Mumbles Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Confirmed Guest - Verified booking

  Oakland House is a wonderful, warm, welcoming home from home. We have just returned from our second visit and have already booked our third. It is my happy place. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else – in fact, I wish I lived there! So, what makes it so special? Mumbles is one of my favourite destinations, but Oakland House makes it a particularly memorable experience. Spread over four floors, from the light and bright ‘chill-out’’ loft space at the top, to the cool ‘man cave’ in the basement, it is an ideal (and incredibly special) holiday home for families and friends. There are various cosy living spaces with comfortable sofas, pretty bedrooms and well-equipped kitchen, bathroom, and laundry facilities. I love many things about Oakland House – too many to list here. Last time we stayed there, I took almost 100 photos of the carefully chosen local artworks, and specially selected home décor pieces; they are so lovely to look at and remind me of happy holiday memories (as well as giving me inspiration for my own house). The owners have a phenomenal eye for creative detail and have lovingly created this unique gem which stands out from other luxury holiday accommodation: the big bumblebee door knocker, the thick ebony sheepskin throw on the dining table bench, and the decorative flowers and plants make every stay an aesthetically pleasing experience, to name but a few. Whenever we visit, I wander through the house taking pleasure in all the tiny details that I had forgotten about, or that have been updated since our last trip. On arrival there is always a generous bowl of provisions to offer sustenance at the end of our journey to my favourite destination; this time we were met with Welsh cakes, Gower honey, sourdough bread, and there was milk, Welsh butter and a bottle of Prosecco in the fridge, as well as teabags in the cupboard. There is also a coffee machine, and even special dog treats (two kinds) for our canine companion, Leo the cockapoo. (He adores Oaklands House too, especially the deck area where there are different Welsh sniffs, sights and sounds from those he’s used to). The wooden deck also has wonderful seating, a barbeque, and impressive olive trees which withstand the Mumbles breeze. It is ideal for that first morning cup of tea or coffee. I love to get up early and sit out there when nobody else is awake – just the amazing views of the bay and the fabulous sound of woodpeckers from the woods at the top of Oakland Road. What a perfect way to start the day. The location of Oakland House in the heart of Mumbles village is ideal – a drive, bus ride, cycle, run or walk from Swansea. You are close to excellent cafes, bars, and restaurants. My favourites for refreshments are: Microlot Mumbles coffee, Verdi’s (the best pizzas and pasta in town), and of course, Joe’s ice-cream parlour which is famous throughout Wales and beyond. There are many gorgeous shops too – Oyster Gallery for art, homeware and gifts, and the local branch of Fat Face is the best I have come across. There are plenty of other boutiques full of treasures whether you are browsing, looking for gifts, or treating yourself. And the charity shops on Newton Road have some good books and jigsaw puzzles for rainy days. There are plenty of other boutiques full of treasures whether you are browsing, looking for gifts of treating yourself. Mumbles is also the gateway to the stunning Gower coast which offers all manner of walks, water sports and Welsh beauty spots to explore. And even if it’s raining there is much to keep you occupied with the selection of books, magazines and games provided in this creative and comfortable haven made special with luxurious and special homely touches. I should also mention that the owners are kind and caring too – messaging to check that all is well on arrival and offering excellent suggestions for your stay. I can’t wait to return.

  Read more less >

• Mrs Tessa Bartholomew - Verified booking

  Oakland House is a perfect home from home, whatever your reason for visiting South Wales. It is beautifully furnished and creatively decorated with loving care – staying here feels like a real treat. We’ve just spent a week in this Mumbles utopia, and we will definitely be back again (for our fourth visit, and many more in the future, hopefully). This gorgeous house is spacious and set out over four levels, so even with six guests, you can enjoy your own space, should you wish to. We have two adult children who join us with their partners, and it works perfectly. We can either socialise together in the gorgeous sitting room and dining room or spread out into the basement chill out area or the loft room – both of which are equally comfortable. There’s even room to socialise in the well-equipped kitchen when cooking for everyone. During our recent stay, my husband and I did long walks with our dog (our favourite child!) most days, either locally or at the beautiful beaches of Oxwich or Rhossili, just a short drive away. This area is perfect for walkers, water sports enthusiasts and explorers, or if you just want to mooch around in a beautiful setting. I love to indulge my passion for the waves when we visit; there’s even a downstairs shower for sandy swimmers, surfers or SUPpers and four-legged friends when they return from their coastal adventures. The independent shops and coffee bars of Mumbles are always a favourite of ours, as are the local independent restaurants (Verdi’s is our favourite, and Joe’s ice-cream is a must too). But if you want more choice and a city experience, Cardiff is only a drive or short train journey away and offers a whole host of activities as well as remarkable retail therapy, food and drink venues and other local attractions like stadium tours, Cardiff Castle, and boat trips around the bay! And of course, Mumbles is the gateway to the stunning Gower Coast, so if beautiful scenery and outdoor adventures are your thing, then you couldn’t be in a better location than Oakland House. And when you return at the end of a busy (or relaxing!) day out, it is like coming home, but better! I’m always sad leaving Oakland House because it is my happy place – but planning my next visit always cheers me up…

  Read more less >

• Mrs Kate Baldwin - Verified booking

  We had a wonderful stay at Oakland House, a beautiful bolthole situated perfectly in the middle of the Mumbles with easy access to the lovely independent shops of Newton Road, the sweeping views of Swansea Bay and the must-visits of Joes, Verdi's and the Mumbles Pier, just be prepared for the hills! You can tell from the carefully considered decor and local art that the Owners take immense pride in Oakland House, both for themselves and their guests. There's everything you could want and need for a week's (or longer) stay, every pot, pan and utensil to cook up a storm in the stunning kitchen. The deck was a particularly favourite spot with glorious views of Oystermouth Castle and the Bay. We were a multi-generational group and there was plenty of room for us to enjoy time together and have space to relax and there were dog-friendly touches a-plenty. The bedrooms are well sized, with a lovely family bathroom. We spent most of our time in the living/dining room which is a brilliant social space, with all the streaming options you could need to unwind. Parking can be tricky, there are a mix of permitted and non-permit spaces on the road. We managed to find spaces for our two cars but I would recommend applying for a visitors permit from the council if you are staying for the week. (Make sure you do this well in advance and have it sent to your home address). Em & Guy have got to be up there with the most sincere, generous and welcoming hosts. We had a couple of queries on arrival which were sorted within hours, nothing was too much trouble. Communication wise, I could not fault them and I would not hesitate to recommend them and their beautiful home for anyone looking to enjoy the sights and delights that the Mumbles has to offer. We cannot wait to return soon.

  Read more less >

• Mrs Baker - Verified booking

  Another fantastic holiday at Oakland House! This is our third time staying there and we have already booked to go back next year. With two young children, we have found Mumbles to be an ideal destination with huge beautiful beaches like Rhosilli and Three Cliffs Bay nearby and the lovely Caswell and Langland Bay just 5 minutes away in the car. We love Rhosilli in particular with the spectacular views over Worms Head and the sunflower fields with activity trails for the kids. This year we also discovered the tennis courts at Langland Bay which were easy to book and newly re-surfaced offering another local activity. > > We all enjoyed the Blackpill lido and playground especially riding there and back on the little train! The Wales national pool and “family splash” was also a hit which we combined with a visit to “Secrets” restaurant right on the beach. Another fabulous meal at the Lighthouse at Bracelet bay - amazing views and great little playground for the kids. > > As usual, Mumbles itself did not disappoint with its great range of shops and cafes - Boo and Microlot cafe being favourites for the delicious coffee, cinnamon buns and blondies. > > After all this, we love returning to Oakland House - spacious, comfortable and very well equipped and with a lovely balcony - perfect for morning coffee and evening drinks overlooking the bay and castle. The owners were, as ever, very responsive and helpful to requests and queries about parking permits and offering discounts for some local businesses. All in all, another fabulous Mumbles holiday!

  Read more less >

• Mrs Chloe Baker - Verified booking

  We have had another fantastic holiday at Oakland house. This was our fourth trip to Mumbles and we are still discovering more things to do with our two young children (4 and 6). We love the beaches - Langland and Caswell bay are v family friendly, 3 Cliff’s Bay and Rhosilli are both huge and beautiful. Rhosilli also has some incredible sunflowers with a little trail for the children to follow around. The pub at Worm’s head above the beach has amazing views and good pub food. The Black pill lido was great for paddling on sunny days whilst the Wales national pool worked well on less sunny days! We also had a great day out at Margam park in Port Talbot - beautiful walks, a little farm, boating lake and playgrounds. The bracelet bay playground was a lucky find for us this year too with amazing views and The Lighthouse restaurant overlooking the bay. Mumbles itself always works well for us all. Great coffee and cakes at Boo’s, playgrounds in town and in Underhill park and even a special children’s hairdresser (Joshua’s) where they do amazing things with glitter! Nearby Swansea provided good entertainment too with bowling and a massive soft play for rainy days. Oakland house is a very relaxing base for all of this. It’s very spacious and well equipped and has been tastefully decorated with lots of paintings of local beaches and landmarks. Evening drinks on the balcony looking out at the sea and the castle is the perfect way to end the day. We recommend all of it and are already looking forward to going back!

  Read more less >