Portstewarts Home from Home

Portstewart is a pleasant, tourist focused town with many cafes, pubs and restaurants and some interesting retail outlets.

There is a wonderful stretch of beach with National Trust parking. It is very well situated for visiting tourist attractions eg Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a Rede as well as the walled area of Londonderry. The house was roomy and clean but the provision of a Nespresso machine, while very welcome, in no way compensated for the failures the following list shows and the lack of forethought from the owners which impacted greatly on our pleasure in being in Northern Ireland. There was too much wrong to even contemplate opening up a conversation with our Host. Towards the end of our stay our host arrived at 8.30 pm on the Thursday evening and promptly cut the front grass. He then knocked on the door to ask if it was alright to tidy up the back garden – he was there so we weren’t going to say no! He also handed over a Welcome Pack of bottled water, crisps, snacks, 2 apples, 2 mandarins, 2 bananas, hot chocolate sachets and a glass jar with 4 mini-muffins. It would have been very much appreciated at the start of our stay. But, in fact we were so disillusioned and depressed with our accommodation we had already decided to leave on the Friday morning – a day early – and had booked a hotel for our final night before returning to Wales.. Perhaps no one has done an inventory of the house’s facilities for some time but we can honestly say that this is the worst holiday let we have ever rented and absolutely put a very different ending on what had been a two-week holiday, the former week being in Co. Donegal. Health and Safety - Smoke alarm went off several times at random times, generally during night! Faulty? - First Aid kit is said to be in understairs cupboard with fire extinguishers, BUT is actually in kitchen drawer, with one antiseptic wipe its sole content – not helpful when required on our first evening. - No oven gloves Information Folder - Info supplied re when 3 bins (black, brown and blue) should be placed for collection ie Monday but black blue not at same time – fortnightly?. But NO info about what each one was for ie refuse, and recycling and no calendar re collection dates etc. - Info re heating/water not accurate. - No info about how appliances work. Kitchen - No fish slice or tongs - Two same size small “sharp” knives not sharp. - No tin opener. - No bottle opener. - Insufficient crockery/cutlery to use dishwasher at end of week - only one dishwasher tablet supplied. - Cutlery - mismatched and no serving spoons - 3 small pans but no lids! Nothing big enough to cook pasta for one let alone 6 – the max occupancy number. - Hob -solid electric - no indication on hob as to which knob applies to which hob and no indication of heat values – worn off!. - Main switch for extractor fan is labelled “water heater”. - Only one tea towel and one kitchen towel. Had to use both as oven mitts. - One, too small, white bin liner in a small kitchen bin, but no replacements supplied. - No receptacle for re-cycling - Cereals and other dried goods supplied in glass jars, but no indication of how old they might be - in view of lack of attention to detail overall I shudder to think. - Oven door, Grill pan and insert filthy. Brillo pad (supplied) sorted insert and soaking, the pan. - Insufficient glassware for four adults ie one gin glass, one white wine glass, one red wine glass, two flutes, one pint glass, one tall glass. Several small juice glasses. - Couldn’t serve 6 with matching crockery or cutlery. - Fry pan suitable for one or two at most. - No oven trays apart from grill pan. - No cookware suitable for microwave apart from dining crockery - Air fryer supplied with paper inserts but as unable to remove the basket (appeared stuck possibly grease build up) was unable to check how clean overall and therefore not used. - Kitchen lighting is abysmal and had to use phone torch in order to see symbols on oven etc. Sitting room Lack of any coffee/occasional tables meant we had to improvise - it has been mentioned before in 2025 Bedroom 1 -main - One small wardrobe all hanging - No chest of drawers but plenty of space – lived out of suitcases on floor. - No useable mirror (don’t count the tiny one at top of inside wardrobe door) - Only full length mirror in bed 2 -the twin - not convenient if two couples staying. - Quilt winter weight - had to use cover only. - electric underblanket still on bed but no information on useage should it have been required. - No hairdryer - Over room-door hanger restricts door closing and noisy at night. En suite - One small bath towel each and only one hand towel to share. - No where to put or dry towels. - No where to place toiletries inc toothbrush etc - No where in shower for toiletries other than bar of soap. - No mirror above basin, required for lenses/make up. Mirror over toilet too far away to be useful. - Although good mirror in main bathroom if two couples then bed 2 would be using! - Lock on inside missing, but possible for someone on outside to lock you in, Main bathroom Toilet does not flush without repeatedly, quickly using lever Other Ironing board - table top - not adequate. Iron left in Bed 1 wardrobe – why? Portstewarts ‘Home from Home’ – I think not.

The house was in the perfect location for sightseeing and the beach.

Dean provided everything we needed for a relaxing week, and was at the other end of the phone if we needed anything. There are pubs and shops in walking distance and the buses run from the main road so everything is within easy reach. We will definitely return in the future, we had the best time.

The welcome ‘hamper’ is the best we’ve ever seen.

Above and beyond! Thank you for all the goodies. Quilt too heavy for time of year, but wasn’t helped by a very warm week. Lacked a few utensils - bread knife, tin opener, large sharp knife. Lids to saucepans? But overall comfortable, close to amenities and clean.