Romantic Cottages on the Isle of Wight

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Barbara - Verified booking

  Roebuck Retreat is a nice bungalow with a lovely modern kitchen and a range of comfy chairs in lounge area.

  There is an enormous patio with good views over the countryside. However, it was let down by the fact that the combi boiler hadn't been checked, it had lost working pressure( the gauge was showing zero pressure) and needed repressurising (a 5 minute job). Sykes only give a landline phone number for contact with their emergency team, not much good if you are deaf like we are but we texted my son at home to contact them but apart from saying they would contact the owner and providing a mobile number for the housekeeper ( which we sent a text to but no reply from her) NO ACTION or prompt help was done. In the end as we have a combi boiler ourselves and know how to set the pressure we did it ourselves so we could have hot water. We are home now and its eight days since we texted the housekeeper and still waiting a reply. If we had not known how to reset it we would have been without hot water for the whole weeks holiday. We were initially reluctant to reset boiler as it is not ours and did think of asking my son to call out an emergency plumber as we had not heard back and still haven't from the housekeeper. The lack of WiFi and the very small tv are unusual as most holiday lets we have stayed in in the past provide a full sized TV and WiFi. The arrangement of the way one bedroom and bathroom doors open into hall while the other two open into the rooms takes getting used to. The bathroom has a shower over the bath running off a mixer tap, the taps were difficult to operate to get the shower running at the right temperature, in fact all the bathroom taps could do with replacement washers if not outright replacement. The external door locks could do with a shot of WD40 so they operate smoothly while the front door handles look ready to pull out of their housing. There is an infestation of ants under the patio doors. The duvet on the double bed was winter weight and that on top of the memory foam mattress made for hot uncomfortable nights. The bedroom curtains could do with black out linings as the sunrises early and floods the bedrooms with light The roads leading to the property are unmade and make for a bumpy ride especially over the speed humps. The property is also quite remote and there are no local shops within walking distance, not even a general store on the site. Finally, there is a lack of storage for suitcases, not a problem if only 2 people staying as they can use the second bedroom. The owner has stored large bags on top of cupboard in hall and bedding on the top of the "open" wardrobes in the bedrooms. To sum up, Sykes need to get their act together regarding emergency repairs, the owner needs to leave a mobile contact number for the same reason. It does not help that currently check in times are after 5pm ( a hangover from Covid, in theory properties needed to be cleaned, disinfected and aired ), a check in time of 3pm would give more time to fix any problems found upon arrival.

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• 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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• 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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