Beach Cottages In Snowdonia

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Scott - Verified booking

  We were fully aware of the rural and heritage nature of this property prior to booking and had carefully read the description provided.

  This property was not suitable for dogs was unclean and had many health and safety failings due to this we stayed for one night of a three night stay and would actively encourage others not to book this property we can provide photos to evidence issue mentioned below. Whilst not the responsibility of the property owners it should also be noted that throughout the night it was possible to hear the barking and hollowing of a large group of dogs kept outside and clearly nearby. Accuracy of listing - we were aware of ‘steep steps’ but not that they would be too narrow to enable a medium sized bag to be carried whilst the hand rail was also being used. Also reduced ceiling height on the stairs made it difficult for a 6ft 2 man to descend easily. The property was listed as being suitable for dogs except for lack of enclosed garden, however the gradient of the stones stairs made it impossible for our young medium size dog to descend, I’m unsure as to how anything other than a dog used to agility activities would manage. Although there was ‘no Wi-Fi’ listed in the details it was not made clear there was also no phone signal or landline at the property in conjunction with the health and safety shortcomings listed this concerned us greatly the guidance that a signal may be obtained from a top floor seemed inadequate should an emergency occur. Cleanliness - overall the property was clean however there were jars of rotting food in the kitchen cupboards, the surfaces in the kitchen were unclean, there was a leak under the kitchen sink. The hand rail that was essential for safe use of the stairs was sticky and felt unclean. There were large quantities on dead flies on window sills and many flies in kitchen at the windows and in the lounge at the top of the building a large colony of tiny flies that collected on the ceiling when the wall lights were turned on. Comfort - overall the property had a high level of comfort although window coverings of some nature would have been appreciated for modesty in both the bathroom and bedrooms particularly at night. Facilities and maintenance - ground floor there was a very strong smell of oil from the heating system, even with windows opened, at night when these were shut the fumes were noticeable on the stairs and particularly accumulated on the top floor. Kitchen - the kettle was unusable, it was not possible to pour the hot water safely. There were many chipped and broken items with sharp edges. Chairs at the table felt rickety and in need of repair. Nothing appears to have been PAT tested but is clearly over twelve months old (this was the case throughout the building) The portable heater did not work. The sieve/pans were corroded. The fire safety seemed woefully inadequate, the doors appeared to be thick enough to be fire safety doors but none were self closing we particularly noticed this as we had a dog with us and had to ensure each door was closed because of the nature of the stairs. Bathroom - the toilet only flushed intermittently, bathroom lacked a bin and privacy at night due to absence of window coverings surely this is a necessity in any property regardless of location or age of building. Bedrooms 1 & 2 - there was damp above the single beds causing the paint to bubble and fall on to the bedding again no window coverings for modesty when lights were on. Lounge - apart from the ridiculous quantity of flies and accumulating fumes from downstairs the lounge was well furnished and comfortable with incredible views. Roof - lack of compliance with health and safety measures regarding access to the roof is deeply concerning. The door is closed purely with a bolt which is easily opened. The handle for the roof door is not secure and fell from its mounting potentially leaving the door unable to be opened from the outside how you would be able to alert the other members of your party that you were stranded on the roof given the lack of phone signal is beyond me. There is a large drop from the doorway leading outside to the top step of the stairs, we have met stairs and roof access like this in other properties but with easy access in and out using a Yale type key preventing all of the above issues. The under floor heating did not work. By far the most concerning of all is that we felt unsafe due to the lack of provision of fire safety equipment and guidance. There seemed no realistic option of survival should the worst happen; a fire blanket and a small fire extinguisher were available. However fire doors that did not shut, no emergency lighting, no windows that opened adequately to enable escape, or fire protection sprinkler system such as used in other heritage properties we have rented. The boiler was clearly leaking or lacking a recent service and was enclosed with highly flammable curtains. Being aware of the regulations regarding the rental of property I would question if this would pass a fire safety inspection. We booked through Sykes because we respect the standard that you require for your property I do not believe that this building should be represented by yourselves unless considerable improvements are made and would urge you to inspect it at your earliest convenience.

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• Michael - Verified booking

  Overall we had a very enjoyable stay.

  We knew the property was going to be querky and isolated and this is what first attracted us to it and is the sole reason we booked with you originally. It did not disappoint at all in this respect. That said, if we are being picky we would make the following suggestions so future customers are not disappointed in their selection: 1. We knew there would be no WiFi but the owner should be more open that there is virtually no mobile signal on any floor. We had both Vodafone and O2 and we had zero data connectivity on any floor meaning that important family WhatsApps did not get through to us and without a landline either we were rather cut off; 2. The driveway would have been largely impassable to a low clearance vehicle and was unkind even to our SUV tyres. At the least we think an effort could have been made to clear loose stones and cut back the brambles from the driveway. Even walking out from the property was somewhat hazardous; 3. There was no warning that the neighbouring farm kept a large pack of hounds or refreshed their sheep stock during the week. The tranquility of the spot was frequently disrupted at all hours by loud barking and an unexpected level of sheep noise even overnight after a large number of sheep were brought in midweek; 4. The welcome pack is a little inadequate, being out of date and omitting useful information such as nearest store, pub/restaurant booking info (given that we had no data to look anything up on site). Particularly lacking was any information about walks and trails from the property. We had to buy an OS map and soon discovered public rights of way towards the mountains had been either deliberately blocked or were not maintained, which was an important loss of amenity given the location; 5. Whilst the overall cleanliness was very good, the cleaning team had missed about 100 cobwebs and spiders. We spent an hour with the Henry Hoover making the rooms and ceilings in particular habitable before we could unpack. The beds were comfy but extremely squeaky! Maybe the bed frames need tightening up and/or oiling? 6. Finally, we think a scale photo of the stairs would be sensible for would be guests. We expected the stairs to be steep and numerous but they are also narrow and uneven and the headroom on the upper floors is low, requiring people over 6 foot to almost have to go up on hands and feet.

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• Emma - Verified booking

  I would say that this cottage was adequate and a good place to sleep but that was about it!

  Starting with the positives, it was easy to find, directions were great and it is off a main road so no winding down roads for ages to get to it which is great after a long drive. The bed was also very comfortable! There was plenty of cups, plates etc. and having a fridge and facilities to make your own food was great (especially as there isn't any where within walking distance to eat). WiFi was good (and necessary as didn't have a phone signal at the house) Now onto the negatives... The whole house smelt of damp! It needs a really good airing. The people before us had clearly had the oil heaters on or the log burner but not aired the house properly as we could not shift the smell and it was embedded in the soft furnishings. The bathroom downstairs as well isn't the best. The shower has really low pressure and the angle is almost impossible to wash your hair and I am only 5ft 1 so you can imagine by husband struggled who is 6ft. We also found a bowl of rotting vegetables and salad in one of the kitchen draws which gave me reservations about how well the house was actually cleaned before we got there and promptly proceeded to anti-bac everything (with wipes i had brought myself). I also felt there was a lot of unnecessary "stuff" in the kitchen which with covid made me uneasy. Whilst it looked nice having a dresser with cups etc. and it was great to have plenty of cutlery etc. it really isn't necessary and I think they should strip things back to basics and then make sure they provide anti bac to wipe surfaces down etc. and it would make me feel more confident about the cleanliness of the house. The water also tasted funny which meant we went out to buy bottled water. I also think the TV could have been bigger and possible have DVD player or access to netflix. I also think the host could have been more organised with their welcome booklet offering advise on places to eat/drink/shop etc. I know you could argue that we could google it (which we did) but little things like that are what usually set the sykes cottages apart from staying in a hotel that you really feel well looked after! In summary if I had paid £60-£90 a night for this I would have been alright with the price but we paid £934.00 for 4 nights which frankly was a total rip off!

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• Graham - Verified booking

  My wife and I visited Brynkir Tower for three nights in late November, and had a thoroughly enjoyable adventure.

  The architecture of the tower is spectacular, and the rooms are warm and comfortable. There is central heating on all but the top floor, where the lounge has an efficient log burning stove which quickly heats the room. More than enough logs were provided for our stay. The bedrooms and lounge are pleasingly furnished in a country cottage style. The kitchen is modern and well equipped, and the bathroom has delightful antique fittings. The only slight problem was that a tap in the hand basin was very loose and we had to take care when using this, but I am sure this can be easily fixed. The most spectacular feature of the tower is undoubtedly its staircase. From the property description I had been expecting a spiral stone staircase similar to a medieval castle, but the actual design is much cleverer than this. The stone walls of the tower are enormously thick, and the steep granite stairway is actually built inside the walls. The stairway moves upwards around each corner of the tower in turn as it rises from floor to floor. Journeys up and down the tower are great fun and give you a better workout than a trip to the gym. You can stop at each floor for the increasingly extensive views over the surrounding countryside. The road up to the farm and then to the tower is a bit rough, but no worse than most forestry tracks in North Wales. It is not a problem if you drive carefully. Although now very rural, the area around Brynkir Tower was clearly industrial in the past. There are a number of very interesting historical sites nearby. A few miles up Cwm Pennant is the Cwm Ciprwth copper mine, where a huge water wheel and pumping system for the mine shaft have been restored. Also nearby and not to be missed is the enormous Cwmystradllyn Slate Factory, which from the distance looks like the remains of a medieval cathedral. From here, you can walk along the route of the old horse drawn tramway to the large Gorseddau slate quarry at the head of the valley. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this amazing building and fascinating area.

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• David - Verified booking

  Overall a great week at such an amazing property, with plenty to do in the area.

  We loved the tower it felt like such an adventure although the dog kept getting lost! The log burner in the living room is lovely although I found the sofa and chairs a bit old and tired. The bedrooms were very comfortable although I found the beds a bit squeaky. And if you do have limited mobility you will find the stairs very difficult they really are steep and narrow. I'm just over 6ft and I hit my head a couple of times. The big windows are single glazed and you get a lot of condensation; fan heaters are provided in each room in addition to the central heating. The bathroom is spacious with a lovely big bath, there is also a small shower on the ground floor which isn't shown in the property details although we didn't use it preferring the luxury of the bath. The kitchen was fine although we thought it needed more crockery. Only 4 dinner plates and 4 side plates meant that we had to run the dishwasher when it was only half full which is a bit wasteful. The other niggle was that we had been given a welcome cake and a bottle of milk to get started, but the milk only had 1 day left and was already a bit lumpy. The tower appears to have a full fire alarm system which is good to know, my only concern was that the door to the boiler room had been hooked open which would allow the staircase to fill with smoke if a fire were to start on the ground floor. So keep all the doors shut as the staircase is your fire exit! So just a couple of minor niggles. If you accept that this is an unusual old building and accept the idiosyncrasies you'll have a great week. Mind your head on the way down!

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