“We have rented many properties over the years, it's hard to find anywhere with enough bedrooms and bathrooms for my family of 5, my parents and my sister, so we were really pleased to find The Waves in Amble in Northumberland.”
In all the properties we have rented we have never had any of our deposit retained or received an angry phone call from the owner. On our way home after our stay at The Waves I had a call from the owner who had received photographs from the cleaner of a few partial drink rings on the new wooden side tables (they were so faint we genuinely hadn't noticed them) and marks on the leather sofa. She was incredibly angry, and apparently could not believe we had made so much damage to the property in seven days. My children could hear her shouting and were quite distressed by it. Although I was baffled and upset I did apologise profusely for the marks on the sofa, which it turned out was a couple of 1 cm spots of clear nail varnish my 4 year old had got hold of and not told us about. I of course offered to cover the expense of having the nail varnish cleaned, which is perfectly possible. Not good enough, the owner has received our full £500 Good Housekeeping bond from Sykes, who own Northumberland Cottages. This makes it extremely hard should you need to attempt mediation because you can't contact Northumberland Cottages, you have to go through Skyes, who then contact Northumberland Cottages, who then contact the owner. Needless to say, I have spent months trying to come to a reasonable agreement and ultimately Sykes have informed me that they have accepted the owners claim of the full £500 bond as she has provided them with a quote from a company for how much it would cost to replace the sofa cushions, not an invoice, a quote. My lesson here is in future I will avoid renting any property where a huge deposit/bond is required. I hope the owners use the money from the bond to invest in side tables more suitable to a rental property. Any good memories from our summer holiday have been marred by this stressful and upsetting experience.
Apart from that, the property is well kitted out, particularly the kitchen, although if you require anything for children I think you would have to bring that yourselves, some plastic cups would be good.
The views out of the huge windows upstairs are amazing, however it gets very hot and it's hard to get a breeze through the bedrooms so some fans might be useful for the summer months.
The property is located along the coast from the main part of the town of Amble, this was walkable for most of our party but a bit too far for my elderly parents to so they ended up driving in and parking.
For me, rest is a big part of my enjoyment of a holiday, unfortunately the pillows were really thin and hard, and there was only provided 1 per person. Hopefully the owner will address this as I think most people would expect 2 and for them to be of decent quality. It was a rather uncomfortable sleep, and when I check the the duvet and pillow cases they were polyester, I would suggest cotton is more comfortable for most people, especially in a naturally warm house.
Overall, I would say The Waves is a great base for those who are planning a lot of time exploring the stunning Northumberland coast, if you choose The Waves be very careful to ALWAYS use the coasters and watch your little ones!
Dear guest
I wasn’t going to respond to this feedback but I feel it important that I do to clarify the facts.
You were our first guests ever in ‘The Waves’ and everything was immaculate and brand new. You will also see that we have spent a small fortune in furnishing the house with extremely high quality goods to really make the holiday home something very special for our guests. You were there 6 days and managed to cause in excess of £1500 worth of damage : glitter nail varnish on the brand new leather sofa which was unable to be removed even by the professionals, 3 hot drink rings on the oak tables despite there being coasters for use and a completely broken bedside cabinet. I called you initially to ask what was on the sofa as it looked like nail varnish which you confirmed it was. The reason for the call was to establish what it was so that we could attempt to remove it. There was no shouting on the call. You told me all the damage was ‘ fair wear and tear’ which clearly I disagreed with and explained that you were the first guests in and I was very upset that so much damage had been caused. You subsequently messaged me to apologise and offer to cover the cleaning costs.
Your deposit was £500 and goes nowhere near to covering the damage caused.
Just to be clear I have never had to retain a deposit before but neither have never I ever had such damage caused by guests who normally treat the property with great care.
Thank you for your other comments and suggestions which are helpful. I am pleased to say we have addressed most of these. We have had air conditioning installed to the upstairs. The downside of the gable end of glass providing the stunning views is that despite it being reflective glass, the upstairs became very warm.. This was done shortly after your stay. There were fans available during your stay but these were kept in the under stairs cupboard and I hadn’t referenced them in the info. This has now been done. There are now 2 pillows available per person, 1 on the bed and 1 in the wardrobe if people require extras. This was an oversight on our part so thanks for pointing out. The duvets are hypoallergenic as advised by Visit England as are the ‘Hotel Quality’ pillows. I am sorry if you found these uncomfortable but this is the first complaint we have had. The bedding Itself is mainly from John Lewis and is a cotton blend. This is easier to launder and remain clean crease free.
I’m sorry we had to withhold your deposit I would much rather the damage had not been done in the first place. It’s is not my intention or desire to retain deposits as there is significantly more work involved when trying to rectify damage and restore the property to the high standard that we like to ensure for other guests to enjoy.
Property Owner
Summary
- Reverse-level
- Four ground-floor bedrooms: 2 x king-size, 1 x double, 1 x superking or twin on request
- 2 x ground-floor shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC
- 1 x ground floor family bathroom with bath, walk-in shower and WC
- First-floor fully equipped kitchen/diner with coffee machine
- Utility
- First floor lounge with panoramic sea view, benefitting from air conditioning
- First floor sitting room and patio door access to enclosed rear garden.
- Central heating
- Air conditioning in lounge
- Electric oven and hob, microwave, coffee machine, fridge, freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher
- Smart TV, WiFi
- Fuel and power inc. in rent
- Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
- Welcome pack
- Off-road parking for 3 cars
- 1 well behaved dog welcome (2nd dog considered on request)
- Enclosed rear garden patio and seating area accessed from upstairs lounge
- Garage bike storage available on request
- Sorry, no smoking
- Shop 0.4 miles, pub 0.3 miles, beach 1.3 miles
The property
This property is quite simply stunning with unrivalled sea views, sumptuous décor, and some original local artwork. No expense has been spared in this fabulous reverse-level property tucked away in the charming town of Amble, Northumberland. It’s not called The Waves for nothing! Featuring proximity to local amenities and a beach, off-road parking and stunning décor throughout, The Waves welcomes six guests, perfect for a memorable retreat near the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. After parking up and unloading your belongings, discover four ground-floor bedrooms, each charmingly-decorated with plenty of storage to house your holiday wardrobe. Completing this floor, you will also find a superb bathroom and a shower room, perfect for getting ready or winding down for the day. Venture upstairs to find the well-equipped kitchen, boasting all the necessary appliances to whip up delicious meals for your whole family, to be enjoyed at the dining table or outside in the enclosed garden, where you can pop corks to toast your getaway whilst you soak up your surroundings. Curl up in the inviting sitting room or snug, clicking on the Smart TV to catch up on your favourite shows or indulge in a movie marathon before heading to your chosen bedroom to catch your well-earned slumber. If you can tear yourself away from this stunning base, head to Amble Harbour, where you can explore the picturesque harbour and watch as the fishing boats come and go. Alternatively, head to Coquet Island via boat, a lovely nature reserve and prime spot for viewing seabirds, including puffins and terns. Visit the nearby village of Warkworth and explore the impressive ruins of Warkworth Castle before enjoying fantastic food at the Harbour Inn, Jaspers, the Boat House, or the Fish Shack. If you’re seeking a nature-centred pastime, spend the day exploring dunes in Druridge Bay Country Park, or if your trip aligns, don’t miss out on the Amble Puffin Festival, offering guided walks, talks and family-friendly activities! Further afield, explore the stunning landscapes of Northumberland National Park, which offers numerous hiking trails and scenic beauty spots. Don’t forget the nearby historic town of Alnwick, where you will find Alnwick Castle, and the newly opened Lilidorei at Alnwick Gardens, a magical mysterious village full of play areas designed for children under 11. For all of this and more, escape to The Waves.
Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £500.
View on map
About the location
AMBLE
Warkworth 1 mile; Alnmouth 4 miles.
The bustling little seaport of Amble is situated at the mouth of the River Coquet and is an ideal place for exploring Northumberland. Historically a centre for boatbuilding, Amble offers a marina, a harbour, sandy beaches and coastal walks to the bird sanctuary at Hauxley and country park at Druridge Bay. Large fishing boats moor along the harbour wall and land a variety of fish, prawns, crabs and lobsters. There is a fish centre on the side of the harbour that is now primarily a shell fish hatchery to re-stock levels of lobster and other shell fish, this sells local fish and is open to the public. A mile south of Amble is Coquet Island, an RSPB reserve with a large population of terns, puffins and eider ducks and boat trips around the island can be arranged. The pretty coastal villages of Alnmouth and Craster and numerous superb beaches are only a short drive away, whilst picturesque Warkworth with its castle, charming Alnwick with its castle and award-winning gardens, and the National Trust’s Wallington Hall and Cragside are all within easy reach.
Please note: NO stag or hen Parties
Please note this property does not accept bookings that cross over a Saturday.
Note: This property sleeps 6 people maximum.
This property offers the following short breaks:
- Winter
- Off-season
- Last minute
- Christmas
