Big House Wedding Venues

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Felicity - Verified booking

  I am not a fan of publishing negative feedback when issues remain unresolved, however given the time frame passed since our stay and lack of meaningful update from Sykes I feel I have been left with no choice.

  We chose to stay over the Christmas period for a week. Indeed this was the first time that we have ever stayed away from home over Christmas. Positives: communication prior to stay, initial impressions of the cottage, amenities, lovely welcome pack and level of dog friendliness of the accommodation, which aside from some of the steps (mainly the uncovered ones from the dining area to the kitchen which one of my dogs had real difficulties with) really is unrivalled over anywhere else we have stayed. Negatives: upon arrival we noted a completely loose kitchen plinth laying on the floor, a leaking downstairs ensuite radiator and that Sky was not working on either Smart TV. I reported these issues on that first evening via the Sykes app. Non of these issues were an emergency so did not warrant a call to the emergency number provided, and I assumed Sykes would be in contact the next day. This however did not happen despite me contacting them on numerous occasions via the same message thread chasing an update and being mindful that given our stay included both Christmas day and Boxing day there was a good chance that staffing would be at a minimum. Cleanliness - whilst the cottage was generally clean, by the first morning my dad reported to me having to clean the upstairs shower tray due to it being blocked with hair and other detritus that would have caused it to overflow if left unattended. Oven - on Christmas day we were cooking a full meal and as such used both gas ovens. The oven to the right kept going out while we were trying to cook, leading to us having to swap items around to ensure everything was cooked properly and a delay in our meal. Outdoor area - there is a real lack of lighting on the courtyard particularly by the two steps leading down to the back gate. There are signs that the slabs become slippy when wet, however treatment of the green algae will assist significantly with minimising this. There are also signs for hot tub maintainence, however to our knowledge it was only attended to once during our stay. Sky TV - neither Sky Box worked for the duration of the stay. The box in the living room was constantly whirring, and simply did not work. Luckily the TV's are Smart and we could log into Netflix and Prime, however if you do not have these accounts then watching the TV is going to be difficult. It's a facility that simply shouldn't be advertised if they consistently don't work (noted issue on another review). It was Christmas week, and clearly we wanted to watch films/festive programmes during our stay. If some of these issues with the boxes are down to lack of system updates these should be checked as part of the cottage reset prior to new customers staying. Sykes response - I finally received a reply on the last full day of my holiday. No apology, basically blaming me for not making contact via phone, as apparently phone calls were being prioritised over the festive period. If this was true, then it should have been published on the website / auto reply. Since my return I have had to chase for updates; any person I have spoken to seems fairly uninterested in the issues raised, and no meaningful apology has been offered over the seemingly standard £50 refund and send some photos of the issues (of a non working oven, and a non working Sky box!). I have also been made aware of a recent BBC consumer affairs programme which highlighted similar bad customer experiences. So to summarise, with better maintaince the cottage would be amazing, however I would not choose to book any future holidays with Sykes.

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• Linda - Verified booking

  Cottage is bright and airy, cosy and charming in a rural location.

  It had everything we needed for a comfortable, pleasant and restful stay. Owners are very personable and easy to deal with. Gaining access was straightforward. Parking is relatively convenient although there is a steep climb up a narrow path to the rear of the property, bear in mind when unpacking and loading the car on arrival and departure. The garden is private and the setting is altogether very peaceful. A couple of things to note, stairs are steep and narrow which caused me some anxiety. I navigated them slowly, sideways each time - there is a handrail, Hot water is plentiful, it is very hot so be careful. There is a selection of games, books and information which could do with a bit of a sort out and refresh as all a bit tatty and out of date. The cupboard itself was disorganised, dusty and cobweb strewn. On that note the vacuum was situated in the wardrobe in the bedroom which deterred me from hanging up my freshly laundered clothes. Whilst I could have moved it I did think it a little strange as the housekeeper’s cupboard was next to it, surely it could be stored there, out of the way. No disrespect, I love l a Henry. The local village is a low key affair and nearest hostelries are approximately a 10 min drive away. We were very content to cook, light a fire, read/chat or watch Netflix most evenings after a busy day out and about. I personally found having 5 remote controls too much, although thankfully James was on the end of the phone, promptly to assist. Perhaps a simple radio would be a welcome addition for those of us who find smart TVs a little too clever. Plenty to do and see in the surrounding area. We enjoyed our stay, it was relaxed, restorative and recommended.

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• Anna - Verified booking

  My second time to this lovely, cosy and welcoming cottage.

  No problems with booking, key and travel information and the cottage is exactly as advertised. It’s definitely not for anyone with mobility issues or young children as the path up to the cottage is fairly long and steep, as well as a narrow steep staircase up to the bedroom. The cottage had everything i needed except maybe a decent pair of scissors and knife sharpener (which of course are very minor), plenty of towels, blankets and comfy bedding and pillows and a really nice big bed with a lovely view! Make sure you bring some bird seed with you as there are loads of beautiful birds who visited! I had a Tesco delivery on the day I arrived which was crucial! The driver was amazing and brought everything up to the cottage so I didn’t have to lug it all up the path, so this is a must :) The only downside this year unfortunately was the house that sits opposite the track up to the cottage was having extensive building work done, therefore lots of noise from power saws, drills diggers and hammering. I know this is absolutely not the owners fault but this really impacted the peaceful position of the cottage, which was one of the reasons I chose it in the first place. There were also traffic lights which covered the end of the track which meant getting out was a bit hairy. As I said, not the owners fault but there you go. I have booked to come again next year as the cottage itself is just lovely, it’s in a perfect position for visiting Criccieth, Harlech, Porthmadog, Pwthelli and more! Definitely recommend Harlech beach if you have a dog, it’s massive and plenty of room for a good run with the pup! Hopefully the building work will be complete next year :)

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• Rosemary - Verified booking

  We had a thoroughly enjoyable week at number 25 , with our 2 spaniels .

  The gardens front and rear were totally enclosed which was brilliant. We have stayed in many places where they advertise the garden as being enclosed but in reality they are not which is a total disappointment. Because it was early March we couldn’t sit in the gardens, but the sunshine streamed into the kitchen and dining area and it was warm enough to have the patio doors open.The rear garden is secure , private and pristine. Also the front garden is raised and if it had been a little warmer we would have enjoyed a coffee with the view to Peasholm Park. On arrival there was a super welcome pack for us humans and treats for Zara and Bella our spaniels . Also 2 doggy fleeces, a towel and dog bowls to use during your stay. So many interesting walks from the doorstep….and the beach just a ten minute walk away. As you get to the beach there is Taylor’s bar and Kitchen. A super place, great staff, lovely food and dogs very welcome. Also a 2 minute walk from the house , an excellent fish & chip shop ,the tastiest ever . We can’t recommend number 25 highly enough and will definitely return. Many thanks for making our holiday perfect.

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• Diane - Verified booking

  A lovely cottage that has been beautifully renovated to a high standard.

  It is located up a hill just a short walk to the centre of Bowness however still feels quiet and private. There are shops, bars and restaurants within easy reach. The kitchen is very well equipped with everything you would need if you choose to cook. The three lovely bedrooms are all a good size with comfortable beds, 2 with en-suites and one main bathroom. In the snug there is an interesting selection of books and games. I loved the large utility room and had been excited about using the doggy bath, however there is no way I could have got my old dog down the steep steps. The outdoor space is safe and securely enclosed. The hot/cold outdoor doggy shower was useful. We have one at home but was a first for us in a rental property. The hot tub was the hit of our stay and we were in it each evening. Just be aware that there are a lot of steps in this property and if you have an older dog they may struggle with the Amtico flooring. Having said that it is by far the most doggy friendly place we have stayed.

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