Beach Villas In Somerset

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Cheryl - Verified booking

  There are a few positives about this property; the location is very good for Dunster and local beaches.

  It is a lovely building and the upstairs is spacious, garden is lovely. However, I am a surprised that Sykes use this property as a rental as there are many negatives and we were definitely overcharged for the week we spent there. There is mould in both the shower room and bathroom (I took photos which I will send to Sykes, why aren't you checking properties you rent out?) We were two families with four children, this is unacceptable. There was a damp patch on the landing wall, a patch of plaster missing in the kitchen. This is general maintenance that should be completed by the property owners and Sykes should be checking the properties are acceptable for people to stay in. There was not enough bedding for six people so we had to ask for more, there were not enough glasses, bowls, plates for six people. There was only one tea towel, no oven gloves, which is dangerous. There is a washing machine but no clothes airer to hang clothes and only five pegs for the washing line. The cupboard over the sink in the shower room is situated so you hit your head. The sofa and chairs in the lounge were really uncomfortable and dirty and the whole house smelt of dog when we arrived. It also needed updating generally, it was tired and unloved. The house was clean on the surface but there were cobwebs in every room. It needs a thorough update and clean. Some of these issues have been mentioned in previous reviews and in the guest book in the house. Yet the owners have ignored feedback and just taken more money from guests. Unacceptable. We have stayed in many lovely properties throughout the UK and this is the worst we have experienced and I'm disappointed that Sykes are marketing it.

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• Jenny - Verified booking

  Before you go to the Old Police House in Dunster, make sure that all the problems have been addressed - and how they do that I don't know.

  It's the challenge we have issued to the owners and Sykes. In 2022 the property had very good reviews but 2023 it seemed to all go wrong. In essence many of the previous reports of 2023, particularly August and September still rang true in December when we went. We were confronted by a grease caked oven (roll on Christmas dinner) and unacceptable areas of mould. Thankfully we made contact with the owner and they got hold of the cleaners to come in and degrease the oven and clean some of the mould off the walls and replace light bulbs (although we dusted the chandeliers!) Some minor items had improved, plenty of cutlery, glasses, new roasting tin and even a colander.) . Some of the walls need redecorating, chipped dado rails need painting and the lounge furniture needs either cleaning, recovering or replacing. The carpet seemed new and clean. The kitchen and main bathroom are modern (save for the grease and mould!!). The heating is good and the main bedroom was comfortable for us. The linen is contract linen and was clean and comfortable (although the cleaners should have removed some of the previous occupants laundry). While the property description includes a wood fire in a downstairs bedroom 'with the first basket of logs provided free' the owner commented 'we haven't done that in years!' . So the description may not be relied upon!! The owner and Sykes have made noises about getting their act together. The property has all the promise of being rather special. However, how you get an assurance that everything has been sorted is not clear. If they offer us a free weekend with every expectation that we can give it a clean bill of health - you'll be hearing from us!

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• Sheena - Verified booking

  It is a nice little cottage and cosy.

  It was a shame that the fireplace and bread oven don't have some form of lighting, as the room was quite dark, even with the wall lights. The neighbours were very pleasant and the people in and around the village are very nice. There were one or two little issues. Although the owner had said that there was a problem with the plugs in the sink and basin, I found no problem with the sink, but when I put water into the basin in the bathroom and had pushed the plug down, I was constantly chasing the water down the plug hole, so you either had to keep the hot and cold tap running all the time you were washing, or fill the basin right up and wash before the water ran out. I felt this issue could have been solved by a new rubber ring on the plug, possibly. The shower seemed to be a bit stop start and luckily I was only washing my hair. it was almost like an air lock in the system. The back gate was getting more difficult to get in and out of, as it has either dropped or the latch doesn't fit properly. Make sure you take throws with you for the sofa and chair, whether you are taking dog/dogs or not, I am glad I took mine, as the sofa and chairs were a little marked in places as is the cushion on the window seat. More informative leaflets on places to go, walks, etc would be nice. The one telephone number missing in the welcome pack is the local Vets in case of emergency. Also an idea of where the nearest Supermarkets are would have been nice. Other than that, as I say it was nice and cosy and fairly quiet, but the lane was a little busy with traffic on occasions as it's the only access road to and from Kilve beach.

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• Helen - Verified booking

  Generally the house was great, but more information needs to be provided to guests about the rubbish/recycling collections.

  General rubbish and recycling are collected weekly, alternating between the two. Unfortunately when we arrive the previous guests hadn't put the general rubbish out to be collected so it already contained two weeks worth of rubbish. We put out the recycling for collection but unfortunately as no guidance was left for us several of the items weren't taken as not every councils recycles the things we're used to them taking. This meant more rubbish for the general collection which was already overflowing. I would assume new guests would arrive and then have three weeks worth of general waste in the black bin and nowhere to put their own rubbish. Surely if we're asked to check in an hour later, cleaners should be making sure and notifying either yourselves or the owner that the rubbish hasn't been collected, especially during the current pandemic. We also found litter by the side of the sofa in the living room so clearly checking in an hour later doesn't necessarily mean that the place has undergone any deeper a clean than before!

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• Thomas - Verified booking

  The cottage was everything we expected.

  Previous reviews were accurate and helped us make the most of the cottage and prepare for the parking. The cottage is beautiful, dog freindly, and our dogs loved it. It has everything you need, is well designed and well kept. Ideal for a couple with maybe one child, the pub and shop is a few.minutes walk,.and in the summer heat, the cottage keeps a perfectly cool temperature. Perfect for sleeping. Everything you need to know is explained in the booklets and the beach is a nice walk away. Parking at the beach is a bit dodgy, make sure you pay at the first 2 machines you see, it's designed to catch you out and pay a fine, I read many reviews including an action fraud investigation. Only improvements would be a slightly bigger TV , I felt.like I went back to the 80s, but everything we needed and could want was there.

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