Romantic Cottages on the Isle of Wight

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Gemma - Verified booking

  Although we loved the look and location of the cottage, unfortunately, we found the property to be in need of a good deep clean on our arrival.

  There was a lot of dust around that had clearly been there for some time, especially on areas like the lamps, light fittings, radiators, skirting boards, bed frames, around the windows and around the toilets etc. There were also lots of signs of wear and tear around the house, which just made it look unappealing and was disappointing given the potential this cottage has. These included stained sofas and cushions, numerous dirty marks and cobwebs on the walls throughout, broken zips on pillow protectors, warped wood on the side of the bath and the light coloured carpets were in need of a clean. The kitchen needed a thorough cleaning, cupboards had crumbs in them, the fridge had food stains, the trays in the oven were dirty and the cutlery tray was full of dirt and crumbs (not nice when you are about to use said items). The cottage is advertised as having a washer/dryer but unfortunately it didn’t appear to be able to dry the clothes as every load was wet after putting it on a drying cycle. It also left lots of lint on our clothes, as well as all around the rubber seal. Not sure if it just needs some cleaning maintenance? It also had been kept with the door closed and the smell emanating from it and the cupboard under the stairs where it’s located, was quite pungent on arrival (a hot wash with some soda crystals and this thankfully removed the smell). I’d like to point out here that the property is advertised as having a ‘utility’- I would not class using the cupboard under the stairs as a ‘utility’. There is no outside washing line, this would have been very welcome during our stay as we had nowhere to dry our wet washing except for a couple of small clothes horses (a struggle between 2 couples). There was only a dustpan and brush/mop and bucket to clean the floors, no vacuum or even a broom, which would have been helpful during and at the end of our stay. The outside table and chairs are in desperate need of a sanding down and staining and there is no parasol to shade you if you decided to use them when it’s sunny (we didn’t for that reason). The hot tub clearly hadn’t been cleaned before our stay because there was sand in it and the cover for it was starting to deteriorate on the underside. We found the bedrooms to be quite small, perhaps this is the reason for no storage aside from small wardrobes in them? We had to use the twin room for extra storage space (this room had neither wardrobes nor drawers in it) so we effectively ended up living out of our suitcases for the week. There were also only a handful of hangers between the 2 wardrobes, which caught us out a bit so we had to lay some of our clothes on the unused twin beds. The bathrooms only had small towel rails, so we struggled to dry our used towels after showering/bathing. The cottage was very hot inside (25C) even when outside it was only 17\18C, opening the windows and the patio doors didn’t do much to bring the temperature down (especially upstairs) so bear this in mind during hot weather, you’ll need to bring a fan with you if you struggle with the heat. This cottage has the potential to be a 5 star holiday let but all of the above lets it down and considering the cost of renting it for the week in peak season, was a disappointment to all of us staying. On the positive side, the sofa’s were comfy, the range oven was great at cooking things quickly and evenly, the location fantastic (the food at the ‘Crab & Lobster Inn’ down the road was very tasty) and the owners were responsive when there appeared to be a leak in the bedroom coming from the ensuite and when requesting the code to the key safe.

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• David - Verified booking

  We had booked the cottage prior to the couple of recent negative reviews, so were somewhat concerned about things already mentioned regarding cleanliness and general upkeep.

  Some of the points seem to have been actioned as there was a welcome pack provided. The cleanliness of the cottage was good and I believe much of the cleanliness issues previously reported are down to tenants not cleaning up their own mess. There are a few stains, bumps and scuffs, as well as dusty lights but these are to be expected in a house for 6 people. There was however sand in the hot tub as had been previously mentioned. The hot tub cover also needs a lifting frame as its very difficult to put back on without two strong adults. The cottage listing states all power and fuel included in rent. I plugged in my Hybrid car to top off the battery. As it’s a Hybrid charging over a 13A trickle charger, it costs appx £3 to fully charge over around 6 or 7 hours. I received a text from the owner shortly after arrival asking me to make an additional financial contribution toward charging. Rather than argue the issue, I stated I would take the car off charge without delay which I did. I also asked if the hot tub could be cleaned due to the sand. Within a few minutes, Justin, the owner was at the door, clearly extremely agitated and annoyed. He looked in the hot tub and told us if he emptied it we wouldn’t be able to use the hot tub for 2 days until it heated up again. I said I was surprised it was handed over in this condition as it had been mentioned in the previous reviews. He stated he didn’t even read the reviews! He said he was angry we had taken the liberty to charge the car without consent and was demanding I pay him for this. He said he was so annoyed he wanted us to leave and he would refund us as he had “loads of money”. Despite this statement and display of avarice, he again asked for money for the minimal charging the car had already had. I offered to pay him 50p which I felt was fair for the time period and the fact I had already agreed not to charge the car further. I pointed out to him that where a separate charge for vehicle charging is required, that this is normally made clear in the listing. He again asked us to leave, it was “his house” and he could “have us out if he wanted”. I told him we weren’t leaving and I suggested he went away and calmed down. He did leave at that point and later, in an attempt at damage limitation, sent a text apologising for getting off on the wrong foot which was a slight understatement. Surprisingly, despite me telling him clearly we were not leaving, he again stated he was happy to provide a refund if we weren’t happy. He also again offered to empty the hot tub but that the sand not being present couldn’t be guaranteed. I replied saying we were not wanting to leave or have the hot tub emptied. We were only two guests in a house catering for six, which cuts the fuel bill by two thirds straight away. Add to this the three beds not in use and associated laundry, his approach to the situation was somewhat shortsighted. This incident tainted the holiday from the off and was completely avoidable.

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• Jason - Verified booking

  On arrival the house is impressive.

  It’s obviously spacious and well designed. However, the initial impression didn’t last long. Our excitement at arriving was massively tempered when we saw there were dead plants in plant pots in several of the bathrooms and the garden the planters were all dead. Plus the garden area was really dirty - there were cobwebs and plant waste around the garden and the patio had stains across it as well as there being food waste left on the grass. Obviously we are aware there was a drought in place but leaving entire planters with dead and dusty planters added to the unloved and shabby look of the garden area. And then there was no welcome pack at all. Not even a packet of biscuits or pint of milk. The kitchen is impressive looking, however there weren’t enough plates, cups and crockery settings for all of us, given that with a dishwasher you should have a minimum of 2 per person. Because whole drawers were given over to the owners spices and sauces and etc it felt very much as if we were in an Airbnb rather than a dedicated holiday home. All the things above made the place feel much less special and to be honest we were all pretty disappointed. However the biggest issue was the ‘fourth bedroom’. This was not actually a bedroom. It was an office with a pull out double bed which was like sleeping on a rock. The room was not furnished to be a bedroom - there was no bedroom chair, no dressing table or mirror and nowhere to put a suitcase. You couldn’t even pull the blinds down without standing on the rock hard bed. My daughter had to sleep there and even sleeping with three duvets under her we had to go and buy a mattress topper to make it a comfortable room. This is not a proper bedroom and she slept badly all week. My mother in law, who had paid for this trip as an 80th birthday treat to her family, was bitterly disappointed and felt like we’d been let down. To add insult to injury on the last three days the neighbour was having work done and the fence/gate was taken down so that our dog had to be guarded when in the garden and the noise and dust from power tools meant it was impossible to sit in the garden during the day. We loved the location and the size of the house but we did come away feeling very ripped off. When we communicated with your company initially about this booking, we were told that the owner sets the price, but I do feel that your job as agents is to mediate and to check that the house is good value. For around £600 a night for a three bed with ‘add on’ bedroom, I can tell you that this is not good value. For that rate we expected it to be slick and luxurious rather than a basic level. The fundamental principle of a good’s night sleep should be met as a minimum. When you are stretching yourself to afford something this special it is so disappointing to walk into a home that felt like it had been uninhabited and unloved for months. To then be unable to guarantee a proper bedroom for one of the party was really unacceptable.

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• Barbara - Verified booking

  Roebuck Retreat is a nice bungalow with a lovely modern kitchen and a range of comfy chairs in lounge area.

  There is an enormous patio with good views over the countryside. However, it was let down by the fact that the combi boiler hadn't been checked, it had lost working pressure( the gauge was showing zero pressure) and needed repressurising (a 5 minute job). Sykes only give a landline phone number for contact with their emergency team, not much good if you are deaf like we are but we texted my son at home to contact them but apart from saying they would contact the owner and providing a mobile number for the housekeeper ( which we sent a text to but no reply from her) NO ACTION or prompt help was done. In the end as we have a combi boiler ourselves and know how to set the pressure we did it ourselves so we could have hot water. We are home now and its eight days since we texted the housekeeper and still waiting a reply. If we had not known how to reset it we would have been without hot water for the whole weeks holiday. We were initially reluctant to reset boiler as it is not ours and did think of asking my son to call out an emergency plumber as we had not heard back and still haven't from the housekeeper. The lack of WiFi and the very small tv are unusual as most holiday lets we have stayed in in the past provide a full sized TV and WiFi. The arrangement of the way one bedroom and bathroom doors open into hall while the other two open into the rooms takes getting used to. The bathroom has a shower over the bath running off a mixer tap, the taps were difficult to operate to get the shower running at the right temperature, in fact all the bathroom taps could do with replacement washers if not outright replacement. The external door locks could do with a shot of WD40 so they operate smoothly while the front door handles look ready to pull out of their housing. There is an infestation of ants under the patio doors. The duvet on the double bed was winter weight and that on top of the memory foam mattress made for hot uncomfortable nights. The bedroom curtains could do with black out linings as the sunrises early and floods the bedrooms with light The roads leading to the property are unmade and make for a bumpy ride especially over the speed humps. The property is also quite remote and there are no local shops within walking distance, not even a general store on the site. Finally, there is a lack of storage for suitcases, not a problem if only 2 people staying as they can use the second bedroom. The owner has stored large bags on top of cupboard in hall and bedding on the top of the "open" wardrobes in the bedrooms. To sum up, Sykes need to get their act together regarding emergency repairs, the owner needs to leave a mobile contact number for the same reason. It does not help that currently check in times are after 5pm ( a hangover from Covid, in theory properties needed to be cleaned, disinfected and aired ), a check in time of 3pm would give more time to fix any problems found upon arrival.

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• Roy - Verified booking

  The cottage is nicely situated, just a stones throw away from the Crab and Lobster Inn, one of the most popular pubs in the area.

  Cottage is spacious - big enough to not have 6 people getting under each others feet during the stay, though 4 people would find it more comfortable. The en-suite shower is easy to use and rooms are clean, though hooks on doors in the bathrooms would be handy. The fridge freezer is big enough for 6 people and having immediate cold water and ice machine in the freezer is nice. Parking is adequate for 2 cars, being on the end of the road with a wall directly opposite means there may be some precision parking required, as it could be a little tight for larger cars. The lounge area can seat 5 people comfortably. The other chairs in the dining area are not comfortable enough to sit on for any length of time. The patio and hot tub is great to use on a summers day, or evening, but the tub did not appear to be maintained particularly well during the stay. The house did have a rather unpleasant chemical smell upon arrival that took a couple of days to disperse by opening the windows and doors to circulate the air. A convenience store is within walking distance, just a 10 minute stroll away. Visitors will undoubtedly need to use this as the cupboards were bare. Having stayed at a lot of places on the island over the years, I have to say this is the only one that hasn't at least provided a welcome pack with some basics for the stay. Simple things such as a small carton of milk in the fridge, or some washing up liquid and a couple of dishwasher tabs, even salt and pepper and additional refuse sacks I don't think would be too much to expect for what you are paying and is standard for holiday lets. Another review on here mentioned prosecco and chocolates, maybe that was for a special occasion, as we literally had nothing. Attention to detail can make someone feel more welcome, put the accommodation above others, and entice more people to return if they feel they have been looked after, especially if they have travelled a long way. 5pm check in is a little later than most cottages on the island. Fortunately, the island has plenty of things to do. I can see no real justification as to why it needs to be this late though. For the cost and location, you are (just about) getting what you are paying for, but with a little more attention and a couple of minor additions and improvements this really could be an oustanding place to stay. As it stands, it just falls short.

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