Pembridge Cottage

This could definitely have been a lovely holiday home, set in the grounds of the owners home, with everything you could want.

Unfortunately it was not very clean and that, for me, is a definite no. I tend to point properties as follows. 1. Good location and good overall accommodation, which I gave to this one. 2. Kitchen amenities, microwave, cooker, all the correct cooking items, etc. which this one had. Lost the point because we had to wash everything before using it. The cutlery drawer was very dirty. We had to clean the microwave and air fryer before using them as they had food stains all over them. The area around the sink was covered in what looked like plant life and sticky so had to be wiped down. 3. Living area. Again lost the point. The main blind didn’t work and all the blinds in the house looked like they had never been cleaned. The windows were covered in cobwebs. You expect some webs and spiders in a country house but this was more due to not having ever been dusted. Everything for use was covered in dust. 4. Bedrooms and bathrooms, lost again as everything was dusty, the wardrobe was a covered frame, not very clean. The drawers had dirty liners and the sheet under the main sheet on the bed had hair all over it. The shower curtain was covered in mild and showers were temperamental. A 5 star review would mean something special, a well looked after house, welcome pack. Unfortunately this one didn’t even meet the basics. Shame because lovely house and owner.

Very disappointed and shocked at the state of this property.

The worst problem was it was dirty and grubby and hadn’t been cleaned for a long time. There were spiders and cobwebs everywhere. Also kitchen cupboards were greasy and the fridge was dirty. There was nowhere to store food due to the conditions. The shower on the ground floor did not work properly and the water was cold . Also the shower curtain was mouldy at the bottom and there was mould in the shower and dirt in the corners of the bathroom area. We had to use the upstairs shower. In this bathroom the toilet base was cracked . More cobwebs and spiders in the upstairs room. We used the downstairs bedroom. What was supposed to be a wardrobe consisted of a wooden frame covered with a linen cover. The bottom shelf was encrusted with cobwebs full of dead bodies of insects. A hanging pocket on the side of the wardrobe was full of dust and dirt. There was a squashed dead insect’s body stuck to the wall above my bed. The bed was very uncomfortable. I could feel the springs through the mattress cover. The artificial flowers on the windowsill were covered in a thick layer of old dust. The lamp next to the bed again covered in dust. The chest of drawers in the bedroom was lined with old wallpaper yellowing at the edges. I did not unpack my clothes because of the awful storage spaces provided. I could go on but we were very glad to leave the property. The cottage needs ‘bottoming’ and is in dire need of repairs and painting. If the owner has got a cleaner (which I doubt very much), they need to be sacked. We paid good money to hire the cottage and expected to find a clean and comfortable place to stay. We took photographs of all the problems I’ve listed. We will be contacting Sykes about our bad experience and expect to be compensated for the stay. Mr and Mrs Green 6th-13th June 2026.

We had a lovely restful stay at Pembridge cottage.

It's a fairly spacious cottage with two showers and very comfortable beds. There is a lovely garden but we seldom used it because the weather was rainy most days. My only nitpicks would be that there was a bit of dust behind the beds, WiFi was temperamental, and the TV wasn't a smart TV so no Netflix, etc, also it glitched a lot. But otherwise we had a lovely holiday and it was a great base to explore Symonds Yat, the Mappa Mundi, and Haye on Wye.

The cottage is a barn conversion near Monmouth.

It was very easy to find. Owner was lovely & available if needed on site. Very comfortable & everything which is required for a week’s holiday. The surrounding area has many national trust, woodland sites. Would certainly return.

The accommodation was of a good standard and reflected well the character of country cottage and the added benefit of acres of fields to exercise the dog.

The owner was very kind and helpful, and apart from the weather, we enjoyed the visit.

A very pleasant week’s break was enjoyed in this well thought out and appointed ‘barn’ conversion.

We wanted for nothing and Elissa is the perfect host – available but not intrusive. The property is very quiet and the grounds, where we were told we could exercise our 2 dogs, are extensive. Monmouth is a lovely town with excellent shops.

The owner is very nice and friendly.

The location is set in beautiful countryside. The facilities are good. We have left a note with some suggestions that would bring our 4 star rating to five!

Poor internet Ground floor shower difficult.

Upstairs loo we had to flush with a bucket. It was spacious and comfortable good facilities.

This is a very good place at a good price, the house is traditional and has a modern extension, board games and DVDs as well as a traditional older part.

In grounds of house with friendly owner and Labrador. Monmouth close. Recommended for the area.

Lovely rustic cottage.

Very peaceful. Walks from the door. Only point worth mentioning, garden is not completely dog proof. Dogs must be kept on a lead. We enjoyed our week.

Lovely property set in beautiful grounds.

This is a delightful cottage set in the very pretty garden next to the “big house”.

Perfect layout for two friends and two dogs. Extremely well equipped. An extra bonus is the huge amount of local information for exploring together with games and dvd’s for entertainment if the weather is inclement. So cosy for our Christmas and New Year stay. The area is great for walking and access to some beautiful countryside as well as Monmouth for shopping and Ross on Wye. Highly recommended.

Lovely cottage, in nice grounds hope to return sometime.

Needs a total clean, very dirty and very shabby.

Not an enjoyable place to stay except for the location.

Perfect home from home for a couple with two large dogs.

Lovely cottage with everything you might need, very comfortable stay and a lovely welcoming host. Lovely walks and only 4 miles from Monmouth.

Lovely old cottage in a really good location for touring the Welsh border towns and forest of Dean.

The owners were very helpful and there weere several items of food tea/coffee etc left, which helped from day one. I throughly recommend Pembrooke Cottage.

We were quite disappointed with this cottage although the surroundings were lovely being in the heart of fields the cottage itself was not up to Sykes usual standard.

We queried whether it had actually been cleaned prior to our visit as there was cobwebs and spiders everywhere. Yes you expect the odd spider or cobweb when you’re in the country but not clinging to the walls and walking through one when you enter the downstairs wet room. There was no light in the oven so you had to keep opening the door to check the food which immediately set off both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Of the 4 spotlights in the kitchen area only 2 were working. I’m sure Alissa is a lovely lady and seemed very pleasant when we occasionally saw her but in general we were very upset as this could be a delightful cottage with a little more care and attention. In conclusion we are amazed that Sykes don’t have any way of checking that their holiday lets are not up to recognised standard.

Had a lovely week with our two dogs.

Great location and owners field a big hit with the dogs. Cottage very warm and cosy. Well equipped. Would book again.

The cottage setting and location was very good.

Needs a deep clean.

We were looking for a cottage with good walks around for over the New Year.

Needed to be relatively quietly located as we have one dog (of our 2) that hates the fireworks that usually accompany the New Year coming in. This fitted the bill and was reduced in price too for the 3 nights we wanted. Friendly owner who lives in main house next door. We had use of her adjoining fields too which were great for a quick exercise of the dogs straight from the cottage. The cottage was as advertised and well kitted out. PROS - Good to have hard flooring across the ground floor (plus mats & rugs) that allowed easy movement of the dogs without having to worry about marks etc. The entrance "hall" was great with a mat and then stone floor that helped allow our dogs to be dried down after the many wet walks we had. There was a hose outside the main house too for getting mud off easily. Beds were comfortable but beware low headroom, especially in the upstairs bedroom and downstairs toilet. Having the heating on allowing a warm cottage to come back to was really appreciated. Great library of walks and places to go. CONS - The shower head attachment in the first floor bathroom was broken. When flushing the ground floor toilet, there is a sound akin to a warning klaxon - beware night use! OTHER THINGS TO NOTE - Broadband/WiFi in the cottage was sporadic, probably due to location and BT's poor local infrastructure. No mobile signal inside cottage (some outside though depending on your provider) Welsh Newton is a hamlet with no local shops. Best to go to Monmouth (15 mins drive away for that). If you walk locally (and have dogs), none of the stiles have dog gates - get ready to manhandle your hounds over the stiles. Overall, a good time was had by all (including our labrador & labradoodle).

A lovely cottage in a brilliant location.

It was great for us and our two dogs, thank you very much.

Good cottage, good beds and had everything you need for your stay.

The couch and chairs in the living room could do with a replacement, were not really comfy, the same goes for the furniture in the garden. But it is a nice place to stay with lots of things to do and places to visit. Beautiful walks and Hereford cathedral was amazing

Although we like the cottage in general we all thought it needed a little TLC to take it from good to very good ,but still enjoyed are stay.

Never went so wouldn't have a clue.

We enjoyed our stay and the location is great for seeing the area.

Beams in upside bedroom took some getting use to but after the first knock we treated them with respect. The bed was very comfy. But we needed to use the cushion off the chair to keep the little window shutter closed at night. Bin bags in the ensuites would have been useful luckily I had a couple of carrier bags to do the job. But otherwise no other issues.

Pros - very peaceful and a great location for discovering the area.

The bedding was lovely. Cons - the cottage was tatty, particularly upstairs. Storage facilities were dreadful upstairs and what there was was obviously not checked as the ‘wardrobe’ (I use the term lightly) was filthy and still had a skirt in it from a previous visitor. The drawers had dead flies in them. Everywhere had cobwebs and the window sill in the upstairs bedroom was mouldy and had thick dust and dead flies on it. Whilst we understand that a cottage in the country is bound to have insects, this was old dirt. After spilling a few crumbs on the floor under the table we swept up our mess only to end up with so much dirt in the dustpan it was obvious it hadn’t been swept for a while. I could go on but fair to say we would never stay here again.

We really enjoyed our stay at Pembridge.

Warm and cosy, big choice of dvds to watch in the evenings. One of the cosiest beds we've slept in. Owner was there on arrival then gave us privacy. Fields to exercise the dogs in the evenings was a plus. Thank you.

Enjoyed our week at the cottage, it was very well equipped with everything we needed.

It was a bonus to have the field to give our dog the freedom to run around. A good information pack on places to visit and eat out nearby. It was very peaceful holiday.

Nice quirky property but perfectly practical.

The best we have stayed in.

When we next come back to the UK..would certainly try and stay there again The owner friendly and unobtrusive. Only one thing no mobile coverage...but no problem

Absolutely perfect location for exploring.

The cottage is a real home from home and very comfortable. The owner was really friendly and happy for us to use the fields for the dog which was perfect. Loads of information in the cottage about places to visit and the owner was really helpful sharing some of her "best places to visit and eat". I would definitely recommend to anyone.

i would have liked a kitchen cupboard to put all my food into.

and drying facilities were poor, there was no outside line and no tumble dryer in the property. we dried clothes on a clothes horse and had to put the heating on. everything else was excellent, the cottage was homely and cosy.

We had a lovely time in this cosy, well equipped cottage.

We found the lighting downstairs a little dull, but discussed this with the owner who was going to look into it, so not ignored. The use of the field behind the cottage was brilliant for the dogs. Would recommend.

A well appointed cottage in quiet rural surroundings great for walking.

Owner very helpful.

Good Cottage, well located, helpful owner.

Pleasant cottage in a peaceful area.

Ideal base for exploring the local area. The garden is very pretty but isn't enclosed so you need to keep an eye on your dog when outside. We had a lovely stay but sadly had to cut our holiday short due to illness in the family.

We really enjoyed our stay as the cottage was comfortable, had everything we needed and our host was very welcoming.

The setting was lovely and it is ideally located to explore the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean.

The cottage was perfect for our stay and an ideal location as our aim was for a couple of days walking with the dogs.

Elissa made us and the dogs feel very welcome which is important to us as it's nice to feel that the dogs are just as welcome as us. The cottage was very well presented with a lot of charm and nice to spend time in, the plus being it was lovely and quite too. We intend to return as there is still lots of walks for us to explore over there

Really enjoyable stay, warm and cozy and relaxing.

The layout was great, Comfy beds with nice ensuite off both bedrooms. A few little niggles but spoke to owner and they will be resolved. Would definitely stay here again.

Very nice people

We’ve just got home from such a lovely and relaxing weekend!

My mum booked a long weekend here as a birthday treat for my partner and I along with the two pooches and I have to say we enjoyed every minute. The country cottage offered everything we needed and was located in a beautiful spot with lots of lovely walks on the doorstep. It’s a very remote location making it so peaceful but the town is just a short drive with several accessible supermarkets if we needed to nip out for anything. We were out mostly enjoying the scenery with the dogs and found somewhere new each day, a couple of great recommendations from the owner. It’s a cold time of year but the cottage was lovely and toasty every time we got back in. The owner was very approachable and friendly should we have needed anything. I have to say looking back at some previous reviews, I couldn’t disagree more with some of the comments and they seem very harsh, the cottage was lovely with some original traditional features and the WiFi was just your typical connection for a remote country location so we expected this to be a little slow (we’re country folk so this wasn’t a necessity to us!). We loved it, the dogs loved it and we will be returning in the future to explore some more for sure!

The owner of the property was really lovely and her cottage was the perfect place for us to have a few days away.

The location is great for walking and the cottage was nice and clean with good facilities. I had been a bit nervous after seeing some of the previous reviews, but those reviews seem very unfair to me. It is true that the WiFi doesn't really work, and the sofa/chairs aren't that comfortable, but everything else was great! Would definitely come again.

Just needs a fair bit of TLC, shower heads need replacing or at least a good clean, all paintwork grubby, bits of dirt between the sheet and mattress cover, WI-FI not working, heating making a ticking noise, no room to keep dry foods, crockery chipped.

Lovely looking property and a quiet location within easy reach of places to explore.

Sadly the Wifi didnt work but we had a wifi hotspot with us that did. The garden is not enclosed and although we do trust our dog the road outside the main entrance can be easily reached. The kitchen has ample equipment and great to have ensuite bathrooms. There were cobwebs and we did remove the living room rug as it was a slip hazard.That said we had a very restful week.

The cottage was very dirty, we would have expected a lot better without COVID, but after being told there would be extra cleaning because of covid we were disgusted and had to spend one whole day of our holiday cleaning.

There was food left by a previous holiday maker left in the very dirty baskets provided for clothes, there were no drawers provided in upstairs bedroom, just the dirty baskets. Neither tv worked properly. Once again after being told that there would be WiFi there was not, the Netgear extension did not work so far from the main house, this had been mentioned to the owner by other people and still no changes were made, to have WiFi was necessary for our holiday and therefore we were let down again. Don't think we will be booking with Sykes anymore, and would certainly not recommend Pembridge cottage to anyone. Very very disappointed.

I am sorry to say that we found that this is a very tired cottage in dire need of a good deep clean and decorator.

There was dirt on skirting boards, doors, cupboards, floors, both bathrooms, dirty toilet seat, filthy dirty shower tracks upstairs, mouldy grouting, dirt and crumbs in fridge door seal and inside the fridge, the bin was caked in old dried off food/rubbish material, the sink was stained and the washing up bowl worn out, lots of cobwebs and so many spiders making home on the ceilings, flaking paint on the garden furniture. We arrived when the weather was hot and found it was impossible to consider sleeping upstairs in the open plan roof bedroom due to the rising heat which was 38c plus inside. Unfortunately this bedroom had inadequate ventilation and had a metal fan with broken bearings. We had to sleep downstairs in the single beds. In fairness to the owner she did come in and wipe the dirt from the seals of the fridge, wipe the toilet lid and sink floor and also provided a very nice replacement fan and washing up bowl. The other thing to be aware of the garden is not enclosed. We did not find this cottage was as described in the description as being “high quality accommodation”. We in fact had to cut our holiday short by two days, due to the conditions, and returned home. It’s sad to write this review as the cottage is in beautiful grounds, in a lovely part of Wales.

Lovely owner, who met us on the first day then left us alone to get on and enjoy our holiday - which was very nice.

Was happy with the accommodation and the only negative thing I have to say is the sofa is slightly uncomfortable. Apart from that, it was a lovely place to stay and we were very happy with the apartment.

This is a very tired cottage in dire need of a good handyman and decorator.

It was cold and grubby, not at all what I expected from Sykes cottages. Very disappointing.

Lovely peaceful cottage and hostess was great

Great base for touring round, would stay again, friendly owner.

Generally good and very friendly owner.

WiFi was the major problem as it is just a boost from the main house and only reaches 0.5mbps max, and often none at all. You can tell pets are allowed here. The area is lovely with good walks well documented at the property. Other leaflets for activities are quite out of date and without WiFi it is difficult to plan/book. There is no mobile signal so our own 4G didn’t work either. For some that will be good news for us it was frustrating.

Very disappointing property that is tired and shows lack of care and attention - PPE box in property that was empty, kitchen cupboards dirty with tea drips etc, upstairs shower tracks full of dirt, sensor bin lid not working due to no batteries and clock on wall not working, inside and outside of windows dirty and full of cobwebs - 17th century property but cobwebs everywhere due to lack of cleaning.

Free fly fishing lesson mentioned in narrative about property but never offered by owners. Also first property ever booked that Owners haven’t left small welcome gift, ie 2 scones and pot of jam etc. Extremely disappointed in Pembridge Cottage.

So pleased to have the opportunity to review our comfortable stay at Pembridge Cottage in Welsh Newton!

We had such a relaxing break in this cosy warm cottage with our two little dogs. A perfect place to enjoy the countryside (birds, squirrels and sounds of an owl at night and saw a beautiful hare!)....... and yet so convenient for site seeing at Monmouth, Hereford (Cathedral), Ross on Wye, Ledbury and the wonderful colours of the Forest of Dean. The cottage is not isolated as it's situated next to the main house and yet private and the host helpful, but not intrusive. We would definitely like to return!

The cottage was a good base for exploring the surrounding area.

It had everything you need for your stay. We had an enjoyable holiday with our two dogs.

listed as fully equipped kitchen, it did not have washing machine, tumble dryer ect as it had not been finished before we arrived.

The cottage felt homely and set in beautiful grounds with access to immediate countryside.

Lovely, friendly host. Great location to explore the Wye Valley, Forest of Dean and further afield to the Brecon Beacons. Excellent selection of maps and guide books - a week of walking doesn't touch the surface for this beautiful area. Wifi is a bit hit and miss - so plan ahead. Whilst the cottage was clean and tidy it could do with some TLC in some areas - a good Spring clean.

Cottage was of good condition, clean and tidy.

Owner lives next door and was fully cognisent of our independence and assisted with any request made. A beautiful location and surroundings with the farm land open for us to walk ourselves and our dogs. In all I would recommend this cottage for a holiday stay.

Pembridge cottage is set in the grounds of a lovely house with beautiful garden.

It has plenty of 'little extras' to make guests feel welcome. eg video players in lounge and bedroom with a supply of dvds, cds, books and games to name a few. It is a comfy cottage that is very easy to look after. Host is very pleasant and even posted items that i'd left in the wardrobe! I'd certainly stay here again and reccommend to friends.

We feel this is a lovely cottage with a lot of potential but felt a bit let down that the ensuite upstairs was below expectations for cleanliness which is not very acceptable.

The dirt on skirting boards, doors etc and around bottom of shower/bin etc wasn't very nice. We felt a bit of TLC needed to get it up to expectations. Sorry as lovely location . Wifi needs to be addressed too as unreliable.

We had an enjoyable stay, the owner was very helpful when needed and I feel had a good balance in communication.

Local walks could be quite challenging with a larger dog as stiles and gates on the footpaths were not always easy to negotiate! I booked via the internet but did not realise until after the 'cooling off' period that I had purchased the insurance which I did not require. I feel it was not clear enough in the booking process so please can you make it more prominent. Thank you.

The cottage is nicely positioned in the garden of Pembridge House in quiet surroundings.

It is quite well equipped with most things that you would need. There is one error in the notes regarding the fridge, it DOES have an ice box! This was our second stay in the cottage and we enjoyed it as much as the first time.

We.

loved the cottage and we will definitely return

A warm welcome when we arrived, comfortable property in a lovely quiet location, but easy access to get out and about.

All in all, a great week in a lovely part of the country.

Wonderful quiet location, very tranquil set in beautiful grounds.

All facilities well laid out. Lovely owner with just the right touch . Thoroughly enjoyed our week.

Location and cottage were fabulous.

The owner was very friendly and informative about where to go in the surrounding area.

For me, it was the fact there were no issues to deal with, everyone was extremely helpful.

For my husband and my mum it was the peace and quiet it's been a stressful time recently and they were able to relax... Many thanks for all your help..

This is a lovely cottage in a beautiful setting.

It is well furnished and very comfortable. The owner was also extremely helpful. We would visit this cottage again. .

Lovely quiet, secluded area.

Just what we wanted as a base to go on days out. So many places, so little time.

We were very pleased with the cottage, which is well equipped for a family (apart from bath) and in a geat location to explore South Wales.

Elissa was welcoming and helpful without being intrusive.