Guests say
Babbling Brook is a well-received cottage in Ambleside, praised for its prime location, cosy atmosphere, and well-equipped kitchen. Guests appreciate the quiet area, modern amenities, and the thoughtful touches like flowers and wine on arrival. Some minor points for improvement were noted, particularly regarding the comfort of the beds and the need for a deep clean in some areas.
The property generally appears clean, but several guests mentioned the need for a deeper clean, noting dust and dirt in certain areas. The feedback suggests room for improvement in maintaining a consistent standard of cleanliness.
The location is highly praised for being quiet yet close to the town centre, shops, bars, and restaurants, making it an ideal base for exploring the Lake District.
The property is described as cosy and welcoming. However, there are mixed reviews about the firmness of the beds, with some guests finding them uncomfortable. The comfort of the seating and the provision of privacy in the bedrooms were also mentioned.
The cottage is well-equipped with modern facilities, reliable wifi, and a kitchen that guests found satisfactory. Some guests suggested additional items like a second frying pan and a clothes airer. There were also comments about the need for maintenance, such as the front door issue.
Guests were touched by the thoughtful gestures of flowers and a bottle of wine upon arrival. However, as these gifts are not consistently mentioned in all reviews, it is polite to note that such gestures, while appreciated, may not be guaranteed for every stay.
About this property
Set in the popular residential area called ‘The Falls’ and a short walk from lovely Ambleside, this styl-ish ground floor apartment is set at the heart of the National park. A perfect place for a family holi-day with endless opportunities to explore the wonderful Lakeland countryside. Discover a fantastic choice of independent shops, cosy restaurants, lively pubs, bars, cafes and cinemas right on your doorstep. Your holiday home is perfectly placed for you to take part in the activities on offer at White Platts Recreation Ground, where you can enjoy tennis, bowls, mini and crazy golf. If you pre-fer to try water sports or experience a leisurely cruise, then Lake Windermere is only a fifteen-minute walk away. Head to ‘Brockhole on Windermere’, a fabulous nature reserve where you will discover many fantastic activities to suit everyone from toddlers to adventure seekers.
The apartment is named after the beck at Stock Ghyll. Watch the river tumbling down the valley then walk up to the rushing falls at Stock Ghyll Force and admire the lovely views. After parking in your named space, climb up one step to your front door and enter your holiday base hide away your coat in your cloakroom cupboard and walk into a delightful sitting room with dining area. Go to your large bay window and enjoy the lovely outlook. Your stylish fitted kitchen awaits with its useful breakfast bar. A few more steps will take you through your back door onto a small stone patio equipped with bistro style furniture, where you can enjoy a warming morning coffee or a relaxing evening drink. As you venture further inside, you will discover two comfortable bedrooms, one a roomy king size with built-in wardrobes and one twin which is ideal for family members. Your bathroom benefits from cosy underfloor heating. Colourful rugs give you a welcoming feel on top of the beautiful, rich-coloured hardwood flooring throughout the apartment.
Lying at the northern tip of Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake, Ambleside makes a superb base for touring the central Lakes, with Grasmere and the Langdale Valley just a short drive away. There is plenty to do here - cruises, boat trips and watersports on Lake Windermere itself and numerous shops, restaurants and pubs in the village to suit all tastes. On the lakeside at Waterhead, the parkland offers lovely views down the lake and a short stretch of beach, whilst a walk in the other direction, following Stock Ghyll through woodland, will bring you to the entrancing waterfall of Stock Ghyll Force. Along with the Lake and the great walking on offer, Ambleside is also famous for its annual rushbearing ceremony and the diminutive 17th century “Bridge House” - one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District and now the National Trust Information Centre.
Accommodation
Two bedrooms: 1 x king size, 1 x twin.
Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC.
Kitchen.
Living/dining room.
Gas central heating with underfloor heating in the bathroom.
Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, TV with Freeview and DVD Player, Wi-Fi.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen included in rent.
Private parking for one car.
Two small dogs accepted.
Sorry, no smoking.
Nearby points of interest
- Hayes Garden World Ambleside
- Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead
- Hawkshead Grammar School Museum
- The World of Beatrix Potter
- Lakes Aquarium
- Lakeland Motor Museum
- Lake District National Park
- Lake Windermere
- Esthwaite Water
- Lodore Falls
Reviews (38)
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Mark
Babbling Brook was perfect for us, as was Ambleside in general. Our only criticisms would be that the main bed was too firm for us and that the wardrobe in the main bedroom seemed cold and perhaps damp. But those are in context minor issues and clearly haven't stopped us from rebooking as soon as we got home.
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Jaclyn
Lovely, quiet area but so close to amenities! The property was lovely and clean when we arrived and there were lots of cleaning products around which was useful (although I had taken my own as sometimes find places donât provide these!). Beautiful flowers and a bottle of wine on arrival were appreciated! It was a good size for us as a couple with a small dog. Negatives: Within minutes of arrival I burnt my hand on the hob. Itâs electric and Iâm assuming the cleaners had caught the control knob but, unlike other hobs, it doesnât glow red when still hot but âoffâ so I didnât know it was still hot! Could have been far worse than it was but it was a rather painful way to start our stay! Noise from upstairs could have been a nightmare for a reactive dog. Luckily it was empty for most of our stay but every time someone moved upstairs we heard them so something for potential customers to be aware of. We joked about the reviews on the mattress before we went - it was not a joke! We didnât sleep well, it was like sleeping on concrete. The singles were ok though! Parking space was taken up when we got there - contacted the travel company who were meant to get back to us. Didnât respond until the following morning to âcheck if the other car had movedâ and when I said it still wasnât vacant so were we ok in the spot we had parked (the property provided some parking passes but it wasnât clear what they were for) I didnât hear from anyone again throughout the holiday! Luckily, part way through our stay, they moved and we went in but a better response from either the property owner or travel company would have been useful! You can tell this is only ever used as a holiday home so some things havenât been well considered such as a ticking clock in the bedroom a not a problem as we took it down but I do think a stay by the owners would be the best way to improve things for the future!
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Peter
Weâve stayed in other units, some which were much more expensive but both agreed that we loved this one. I would like to address previous criticism of the heating. We found it to be great, it being controlled by a Nest Thermostat which was very intuitive and responded super quickly. This apartment is on our shortlist for our next trip planned for 2025.