sleep while we were traveling from one place to another.
The stroller made it so easy to cover almost 11 miles during our first full day in London and many more over the subsequent days. We did so much walking that our backs would have broken had we needed to carry the boys. Although our kids do sleep pretty well in carriers, they always wake up if we sit down or it’s uncomfortable for us to sit down with them on our backs. This way, we were able to make stops and eat or use WiFi while they remained sleeping.
In addition to being able to use the stroller on the Underground, we also found that it was pretty easy to get around with the stroller on the busses and taxis when it was folded up. Again, a benefit of having this particular umbrella style stroller instead of one that we would have brought from here.
Here is another great resource from Transport for London about using busses, tube, taxis and the river boats.
Renting A Stroller in London: More from Airtots
If you are traveling with babies, Airtots has so many great products and offers! They have really thought of everything from baby and toddler meal time sets to bath toys and portable cribs. When our kids were younger and needed more tactile entertainment, we would have done anything to have a service that delivered toys to our hotel!
The company was founded by a dad who was tired of throwing his neck out on holiday while lugging around all of the products he needed for his small children while traveling. He knew that parents could enjoy their holidays more if they didn’t have to worry about transporting all of the necessities.
It’s a mission that we full-heartedly support!
To book your stroller or anything else for your next London vacation, visit Airtots.com and have your items waiting for you upon arrival! Airtots works with most major hotels in the London area.
Our stroller went every where from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle and everywhere in between. Where will you take yours?
Looking for places to take your kids while in London? Check out this post on two playgrounds that are great for kids.
Or consider taking your stroller for a trip to Windsor Castle! Check out this post here.
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