Dog Friendly Villas In South East

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Paul - Verified booking

  Firstly, I have to say that the location of the property is second to none - absolutely stunning.

  We would be eager to return for that alone, notwithstanding some issues with the holiday property. Fisherman's Cottage does have a few issues, most of which could be addressed simply and without major expense. One issue is more of a problem that does require thought and investment if the owners aim is to get top rating. Positives: Location. Being situated next to the Ventnor Botanic Garden is a major plus for us. It is truly magnificent with its unique microclimate. Steephill Cove is magical and the Beach Hut and Crab Hut are awesome, and just five minutes walk away. The view are fabulous, and the Coastal Path runs right past the property. For my wife and me, it is hard to imagine a better location! Owners: Very friendly and helpful. They have created what has clearly been a wonderful haven for families and couples. Value: Overall, we felt that the cottage offered great value for money, particularly being located in an area which would normally command a premium. Negatives: Cleanliness - Really, this could have been better. We are not over-zealous people, putting on white gloves to inspect for a little dust on the architraves, but the place was really grubby. We had to give the kitchen a deep clean before we felt comfortable having a cup of tea. Decor and fittings: Generally shabby and a tad past their sell by. The vertical blinds in the conservatory-cum-lounge were broken and ineffective. Shower/lavatory: Extremely small and cramped. Larger people might really find it a problem. Also, the seal on the shower cubicle has failed so water spills out onto the floor. The owners are aware of this problem and are seeking to fix it as soon as possible. Conservatory/lounge: This is the major problem. It is a wooden lean-to structure, a few years old, with ineffective double glazing, in a somewhat tatty condition, and only really usable when the outside temperature is neither hot or cold. It is the only place where you can sit and relax (apart from the pleasant courtyard outside) and becomes stiflingly hot even on moderately warm autumn days. We are sure that on colder days, the lack of insulation would render it unusable, leaving only the couple of bistro-style chairs in the tiny kitchen to sit on for rest and recouperation. Maybe this would be a great place for spring and autumn days, but would be intolerable in the height of summer of winter .... unless the owners invest in a proper lounge extension to replace the conservatory.

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• Denise - Verified booking

  We stayed in 2022 but just found out we could review.

  This is a lovely cottage but it is described as having an enclosed garden. What it doesn't say is that it is shared access so neighbours walk through the garden to access their property, making it an unsecured space for children or dogs to be in even for a second without close supervision. You would have to go out in the garden first before letting out a child or dog in case the gate is left open. Whilst our dog would never be unsupervised I would normally go out with her at the same time, not have to check the garden is secure before going out. Also to keep watch in case the neighbours came through the gate. The garden was a very small dungeon like space and not really pleasant and our dog had no space to be safely off lead at all for the week. There are issues with parking as the shared access neighbour parks across both spaces. Also there is an old peoples' home across the road so visitors park all up the road. We found it difficult to park in the road on a few occasions. However, it's a beautiful character cottage and the Smart TV was a bonus. The location is fabulous providing access to all the places we wanted to see. Nice touches were providing paw towels and dog bowls for canine guests.

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• Richard - Verified booking

  The owners were there on arrival but that was the last we saw of them.

  The property is tiny. This is not adequately covered in the description. The top-level description (Sykes Cottages) says that there is bathroom. This is in fact a tiny area (approx 8'x 3') housing the shower, a very small wash basin and the toilet. There were no tools for the BBQ that we could find (and no charcoal). The description talks of a "fantastic sitting area in a conservatory". This is in fact a tiny space into which is crammed a 2-seat settee, a TV on a display unit, and a small side table. The roof probably leaks as the tape that attaches the plastic roof to the support beams is coming away. The description says there is a "kitchen and dining area" - true but again very tiny with a circular table only about 3' across and two basic chairs, and nowhere to prepare food. The owners did not explain how to use wifi or the TV, and this information was missing from the information book. We worked out how to use the wifi on the second day of our stay, but we were unable to work out how to play a DVD. Most of the furnishings are looking dated. The location is however idyllic if you like walking and sea views.

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• Tina - Verified booking

  I feel the property could do with a complete overhaul it needs a lot of maintenance (lots of small things that need to be improved the kitchen and bathroom taps leak!

  The shower looks like instead of repairing the shower tray properly they have just used a whole tube of silicone to stop the leaks and I feel it could hold a lot of germs and bacteria! The conservatory was like an oven! It was lucky we had bought 2 extra fans with us but even then it was impossible to sit in there! A fan was in the bedroom but was nowhere enough! The actual property was dirty and needed a good clean before we actually could feel that it was safe to have a cup of tea after arriving ! The washing up bowl was filthy with old tea stains and lots of long hair all at the bottom so we went and purchased a new bowl! Feel that I was constantly wiping everything down with antibacterial spray and wipes! Saying that we enjoyed the area, plenty to do, that doesn’t cost the earth! I never normally leave a review like this as have always had a good experience with Sykes but feel I have to be honest for future guests!

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• Charles - Verified booking

  Thank you to Robert, Clare and Penny on arrival.

  My stay was comfortable and convenient for all the local amenities. A beautiful location, stunning views of the undercliff, and across the coastline. Great value for money. Couple of observations hence the 'good' feedback: 1. The shower cubicle leaked a little 2. The mirror I banged my head on and it fell off (in the bedroom) 3. The bed rocks a little. It may need attention. But more importantly, the owners are quick to react to any issues with a no nonsense approach. The property is great value, cosy, uniquely located gem. A short 25 minute walk into town past the Botanic garden on the coastal path, grab a drink and food at the Spyglass Inn, walk along the beach, then its full relaxation back at the Fisherman's cottage and beautiful surroundings. I would definitely return using their other Lobsterpot or Beachcomers accommodation. Next time with the whole family. I am sure my parents and my son would love it here.

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