Dog Friendly Cottages in Cornwall

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Shelly - Verified booking

  The property advertised there was a baby gate, this was not usable as it didn’t close so we asked the property manager if they could tighten the gate bolts to make it close or provide an adjustable spanner so we could do it.

  When discussed with the owners we were advised this couldn’t be closed as the banister post was not strong enough to hold the gate and this has never been a problem in 5 years, however it was a problem now and needed resolving but we were met with some resistance on this - not the most helpful of property owners on this matter, lady was very apologetic and tried to think of a resolution and seemed to appreciate our feedback however husband was a little confrontational and resistant to resolve, even said he didn’t see what the problem was if I was in the property with my child. I was advised as a solution that there were some reusable cable ties in the drawer and these had been used before - so it obviously had been a problem before. However on investigation, these were sandwich bag ties which were no longer than an inch long and the gap was probably 5 inches round, plus these would never have been strong enough to hold even if long enough. My worry would be if the bannister post isn’t strong enough to hold a stair gate - 1 why is it there and 2, is the bannister strong enough to serve purpose if this is the case, a huge safety red flag in my opinion. Safety measures should not be advertised, let alone provided if they are unusable as a safety measure. I was asked to find something at the cottage to tie it closed with or buy something and would be reimbursed. We had to use oven gloves to tie it closed for the duration of our stay - I wouldn’t have booked this cottage should I have known there was no way of keeping my child safely away from the stairs. On first glance the cottage seemed nice and clean, smelling strongly of bleach on arrival. However we later found the floor in the lounge to be sandy, the sofa covered in dog hair and once the smell of bleach faded it smelt quite strongly of damp. Whilst I appreciate it is a dog friendly cottage I would still expect it to be clean. The walls in the master bedroom were covered in faint mould marks which have obviously been wiped and the mattress in the master bedroom is in need of replacement as it dips heavily making it very uncomfortable. Internet was terrible with little signal and the instruction manual could do with instructions of how to use the TV as it took some figuring out. The property also needs more normal drinking glasses as there are only two in the property yet it sleeps 5, there are lots of wine glasses and champagne flutes which are not suitable. Would also recommend plastic plates / bowls and cups for smaller children. However there were adequate cleaning facilities provided when needed, tea, milk, biscuits, washing up Iiquid and dishwasher tablets let which was helpful. Location is great, and car park right next door is really good value at £6 for 24 hrs.

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• Susan - Verified booking

  I have stayed at this property twice before - last time was last Summer, so it follows that I am generally positive about it.

  It remains a very well situated property with good facilities including a lovely and well equipped kitchen and small outdoor patio which is pleasant to sit in. The linens - towels, bedding etc provided are generous and good quality. The layout of the property and way it has been furnished mean it would be best suited to a family - ie a couple with children - as the main bedroom is lovely but the two other bedrooms are very small and not well suited to adult occupants - for eg neither of the smaller bedrooms have any bedside table or reading light and you have to get out of bed to switch off the overhead light. Nor is there any wardrobe or place to hang clothes on the smaller rooms other than sharing the wardrobe in the main bedroom. It was disappointing to see that issues raised last time we stayed remain unresolved a year later. In particular, the property details indicate that a spare set of keys is located in the property. As per last year, they are missing and a single set of keys to front and back door only provided - during our stay last time the contact was unable to resolve this issue during our stay and we were told the previous occupant must have lost/taken the keys. We did not bother to try and raise the same issue again this year. Even for a single family stay, it is inconvenient for members not to be able to leave the property separately without locking the others in or not having a set of keys. The child stair gate is not a removable one and is affixed to the bottom stair in a way which impedes access to the bottom tread and is a real tripping hazard for, in particular, the elderly or children. I have never stayed in a property where the stair gate has not been fitted to be integral with the stair tread in this way. I did feel that this year the property was not as well maintained as previously. In particular, there were several dirty dishes in the cupboard, the oven was pretty grimy and the property decor was looking a bit shabby in places. Leaving time is 9am and check in a late 5pm, which is said to be due to the necessity of Covid deep cleansing procedures and, while the property was adequately clean (apart from oven etc) there certainly hadn't been anything like deep cleaning going on! That said, we enjoyed our stay in Wadebridge and the price was reasonable for location, facilities and season. It would just be a shame if further deterioration was allowed to such a nice rental.

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• Brian - Verified booking

  Have used Sykes for many years and have booked numerous properties over the years and this has been the worst we have come across unfortunately.

  Although in a central area with easy access to shops etc the area is not pleasant - there were 3 police cars attending the next door property one of the mornings we were there! Access to the property is poor - using the drive for parking the car is very tight and the hedge needs cutting back. The front door sticks and is difficult to open. The same with the back door which needs a good clean from the outside! Some of the problems we had during our stay: 1. Main light in lounge not working - probably light bulb needs changing - we bumped into owner and informed him of this (and other things) and he said he can't do anything if no-one tells him (nothing was done to rectify problems while we were there for rest of week after informing owner) so we left a written note when we left. The fire in the lounge not working. Lounge uncomfortable and unwelcoming - plain white walls ceiling doors etc - no mirrors pictures etc no colour. Very strong smell of bleach through the whole house for the first few days. 2. One of kitchen chairs broken - bin lid in kitchen didn't close properly so needed weight on it to keep it closed - rear light in kitchen didn't work and light switch 'sizzled' when switched on 3 Pull cord in downstairs toilet is dirty 4. Bathroom window above sink wouldn't open 5. Constant unknown odour in back bedroom which remained even if window opened or spray used 6. No information details provided - which rubbish goes into which bin - there are 4 bins! When is collection day - details of local dr etc - recommended places to eat would be helpful. 7. No welcome pack - after a long drive would be nice to be provided milk and maybe a biscuit or similar 8. Why charge for 7 days when 1 day is virtually written off - can't arrive before 5pm and have to leave by 10am - without notice someone came on Sunday morning to cut grass at front and rear - why couldn't this be done between 10 am and 5 pm on the Saturday so as not to disturb Although Property was very clean it is very tired and needs a good revamp

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• Alexandra - Verified booking

  Our general holiday was a wonderful week away, and Bude was a perfect place for our first family holiday with our 6 month old and nervous dog.

  Only downside is the pubs/bars in bude are very anti children and only one pub would allow us to take our baby in for a drink, it was 5pm! The house on first look was lovely and a very good size for us. Unfortunately the lack of communication with the owner was a problem. We messaged a few days prior to our holiday, asking if a travel cot was available at the property, as we were travelling from Norfolk and wanted to pack as little as possible to fit a baby and greyhound in the car! On response, the owner stated that the travel cot had disappeared. The first bedroom I go to (single room) I find a travel cot between the bed and window, so we did not need to play tetris in the car after all. The house was clean and tidy and had all the basics to have a week there. The lack of personal touches was a shame, a welcome pack would have been a nice touch, with information about the area, the house and numbers for any emergencies, maybe a pint of milk in the fridge, especially when they know you've come 8 hours! One afternoon, baby was having a nap on me, and my partner was on the other sofa, having a little shut eye, when I open mine, i see a gentleman standing in the front garden looking into the property. I'm shocked and unsure what to do. My partner wakes up and I give him baby, as I go through to the kitchen, the gentleman was then coming past the kitchen window in the garden and back down the side path. I believe this was the owner, but a little warning about stopping by the property would have been nice. Did make me feel quite uncomfortable for the rest of the day. We had an amazing holiday, even with it raining most days. However, I would put this experience down to the town of Bude and being with my family, not the property. It has so much potential, if the correct love and attention was made to the property. The positive part of the property was the location, super close to everything and we were able to the dog out of the back gate and straight onto the golf course for walks.

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• Janet - Verified booking

  After reading some previous reviews, this holiday cottage completely exceeded my expectations.

  Clearly the owners have worked hard to provide an extremely comfortable holiday property. Important things: a great modern bathroom with an excellent power shower, ultra comfortable bed with really good quality bedding, large fluffy towels, good internet connection, and a secure garden for our dogs. All the furniture in the property is clearly of a very good quality and I appreciated the throws having been provided for the dogs in order to protect the sofas. The kitchen was well equipped with a large fridge freezer, dishwasher and washing machine. The house is ideally situated in the centre of Bude (but also very quiet). It backs onto the car park of the Coop, with a rear gate in the garden - perfect if you just want to pop out quickly for that pint of milk or bottle of wine. All the shops and restaurants are literally within a minute of two walking distance. The rear of the property also leads directly onto a public footpath across the golf course, so perfect for dog walking. The house was spotlessly clean throughout - not a trace of web or dust. Just two things I would mention, yes, the parking is tight and anyone with a 4x4 is going to struggle - I have a Nissan Qashqai and I had to have my wits about me! Also the provision of a full length mirror would be an excellent extra touch. I would absolutely not hesitate to book this property again.

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