Ambleside
Review Summary
Alida D - Jan 2023
Overall rating
Was baie beïndruk met Ambleside.
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Was very impressed with Ambleside.
Mike is a very nice person and really went out of his way to make things pleasant for us as his guests. Thank you very much Mike for your hospitality. Your place is very neat and clean and very comfortable.
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Ambleside 's response
Thank you for the nice review, Alida. You were a lovely family and we would love to see you again.
Razina S - Jan 2024
Overall rating
Will go back.
Phindile L - Oct 2023
Overall rating
Relaxing.
Ambleside 's response
Yes, we do not allow music. It disturbs us and our other guests.
Kefiloe M - Sep 2023
Overall rating
Nice place.
Ambleside 's response
The pool and Jacuzzi are heated with solar panels. If it is sunny we can heat the Jacuzzi in about an hour. The pool needs 3 days of hot sunshine to heat it as it is so much bigger. The pool gets cleaned every morning but with lots of people using it the water gets cloudy and has to be flocked which I can only do when the guests have left
Zibuyile G - Oct 2022
Overall rating
I really enjoyed my stay there, we got a best service there.
Ambleside 's response
Thank you for the lovely review. You were wonderful guests and left the place so clean and tidy.
Lizzie N - Sep 2022
Overall rating
It was superb, even my group members were happy they did not even complain.
Ambleside 's response
Lizzie had a big group of adults and they were lovely guests. Thank you for the nice review and hope to see you again.
James K - Aug 2022
Overall rating
Very nice place, close to a quiet beach.
Read moreMotshabi T - Jul 2022
Overall rating
Very pleasant and relaxing.
Ambleside 's response
Thank you for your lovely review. We don't allow music and partying so that keeps the place quiet for families with children and contractors who have to go to work the next day. We use Whatsapp to keep in touch with guests before they arrive and to send them a pin-drop location.
Lucy Z - Jan 2022
Overall rating
Een van my beste vakansie in 'n lang tyd.
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One of my best vacations in a long time.
Owners very friendly and helpful, and services are great.
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Ambleside 's response
Thank you for the lovely review, Lucy.
Raj M - Aug 2022
Overall rating
No hot water the whole weekend to shower.
Ambleside 's response
Good day,
If the gas runs out the geyser does not work. You have to change the bottle.
It was never mentioned to me about it not working.
The noise was not the issue. The kids were screaming and the parents had no control over them.
Kind regards,
Ghayroodien K - Oct 2021
Overall rating
Fantastic getaway.
Ambleside 's response
Thank you for the nice review.
The lovely beach on the Indian Ocean is 80 m away and except for some guys fishing, you will have the beach to yourselves.
Laaiqa M - Mar 2021
Overall rating
Was an awesome experience and great hospitality.
Ambleside 's response
A very nice family.
Lungisani N - Oct 2021
Overall rating
It was great.
Jeffrey M - Jul 2021
Overall rating
Was a good and quiet stay.
Ambleside 's response
Jeffrey had 4 adults and The Studio that they booked was too small for them. We gave them a bigger apartment for no extra cost as one was available at the time.
Pieter L - Jan 2021
Overall rating
Ons dink 8 uit 10.
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We think 8 out of 10.
Toilet smell inside and outside building. No cleaners. Refrigerator not working. Load power insufficient support (backup). Furthermore, the accommodation was great and what was needed was available.
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Ambleside 's response
The apartments are cleaned before guests come and after they leave and we provide a brush and mop etc for guests own use during their stay.
If there is load shedding we always tell guests when it is and provide lamps. Guests can still use the internet as the main router is on an inverter. Cooking and showering are unaffected by loadsheding as they are gas.
The compressor in one of the fridges had packed in possibly due to loadshedding. The guests had a big fridge / freezer and a smaller fridge to use instead
Marchelle D - Dec 2020
Overall rating
Baie rustig.
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Very calm.
Enjoyed it. Very neat and modern.
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Wanda V - Jan 2020
Overall rating
Overall it is a nice place to break free. We will be back.
Read moreAmbleside 's response
Hi Wanda.
Thank you for your suggestions and hope to see you in the future.
Yes, the drain can get blocked with sand after people go to the beach and shower. We have a plunger to unblock it in a few seconds.
The water supplier says the water meets all SANS standards but we give free bottled water to our guests. They just have to return the used bottle to get a fresh one.
Storms and Loadshedding do disrupt our power supply.
The units are not serviced unless you book for longer than a week and then we change your bedding and clean your apartment halfway through. There is a brush and mop in your apartment to clean up if you want.
The gas geyser did break and it was fixed a few hours later. The guests used our shower as an emergency.
Jessica S - Oct 2020
Overall rating
Worst stay ever. Don't book here.
Read moreAmbleside 's response
Hi Jessica
Yes, I would agree that your stay was not good. Our guests left late on the day you arrived and although one apartment was ready and the ground floor of the other one was ready, you had to wait an hour for the bedrooms. I gave you two hours extra for checkout to compensate.
We have septic tanks in our town and found out after you left that the pipe was blocked
We don't have air-con but have ceiling fans. At this time of year it is not hot. You had 4 tv's. The Jacuzzi is solar powered. If it is not sunny we can't heat it. We use the same wi-fi as you and didn't notice any issues but you was a big group so if many people use at the same time it will be slow
The shower is powered by gas. If the gas runs out then the shower is cold so we have to change the bottle.
You have 3 fridges and they all work perfectly but if you fill them with drinks and food, it will take time to cool down. You have to turn them on yourself.
Before you came you was aware that we do not allow music and partying.
If you want to come again in a weekday for a few days when it is quiet, you can have the South Wing for free
Verne L - Dec 2019
Overall rating
Baie gemaklik en lekker.
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Very comfortable and nice.
See stars.
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Melanie B - Dec 2019
Overall rating
Baie lekker verblyf met alles wat jy nodig het.
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Very nice stay with everything you need.
Nice place. Mike was very helpful and friendly. We would go again anytime!
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Ambleside 's response
A lovely family
Michelle K - Mar 2019
Overall rating
Huis weg van die huis af.
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Home away from home.
It was fantastically neat and felt like we were at our own home. Will definitely use them again.
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Ambleside 's response
Thank you for the nice review, Michelle. I find it amazing different groups stay in the same apartments, but have totally different opinions on them.
M M - Jun 2019
Overall rating
Die area is stil, skoon en veilig.
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The area is quiet, clean and safe.
We were in the big unit. It sleeps 10 and has 3 floors. Only one bathroom with a sink, shower and toilet on the ground floor. Another toilet on the ground floor with a wash basin. It was quite awkward.
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Ambleside 's response
You were 8 adults and 2 children in the group and were charged R150 per person per night during a national holiday weekend. Our local backpackers charge R220 per person per night for a dormitory bed. The apartment has one bathroom and an extra toilet on the ground floor, so those in the attic bedroom have to walk down two flights of stairs to get to the bathroom at night. You choose to take just one apartment rather than take two to cut down on cost.
Neli N - Jan 2019
Overall rating
Good place to rest with family.
Hetta M - May 2019
Overall rating
Convenient.
Zimasa M - Jul 2019
Overall rating
Nice place.
Ambleside 's response
Good day Zimasa,
We are self-catering and expect guests to bring their own towels although we can lend them ours if they forget their own
Welna M - Mar 2019
Overall rating
Die geriewe is skoon en netjies, ons het lekker gebly.
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The facilities are clean and tidy, we had a nice stay.
We really enjoyed the 3 nights at Ambleside, the studio is clean, tidy and comfortable. We really enjoyed the private garden and porch area. It's the ideal place to stay for a night or 3.
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Ambleside 's response
We have built new entertainment areas that we have not advertised yet. They are very popular. The Studio is away from the pool and is very private.
Neels P - Dec 2018
Overall rating
Baie basies, het heelwat meer verwag.
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Very basic, expected a lot more.
The quality of the furniture, cutlery etc. was not of good quality, the grass was not cut, there is no privacy, all things considered I would not be able to recommend it.
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Ambleside 's response
Alicia booked the East Wing for 2 adults and 2 children. The East Wing is a huge 3 story house that has beds for 12 people. On arrival they asked if their friends could join them and a few hours later they turned up. There was no mention of this before they arrived. I charged them R150 per person per night extra for this. If privacy was wanted, then why invite others to share your apartment. The pool and garden are shared by all guests. The fitted cupboards, beds and dressing table in the main bedroom were made to measure by a local carpentry firm. Our gardener cuts the grass when it needs cutting but tries not to disturb the guests with the lawnmower.
Paula P - Oct 2018
Overall rating
Foto's en informasie is misleidend en glad nie wat ons verwag het nie.
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Photos and information are misleading and not at all what we expected.
For starters, the stairs are incredibly steep and not at all safe for big or small. Entire premises are not child friendly at all. Jacuzzi was empty and not working most of the time. No Playstation as advertised. Pool was cold, even though the sun was shining. So solar heating does not work there at all. Bedding is old and shabby so we would advise bringing your own bedding. Mike was not friendly or helpful at all. He offered that if we arrived earlier, we could drop off the luggage for now, but when we got there it was a problem and had to make another plan. TV is also impractically mounted right above the bed's headboard. Braai and outdoor facilities are badly neglected and not practical for large groups of people. It's not a cozy private beach at all and once again a photo of Port Shepstone's beach was used on the brochure which makes it very misleading. No sea view and definitely not 35 seconds from the beach. To conclude, only go there if you are 2 old people who want to be extremely quiet and sit in your room all day. Really don't suggest anyone go there and especially not with kids.
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Ambleside 's response
I was surprised when I saw this review. Paula and her family stayed in the East Wing. It is a huge 3 story house and there are 2 sets of steps which comply with building regulations and have a handrail. Not recommended for toddlers though. We are 80 m from a lovely beach. The photos are our beach and not Port Shepstone. The solar panels work perfectly and heat the pool up by about 2 degrees a day as long as we have bright sunshine. You simply cannot heat that amount of water quickly on one day of sunshine. The Jacuzzi can be heated up quicker, but it still needs sunshine. We do have Playstations; the guests just have to ask for them as they are expensive and we don't leave them in the apartments anymore. They didn't ask. Check-in time is after 2.00 pm. If you come earlier than you may have to wait until we have finished cleaning from the previous guests. Our bedding is clean and either a comforter or duvet with cover. Guests have a TV in each room; one of which is full DSTV. We don't offer maid service, you have to cook your own food, bring your own towels etc. We give you the keys and show you around. We are always here if you need us though. We have 4 braai stands, two of which are made by cutting a geyser in half; they are huge. Yes, we don't have a sea view as there are trees in the way. Paula gave us 1 star for security. Her apartment had is own alarm system, patio doors had nightlocks, as well as a door alarm and security lock, all internal doors had locks and keys, they had a safe, all downstairs windows had strong bars and all glass in the windows was toughened. There are also security cameras, a high wall around the house with spikes on top and a remote gate and a very alert Border Collie and we live in a low crime village.
Simone S - Dec 2017
Overall rating
Die beste plek om vakansie te hou.
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The best place to go for vacation.
It was more than expected. It was perfect.
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Ambleside 's response
Thank you for your kind review Simone. I wouldn't say that we were perfect but we do try.
Gert V - Feb 2017
Overall rating
Was 'n baie aangename kuier.
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Was a very pleasant visit.
The owner and his wife are very very pleasant. Friendly and helpful! We had a great time and even our 3 dogs were completely at home and at ease and completely safe! Was a very nice visit with Uncle Mike and Nellie.
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Marietjie A - Jan 2017
Overall rating
Baie geniet, lekker perseel! Reël persoonlik met eienaar oor troeteldiere.
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Really enjoyed it, nice site. Personally arrange with owner about pets.
See stars.
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Ambleside 's response
Yes, please ask first if you would like to bring a pet. We do charge an additional fee per small dog per day.
Chris D - Dec 2017
Overall rating
Grew on us.
Ambleside 's response
My son, Daniel, is 7 years old and he welcomes the chance to play with children of his own age in the long, summer holidays. Ozzy, our border collie, also joins in the fun.
Matshepo N - Sep 2017
Overall rating
It's a great place to be is if you need peace of mind and listing to the sea.
Ambleside 's response
The private beach is a 40-seconds' walk away. The public beach is a 5-minute walk away with a kiosk, lifeguards, more people etc. We like it to be peaceful.
Charmaine V - Apr 2017
Overall rating
Heel lekker gewees.
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Was quiet nice.
The parking can do with shade for vehicles. The units are very old fashioned and can do with some modern facilities. Bathroom needs a big extractor fan because there are no windows. Dark and stuffy. Pool was clean and water warm.
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Ambleside 's response
The North Wing is the older part of the original house. All the other apartments are extensions and are relatively new. The bathroom does have an extractor fan. The pool and Jacuzzi are solar heated. If the sun is shining they can get warm; the Jacuzzi can be especially hot.
Margie R - Mar 2017
Overall rating
Teleurgesteld!
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Disappointed!
There were only 2 photos of our unit on the internet but what you can see and the other units make the rooms look pretty neat and semi-luxurious. After we finished paying, we went to look at the unit (North Wing). The main bedroom has no window so there is no ventilation as well as for the bathroom, again no window that can open and that leads through to the second (extra extra small) room. When we asked the owner what he was going to do about the situation, he reckoned we could sleep with the doors open, just after he told us that there had been a break-in 3 weeks ago. I also have 2 small Yorkies that I just couldn't let roam outside unsupervised at night. We were very disappointed, the whole unit is not up to standard, when you turn the taps in the shower you stand with the tap in your hand if it doesn't fall on your toes! The room my mother slept in (it had been her birthday present to go to the sea for the first time in 8 years) was tiny. She has a window in her room that looks through to the bathroom. She also complained that the mattress's "springs" stuck almost all the way through. We have other family in Umtentweni and if they wanted to visit us or have a barbecue, you have to pay extra per person. They also charge you R50 a night per Yorkie. Oh everything was just one big disappointment! They also tell you how close you are to the beach, but they don't really tell you that it's a remote beach where you can't swim!
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Ambleside 's response
Dear Margie,
The main issue you had was your husband is claustrophobic and the main bedroom didn't have any opening windows; just a patio door and glass door. It did have a ceiling fan but he wanted air conditioning. The second bedroom had opening windows but he said the bedroom was too small. I offered you The Studio, a bedroom in our part of the house or a refund (minus the deposit) but none was acceptable. I tried hard to accommodate you.
The bathroom has an extractor fan.
The sandy beach is a 40 second walk away. It is normally deserted except for a few fishermen or some people taking their dogs out. You can have the beach to yourselves with few other people around and you can swim although there are no lifeguards. The public beach is a 5 minute walk away.
We charge R50 for dogs and extra guests. If we didn't charge we would be over run with dogs and visitors coming in and out.
The screw on the shower tap was undone. It took me two minutes to screw it back. You never mentioned about it.
Yes the second bedroom is small but it does have two single beds (or one king sized bed) and only your mum was in there.
We charged you R276 a night per person for 3 adults and 2 dogs over a holiday weekend. You had 2 tv's, full DSTV, free wi-fi and a solar heated pool and Jacuzzi with secure parking for your car
Dave W - Aug 2016
Overall rating
Tevrede.
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Satisfied.
No oven and equipment a bit limited. Sleeper couches could be upgraded. Lounge furniture is lacking.
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Ambleside 's response
The apartment has a microwave, oven and a hob. We also have a braai. Guests can use our oven if they want.
Charl R - Mar 2016
Overall rating
Het ons verblyf by Ambleside geniet. Sien daarna uit om gou weer te gaan.
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Enjoyed our stay at Ambleside. Looking forward to going again soon.
Host was friendly and helpful. He helped us with all the information about the area and surroundings.
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Riana T - Jan 2016
Overall rating
Netjiese, moderne eenheid met 'n swembad op jou deurdrumpel.
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Neat, modern unit with a swimming pool on your doorstep.
Nicely centrally located to the Shelley Center and St Michaels Beach, both suitable for families with children. Even Oribi Plaza is a quick 5 minute drive away.
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Lindi F - Dec 2015
Overall rating
Baie ontspanne atmosfeer, uitstekende gasheer en alles pragtig en netjies!
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Very relaxed atmosphere, excellent host and everything beautiful and tidy!
Good location, secure parking, pet friendly and very accommodating towards our puppy. Thank you very much for a lovely stay. We will definitely want to stay there again.
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Janine B - May 2014
Overall rating
Mike en sy vrou was baie gasvry, en die plek was netjies en skoon. Goed geleë.
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Mike and his wife were very hospitable, and the place was neat and clean. Well located.
We had a nice stay, and the host was very friendly and hospitable. Just a pity the water wasn't always enough for everyone.
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Buyi M - Apr 2014
Overall rating
Good stay
Ishwar S - Mar 2013
Overall rating
Excellent stay
Sethu M - Jun 2013
Overall rating
We found Mike the onwer of the place to be very welcoming and friendly.
Jimmy R - Jan 2013
Overall rating
Accomodation was great and suited our stay
- Capacity: 28 people
- All ages welcome
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Check-in: 14:00 to 19:00
Check-out: 10:00 - Address: 2 Fourth Avenue, Umtentweni, Port Shepstone, 4236, KwaZulu-Natal