The Haven Newcastle

We had a lovely stay, and the rooms had great views of the seaside. The large public car park is right beside the property, with the amazing Hugh McCanns bar and restaurant next door. Our family booked four rooms, though each one was missing something, such as shower gel, a hair dryer, or tea and coffee cups. Those gaps didn't take away from the good stay.

The room was warm and clean, but we barely slept. We were on the second floor in room 7, facing the Mournes and donard car park, where people kept beeping, flashing lights and revving very loud engines until late. That was especially hard with our 1yr old. Service was essentially nonexistent: we picked up the keys from the bar, then left them in a box at the door when we checked out. It wasn't bad service so much as no service. For the price, it felt like paying a lot just for a room, with no breakfast or other service. The windows really need upgrading.

Getting in was a mess. No one had mentioned that the room key had to be collected from the bar, and I spent an hour trying to work out how to get inside. The room was damp and filthy, with dust and cobwebs everywhere. The bed was clearly unclean and extremely uncomfortable, and the tables were old and rotting. There wasn't any toilet roll or hand wash in the toilet, and the TV was blocked by the door. The chair clearly wasn't usable, and the hair dryer was covered in masking tape, so it definitely wasn't usable either. The lamp didn't work. Such a disappointing stay.

The interior felt a bit shabby, and noise from other guests was easy to hear, especially in the shared hallway. Still, I'd stay again if the price was right. It's a perfect base for hiking Slieve Donard, with the car park just around the corner. I hadn't read the directions carefully enough and didn't realize check-in was at the pub next door or the hotel down the street, depending on the day. Once I figured that out, it was easy.