Beach Bed And Breakfasts In Dorset

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Vivien - Verified booking

  All in all a great week after a shaky start!

  I complained and, to Sykes Cottages credit, within 24 hours the issues had been resolved. When we arrived I really felt like going home again. The table was sticky, there were bits on the floor. Some of the kitchen cupboards were unclean, resulting in me putting all the crockery through the dishwasher. The balcony, balcony table, the apartment windows and balcony balustrade glass were filthy - the amazing view was obscured through not just the weather on the glass but smears, where, possibly, others had tried wipe the glass in the past. I complained and, to Sykes Cottages credit, within 24 hours the cleaners had been back, cleaned the floor, balcony, outside table and apartment windows. (I had cleaned the table and crockery by this point) Though the balcony balustrade glass was not cleaned, we finally felt able to relax and enjoy the amazing view which is a key reason why we chose this apartment. The swimming pool was only available on 3 days of out stay - another key reason for choosing the apartment and, therefore, quite disappointing. We did throughly enjoy our stay, it is a beautiful apartment, just unfortunate that we needed to complain to see the accommodation brought up to standard. The local area that was rejuvenated for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Events is fantastic. A beautiful marina and walkway. The Boat that Rocks is a good place to eat. The apartment is walking distance to the beach where we spent much of our time paddle-boarding (we brought our own equipment but the national Sailing Academy is on Portland and courses / equipment hire are possible from here - sailing, wind surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, kite surfing) From our apartment we could watch ships arriving and departing port, sailing boats in the bay and the helicopters coming in to land and take off at the Heli National Training and Development Centre - which we throughly enjoyed. There is evidence of the demise of the area due to the Navy moving away: the derelict building next door, and run down pubs towards the port. There are lots of info boards about the history of Portland, through the ages, during Naval occupation and regarding the Olympics which are interesting to read. A D Day Museum, and Tanks and Torpedos on display on the kerbside - fascinating. We highly recommend the Frontline Cafe run by Firefighters - great cakes, coffee, ice cream and crepes; they are open in the evenings occasional for events too with a more extensive menu. Visit Portland Bill and the High Angle Gun Battery! FYI there are several maintenance issues with the apartment: the toiletry rack in the bathroom is rusting, water seeps onto the floor by the shower screen in the main bathroom, causing a lot of water to disperse onto the floor and around the toilet. It needs mopping up after each shower. The towel rails are rusting, the shower in the ensuite needs descaling or replacing and the kitchen tap is badly marked - I guess from cleaning agents - but it looks unsightly. One of the wicker chairs on the balcony has a damaged leg and is unusable.

  Read more less >

• Nicholas - Verified booking

  For publication: This apartment near Chesil Beach boasts a convenient location with captivating views of the harbour and bustling boat activity.

  It's conveniently close to the shingle beach and local attractions, with essential amenities like a small shop and Lidl within reach. Before booking, it's advisable to check out the area on Google Street View for a better understanding of the surroundings. The apartment itself is impressively spacious and filled with natural light. For enthusiasts, there are plenty of boat-related activities to enjoy (it's near the National Sailing Academy at the Marina), including the excitement of observing helicopters landing and taking off. While Chesil Beach may not have sandy shores, its unique shingle landscape offers a picturesque and distinctive experience. Additionally, the proximity to Portland Bill makes for an easy 10-minute drive to access stunning viewpoints and walking trails on the small island. With a mere 5-minute walk to the waterfront, this apartment offers both comfort and convenience for a memorable stay. PS either travel very light or take a trolley to help loading and unloading luggage (there is a lift) *** Not for publication: the Wi-Fi is not properly secured; it comes up with a message saying it is weak security( It would be a simple administrative fix to resolve). As a result we did not feel comfortable using it. This is an inconvenience at best and potentially far worse for users and we suggest it is resolved as soon as possible. There were some signs of inadequate preparation/checking by the maintenance/cleaning team: the boiler was switched off so there was no hot water; there was no towel pack for the kitchen; the cafetiere had parts missing and would not work; the casserole dish did not have a fitting lid, so we could not use it to cook dinner. All of these (except the casserole dish), were quickly resolved by the dream cottages representative, for which we were grateful.

  Read more less >

• Sally - Verified booking

  Negatives: Bathroom door lock not working - reading reviews this was reported over 2 years ago!

  ! Please fix it. Cafe opens everyday at 8am so no lay ins! Needs a deep clean, i swept floor and bought wipes to clean them. Lots of cobwebs esp in main bedroom. Alot of cutlery/crockery etc was not clean. I think alot of the cleaning is left to the guests who are checking out and minimal cleaning done after by the rental company. Shower is difficult to get in/out of due to fixed curved glass shower screen and position of toilet. Access to garden is through 3 doors - through garage and utility room on the ground floor away from living area, which is worth bearing in mind if you are bringing dogs. Washing machine was filthy and i had to clean it before we could use it. Mattresses not good and really need replacing esp 1 of the single beds in twin room. Bedside lamp cant be used as no plug near by in twin room. No cutlery basket in dishwasher and plates are too tall so they have to be stacked at an angle otherwise it wont wash properly. Sofa v un-comfy as were the dining chairs. Anti-social behaviour in park opposite with large group of youths playing loud music, singing, shouting, swearing. This went on for hours and i did actually report to police. The road is v busy and noisy and so disturbed sleep every night even with windows shut which is not ideal in August! Attached to neighbours both sides and sound proofing is non existent. Positives: Views are stunning and were a huge reason we booked this place. Off street parking for 2 cars (1 car in garage) also meant storage for kayak. Allowed pets and had a half decent garden. Proximity to a stunning little beach. Pretty gardens over the rd and cafe for ice creams/coffee/snacks! Rodwell trail almost on doorstep. Could be amazing if a few changes were made!!

  Read more less >

• Jennifer - Verified booking

  The location and views are great.

  Reasonable walk/quick drive into Weymouth (plenty of parking there but make sure you download the Just Park app or carry lots of change). The attractive park opposite is larger than it appears in the photos. Path to a sandy beach (new steps) only a few minutes' walk. Well-equipped kitchen. Possibly the most comfortable beds I have ever had in a holiday property. Excellent shower pressure. On the downside, as some others have noted, the property does need a bit of updating. The surfaces of the kitchen cupboard doors were badly cracked; the microwave had scratches inside that made me hesitate to use it; minutes after we arrived, the plumber arrived to prop up the wall-hung toilet which was coming away from the wall, damaging the tiles; the leather sofas were cracked (but comfortable). Various lightbulbs needed to be replaced, the pull cord for the bathroom light was broken. The single bedroom was cosy but tiny. The twin room had a lamp but no socket near the beds. Access to the second toilet is via the entrance hall, through the integral garage and then through the utility room - not very practical when you have small children. The driveway is very short and so you have to park partly under the balcony, in the entranceway to the garage, which is extremely narrow. Something to bear in mind if you have a wide car. Despite these issues, we would still recommend this property based on comfort, views and location.

  Read more less >

• Jill - Verified booking

  Although the property was superficially clean it was generally grubby/filthy.

  Two bags of laundry were left in the hallway - these were, however, removed the next day after we had alerted Sykes. We contacted Sykes to complain about the issues of dirt, missing equipment (no Dyson as listed) and broken blind in the kitchen area. The en-suite was unusable as it was so filthy - old rust and dirt on the shower cable and caked on soap in the shower tray. The panel behind the toilet in the main bathroom was coming away from the wall. Both bathrooms had rusty shower caddies that rendered them unusable. The balcony area had not been cleaned - the table and chairs were filthy (as was one of the seat covers) and there was old food debris on the floor. Photos were attached and sent to Sykes - we did not here back during our holiday. We happened to speak with a couple of the complex cleaners (not the ones involved in our apartment on this occasion) and they informed us that the Dyson had been missing for a considerable period of time; also that the blind had been broken for a considerable period of time - both had been reported on several occasions. As Sykes and the owner have been made aware of these issues we feel that they should have been addressed before letting out the apartment again - we paid a considerable sum of money for the apartment and it was substandard. We are still waiting to hear what Sykes is going to do about this.

  Read more less >