Ainslie's Apartment Belvedere

We came for the Jane Austen festival and the hosts helped us get our gowns ready, as well as sharing tips on where to eat and wander. The veggie breakfast was lovely, and after two nights I wished we could’ve stayed longer. The house is stunning, with spectacular views, and being outside the main city centre and away from the bigger road made it fairly quiet. We felt very welcome and comfortable. Wonderful host, house, and location. We’ll absolutely be back!

Be careful about booking with the owner, Peter. I have serious doubts about his conduct. He first offered the place at a 50% lower price with a non-refundable booking. After I booked, he said it was for a Saturday and he could no longer honour that price. Why offer a locked-in rate if you won’t stick to it? He then asked me to cancel, even though the booking was non-refundable, and insisted I’d get a full refund. When I pointed out the terms, he argued that I’d be refunded anyway. After that, he contacted Airbnb to cancel my cancellation, leaving me with a useless coupon that required me to book at twice the original rate. He never had the courtesy to apologise for the inconvenience or try to make things right. Don’t be taken in by the “fancy” house or “delicious” breakfast. You might find a hotel that costs less, offers better amenities and customer service, and is better value. Shame on him!

Parking was the one downside. There weren’t many spaces, and there wasn’t really a reserved spot we could keep for our whole stay because of the time limits. We found free parking a little way up the road and left the car there, though I’d have preferred to park outside. Otherwise, we had a pleasant stay. The host was friendly, breakfast was delicious, and the location was ideal, around a ten-minute walk from the town centre.

The owner called a couple of days before my friends and I were due to stay for my birthday and said there was a leaking roof. He repeatedly assured me I’d get a full refund if I cancelled. I was charged, and a year later I still haven’t received the money. It felt calculated: he had me cancel at a point when Booking.com wouldn’t refund me, even though he knew he didn’t want to give the money back. Booking.com confirmed that he refused the refund. He’s since blocked my number, so I can’t contact him about it.