West Lodge, in Hyde Park

It’s not often that you get the chance to find a rental property in the heart of a city, yet surrounded by nature and wildlife. But that’s the case in the city of London, where a few unusual properties have recently come up for rent – located in some of the best loved Royal Parks.

As part of the Royal Parks’ Better Buildings Programme, seven lodges in various Royal Parks in London have been decorated and updated and are now being let to tenants. The idea is that letting the buildings out will be a better way of generating revenue and a far more effective use of the buildings. Plus, they make very unique homes to lucky renters.

The buildings all have a long history, which is fascinating in itself, and offer tenants the chance to live in the midst of some of the best green spaces in London, which are packed with nature and wildlife. But most are also located very close to the life of the city and benefit from sought-after parking spaces. Tenants also get the added advantage of having a gardening service thrown in too, as the Royal Park gardeners mow the lawns on a regular basis.

Blackheath Gate Lodge, in Greenwich Park

Two of the Royal Park homes that are currently still available are West Lodge, in Hyde Park, a striking neo-classical style pavilion lodge with one bedroom, located minutes from Knightsbridge and the Royal Albert Hall, and Blackheath Gate Lodge in Greenwich Park, a three-bedroom early Victorian house, which backs onto the deer enclosure. For city fans who are lovers of history and nature, you can’t get much better than this.