Dog Friendly Cottages in South East

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Susanne - Verified booking

  We were 4 adults, 2 of them over 80/ 90 (+ 2 dogs) staying for 12 days in May.

  We liked Whitstable, its quirky high street with surprising range of shops, pubs/ restaurants etc, laid back and slightly green/ alternative vibe. Local walks to Prospect Fields or beach and shops convenient. Foxes + cubs on golf course, herring gulls nesting on roof and plenty of bird song- all good. Clifton Road was narrow and rough, parking challenging at times but we always found somewhere within walking distance. At first glance Newden Cottage impressed with decent amount of space and light, 2 cleverly designed bathrooms with good easy- access showers, cupboard with washing machine in the downstairs one, both wash basins too tiny. Nice looking kitchen with double doors to garden, big dining table, 3 decent bedrooms. Loads of clean towels but no spare bedding. Shampoo and hand wash/ shower gel provided but toilet paper lasted only a few days. My elderly parents managed the stairs ok but struggled with the heavy sash windows. Storage space eg for shoes would have been welcome, as would be a larger door mat behind the entrance door. Had we not been lucky with weather keeping floors etc dry + clean would have been tricky. There's a step along the upstairs corridor to bathroom which would benefit from a safety light at night. A few convenient night lights were found elsewhere. A welcome hamper was a nice touch, as was a box of dog things. Small enclosed garden gets some sunshine all day. Decking with peeling paint and outside furniture needed a clean, particularly the cushions which were damp and dirty in a box outside, possibly untouched since last year. Fake turf... Useful washing line. Clean inside on the whole, although dust and dirt here and there, eg in kitchen drawers, windows + -frames, shower drain. The outside table wobbled and a broken- off piece was on floor. The kitchen was beautiful but with limited worktop and drainage space. The owner kindly provided more crockery after I mentioned that we struggled a bit despite running dishwasher every day. The only (non- stick) frying pan was scratched and either very dirty or corroded- owner provided replacement. We avoided other also scratched smaller non- stick pans and used a brand new huge stainless steel pot. Unlike previous reviewers we didn't find kitchen equipment extensive. We did appreciate being able to bring 2 dogs- we asked, obviously. We booked relatively late, needing somewhere suitable for elderly parents and 2 dogs, based on positive reviews and careful study of available info. It's not a cheap area anyway but all in all, in our opinion, it was too expensive for what it is. Sorry.

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• Dave - Verified booking

  We stayed at Gardeners Cottage for 4 weeks during a house move to Alvescot.

  The cottage is cosy, comfortable (especially the bed), quite well equipped with a large garden with wonderful views over the countryside. Good off street parking although it took us a while to understand you park adjacent to the house on the grass verges. The key safe was a bit of a challenge at first but ok to use after we’d mastered the code. If you’re bringing dogs, the garden is not contained so we used a roll of garden netting to keep ours from wondering off, or bothering the neighbours. The garden furniture is in need of a refresh, but ok to sit out on and enjoy the beautiful view. You’ll need accounts to all the streaming services on the TV as there’s no access to Freeview or terrestrial channels via an aerial. We have streaming accounts so it was ok, just not possible to scroll through channels (a good excuse to forget the TV and go for walks with the dogs!). We changed the batteries in one of the TV remotes. A note to the management team - we had the plumber visit twice to take air out of the system which was caused a lot of disturbing noise in the early hours of the morning. They came promptly the next day and rectified the problem, but I think the system needs a good overhaul in general - ou can’t shower upstairs if someone is issuing the shower downstairs for instance. Agree with other tenants that a microwave would have been convenient and the cutlery is a little tired The village is peaceful (a sleepy hollow) but it’s a drive to a shop and a decent walk to the Hare pub. Careful where you walk as one of the neighbours was upset that we hadn’t followed a public pathway which wasn’t marked to be fair. I think on balance it may be on the pricey side for what is offered and we noted that it wasn’t booked at all in July & August which is a shame. It served us well for our move. Perhaps the pricing needs looking at?

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• Dave - Verified booking

  We stayed at Gardeners Cottage for 4 weeks during a house move to Alvescot.

  The cottage is cosy, comfortable (especially the bed), quite well equipped with a large garden with wonderful views over the countryside. Good off street parking although it took us a while to understand you park adjacent to the house on the grass verges. The key safe was a bit of a challenge at first but ok to use after we’d mastered the code. If you’re bringing dogs, the garden is not contained so we used a roll of garden netting to keep ours from wondering off, or bothering the neighbours. The garden furniture is in need of a refresh, but ok to sit out on and enjoy the beautiful view. You’ll need accounts to all the streaming services on the TV as there’s no access to Freeview or terrestrial channels via an aerial. We have streaming accounts so it was ok, just not possible to scroll through channels (a good excuse to forget the TV and go for walks with the dogs!). We changed the batteries in one of the TV remotes. A note to the management team - we had the plumber visit twice to take air out of the system which was caused a lot of disturbing noise in the early hours of the morning. They came promptly the next day and rectified the problem, but I think the system needs a good overhaul in general - ou can’t shower upstairs if someone is issuing the shower downstairs for instance. Agree with other tenants that a microwave would have been convenient and the cutlery is a little tired The village is peaceful (a sleepy hollow) but it’s a drive to a shop and a decent walk to the Hare pub. Careful where you walk as one of the neighbours was upset that we hadn’t followed a public pathway which wasn’t marked to be fair. I think on balance it may be on the pricey side for what is offered and we noted that it wasn’t booked at all in July & August which is a shame. It served us well for our move. Perhaps the pricing needs looking at?

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• Srilatha - Verified booking

  One of the first things that caught our eye was the numerous house plants around, and this really makes this property stands out, as this really is a home away from home.

  We were unfortunate in one sense to experience very cold weather at the end of April 2024, but on the other hand, it meant that we spent a lot of time enjoying the cottage. We loved the view of the garden from the kitchen and the dining room (the bright red acer was gorgeous!). We all slept well (thanks for ear plugs!) - yes, the clock does strike on the hour every hour, but you do get used to it. The living areas are very well-appointed, and the window seat area with a dual aspect of the garden was a favourite. The kitchen was a joy to cook in. Oven gloves, tea towels, blue wipey clothes and 3 dishwashing tablets provided (plus we found clingfilm, foil and greaseproof paper). We used the fire everyday due to the unseasonable cold weather (logs £8.99 in the local shop – cheaper than the supermarket). Beds were super comfy, with great sheets and towels (which we always appreciate). House is super clean, and well-equipped – a real home away from home. We also used the Kent A-Z and their local OS maps, and they have a great range of books too. The location is super as lots of attractions within 30min. The Tesco “superstore” in Hawkhurst may be smaller than expected but had everything needed, plus Waitrose just opposite too. Tips for visitors: Local shop (2 min down the road) opens from 6.30am and has fresh croissants, and local produce (Sussex crisps). The telephone box library is pretty good too. Walk to the windmill, past the school opposite the petrol station. Farm shop Eggs and Apples & Hartleys (good jam donuts) recommended. Just mind the pot holes!

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• Ben - Verified booking

  Amazing cottage, in a fantastic location, the property is done up really well and is very comfortable.

  It's a very short walk to a lovely beach. I'd definitely recommend it. The reason for 4 rather than 5 stars is the lack of 'extra touches' compared with other places (usually cheaper) that I've stayed in, e.g the welcome pack contained uht milk and long life bread, compared with places I've arrived to find platters of fresh fruits and fresh flowers etc, the essentials were provided, but but really enough to last the week (and there was only two of us+a baby) e.g tea, coffee, shower gel, shampoo which fortunately we'd brought our own. Lack of plug sockets by bedside tables was also a minor niggle. There was no option for high chair or travel cot which again meant we had to bring our own. Also as a note for others with young kids the rungs on the banisters our far enough apart a child could very easily fit though so we were needing to watch our daughter very carefully when upstairs (pretty sure it wouldn't pass modern building regulations). These negatives are all pretty minor and absolutely would not put me off staying again, just a note for the owner that a little extra can make a big difference! Jon, the house manager was great and when we said there were no bin bags he got them to us the same day.

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