“We booked this accommodation as a treat for my husband’s 60th birthday, there were six of us in total across three generations.”
Unfortunately, we all felt the property fell far below the standard expected and implied by the advertisement.
On arrival we found key areas within the property to be unclean (cooker hob and hood, greasy and dusty); what could be a lovely block wood kitchen surface was badly stained all over and mouldy around the sink; there was a mouldy peeling wall in the kitchen; we were compelled to wash all pans, crockery and cutlery prior to use; copious cobwebs on walls, windows and furniture; dead ...
Unfortunately, we all felt the property fell far below the standard expected and implied by the advertisement.
On arrival we found key areas within the property to be unclean (cooker hob and hood, greasy and dusty); what could be a lovely block wood kitchen surface was badly stained all over and mouldy around the sink; there was a mouldy peeling wall in the kitchen; we were compelled to wash all pans, crockery and cutlery prior to use; copious cobwebs on walls, windows and furniture; dead wood lice in the corners of the living room; stained cushion covers; an iron burn in the carpet of the upper bedroom; Gaffer tape holding down the floor tiles and used to stick up decorative flags going into the living room; fraying and sellotaped rope for the stairs handrail; the living room smelt damp for the duration of our stay. For the price paid, the standard was very poor, I would highly recommend the owners review their cleaning procedure.
There weren’t enough bowls for the number of people the property is supposed to accommodate. There didn’t appear to be a plug for the kitchen sink, and the washing up bowl (in the cupboard below the sink) was not suitable for use. The top floor bedroom appears to be set up for younger guests (two single beds, a child’s picture on the wall and children’s books) but we were concerned that the rear window (on the second floor) opened fully, meaning the children in our party could easily have opened it, with dire consequences. There are toys provided, which our little ones desperately wanted to play with, but they all had to be cleaned first (or hidden) as they certainly weren’t suitable for a toddler to put in their mouth. Provision of a couple of stair-gates would be beneficial, especially if you’re travelling with toddlers or youngsters (we took our own).
The shower looks good, but isn’t great, especially if you’re trying to wash long hair. For six people there aren’t enough hooks to hang coats, and not enough space downstairs to store shoes, especially as it’s requested they’re not worn in the house. The upper bedroom would greatly benefit from the addition of a mirror; the heating was temperamental and had to be reset a few times, the handbook doesn’t reflect the current heating system and needs updating.
I did contact Sykes at the start and throughout our stay to express our concerns, but they didn’t respond.
Positives: it’s a quirky property with character; loved the top floor bathroom, the children really enjoyed bath time; log burner with logs and kindling provided was a nice touch; a pint of milk was provided, along with tea bags, sugar and coffee pods for the nespresso machine, plenty of dishwasher tablets. Lots of books for all ages; clean bedding and towels. Ideal location, less than 5 minutes from shops, bars and cafes. Nice walk (going down the hill from the property) through woods and fields for the morning dog walk. If you can get a parking spot opposite the property then that’s great too, but they are prime spots that everyone is after.
I’d like to be more positive, but we all felt very let down by the below par standard of this property.