Christmas Cottages on the Isle of Wight

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Sara - Verified booking

  We were greeted by a bad smell like drains or sewage.

  We located it to be the shower within the bedroom.The whole idea of a shower plonked in the corner full view of the room and onto carpet is an odd one.We had to buy bleach to try and get rid of the smell. It would last for a day and then the smell was back. The other shower cubicle was incredibly small no room to bend down to pick up soap without banging your head Also we have photos showing the green gunk growing inside and the hairs. The sofa in breakfast room had lots of feathers dust and rubbish under the cushions .The one dining chairs legged wobbled and my child fell off it only to discover screws are missing from underneath. The cups and plates had rings and food remnants on them. We were told car parking was good with on road parking available or a nearby carpark that was reasonable.We had to pay £65 for a week on top of what we had spent for the house.!! We were misled by photos that showed the beds to be further apart and we're convinced there were 2 double beds.The one photo shows a pine frame with no other bed in site convincing us if was a double instead the beds are so close it was hard to squeeze between them. As expecting an old house we expected thick old walls deadening noise instead it travelled really badly. We could hear next doors talking baby crying and every word or noise the kids said. when upstsirs . The door knob mentioned in a previous review is still very much broken causing a child to get locked in the bathroom causing a panic. We loved the view thought it was well equipped and we're grateful for the welcome bits. Thankyou

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• Judith - Verified booking

  Very disappointed.

  The owners not friendly told me key in the door on arrival by phone and that is where I left it as they did not make any attempt to say hello or goodbye. Their 10+ dogs are a nuisance and kept coming around our cars as we were driving away and left dog faeces all over the lawn in front of holiday cottage/owners cottage. No sea views as advertised. Adverts should state that cottage only suitable for certain height as the beams inside only for 5 feet 2 inches people - my daughter is 5'11'' and kept banging her head badly. The kitchen washing machine is in a disgusting state with rust on the outside and the dispenser tray filthy and obviously never cleaned as it was black with old washing powder or washing liquid. Tap in downstairs bathroom is moving and leaking. Only 2 wastebins in cottage - one large downstairs in kitchen and 1 tiny one in en-suite bathroom. Not possible to empty bins as large disposal area blocked off from using. Only 2 wardrobes for 4 bedrooms. No interior doors close properly and have large gaps at the top and bottom when pushed too. Every morning the stable hands played loud music which could be heard inside the cottage as the stables and owners cottage back directly onto holiday cottage. The hire of this cottage is not cheap and I think the agents are overselling and not taking account of the obvious limitations. It is obvious the owners are only interested in taking the money for the cottage and more interested in their horses and stables.

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• Lin - Verified booking

  The property overall was good and convenient.

  Sadly there were items “missing” from the contents. Hand towels were not provided. Only one Bath towel per person for two weeks. No cafetière for fresh coffee. No dishwasher tablets starter pack or salt for the table to name a few. No black plastic bags as advertised on arrival. The shower wasn’t so clean looking and the bath room had no towels. The furniture was very tired and saggy and I would certainly not recommend this property for anyone with mobility problems. The stairs are rather steep and very little safety in the way of handrails. Not for granny with arthritis! You must keep the gates shut each time you enter and leave the property. The gates are heavy. They have dogs and they must be kept away from the lawn. I have been to Sykes properties where the owner takes pride in offering a cake she made and other items. A bottle of bubbly was a nice gesture at Hill Farm but some of us are not alcohol drinkers. Overall I would recommend but remember this is a 400 year old farmhouse and that’s the quirkiness of staying in an old cottage. You can have a lovely time here but don’t come with great expectations it’s convenient and cosy and that’s okay with us We only saw the owner once or twice and we left without saying goodbye because there was no one one around at that time. Anyway thank you to the owners for their hospitality.

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• Philip - Verified booking

  The house is in quite a nice area with a fabulous view.

  The house was not as clean as we expected especially with expected caution with Covid, so we spent the first hour cleaning and wiping all the surfaces. We also selected the pots and cutlery we would use and washed them up and kept them separate. We found pans and oven trays that had been used and put back in the cupboards without being washed up, so clearly the house had not been checked and cleaned prior to our arrival. The promised welcome provisions were also absent. The bathrooms need replacing, especially the one on the first floor which is quite simply not fit for purpose; Small, old, dirty. We gave this feedback to the owner, who explained they are due to be replaced this winter following a delay due to the covid outbreak. The kitchen and lounge areas are acceptable, but lack comfy seating. To our surprise, the gardeners turned up on the Thursday (not the day of change over) and let themselves in through the house to get to the garden accompanied by a dog.! This is supposed to be a Pet free house, but the gardeners dog didn't seem to count. another point of concern, also not Covid safe practice while the house has guests in residence. I would not recommend this house without all of the above being rectified.

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• Darren - Verified booking

  We have just returned from a 2 week stay at Hill Farm Cottage.

  We booked a UK holiday this year as we've had enough of air travel for a while. Reading the most recent review we arrived a little nervously. However, within minutes all trepidation had disappeared. We were met by the owner having mistakenly driven into their driveway and were helped by him to the correct entrance to the cottage.We spoke with them almost daily during the course of the stay and were grateful of their advice on best beaches, best walks and a dog friendly taxi firm. Fresh flowers, a bottle of fizz and some orange juice were very welcoming touches. The cottage itself is totally charming but it is a 400 year old property and comes with the quirks and original features of that age which we and our guests loved. Despite that, the wife speed and strength was excellent. The only visitor to our garden was our dog and had no issues as its completely separate from the neighbour and riding school provided you close the garden gate. We never experienced more noise than you would expect from booking a cottage within a working riding school. The staff at the school were all respectful and friendly. We had a terrific time. Both our guests and us intend to be returning, soon!

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