Guests say
Dolphins is a well-equipped property in a stunning location with beautiful views, ideal for water activities and coastal walks. It offers spacious accommodation and has seen some recent bathroom upgrades. However, some guests have reported issues with cleanliness and maintenance.
Guests that stayed at this property said
Several reviews mention subpar cleanliness, including dirty oven trays, cobwebs, and stained bedding. Despite some guests finding the property clean, the recurring theme suggests a need for improvement in this area.
The property's location is highly praised for its fabulous views and proximity to the beach, making it ideal for water sports and relaxation. Access issues are noted but do not detract significantly from the overall appeal.
Guests appreciate the spaciousness and the recent bathroom upgrades. However, comfort is compromised by reports of uncomfortable beds and dated bedroom furniture, suggesting that some aspects require attention.
The property is well-equipped for large groups, but there are several reports of maintenance issues such as broken fridges and unusable games rooms. While some facilities are appreciated, the need for repairs and upgrades is evident.
There is no mention of gifts or special touches that would indicate thoughtfulness from the property owners or managers. Therefore, this category cannot be scored.
About this property
Dolphins is in a glorious position on the south side of the Combe Valley, within walking distance of Sharpitor and just 200 yards or so from the sandy beach at South Sands which offers a full range of watersports facilities during the summer. The South Sands Hotel also has an impressive bar area and offers top class dining year round. A water ferry service links South Sands to Salcombe town every 30 minutes throughout the Season.
The open plan living accommodation features a modern kitchen with a breakfast bar and stools, and a dining area with an extending oak table with eight chairs, with wonderful estuary views and a large sliding door to the terrace. Meanwhile the adjacent utility room houses the fridge/freezer. There is a washing machine and tumble dryer for extra convenience.
Offering breathtaking views of the estuary and out to sea, there is a comfortable living area with two sofas and a window seat, perfect for watching the world go by. Three of the four bedrooms are set up as twins, each with two 3' singles beds and two of these bedrooms have large en suite shower rooms, whilst the fourth bedroom has a double bed. In addition, there are two family bathrooms,
There is a large terrace with outdoor furniture to seat eight and over an acre of gardens, plus off-road parking for up to four cars.
Salcombe is a popular destination for walkers and families looking for a holiday by the sea and was once a major port. There are two pretty beaches within a short distance, North Sands and South Sands and further on is the National Trust property Overbeck’s where you can wander through the subtropical gardens. Why not have a more adventurous day and try out the watersports available on the estuary including surfing, kayaking or a more leisurely boat trip? Whilst staying in Salcombe you must take advantage of the locally sourced seafood which is served in many of the restaurants, pubs, cafés and delicatessens. The southern tip of Devon provides some spectacular scenery and picturesque vistas with a number of sandy beaches, lovely villages with thatched cottages and some fantastic opportunities for walking, including the South West Coast path.
Accommodation
Four bedrooms: 3 x twin (two have their own en suite shower rooms).
1 x Double.
Family bathroom with shower over bath, w.c and basin.
Shower room with shower, w.c and basin.
Open plan kitchen/dining room.
Utility room.
Lounge.
Oil central heating and hot water.
Fridge/freezer, washing machine, oven, hob, dishwasher, tumble dryer, microwave, toaster, kettle and a Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee machine (pods not provided).
TV with Freeview, iPod docking station, radio/stereo
WiFi available.
Off road parking on private drive for up to four cars.
Large terrace to the side of the property with table and chairs.
To the rear is over an acre of private grounds.
All bed linen, towels, bath mats and tea towels are provided.
Please bring your own beach towels.
Strictly No Smoking
Reviews (17)
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Simon
) but Dolphins is a lovely, charming and very homely place to have a holiday. It has everything you need and more with a quiet terrace to enjoy a coffee or drink in peace. We have been coming to Salcombe for many years and thought we would try Dolphins at South Sands - and for us this has been the best holiday house by far. If you want Surrey by the Sea in the hub of Salcombe then go to Allenheyes, Devon, Coronation etc. If you want somewhere quieter, charming and homely then book Dolphins. We canât recommend it too highly.
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Matt
Few minor gripes: Beds were a little uncomfortable and all but one room had single beds - including in the master bedroom. Garden very overgrown - we were warned about this after booking, but it obviously hasn't been tended to for some time now which meant it wasn't accessible for our children to play in. There was also an infestation of fruit flies throughout the house - not sure if there's anything you can do about that, but it was a bit unpleasant. None of this detracted hugely from a nice week, but given the price of the property, should perhaps be addressed.
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Lucy
Our issue is with the agent, Sykes, and not for the first time. Following a fairly significant mouse issue, we continually chased Sykes for action, to discover none had been taken until over 3 hours later, when we asked to move out. The pest control company were unable to come by the time anyone contacted them, and we were offered several very sub standard properties, without the view or proximity to the sea, which was what we went away for, or the bed set up for our party, yet Sykes ( see James' response on Trustpilot) still insist they offered us 'several alternatives'. In all the review responses, Sykes very unhelpfully point out that they are merely the agent. We are well aware of that. Our issue is not with the owner, as we feel were we able to deal with them directly, we could have had a proper conversation rather than call centres in Chester, and infuriating scripts. Having said that, the issue is clearly well known to the owner, as there were traps with dead mice under the kitchen cupboards and the dishwasher cable was chewed through causing a substantial leak in a kitchen cupboard, leading to further loss of food. The fact mice were getting into the kitchen cupboards and had eaten our bread, was really not pleasant, and shows there must be quite a significant problem, and the house should not have been available for a holiday let in that state. In short, with a more robust solution to the mouse problem, we would love to stay there again, but not while Sykes are the agent. We will never use them again. Once spoken to, the owner has offered a refund for the stress and inconvinience the incident caused. I hope the owner is now challenging Sykes' appalling lack of action and robot-like service, as I feel confident they are charging them a fortune. We felt they would happily have left us waiting for someone to come out, without any reassurance of when, any ability to escalate issues away from people who can only quote scripts, and anyone who cares enough to take timely action to resolve an issue. This was our holiday, we don't go away a lot and this was a treat for my husband's 50th. It's amazing what a difference good or bad customer service can make and Sykes have a long way to go to address their customer service.