Half Term Breaks In The United Kingdom

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Eileen - Verified booking

  We had a nice stay here and found the twin beds comfortable.

  I liked the decor and I liked that they had tried to make it modern but with original touches. There was a nice harbour and sea view. The master bedroom which we did not use was a very generous size and I would suggest putting a sofa in there as extra seating for when 4 guests stay as the lounge is on the cosy side. There is an indoor swimming pool which is open from approx 8am-5pm when staff are around. We didn't use it so can't comment on it. This apartment has a shared balcony with harbour view apartment next door. It does require some decent outside seating, which 4 guests can use though. You can hear some of the theme park music from here but we didn't hear any inside. There was a nice breakfast pack left for us, which was a thoughtful touch. There were only 4 plates/cups etc so you had to use the dishwasher after every meal or wash up so more of these are required. I also found on arrival that the dishwasher was full of dirty dishes so cleaners need to be made aware of checking this as I don't go on holiday to have to sort out other peoples dirty dishes! There are no staff on site after 5pm so consequently the side gate leading to the car parking area is not locked up and more importantly the main doors leading into the apartment block are not locked either so lack of security because anyone can wander in! That main door should have some coded lock on it so only guests can access the building especially as this is at the back of the castle. There is a shared patio area with table and benches. I didn't receive a phone call with access details before I arrived so was a little clueless about where to go and how to get in luckily Richard, general manager was there to show me around but if I had arrived later than 5pm I would have been in a pickle! I did have a missed call from London on my phone (spam? or the company?) but no voicemail left and no email sent so they need to rectify this especially as all staff go off site around 5pm. I was also sent a 20 page document of T&C's from the owners after I had booked and paid in full to Sykes. Guests need to see this before they have paid not after so that they know what the rules are and if they want to go ahead with the booking!! This apartment would not be suitable for anyone with a mobility issue as there are stairs and the free standing bath is quite tall. A shelf is required in the bathroom and the shower is a tall overhead one so not practical if you don't want to get your hair wet every day. A lower shower in addition to a high up overhead one is the norm nowadays. I would have preferred a lid on the toilet seat too. The bathroom door cannot be unlocked from the outside so be careful if you stay with children incase they get themselves locked in. The kitchen is situated in like a hallway between the lounge and then the bathroom /bedrooms so hubby just had to stay in the lounge whilst I cooked to avoid accidents with hot water/food. Take tea towels/washing up sponge and kitchen roll as there were none. The freezer is a small ice box type. A shared washing machine is provided in a room elsewhere and is free and there is a tumble dryer which is 50p to use. It was very quiet at night, which we liked. The best value would be for a family with young children that use the pool and go into the 'time warp', but quite endearing theme park.

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• Duncan - Verified booking

  Where does one start?

  Port View is one of three apartments on different floors (number 5), above us was the quiet number 6, but on the top (number 7) was a different kettle of fish. Our first night was ruined by the noisy sounds of a music rave which lasted until the early hours of Saturday. We had an inkling something was wrong when around 4pm on the Friday afternoon, when a number of people entered the complex (our apartment is right by the front door) shouting on the stairs etc, and our concerns grew when loud music began to play. The volume increased during the evening and at that point we were thinking of going home. We went out for a meal hoping on our return everything would have quieted down. No such luck, in fact on our return we saw for ourselves one young man shouting from a top window, the entry code to the complex to his mates below on the road. Consequently more people entered the building and we began to feel nervous of what could happen to us. Next day we informed Sykes and to their credit got things sorted out with a promise we would not be disturbed again. (Port View is the only apartment under Sykes’ control) The rest of the week was quiet, but it did leave us on edge waiting for something else to kick off. Another problem about Port View is where it is. We read the owners instructions on how to find the apartment which were wholly inadequate and poorly written, in fact it needed a phone call to the very helpful manager (Sue) prior to going, to sort out how to approach the building. Another hassle was the parking of the car in the allotted parking space. Our car is a Mini but we still found it tight. One morning we entered the garage to find another car parked right by us which would have prevented us from accessing the car (by luck we hadn’t planned using it), if we had it would have required one of us to open the car window and squeeze through head first!! Overall it was a hard holiday, unable to really feel relaxed, with concerns over apartment 7, and issues with the parking. This leads to the question of Port View’s suitability as a holiday let, and should it really be included in Sykes’ portfolio? Can I end stating once again that the company did a great job in handling our problems and concerns, we had no complaints about the comfort of Port View either, but needless to say , we will not be coming back.

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• Duncan - Verified booking

  Where does one start?

  Port View is one of three apartments on different floors (number 5), above us was the quiet number 6, but on the top (number 7) was a different kettle of fish. Our first night was ruined by the noisy sounds of a music rave which lasted until the early hours of Saturday. We had an inkling something was wrong when around 4pm on the Friday afternoon, when a number of people entered the complex (our apartment is right by the front door) shouting on the stairs etc, and our concerns grew when loud music began to play. The volume increased during the evening and at that point we were thinking of going home. We went out for a meal hoping on our return everything would have quieted down. No such luck, in fact on our return we saw for ourselves one young man shouting from a top window, the entry code to the complex to his mates below on the road. Consequently more people entered the building and we began to feel nervous of what could happen to us. Next day we informed Sykes and to their credit got things sorted out with a promise we would not be disturbed again. (Port View is the only apartment under Sykes’ control) The rest of the week was quiet, but it did leave us on edge waiting for something else to kick off. Another problem about Port View is where it is. We read the owners instructions on how to find the apartment which were wholly inadequate and poorly written, in fact it needed a phone call to the very helpful manager (Sue) prior to going, to sort out how to approach the building. Another hassle was the parking of the car in the allotted parking space. Our car is a Mini but we still found it tight. One morning we entered the garage to find another car parked right by us which would have prevented us from accessing the car (by luck we hadn’t planned using it), if we had it would have required one of us to open the car window and squeeze through head first!! Overall it was a hard holiday, unable to really feel relaxed, with concerns over apartment 7, and issues with the parking. This leads to the question of Port View’s suitability as a holiday let, and should it really be included in Sykes’ portfolio? Can I end stating once again that the company did a great job in handling our problems and concerns, we had no complaints about the comfort of Port View either, but needless to say , we will not be coming back.

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• Mr Roberts - Verified booking

  Despite the issue with the washing machine (owner offered to pay for Laundrette) We all had a great time, thanks for providing alternative parking for the works that took place in the car park. As for the apartment is very clean, well equipped, I always bring key things (sharp Global knife, chopping board ice tray & peeler) although this property doesn’t have a view but just take a step outside patio at sunset that’s a enough for me to come back. For me the added side access made a huge difference for me, as steps becoming challenging due to injury last year. We drove to the beachfront £9 per day. My partner & in-laws went for an evening stroll down to the beach when I was using the swimming pool. The pool cover has to be removed manually to use the pool (key to pool door is provided). Top tip read flat instructions as all information is there that you need to know including pool key & WiFi info. If you want a quiet place to stay near a good clean beach & swimming pool this a must place location in North Devon. Thanks for the Rose wine.

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• Annette - Verified booking

  We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this property.

  Owner met us at the property and went through everything with us. Lovely man and knowledgeable about the area. The property is very well equipped and spacious for us 4 adults (2 couples). Beds were very comfortable (for us) with spotlessly clean bedding and towels provided. Hot tub was amazing - we made very good use of this! Welcoming local pubs - serving food-within a few minutes walking distance. Private garden lovely to relax in and just listen to the birdsong. Overall, we had a lovely relaxing break and were very happy with everything. If there is one thing that could be improved upon then the shower cubicles need a bit of TLC around the bases i.e. the sealant around the trays needs to be replaced. The showers themselves were just fine - it’s just a finer point perhaps to note for the future. We would certainly visit again ☺️

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