Christmas Cottages on the Isle of Wight

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Gemma - Verified booking

  Although we loved the look and location of the cottage, unfortunately, we found the property to be in need of a good deep clean on our arrival.

  There was a lot of dust around that had clearly been there for some time, especially on areas like the lamps, light fittings, radiators, skirting boards, bed frames, around the windows and around the toilets etc. There were also lots of signs of wear and tear around the house, which just made it look unappealing and was disappointing given the potential this cottage has. These included stained sofas and cushions, numerous dirty marks and cobwebs on the walls throughout, broken zips on pillow protectors, warped wood on the side of the bath and the light coloured carpets were in need of a clean. The kitchen needed a thorough cleaning, cupboards had crumbs in them, the fridge had food stains, the trays in the oven were dirty and the cutlery tray was full of dirt and crumbs (not nice when you are about to use said items). The cottage is advertised as having a washer/dryer but unfortunately it didn’t appear to be able to dry the clothes as every load was wet after putting it on a drying cycle. It also left lots of lint on our clothes, as well as all around the rubber seal. Not sure if it just needs some cleaning maintenance? It also had been kept with the door closed and the smell emanating from it and the cupboard under the stairs where it’s located, was quite pungent on arrival (a hot wash with some soda crystals and this thankfully removed the smell). I’d like to point out here that the property is advertised as having a ‘utility’- I would not class using the cupboard under the stairs as a ‘utility’. There is no outside washing line, this would have been very welcome during our stay as we had nowhere to dry our wet washing except for a couple of small clothes horses (a struggle between 2 couples). There was only a dustpan and brush/mop and bucket to clean the floors, no vacuum or even a broom, which would have been helpful during and at the end of our stay. The outside table and chairs are in desperate need of a sanding down and staining and there is no parasol to shade you if you decided to use them when it’s sunny (we didn’t for that reason). The hot tub clearly hadn’t been cleaned before our stay because there was sand in it and the cover for it was starting to deteriorate on the underside. We found the bedrooms to be quite small, perhaps this is the reason for no storage aside from small wardrobes in them? We had to use the twin room for extra storage space (this room had neither wardrobes nor drawers in it) so we effectively ended up living out of our suitcases for the week. There were also only a handful of hangers between the 2 wardrobes, which caught us out a bit so we had to lay some of our clothes on the unused twin beds. The bathrooms only had small towel rails, so we struggled to dry our used towels after showering/bathing. The cottage was very hot inside (25C) even when outside it was only 17\18C, opening the windows and the patio doors didn’t do much to bring the temperature down (especially upstairs) so bear this in mind during hot weather, you’ll need to bring a fan with you if you struggle with the heat. This cottage has the potential to be a 5 star holiday let but all of the above lets it down and considering the cost of renting it for the week in peak season, was a disappointment to all of us staying. On the positive side, the sofa’s were comfy, the range oven was great at cooking things quickly and evenly, the location fantastic (the food at the ‘Crab & Lobster Inn’ down the road was very tasty) and the owners were responsive when there appeared to be a leak in the bedroom coming from the ensuite and when requesting the code to the key safe.

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• David - Verified booking

  We had booked the cottage prior to the couple of recent negative reviews, so were somewhat concerned about things already mentioned regarding cleanliness and general upkeep.

  Some of the points seem to have been actioned as there was a welcome pack provided. The cleanliness of the cottage was good and I believe much of the cleanliness issues previously reported are down to tenants not cleaning up their own mess. There are a few stains, bumps and scuffs, as well as dusty lights but these are to be expected in a house for 6 people. There was however sand in the hot tub as had been previously mentioned. The hot tub cover also needs a lifting frame as its very difficult to put back on without two strong adults. The cottage listing states all power and fuel included in rent. I plugged in my Hybrid car to top off the battery. As it’s a Hybrid charging over a 13A trickle charger, it costs appx £3 to fully charge over around 6 or 7 hours. I received a text from the owner shortly after arrival asking me to make an additional financial contribution toward charging. Rather than argue the issue, I stated I would take the car off charge without delay which I did. I also asked if the hot tub could be cleaned due to the sand. Within a few minutes, Justin, the owner was at the door, clearly extremely agitated and annoyed. He looked in the hot tub and told us if he emptied it we wouldn’t be able to use the hot tub for 2 days until it heated up again. I said I was surprised it was handed over in this condition as it had been mentioned in the previous reviews. He stated he didn’t even read the reviews! He said he was angry we had taken the liberty to charge the car without consent and was demanding I pay him for this. He said he was so annoyed he wanted us to leave and he would refund us as he had “loads of money”. Despite this statement and display of avarice, he again asked for money for the minimal charging the car had already had. I offered to pay him 50p which I felt was fair for the time period and the fact I had already agreed not to charge the car further. I pointed out to him that where a separate charge for vehicle charging is required, that this is normally made clear in the listing. He again asked us to leave, it was “his house” and he could “have us out if he wanted”. I told him we weren’t leaving and I suggested he went away and calmed down. He did leave at that point and later, in an attempt at damage limitation, sent a text apologising for getting off on the wrong foot which was a slight understatement. Surprisingly, despite me telling him clearly we were not leaving, he again stated he was happy to provide a refund if we weren’t happy. He also again offered to empty the hot tub but that the sand not being present couldn’t be guaranteed. I replied saying we were not wanting to leave or have the hot tub emptied. We were only two guests in a house catering for six, which cuts the fuel bill by two thirds straight away. Add to this the three beds not in use and associated laundry, his approach to the situation was somewhat shortsighted. This incident tainted the holiday from the off and was completely avoidable.

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• Roy - Verified booking

  The cottage is nicely situated, just a stones throw away from the Crab and Lobster Inn, one of the most popular pubs in the area.

  Cottage is spacious - big enough to not have 6 people getting under each others feet during the stay, though 4 people would find it more comfortable. The en-suite shower is easy to use and rooms are clean, though hooks on doors in the bathrooms would be handy. The fridge freezer is big enough for 6 people and having immediate cold water and ice machine in the freezer is nice. Parking is adequate for 2 cars, being on the end of the road with a wall directly opposite means there may be some precision parking required, as it could be a little tight for larger cars. The lounge area can seat 5 people comfortably. The other chairs in the dining area are not comfortable enough to sit on for any length of time. The patio and hot tub is great to use on a summers day, or evening, but the tub did not appear to be maintained particularly well during the stay. The house did have a rather unpleasant chemical smell upon arrival that took a couple of days to disperse by opening the windows and doors to circulate the air. A convenience store is within walking distance, just a 10 minute stroll away. Visitors will undoubtedly need to use this as the cupboards were bare. Having stayed at a lot of places on the island over the years, I have to say this is the only one that hasn't at least provided a welcome pack with some basics for the stay. Simple things such as a small carton of milk in the fridge, or some washing up liquid and a couple of dishwasher tabs, even salt and pepper and additional refuse sacks I don't think would be too much to expect for what you are paying and is standard for holiday lets. Another review on here mentioned prosecco and chocolates, maybe that was for a special occasion, as we literally had nothing. Attention to detail can make someone feel more welcome, put the accommodation above others, and entice more people to return if they feel they have been looked after, especially if they have travelled a long way. 5pm check in is a little later than most cottages on the island. Fortunately, the island has plenty of things to do. I can see no real justification as to why it needs to be this late though. For the cost and location, you are (just about) getting what you are paying for, but with a little more attention and a couple of minor additions and improvements this really could be an oustanding place to stay. As it stands, it just falls short.

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• Nicholas - Verified booking

  Alarm bells should have been ringing due to the lack of reviews about this property.

  It just wasn't very clean. The lamp shades were dusty. There were food stains on the crockery. There was a privacy issue as we could look directly into the upstairs windows of the houses opposite and they into ours. Downstairs, passers-by could look in as they walked along the pavement, hence the profusion of net curtains, which made the property decidedly claustrophobic. The ceilings are so high that all cosiness was lost upstairs. The colour scheme of blues and wood grain makes the house seem cold. From the kitchen area you have to cross the entrance hall to reach the dining room, which was a rather narrow, dark room. The games hamper was a bit of a mess with pieces of games spilling out of the boxes. It needed a good sort out. The pub nearby was noisy and we heard late night drunken swearing and arguments. I knew when booking that the property had no outside space, but the close proximity to the neighbours windows and their outside space was uncomfortable; the house was an island. Every morning we didn't enjoy the revving of the neighbour's motorbike. We could never park in the street near the property. We had to park in a public car park in the next street. The owner did give us a free pass for this but nevertheless it was an inconvenient walk. The area of Sandown was really run down. The abandoned and derelict hotels on the nearby seafront were so depressing and the pier was horrible. I have to say it was the worst town and cottage I've ever stayed at. It just doesn't work as a holiday cottage, in my opinion.

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• Judith - Verified booking

  Very disappointed.

  The owners not friendly told me key in the door on arrival by phone and that is where I left it as they did not make any attempt to say hello or goodbye. Their 10+ dogs are a nuisance and kept coming around our cars as we were driving away and left dog faeces all over the lawn in front of holiday cottage/owners cottage. No sea views as advertised. Adverts should state that cottage only suitable for certain height as the beams inside only for 5 feet 2 inches people - my daughter is 5'11'' and kept banging her head badly. The kitchen washing machine is in a disgusting state with rust on the outside and the dispenser tray filthy and obviously never cleaned as it was black with old washing powder or washing liquid. Tap in downstairs bathroom is moving and leaking. Only 2 wastebins in cottage - one large downstairs in kitchen and 1 tiny one in en-suite bathroom. Not possible to empty bins as large disposal area blocked off from using. Only 2 wardrobes for 4 bedrooms. No interior doors close properly and have large gaps at the top and bottom when pushed too. Every morning the stable hands played loud music which could be heard inside the cottage as the stables and owners cottage back directly onto holiday cottage. The hire of this cottage is not cheap and I think the agents are overselling and not taking account of the obvious limitations. It is obvious the owners are only interested in taking the money for the cottage and more interested in their horses and stables.

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