Dorset Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Carolyn - Verified booking

  On the whole we had a lovely stay at the cottage and the positives certainly outweighed the negatives.

  On the positive side the cottage was plenty big enough and was in a marvelous elevated position with lovely views of the sea and cliffs, the garden was so peaceful to sit out in and we enjoyed many hours in the late afternoon in particular in the garden. Both our dogs enjoyed the garden as well, it was so nice that on one of the days we decided to relax at the cottage for most of the day. The shower was powerful and it was very nice to use and very refreshing. Negatives were more annoying than deal breakers but some could be addressed I think. One difficult one though would be the entrance from the very narrow lane into the property, we decided to bring our Astra rather than our Electric SUV as we didn't want the hassle of charging, and am so pleased we did as I think getting a car larger than an Astra/Focus into the property would be very difficult. Getting out at the bottom of the lane was also quite difficult at times as there are cars parked on the main road at the bottom both left and right and this made for a pretty hairy exit on occasions. There were 2 sections to the garden, one section was very overgrown and it was difficult to see how secure it was for the dogs, it would be really helpful if this area was gated off. One other point on the garden, one of the garden chairs collapsed as the bolts had come undone, this could have been dangerous for an older person, I did leave a note as I couldn't find any tools to repair it other than finger tight, I think the garden furniture could really do with replacing if I'm I honest. Whilst the view from the lounge was lovely and to sit and be able to see the sea was very nice, we come from Leicester so it was a treat for us, however the furniture in lounge really wasn't comfortable and this I think would put you off spending too much time there as it wasn't relaxing. I would say the bedroom was small and the 2 single beds narrow and its a shame the room doesn't take a double bed but I guess its clear when booking its single beds but again not the most relaxing sleep. We had a lovely stay at the cottage overall and whilst we wouldn't go back to Lyme Regis or the cottage we had a nice holiday.

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• Linda - Verified booking

  Like other reviewers, we were disappointed by The Courthouse.

  We have stayed in many self-catering cottages over the years, always opting for the more expensive ones, and usually getting what we paid for. The Courthouse is generally shabby and tired in appearance. we had to hoover the carpet when we arrived, after our grandson rolled on it and came up covered in dog hair. A large table lamp had broken off at the base and been propped up so that the slightest knock would dislodge it, leaving sharp edges that would have been dangerous to a child. Similarly, there were paracetamol tablets in a child-height drawer in the kitchen. The kitchen extractor fan was filthy, and the glassware and crockery were smeary, probably because of the dirty hinges and seals in the dishwasher - we washed ours by hand during our visit. The garden furniture included a table that was too rickety to use comfortably for eating, and one of the reclining chairs was broken (missing hinge). Luckily we noticed that before our heavily pregnant daughter-in-law sat in it. There is a sunken bin at the bottom of the garden for dog waste, but it is half full of dried faeces because no one has put any of the required fluid in to dissolve it, so we didn't add to it. It just seems that no one seems to check anything, or do any of the minor jobs that are needed to keep a rental in good condition (like oiling the bedroom door hinges). Although we eventually managed to turn the front door key (you have to lift the door fairly forcibly to get it to engage), someone even older and frailer than us would have struggled. This is a nice cottage in a lovely location, but it needs a lot of attention to justify the price.

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• Bob - Verified booking

  This property is far below the normal standard of Sykes.

  It got colder so we turned the heating up but it started to bang. Looking in the house guide, we found a section on heating which showed that the heating was last serviced in May 2022. The boiler sticker confirmed the same. As the service engineer is also responsible for checking alarms, we assume these had not been checked neither. For safety we checked PAT testing and found that these were dated April 2022 and re-test should have been done 2023. We were concerned also that there was no fire blanket/extinguisher. We did find them eventually hidden behind the kitchen door. If there had been a fire in the kitchen, who would think to close the door to find them? Apart from these major safety issues, the bathroom smells with black mould around the toilet outlet and bath seal. The undersink cupboard cannot be used due to damp and grime. If an extractor fan were to be fitted, this would relieve the situation and also stop the water running down the windows making the window ledge un-useable. A mirror that could be accessed would be helpful as the one behind the toilet is not lit or easy to use and too far away from the shaver point. Although the cleaning was efficient, perhaps a bit more thought as to the basics for a vacation. No oven gloves, no scourer, no towel for the kitchen, only one tea-towel. A kitchen roll would be nice, as would some cleaning cloth for the bathroom. I honestly thought that paying over £700 for a holiday let would offer some level of comfort, safety and cleanliness. I look forward to your comments

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• Daveena - Verified booking

  We have stayed at Penny Plot Cottage before and enjoyed our stay.

  I would point out a couple of observations regarding our stay from 1 - 10 June 2024. The cottage is dog friendly which is brilliant. However, when we stayed there previously, our dog was a few years younger. She is now 14 and has arthritis. My advice to anyone taking an older dog, please take runners with you as our girl struggled to get up on the hardwood lounge floor and walk on it. I have a mobility impairment so the fact that the cottage is a bungalow is ideal. However, I am lucky enough to be quite slim and the bathroom is relatively small. Anyone who is of larger proportions may find using the bathroom a bit difficult as there is a relatively small space between the toilet and bath. The property was clean and well maintained. It could perhaps benefit from updating. It took us a while to work out how to use the cooker as it is quite old. The kitchen is well equipped. However, it wasn't obvious where some equipment was kept and it would be helpful if it were. For example, I spilt sugar on the kitchen floor and looked everywhere for a dustpan a brush and couldn't find them. A couple of days later, I moved a door that had been left open and found a large brush plus dustpan and brush. All in all, it's a lovely place to stay. Very quiet, private and picturesque and the garden is not overlooked by neighbours. The garden is secure and our dog loved it. I recommend this cottage and would happily stay there again in the future.

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• Gillian - Verified booking

  Broken downstairs toilet seat.

  Dead animal smell in the ensuite, and mould over ceiling and walls, reduced to using just 1 toilet out of the 3. Dirty glasses, cups, and cookware put away in the cupboards. Dog excrement in the garden and a full poo bag in a Bush. Garden furniture(Chairs) 4 of 6 broken and repaired badly, 2 beyond repair and broken. Loose bricks on the step edges from patio area to garden. Outdoor light (mains) not working and has been this way in all our visits, 4 since Christmas. Log surrounds of the raised garden literally rotting away and falling off, I refixed 3 in April (our previous visit this year).All of these faults apart from the mouldy and smelly ensuite were communicated within an hour of arrival. The condition of the Courthouse this time was appalling especially as this was high season pricing, I find it hard to report these faults as we have had 3 fantastic stays in this property. The reporting and actions to these issues was poor and we were constantly told that the request for help would be closed unless we had more to say. Closed without any actions no apologies and no local contact unless we remained in the property for someone to rectify the problems, which could not have been done whilst it was being let. We were informed that the owner was told of the situation but no direct contact or apology. Not a good way to treat customers that have paid just about £5000 pound in a year.. Disgusted to a point of not wanting to return.

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