Christmas Cottages in Devon

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Shaun - Verified booking

  This is the 4th cottage we have stayed in via the Sykes website and, in our opinion, not the best.

  The photos of the interior of the property shown on Sykes website were obviously taken some time ago as they do not match the current décor. All the other properties we have stayed at there has always been a welcome pack which is very much appreciated, in particular a pint of milk in the fridge as after a very long journey a cup of tea is most welcome. At this property we were greeted by the owner who welcomed us with some ginger flap jacks which was a nice gesture but there was no milk. We would have brought our own had we known but a 10 hour journey in very hot weather made us decide not to as we sincerely thought there would at least be 1 pint of milk in the fridge. This property is very off the beaten track so no shops within walking distance. Fortunately we asked the owner where the nearest shop was to get some milk and she kindly went back to her own property to pour some milk in a jug for us. After a very welcome cup of tea we went to wash up the mugs and discovered there was no washing up liquid. Under the sink was a dirty sponge which had seen better days and a damp cloth which had clearly been used that day and just hung over a pot to dry which we felt was not very hygienic. There was nothing much else. Therefore the next day we drove to the nearest Tesco in Crediton to buy washing up liquid, sponges to wash up with, some kitchen roll (which is very useful) and, might we add, we also bought some tea-towels as the two that had been left were not very absorbent and, again, had seen better days. As stated above, this is the 4th cottage we have rented from Sykes and this is the first one that we have had to go out and buy cleaning materials. How on earth was we supposed to wash crockery up without washing up liquid. Cleaning materials are something that have always been provided in other properties we have stayed in and if the Old Laundry is not going to supply these essential items then it should at least say so. The sofa in the lounge area is extremely uncomfortable and after sightseeing all day is not ideal to sit and relax. The bedroom we slept in was quite cosy and the bed was very comfortable. The shower in the bathroom was very good but has obviously been leaking after constant use so could do with some maintenance. Overall, we would not describe this property as excellent as stated on Sykes website but “good” as we feel that it needs a little bit of maintenance and some homely touches which are not expensive but would make everybody’s stay much more comfortable and relaxing. It is in a lovely quiet setting with no noise other than from the wildlife which you would expect on a working farm.

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• Alan - Verified booking

  The Old Laundry at Ashridge Court was a mid-winter, mid-week break from everyday working life for my wife and I.

  It lived up to all our expectations in every way. The Old Laundry was extremely comfortable & clean. The cottage has been lovingly restored to a high standard with a blend of traditional and modern features, equipped with everything you need for your stay. We chose to take a break in February to Ashridge Court after flights for a trip to Gibraltar were cancelled. I’m glad the flights were cancelled! We experienced every type of weather during our stay, heavy rain, hail, strong winds even a little thunder & lightning, but with a plentiful supply of logs for the wood burner brought to the door by the owner, good books, wine & cheese and the odd film we kicked back and relaxed, and the bad weather only added to the experience. We had plenty of settled weather too, and as the cottage is within a working country estate we were free to wander the extensive tracks and woods as we wished, we did so with our dog and there is plenty of wildlife to see. The owners and everyone we came across who work on the estate were completely charming, pleasant and really happy to share their knowledge of how the estate is managed and worked. The whole ethos of the estate is environmentally and wildlife friendly, keep an eye out for the Peacock. A stay at the Old Laundry would be fantastic at any time of the year, but we particularly enjoyed the mid-winter aspect of it and if you don’t mind wrapping up and getting a bit mucky then I would recommend it to anyone, we came back completely recharged and a little more in touch with our magnificent countryside. Oh, and, if you wish, you can buy some of their slow grown, grass fed beef products. We did and it is outstanding.

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• Himali - Verified booking

  Absolutely idyllic, picture perfect and quaint cottage, with amble space for a lovely winter week getaway from city living.

  The cottage was extremely cosy, lovely roaring fires with ample wood kindly supplied by owner. Also, we had a lovely welcome treat of Devonshire cream tea upon arrival, thank you, Charlie, very kind to indeed. The beds/bedding was very comfortable and cosy, underfloor heating was a great hit with our travel cat, who spent most of its time sprawled out on the conservatory floor!! This room was wonderful for breakfast and reading, and we spend the few evenings playing board games we found available here too. The hot tub on the cold winter nights was luxuriating, and was very much in use ! We used herbs we found growing in the garden in some of our cooking, adding to the total comfort of cottage life. We also found the cottage to be a great base for exploring, National Trust Castle Drogo, less than 25mts away, and Dartmoor National Park walks. We also found a beautiful restaurant Bearslake Inn for scrumptious dinner, and The Tors pub with great hearty food after a great walk on the Moors, only a mere 15mts drive away from the cottage. Summing up, Rose cottage ticked more boxes than we had even wished for, we loved the property and highly recommend those wishing an idyllic get away in such a beautiful thatched cottage. Thank you Charlie for your hospitality.

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• V Lee - Verified booking

  What a delightful cottage! And so easy to book online! Great aspect and we didn't mind the short walk to the church car park - we visited the church before leaving: Recommended. Had the best of both worlds as the cottage is low ceilings and timber beams, crooked walls and floors, not one stair matches another, all very quaint, whilst the kitchen is new and full of mod-cons. Plenty of lovely fluffy towels of varying sizes; lots of kitchen tea towels (and a pinny!). We all found the beds comfy, and slept really well. The little garden was perfect for our dog, contained her yet permitted a little nosy at the neighbours in the driveway behind. I was quite happy sitting there in the morning sun with my dog and a cuppa whilst the teenagers did what teenagers do: wasted the morning sleeping! We found the cottage well placed to visit the North Devon beaches and coastal towns, non of which were too far away. The narrow roads were interesting and we seemed to have no problems despite visiting during the height of the season. We love it! It took no time to feel like home. Thank you for having us. Vicky, Mum, 3 teens and a dog.

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• Lee - Verified booking

  We really enjoyed our time at Rose Cottage.

  It is a beautiful cottage inside and out. We found the facilities to be excellent. We ate in most nights and the kitchen was well equipped, although a lack of cutlery. The lounge was comfortable and snuggly with a roaring fire. We loved the hot tub and made use of it most nights. We had an issue with the heating upstairs in the bedrooms which is on a separate system. The down stairs is all underfloor heating which is excellent. The upstairs heating wouldn't kick in and seemed to be on a timer. The rooms went down to 10 degrees when we woke in the morning. We contacted Charlie who took it off the timer but it took 3 days of the heating being on permanently to finally get up to 18 degrees. The only issue we found with the property was the busy road right outside. The cars at night race past so fast and can be so loud through the vents on the windows. I had to buy some ear plugs to help sort this. We would recommend Rose Cottage as we had a lovely stay and visited some lovely places and quality pubs throughout the area.

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