Christmas Cottages in Wales

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Hefina - Verified booking

  Our stay in the Barn at Waen y Ffynon was disappointing due to access issues getting to the property on the night of check in.

  This was due to very bad driving conditions, snow and ice, which I appreciate is out of the property owners and Sykes' control but some forewarning on the listing of how remote the barn is may have altered our plans had we known. The listing states easy access to Ruthin but the driving conditions essentially meant we were snowed in at the Barn, had to abandon our car temporarily and weren't able to travel anywhere at all for two days which did not suit our travel plans of using the barn as a base to visit friends and family before Christmas. We ended up missing some events that were the purpose of our travel. As we booked at short notice we were only sent the extra information on the day of travel and nothing was mentioned about ice and snow via text or email by the owners in spite of the roads up to the access road essentially being clear and then the difficulties we faced were a surprise. Being from a similarly remote area myself in Wales I would have thought that alerting guests to the access road conditions on the day of travel would be common sense especially knowing guests were travelling across country and not knowing their mode of transport. I would advise attempts not be made to travel in anything less than a four wheel drive to this property in freezing weather conditions due to health and safety. Unfortunately we felt we had to cut our stay down from six nights to two and as soon as the ice thawed enough for us to leave, we took our opportunity. The property is also advertised as extremely dog friendly but we felt there were a lot of rules to follow. The option to have a stair gate would be a useful addition to the property. Having said all of this the Barn itself is lovely, well furnished and clean. I can imagine it being a beautiful setting in different weather conditions. The hosts were also attentive, helped collect us when our car became stuck and offered to go and collect supplies for us from the local town in their 4-wheel drive. We did however feel like we were an inconvenience and were left feeling quite embarrassed needing to rely on them so it was not the relaxed break we had hoped for unfortuantely

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• Julia - Verified booking

  If you are looking for a spot with peace and quiet and wonderful views - book the Barn!

  Yes, the approach is via a well maintained track, but the directions are good and the effort is rewarded by arriving at the most stunning property. Modern (new) kitchen and bathroom plus a huge living/dining area. The bedroom area upstairs on the mezzanine is also spacious and there is plenty of storage. We had everything we needed for our week and our hosts, Carol & Ron were unobtrusively available to help with any queries. Beautifully clean and with all the facilities you could need in a holiday home. The welcome pack was an unexpected bonus and the vase of daffodils on the kitchen windowsill a lovely touch. Our dog Neville, was also made welcome by the resident pooch Louis and had the use of the delightful garden with fields beyond - all fenced and gated. If the weather is unkind, just light the log burner and chill! The views from the Barn are far better than the photo provides, the outside terrace delightful and the rolling hills and green valley beyond are just spectacular. Ruthin is a delightful town with supermarket and restaurants, plus the coast is not far away to the north, the mountains of Snowdonia within easy reach to the west and the hills above Llangollen to the south. Wonderful walking country and a shortcut to Offa's Dyke half a mile up the hill behind. We look forward to a return visit next year.

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• Myles from Hertfordshire - Verified booking

  <strong>We had the perfect romantic getaway at this stunning cottage.</strong> The owner, Iona, was so friendly and helpful throughout our stay. We felt incredibly welcome and comfortable. She even baked us a delicious chocolate cake that was waiting for us on arrival.<br /> The cottage itself was immaculately decorated and beautifully clean. We had everything we could possibly want and really hope to return in the future for another amazing trip.<br /> Thank you so much for everything.<br /> There are a few pubs/hotels in which to eat within a 20minute drive radius of the property. There are also large supermarkets within the same sort of distance. My tip would be to confirm the opening times of the various pubs and shops to ensure you catch them when they are open.<br /> The staff who contacted me from Best of Wales were very polite and helpful. I couldnt have asked for more.

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• Couple from Caerphilly - Verified booking

  <strong>The property was immaculate.</strong> We were so delighted when we walked in - everything we could have needed, and more, was provided. The cottage was beautiful and cosy.<br /> I would definitely recommend ZipWorld - although due to bad weather we were only able to take part on the smaller zip wire, we were offered a full refund. We also really enjoyed walking Mount Snowdon - we walked the Llanberis Path which is the longest but easiest route. It was beautiful and there was a cafe half way up to have a break, and one at the very top. It was hard but worth it. We also visited Portmeirion which is an amazing, fairytale town. It is quite expensive at &pound;12 per person to get into the town so I would recommend going on a dry day to be able to stay for a longer period of time. It was cold and raining when we went so unfortunately we could not stay as long as hoped.

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• Gail - Verified booking

  I booked the cottage mainly due to the owners dog roaming the grounds.

  I have a large playful dog & thought this would be perfect for her. The cottage was dog friendly so seemed exactly what I was looking for. Imagine my surprise when 1 week before we were due to go an email from the owners said my dog wasn’t allowed upstairs (or on the furniture.) This of course is absolutely their perrogative but it should have been stated on the listing before I had booked & paid for it. My dog always sleeps in my room so that was a huge problem for me. It’s an open plan property so difficult to stop her following me when I went up to bed. Having said that Luna was fine & she never goes on the furniture anyway but I was really concerned about it before I went. I’m really glad we did go though & would certainly go back. Ron & Carol were always there if you needed them & the welcome pack was great.

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