Exchange with this member
Comfortable Essex home with sea views; 50 minutes to London by train
We live in Leigh-on-Sea, a small town where London’s River Thames becomes the sea! Leigh is famous for its cockles and proximity to Southend-on-Sea, a popular seaside retreat for Londoners.
From our house it’s a five minute walk to the modern town centre with many bars, cafes, restaurants and independent shops. It’s also a five minute walk to the river front path that will take you to the old town of Leigh-on-Sea, still an active fishing port and a hub for pubs and other hospitality venues. There’s a small popular beach here and another a similar distance away down river at Chalkwell.
Our home is comfortable and spacious with sea views from many of the rooms. We have a large kitchen/family area and a lounge on the ground floor. The next floor up has 2 large bedrooms (each with a king size bed), a shower room with basin and WC, and a larger family bathroom with bath and separate shower cubicle. The top floor has recently (2025) been converted to a master bedroom suite. This consists of a large bedroom area with super king bed and panoramic views of the tidal Thames Estuary. There’s also a balcony to make the best of the spectacular views. Up here there’s also a dressing room area, en suite shower/WC and an cosy TV snug with 65” TV with all streaming services.
Outside there’s a small neat garden with seating and a gas barbecue.
There’s lots to do locally including Southend’s two theatres (The Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre) with top acts and west end shows. London is in easy reach with a frequent train service from Chalkwell Station (10 minute walk) getting you to the city in under an hour.
Listing Overview
Property
- Bedrooms 3
- Sleeping Capacity 6
- Bathrooms 3
- Living Area m2
- Total Area m2
House rules
- Small children are welcome Yes
- Pets are welcome Yes
- Non-smoking house Yes
- Pet care wanted No
- Car necessary No
Exchange dates
| Exchange dates | Length of stay (nb of days) | Flexible |
|---|---|---|
| January 06, 2026 - December 31, 2026 | 3 weeks | Yes |
|
Not available 26/2/26-20/3/26, 10/4/26-18/4/26 or 25/5/26-5/6/26. |
||
Exchange periods
| Earliest date | Latest date | Length of stay (nb of days) | Flexible dates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Exchange period
1
|
Earliest date
2026/01/06
January 06, 2026
|
Latest date
2026/12/31
December 31, 2026
|
Length of stay (nb of days)
3
Weeks
|
Flexible dates
Yes
|
Neighborhood
About the neighborhood
Leigh on Sea is a very popular living location - often featuring in regional and UK polls as among the happiest places in the UK to live. Residents love the Thames Estuary on our doorsteps, the vibrant bustling town centre of Leigh and the charm of the old fishing town set on the riverbank. It’s also great that we have a reliable and quick train service into London (under an hour to the city)
Nearest Airport: London Stansted
House amenities
Vehicles included in exchange
- Use/Exchange of car 0
- Number of bicycles 0
- Number of children's bicycles 0
- Number of electrical bicycles 0
- Use of boat 0
House essentials
House features
Instruments
Accessibility
References
Your exchange partner’s home satisfaction rating is 4.0, based on 4 references.
La casa era incluso mejor que en el anuncio, muy confortable y preciosa. Grande, con mucha luz y un jardín muy agradable. La ubicación muy buena, muy cerca de la costa y el paseo marítimo, pero también al lado de la zona comercial del pueblo. La comunicación con la familia fue fluida y fácil. Nos dieron muchas facilidades en la casa para poder estar con nuestra hija y su perrito. Fueron muy amables en todo, incluso enviándome 2 camisetas que me olvidé en su casa.
Lovely people, excellent communication before and during the exchange and they left our home sparkling! Their home is very comfortable and well equipped with everything you need. It is in a lovely part of Barcelona, quieter than the major tourist area, but that is easily accessible. The hosts also provided a super guide to restaurants and bars.
Ian and Gaby made us feel very welcome in their home, which was well prepared for our stay and at least as beautiful as the description - including some beers of their own brewery in the refrigerator. Neighbours were friendly and willing to help. We had a great time there, and the communication was easy. Thank you again, Gaby and Ian!
Great people! Very friendly communication, their home was as described and they left our home sparkling.
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Member since
2023
- 3 Exchanges made
Both Ian and Gaby retired early about 8 years ago, but instead of making travelling plans (the sensible option!) we then set up a microbrewery in our home town of Leigh-on-Sea. The brewery is now firmly established with its ales available throughout the town and wider afield. While you’re staying in Leigh-on-Sea why not take the opportunity to visit the brewery taproom, or the brewery’s pub (Legra Tap & Kitchen). The pub in particular is a short walk away from home and has a great food offering as well as (naturally!) excellent beer.
Between us we have 5 sons (ages between 30 and 40) and 5 grandchildren (so far). So when we’re not on brewery work or travelling, there’s plenty of child care that we can still help with!
Destination Wishlist
- Open to any destination
- Canada
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Portugal
- France
- Spain
