“From the photos it looked like a typical mass market holiday challet and we expected that it would be fine, clean and functional and perfectly adequate for a short break as a base to tour.”
When we arrived the site strongly marketed it as a luxury holiday home for a disabled person. That changed our expectations and left us feeling utterly annoyed as it was basic, not that well maintained, pretty impracactical and not in any way luxury and not suitable for a person with a disability except that it was on one level. However, when I re read Sykes' property description on my return home, it was accurate and had only given 3 stars which was fair.
It was very attractively set in a private dip in the wooded valley. We enjoyed sitting out in the evening, alhtough it was next to an unmaintained area of weeds and deteriorating decking and damaged steps up to the lodge. The beds were comfortable and the bedding clean and fresh, the fabrics were nice in the unit and it was nice to be able to order food if we wanted it. Other than that it was not great. The kitchen provision was very basic and minimal, with a low powered microwave, cracked ceramic hob, feeble extractor and all quite cramped, especially the dining room table. The toilet was not pleasant being directly off the living room and facing the door and the floor got dirtly easily and was not cleanable. There were insufficinet surfaces to put toiletries on or have contact lens or toothbrushing facilities on hand, few places for 3 people to hang wet towels and the fittings were a bit rusty. There was one bin and no provision for recycling in the cabin. We only found out that there was recycling as we were leaving by which point it was too late. The guest information was not that usefull it was more of a marketing pack for luxury accommodation. It would have been helpful to have a sweeping brush to get rid of the sand inevitably picked up from being on the beach. My daughter got a splinter from playing in the playground as child friendly bark had not been used and the windows of a cabin running along the path opened out onto the path a head height of my daughter and a risk for passers by to walk into. My husband mislaid his keys and asked reception to lock the cabin for us whilst we were away that day. They said they would but forgot and it was unlocked when we returned at the end of the day. We also did not have hot water one of the days. It was definatley not quality - basic equipment, small TV's, cheap fittings, neglected bathroom, no wi-fi except a the bar etc and not for a disabled person who having wheeled themselves in would have to navigate oddly shaped carpet edges then would not be able to reach the pegs to hang their coat, no seating to use the shower and good luck with the WC! - not the welcome I would want if I were a wheelchair user. These comments are only applicable to the owner though as Sykes do not say that it is luxury and do not say it is for a disabled person.
