Clare's Rock Hostel Budget B&B

The views are right on the doorstep, especially the fairy fort straight ahead when you look out. Rooms could use updating, but they're clean and comfortable. Most upstairs rooms have bunk beds, though two have double beds. Rooms 3&4 have ensuite bathrooms; the other four rooms share bathrooms, two rooms per bathroom. There's free wifi. The owner was friendly and helpful, and breakfast was good, with great homemade brown bread. A pub serving good food is two minutes away on foot. We couldn't find a shop within walking distance for anyone wanting to cook.

We booked the whole place through Airbnb thinking it was a house, and only later found out it was part of a hostel. As hostel accommodation, it would deserve more stars; as a house, less. There are no doors on the wardrobes or kitchen cabinets, which may be fine in a hostel but makes a house look untidy. The woman responsible for the property used the keypad and came inside to take out rubbish. She knocked once, no one answered, then she let herself in. We might have been doing anything, or been out with our things inside, so that didn't feel acceptable when we'd booked the entire house. They're trying to be both things and not fully succeeding at either. The wifi was unreliable and needed several resets, which required a caretaker visit because the modem is locked away. There was no mobile signal at all, so calls couldn't be made or received. With the internet also patchy, be ready to feel cut off from the outside world.

For a hostel, it had everything you could want and was surprisingly quiet. The staff were very welcoming and showed us around. The self-catering kitchen was exceptionally well equipped. It also has its own electricity source, so it's very eco. The wind turbine makes it easy to spot.

The area is really beautiful and makes a good base for exploring. Staff were helpful and very friendly. Still, for the price, the place needs improvement. It was fairly clean, but the furniture and facilities, including the TV and oven, felt old.