Guests say
Shute Cottage is praised for its outstanding location, just a short walk from the beach and close to village amenities, making it ideal for exploring Tenby and Pembrokeshire. Guests appreciate the tranquil setting, beautiful scenery, and dog-friendly environment. However, several reviews mention that the cottage would benefit from a deep clean, updated furnishings, and improved maintenance. While the property offers quirky charm and comfortable beds for some, issues with cleanliness, damp, and some facilities detract from the overall experience. The cottage has great potential for a memorable stay with some attention to detail.
Multiple guests noted issues with cleanliness, including dust, cobwebs, mould, and unclean kitchen appliances. While some found the property acceptably clean, the majority felt a deep clean was needed.
The location is consistently highlighted as excellent, with easy access to the beach, village amenities, and nearby attractions. Guests loved the peaceful setting and proximity to scenic walks.
Guests found the beds generally comfortable, but several mentioned the need for a new double mattress and issues with damp and cold in some rooms. The quirky layout and annex arrangements were not ideal for all groups.
Facilities were mixed, with positive mentions of WiFi, heating, and a log burner. However, guests reported problems with the dishwasher, fridge, and showers, as well as a lack of kitchen essentials and maintenance issues.
There were no welcome packs or gifts provided, and guests noted a lack of thoughtful touches such as board games or basic supplies. Communication from the owners was also lacking when issues were reported.
About this property
Picked for its unique location on the Pembrokeshire coast path and only a 3-minute walk to Manorbier beach..
Ground Floor:
Living room: Freeview TV, Woodburner
Kitchen/dining room: Electric Oven, Electric Hob, Microwave, Fridge/Freezer, Dishwasher
Utility Room: Washing Machine
Bedroom 1: 2 x Single (3ft) Beds
Shower Room: Cubicle Shower, Toilet
First Floor:
Bedroom 2: Double (4ft 6in) Bed
Bedroom 3: 2 x Single (3ft) Beds
Bathroom: Bath, Heated Towel Rail, Toilet
Annexe:
Ground Floor:
Bedroom 4: (3 Steps), 2 x Single (3ft) Beds
Ensuite: Cubicle Shower, Toilet.
Oil central heating, electricity, bed linen, towels, Wi-Fi and fuel for wood burner included. Travel cot, highchair and stairgate. Welcome pack. . Front lawned garden with patio with garden furniture. Rear sheltered courtyard with BBQ. Private parking for 4 cars. No smoking. Please note: There are steps in the garden and a shallow stream running through it.Bedroom 1 has stairs to bedroom 3.. Sitting in a sheltered valley nestled between the majestic 12th-century Manorbier Castle on the one side, and the Norman church of St James on the other, lies Shute Cottage. It’s a truly remarkable holiday property, parts of which are almost as old as the buildings that surround it. It sits within its own 5 acres of landscaped grounds that run up the valley behind the cottage where a spring fed lake is a haven for wildlife. In the other direction and just a 3-minute walk from the cottage’s front door, lies one of Pembrokeshire’s most iconic beaches where the waves and rockpools are popular with surfers and families alike. The coastal cliff walks in all directions from the front door are fabulous where many secret beaches await. The coastal village of Manorbier has a great local pub with a beer garden, a very good café and an extremely well stocked village shop, be sure to visit Manorbier Castle, you can even climb a turret and see where you are staying.
Shute Cottage offers lots of character and charm with stone vaulted ceilings, Flemish round chimneys, Welsh slate and oak floors, the property sleeps six in three bedrooms within the cottage, whilst an outdoor sleep-out chalet provides two more beds if required. The master double bedroom has an adjoining bathroom and for the other two twin rooms (one on the ground floor) there is a separate bathroom with shower. The timber chalet in the garden also has its own bathroom with shower. On an evening enjoy relaxing in front the log burning stove in the sitting room with a good movie and glass of wine. The fully fitted open plan kitchen has everything you would expect. There is a washing machine and drying rack in the utility area and to the rear of the kitchen an enclosed courtyard accessed through a stable door if you need to allow little ones to play safely.
Only a ten minutes’ drive away is the coastal town of Tenby, here you can enjoy a ramble through the cobbled streets to see the numerous excellent dining options, shops, cafés and art galleries all waiting to be discovered. For keen golfers, Tenby Golf Club is located a short walk away and also boasts some truly stunning views from the dunes over Carmarthen Bay.
There are steps or steep slopes in the garden.
There is open water in the property grounds.
Suitable for up to 1 pet
Reviews (11)
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Confirmed Guest
First of all, let us say that we had a lovely holiday in an amazing location, with everything you need in Manorbier village within 10 mins walk (general stores, pub, cafe/bistro, restaurant, beach, castle). The Castle Inn is a friendly, quirky pub with great food. Manorbier House cafe is lovely for breakfast or lunch. The Castlemead Hotel restaurant is superb and terrific value too, considering the quality of the food. It also has a delightful garden overlooking the cottage, the church and castle, the perfect place to enjoy a drink before our meal. Also a chippy 5mins drive away. BUT, the whole experience could be so, so much better with a bit of thought and TLC applied to Shute Cottage itself. No welcome pack (not even a pint of milk), no board games (apart from Monopoly) and the Freeview box would not load, although Apps like Netflix and iPlayer were available.Sleeping arrangements could get complicated if there is more than one family in the cottage. The upstairs twin room is only suitable for children as it's so small with low ceilings and you have the go down the stairs and through the ground floor twin room to get to the loo.The beds were freshly made and the bathrooms clean but, if you are particular about general cleanliness, then this is not the place for you. We have an energetic, mud-and-water-loving Labrador and are well used to mess, but we were dismayed to find thick dust on many of the higher surfaces and under sofas and beds and cobwebs in the corners. The hob extractor fan was, quite literally, dripping grease, and the windows looked like they hadn't been cleaned in months. There was a bees nest somewhere in the summer house roof void, with 50-60 dead bees on the floor and on the beds. Most disappointing was that we had no response from the owners when we texted to let them know. As for the nature pond in 5 acres of grounds, the pond was completely choked with weed and the grounds were almost entirely overgrown and inaccessible, with just a small lawn around the cottage that was usable. So, if you can put up with the questionable standards of cleanliness, peculiar sleeping arrangements and smaller than advertised garden, you'll enjoy this cottage. If not, we heartily recommend Manorbier itself, but you would be well advised to seek alternative accommodation.
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Avril Cole
Shute cottage needs a good cleanThe annexe is no more than a timber shed with no lighting around it whatsoever not something you woukd want to stay in Bedroom 3 is only suitable for a family with children The location was great but I was not impressed with the cottage at all so therefor would not recommend it
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Confirmed Guest
Great Location, easy access to beach, local pub (book) cafe and shop. Easy access to Tenby and Pembroke, and a number of attractions within easy drive. Beautiful scenery, and all seem to be very dog friendly.Cottage needs an update, was not particularly clean and we had to have pest control out due to mice, which they were already aware of but we weren't informed. Not a big issue in the country but nice to know so you don't leave food out in the kitchen.Enjoyed the week, but cottage needs a deep clean and a new double mattress.