Group Accommodation Cottages in Plymouth

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Wendy - Verified booking

  The Cider Barn provides an extremely spacious luxurious sanctuary in the midst of rolling Devon countryside.

  To come home from a long day to the comfortable sofas and warmth of the log burner soothed the senses. Underfloor heating throughout ensured the large rooms remained comfortably warm, whilst the underfloor heating and large towel radiators in the bathroom provided a delicious extra warmth. There are many spaces to have ‘time-out’ from other guests if need be where you can relax undisturbed, such as the upstairs sofa room with glorious floor to ceiling glass allowing you to become immersed in the garden and watch the rabbits. As well as the main sitting room with the log burner there is a sofa room between the kitchen and the sitting room which provides a good space for children to play and watch tv, the generous sofa engulfed the four of us in various horizontal positions - 3 of whom are well over 6 feet tall. The kitchen is large with a two oven Rangemaster with 5 ring induction hob which coped well with two large family reunion dinners. This is complemented by a large dining table which we managed to comfortably sit 12 around by commandeering the bathroom stools. There is an ample selection of blue and white crockery, mats and knives and forks. Fridge freezer is half and half. The two double bed bedrooms are breathtaking in size and comfort. The master, with it’s walk in wardrobe and bath with shower over ensuite added to the feel of luxury and spaciousness. The twin room is equally comfortable with ensuite. The conversion has been thoughtfully and tastefully completed, with touches true attention to detail brings. All fixtures and fittings are top quality, no expense has been spared. There was always ample hot water. The flat access, and ability to get the car close to the front door make it very accessible for elderly and infirm visiting guests. Equally, the main living area being on the flat ground floor made it safe for very young children and easy for the elderly to manoeuvre around and use the downstairs bathroom . The bedrooms are upstairs. A mile further down the road is a very pretty beach with a car park. The working farm is unobtrusive, the occasional tractor or truck went past the kitchen windows but as all windows have movable blinds or shutters this did mot infringe on our privacy. The Cider Barn rose to the challenges we presented it with and across the generations many happy memories were made.

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• Justine - Verified booking

  The house as always (4th time staying) was lovely and immaculate.

  However, our time in the house was ruined by the people staying in the flat above. We saw 2 ladies, 3 small children and a large dog going into the house and they were incredibly noisy. The children woke us up early each morning running riot and sounded like they were coming through the ceiling and this carried on until 8pm when they went to bed. However then the washing machine above the living room went on and the spin cycle made the living room shake and was incredibly noisy. The dog when left alone (on several occasions) howled and barked continuously for hours, to the point we had strangers knocking on the door to complain. After a few days we raised this with the caretaker and owner who were very apologetic and tried to get it sorted out but didn’t manage to do so as the last night was the worst noisy until 11.30 pm. One of the ladies came down to apologise and said it’s impossible to keep small children quiet, which isn’t satisfactory in any way. To be blunt that wasn’t our problem, they should not have been staying above us, we wouldn’t have booked on this basis had we known. We ourselves have 2 children (who also complained as their bedroom got the brunt of it) and we have a dog (in Kennells) and neither of these have ever ruined a holiday for anyone else. The cottage details are mis-leading saying there is an upstairs flat that the owner might use occasionally, which implies 1 person there if you are unlucky. We have never had this issue before either (even though there has been people above), but had we known it would be like this we would not have booked this time. We chose this house at a premium price for its location and like to spend lots of time in the house, and this time had to go out more as it was so stressful being in the house and explaining to our boys why the people were so noisy. This is our one holiday this year and we feel incredibly sad and disappointed with the experience. Having stayed in Kingsand/Cawsand for 12 years, 4 of these in the house this is the first time I have looked forward to going home and feel exhausted. We did send a video clip of the dog barking to the owner who was horrified. Ultimately we have lost out this year and have the dilemma of losing somewhere we wanted to stay again and again. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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• Jill - Verified booking

  We've just returned from a fabulous week in Cawsand staying in Balcony Cottage and you'd be hard-pushed to find a more idyllic property.

  We didn't use the car for a week. Literally a 3 min walk to the beach (uphill coming back). Amazing views of the sea from the cottage and lovely to hear the waves lapping the shore at night. It's an extremely safe bay with swimmers at all times of the day. Really clear and clean sea and something for everyone, with the kayaks and paddleboards for hire on the beach and plenty of rock pools when the tide goes out. Coastal paths run right beside the cottage in both directions and we took lovely walks on both of them, to Rame Head and to Mount Edgecumbe, where the gardens and cream teas are beautiful in equal measure! A passenger ferry comes right into the beach every hour, running back into Plymouth Barbican. The sea trip itself is beautiful and very handy for a change of scenery if the laid back Cornish life leaves you wanting. In the village itself you have The Bay Restaurant, right opposite the cottage, serving drinks and fresh seafood (plus other things if you have fussy teenagers like us). There is also the Cross-Keys Inn, where everything is hand-made by the Chef, and delicious (currently food finishes at 7). I wouldn't bother with Half-Way House - we had a very uninspiring yet expensive visit there. There is also a fish and chip shop in the village square and you must visit The Sourdough Bakery for their handmade pizzas (which you need to order in advance). All places are Covid-safe but do require advance booking. The cottage itself is delightful. Everything you could possibly need and a lovely welcoming bottle of wine on arrival. All linen was fresh and there wasn't a thing that we needed that we didn't have. Just one look out - the low doorways. Hubbie and son banged their head a few times despite the warnings! I wouldn't recommend it for anyone with walking difficulties as, apart from the hill, there are several steps on the approach and two flights inside - although totally worth it for the amazing views. The courtyard is beautifully maintained and was a riot of colourful flowers this week. Made some wonderful memories at Balcony Cottage and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

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• Julia - Verified booking

  The Cider Barn is a beautiful property.

  The rooms are spacious and furnished to a standard that goes far beyond the average holiday home. The attention to detail is astonishing. Arriving at the property was a jaw-dropping experience and it quickly became a place you looked forward to getting back to after a day out. The beds have oh-so-comfy mattresses and the bed linen is cool and crisp. Towels are fluffy and generous. With each bedroom having its own bathroom, you feel just as though you are having a country house hotel break. The kitchen has a huge table where everyone can gather for meals or simply sit talking, drinking, playing games. A lot of thought has been put into providing all of the equipment you could possibly need to whip up a tasty meal for your guests. And then there are two separate living rooms, both with TVs, so there’s no need for squabbling about what to watch. Our favourite was the delightful room with the log burner- complete with a basket of logs. We all enjoyed relaxing there. I could go on and on about this property. It delivers on every count. And I haven’t even mentioned the surprise space at the top of the stairs which has yet more sofas and a view of the enclosed garden. This was my favourite go-to with a mug of coffee and a good book. We had a fabulous week in this lovely environment, walking to the beach, visiting local hostelries and exploring Plymouth. A huge thank you to the owners for a wonderful stay. You are sharing something very special with all of your guests. Julia S, October 2021

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• Robert - Verified booking

  We stay in Cawsand every year but this was the first time in Balcony Cottage.

  We loved staying at it. The house is lovely, well equiped and sutuated. It accommodates six comfortably with two doubles and one twin. If you are interested in the history of the house, the owners have done a fantastic job letting you know of it. The views of Cawsand Bay are wonderful. You see why it was good for smuggling. I will be looking to stay at Balcony Cottage again. I think it the best one we have stayed in the area and all the other one are lovely too. If you have not been to the Kingsand and Cawsand area then you are missing out on a lovely area of Cornwall. If you are interested, parking is extra. I recommend that you Kingsand car park because its cheaper than Cawsand's. You can drop off your stuff in Garret Street but you will hold up other traffic (if any) in the very narrow lane. I parked in Cawsand square and unloaded some stuff there. The bay is good for swimming, kayaking (for hire if needed), catching a passenger ferry to Plymouth. The walks to Rame Head, Makler Heights (excellent canteen), and Mount Edgecumbe (a.k.a Cremyll) are great. The nearby Antony National Trust House is lovely good too. Also I'd recommend a Plymouth Gin Distillery tour too. Finally if you are driving, why not consider taking the Torpoint Ferry rather than the bridge (there is Sainsbury's in Torpoint too).

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