“We stayed at the cottage over Christmas and overall had a nice break, but a few tweaks would have made the stay much more comfortable.”
When we arrived, the house was extremely cold as the heating hadn’t been left on, and there was no hot water. We had to wait until the following morning for the tank to heat, which wasn’t ideal after a long journey. There was also a very unpleasant smell coming from the downstairs bathroom which made the downstairs living spaces unbearable. We had to buy air freshners , drain unblocker and bleach, but unfortunately it didn’t resolve the issue.
The property itself is a great size and in a ...
When we arrived, the house was extremely cold as the heating hadn’t been left on, and there was no hot water. We had to wait until the following morning for the tank to heat, which wasn’t ideal after a long journey. There was also a very unpleasant smell coming from the downstairs bathroom which made the downstairs living spaces unbearable. We had to buy air freshners , drain unblocker and bleach, but unfortunately it didn’t resolve the issue.
The property itself is a great size and in a lovely location, but some areas would benefit from attention. The kitchen needs a bit of TLC, with a few cupboard doors coming loose. The heating system also isn’t very user‑friendly, as it’s controlled remotely by the owner, and we did experience difficulties with it during our stay.
For a week‑long booking, it would be helpful if basic essentials were provided — things like toilet roll, bin liners, washing machine capsules, dishwasher tablets, and tea towels. Extra towels would also be appreciated, as having to do laundry just to have clean ones felt unnecessarily laborious.
A simple welcome hamper would make a big difference too, especially for guests arriving after a long journey. Even just bakery bread, local farm eggs, butter, milk, fresh juice, instant coffee, tea, and sugar would be hugely appreciated. Having to immediately go out and find a shop isn’t the best start to a holiday.
The listing states that all bedrooms have TVs, but only two did. On the positive side, having two living rooms was a real bonus.
Overall, the cleanliness wasn’t up to the standard you’d expect when paying a premium Christmas rate, especially with seasonal price increases. With a few improvements, this cottage could offer a much better experience.
A new heating system was installed in November and unfortunately we did have a few teething problems whilst finding our way around. The heating had been on low in preparation for your arrival, as soon as we were made aware of you having an issue, the system was unlocked to allow you complete control. Logs had also been provided as a complimentary extra.
Apologies for the odour in downstairs bathroom, this is something we've not come across in the past, this could have been caused with the property being empty leading up to your stay. This is something we have taken onboard following your comment.
The cupboard doors in the kitchen have now been adjusted since we were made aware. Basic essentials are always provided including toilet rolls, kitchen roll, bin liners, dishwasher tablets and two tea towels. The standard provision for a weeks stay is two tea towels, and two towels per guest. As to protect our guests from any unknown allergies, laundry tablets are not provided, we understand this applies to majority self catering properties.
Our local agent have confirmed they supplied the hamper for South View containing, tea, coffee, milk etc, we hope you enjoyed your Christmas gift we left of French chocolate truffles and Prosecco
There are 2 TV's in both en-suite rooms as per our listing.
We are sorry that you feel a couple of things did not meet your expectations, but I hope you enjoyed your stay regardless.
Property Owner