Last Minute Cottages in the West Midlands

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Robert - Verified booking

  We stayed at Riverside, Stokesay, in the last week of April 2023.

  The one-bedroom apartment is upstairs in the Old Vicarage; the stairs are narrow and quite steep with a return so would be difficult for anyone with poor mobility. That said, this is one of the nicest rentals we have stayed in. The owners are friendly and greeted us in person. The apartment features large rooms and high ceilings throughout, with large Georgian windows overlooking the owners' large garden. These are single-glazed except in the bedroom (secondary glazing). The property is on the A49 but we were not disturbed by traffic noise at night. The central heating works well and kept the place warm and cosy. There is a large shower room and separate WC. The bedroom features a 6'x8' bed with two large built-in wardrobes, so plenty of storage. The kitchenette, open plan with the lounge, is basic, featuring a mini-oven with hob and a microwave but we rustled up basic meals ok. Some visitors will no doubt prefer to eat out anyway. The views are lovely and the garden is alive with wildlife: birds on the nut feeders, pheasants and wild rabbits. There is a seating area for guests too. The wifi worked well except when the resident squirrels chewed through the phone line! This was fixed courtesy of BT. The property is next door to picturesque Stokesay Castle (EH), and there are walks from the property via the Discovery Centre in Craven Arms. Ludlow is nearby, Bishops Castle and Church Stretton/The Long Mynd/Cardingmill Valley (NT) are a short drive away. The property sits nicely in the south Shropshire hills AONB, and gives access to places in north Herefordshire too, such as Croft Castle (NT), worth a visit. We drive an EV and found a chargepoint in nearby Craven Arms, in the petrol station at Tuffin's supermarket. This has four plugs which seem to be little used so a charge is easy to obtain.

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• Holly - Verified booking

  The Hayloft was perfect for a relaxing getaway.

  Really attentive hosts, we arrived to find milk, bread, and cake left for us which was incredibly thoughtful. We spent every evening in the hot tub, just enjoying the peace. Some of the towels left for us were stained which was disappointing, but overall the cleanliness was good, and the bedroom is so gorgeous. The pub across the road is so friendly, with an unexpectedly large vegetarian menu. I spent all week drinking whinberry gin, so lovely! We took our dogs for beautiful walks right on the doorstep, no need to drive anywhere. Such a lovely area. We fully utilised having the shop across the road, and again were pleasantly surprised at how well stocked it was and the variety of products. We were, however, quite shocked to walk in one day to hear a conversation between a shopkeeper and some locals that was transphobic and quite homophobic. It was made even worse when they tried to include us in this derogatory conversation. Though this has nothing to do with the holiday property, it may be worth noting if you're planning a stay. Again, this is of no fault to the hosts; we loved staying at the Hayloft and were sad for our holiday to end. We had such a great time

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• Wendy - Verified booking

  Cottage is a good size for a couple with a dog.

  Bed comfy, shower ok, good heating system. Good walks for the dog. Good for stargazing. Pub across road. Various places nearby, Brockhampton, Bromyard, Malvern, Worcester. However... We weren't aware this cottage was on a huge holiday park i.e. the type with loads of static caravans. This was a big, big negative for us. The site also now has my email address and (predictably) is already foisting 'benefits' of holiday home ownership, which I am not happy about. We went on holiday with Sykes not Park Leisure. Outdoor light was faulty, some of the crockery waa filthy, there was no welcome pack (not even a few teabags), no cushions on (hard) sofa/armchairs, Roman blinds covered up half the windows even when fully open, no coat hooks, the main contact number was HQ not the one for the site. We went in the bar opposite one evening and were met with rowdy very drunk people, so didn't go back. Generally, no chance of a return visit at this one. A letdown compared to numerous other Sykes cottages we have stayed in.

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• Mark - Verified booking

  My experience of the area may be a little different from others as I was there to recuperate after surgery.

  However, the cottage was very well equipped, clean, quiet and with lovely views. It was easily accessible for me, and the time I spent in the cottage was absolutely what I needed. Information was left that enabled me to do what was required and to use everything the cottage had. The cottage had towels, tea towels, all the kitchen equipment I needed; the bed was comfy and the place was warm enough. It was very cosy, so quiet and such a lovely place. Had I been able to venture out more, I could see so many places accessible that seemed lovely. As it was, I did go as far as the forest on foot, and I saw this had views over to Wales, Snowdonia and Cheshire and Liverpool - it was lovely. In the area of the village and forest, I saw no more than a few people!

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• Elizabeth - Verified booking

  This cosy conversion is ideal for a couple.

  The kitchen/dining area is well equipped, the small sitting room is comforting and the bedroom has ample drawer space and an adequate built-in wardrobe. The bed itself is large and comfortable and the room has a good view. The secluded hot tub and contained patio garden with barbeque is a bonus. There is a welcoming pub right across the road  serving excellent food and its adjoining tiny shop is a department store in miniature. The setting is dramatic and the surrounding area of outstanding natural beauty invites exploration.  But don't just believe this... try it for yourselves.  

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