Wiltshire Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Andrew - Verified booking

  I contacted Sykes for some clarification about facilities in the kitchen and never received a reply.

  Overall my experience of Sykes Customer Service was a poor one. The property was pleasant enough but was not entirely as shown in the photographs or as described in the listing. Overall, the experience left us feeling that a bit more effort could be made to make the customer feel welcome & comfortable. When we stayed, cushions were missing from the sofa (contrary to the picture in the listing). Also, a coffee machine was listed in the description of facilities (and was shown in the photos) but was not present. Overall, the property was presented very well (clean and tidy), but some aspects require attention. The over-bath shower set-up leaked (poor seal on the window-curtain). The washing machine leaked too. The oven was not secured/fitted properly, so it fell forward every time I opened it. Some of the flooring in the kitchen was raised/warped and a couple of panels slid underfoot - quite dangerous if carrying a hot pan. The fridge is very small for a family of four. I thought the kitchen was scantly equipped and we had to buy a couple of extra baking dishes (which we left for future guests to use). As I said above, a coffee machine was listed but was not present and the sofa was missing cushions so was very uncomfortable to sit on. Lighting in the lounge/dinner was restricted to ceiling lights and one up-light, all of which were a bit harsh for relaxing in the evening. The lounge area would benefit from some softer lighting options. The double bed was missing slats, instead it looked like it had been reinforced with hardboard - consequently, it was not as comfortable as it could have been. One of the wardrobe doors was a bit damaged, with a screw and magnetic plate regularly falling out. One of the hinges on the bedroom window was broken, making it difficult to open. The boiler stopped heating water, requiring a reset after a power-cut, but this issue was unresolved for around 9hrs after I reported it. When we returned after a day out to find the hot-water wasn't back on, I was told that getting it fixed had relied on a call to someone in the village who'd said they "might pop in" if they got time! Nothing was done to check whether this had happened. If the owners spent just a little money rectifying these niggly issues and put a little bit more effort into providing improved amenities & thoughtful touches for guest comfort, it could be a 5* rental.

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• Karen - Verified booking

  Riverhouse is fantastic and we hope to return soon.

  Book it, it is the best quality holiday accommodation I have ever stayed in. The welcome basket was huge with tea, coffee, coffee pods, sugar, milk, biscuits and prosecco. Mini shower gel, shampoo and conditioner were provided and big fluff towels. It was accessible for my elderly parents and my Mum who has dementia even settled into the veranda and enjoyed the ever-changing wildlife. The private gardens are huge and cover both sides of the river. Geese, goslings, herons, ducks, ducklings, swans and cygnets came daily. We saw yellow wagtails and a Chinese goose who was very chatty. I even saw a deer in the garden early one morning. The ensuite to the twin room has a walk-in shower which was easy to access for my parents. The owner Katherine, is friendly, patient and replied promptly when I had a couple of questions. The gas BBQ was great with quality tools provided to use with it. We are all missing the veranda and views from the bedrooms (the twin room is at the back with no view or immediate access to the river - safe for children). Two of the king-size beds have electric blankets available on them. The bedding is soft and fluffy. The whole house is high quality with plenty of glasses, plates etc. Due to my Mum's dementia needs I cooked all week and everything I needed was available in the kitchen. There are 3 fridges in the accommodation so there's plenty of space for everything. Tesco's delivery worked well for us and we topped up with bits from the local shops. We enjoyed the local walks, a few drinks in the local pub (The Plough)and a visit to Longleat Safari Park. The Wfi is highspeed BT/EE and reaches throughout the accommodation and on to the veranda. We think there was someone in the annexe, however other than the car moving occaisionally we would never have known that they were there. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

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• Alan - Verified booking

  We stayed here for a week and the cottage is in a lovely little village well positioned for exploring the surrounding area.

  Be prepared for driving on some very small and narrow country roads. The downstairs living space is good although the kitchen is tired and the property would benefit from replacing some of the basic kitchen equipment e.g. baking trays, pans etc. The fridge is small for a family of four staying for a week. It was also disappointing that some of the kitchen cupboards and plates hadn’t been cleaned particularly given the covid climate we are living in. The laminate floors downstairs are also starting to warp in places. The private enclosed garden is a great feature of the property. Upstairs was fine although the master bedroom window didn’t open and close easily which wasn’t ideal in such hot weather. The owners live right next door and own the adjacent village shop. We bumped into them on arrival and they were very friendly. The immediate area outside the property is used to store the bins, park the owners and guests cars as well as access shop stores and gas canisters. It was a little unnerving each night to leave our car parked right beside the gas canisters. The owners inevitably need to access this area frequently and there was often noise right outside the property from early on each day. This wasn’t a huge problem for us as we are early risers but for those who like a lie in this could be disturbing. The property is fine and has potential to be excellent. It needs a little tlc in places and some improvements. Highlights of the stay were visiting Paultons Theme Park, Moors Valley in the New Forest (Gruffalo Trail) and the Dorset Heavy Horse Farm. The take away from the Lord Nelson just round the corner was delicious.

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• Cheryl - Verified booking

  We adored this beautiful, peaceful cottage.

  The garden is so pretty- we loved sitting out in the evening over-looking it, drink in hand; when it rained we sat by the cozy fire (as much wood as you want provided at no extra cost). The cottage had all that we needed for a very comfortable week's stay. There was a very thoughtful gift of a jar of local honey and hand-made chocolates waiting for us when we arrived. The village is quaint and tranquil. We often enjoyed a walk out in the evening either around the village or to the local pub; in the day there are many beautiful walks- we particularly enjoyed walking to the watercress fields (and buying freshly picked watercress). The cottage is very conveniently located for many excursions- a week was not enough! On hot days we made our way to the stunning coastal villages which are only about 40 minutes away or at other times we spent our days walking in wildflower meadows or next to glorious, clear rivers by pubs and through villages. Salisbury is also a beautiful place to visit and a day at Stonehenge is a must! We are certain this would be a beautiful place to stay at any time of the year- so we will be back. We may even book the much bigger cottage next door (or both) and bring the whole family!!

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• Robert - Verified booking

  We stayed here for a week with 2 adults and 1 teenager.

  The cottage is clean, well presented and comfortable with a good downstairs living space. The enclosed private garden with seating area and barbecue was a bonus. Our weeks stay was one of the hottest and many early mornings and evenings were enjoyed sitting outside soaking up the peace and tranquillity. The owners were pleasant and friendly and having their One Stop shop next door was extremely convenient. The shop does have early morning deliveries as you would expect. We did not find it intrusive and noise levels were kept to a minimum. The village was charming with a local pub and recreation ground right on your doorstep as well as plenty of local walks to discover. The cottage is ideally situated to explore the surrounding area with many National Heritage and National Trust sites within a short drive. We had a pleasant and relaxing stay and would happily recommend this cottage as a peaceful retreat.

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