Windy Willows

14 Customer Reviews

• "We had such a lovely time at Windy Willows."

  The owners, John and Sarah, were so helpful and friendly and the lodge itself was spotlessly clean, warm and very well appointed. The very large garden is completely dog safe and our Airedale could race around at will. The shower was spacious and powerful, the TV and WIFI were excellent and the kitchen area was fully equipped. This is, without question, one of the best properties we have stayed in and we are very happy to recommend it unreservedly to others.

  Thank you for your kind words. We are delighted that you had a lovely time and enjoyed staying at Windy Willows…it was great to meet you both and Joni of course bests Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Helen5.0★Oct 2024

• "We stayed for a week at Windy Willows and we loved the property."

  The photos do not do the property justice as the rooms are far more generous in size than they appear online. The property is very well equipped, clean and cosy. The log burner is an added bonus, and warmed the large open living space very quickly. The views from the property are lovely, sunsets were spectacular, and the view of the stars at night were so lovely without any light pollution. Direct access onto a large, enclosed garden was perfect for our dog, and we loved our daily meetings with the cows in the neighbouring field. This was our first time exploring Dartmoor, and Windy Willows was in a perfect location for us to do that. There are so many walks within the area, and we only scratched the surface of what we wanted to do. The property is approx a 5 minute drive from Okehampton, which had plenty of amenities and places to eat if needed. John and Sarah were perfect hosts, extremely friendly and approachable. John was there to greet us on arrival and provided us details of local takeaways and pubs, and places to visit. We did not have any issues during our stay, but I have every confidence that had there been any then John and Sarah would have dealt with them straight away. A welcome gift was provided for us and the dog! This was a lovely touch and made us feel welcomed. We would recommend Graylings fish and chip shop in Okehampton if you didn’t want to use the well equipped kitchen at the property, they had the best chips we have tasted in a very long time! We would highly recommend a stay at Windy Willows, and will be returning ourselves as soon as we are able to.

  Thank you very much for your lovely review. We loved having you both and Ron the dog to stay. Hope you enjoyed exploring the area and very much hope to see you again all the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Karen5.0★Oct 2024

• "Windy Willows was an absolute haven, it is everything you need for a holiday break, spotlessly clean, even down to cooking a 4 course meal if you wished."

  Very tastefully decorated and the bathrooms a delight. John was the consummate host on arrival showing us around with advice and information. The scones and jam mid trip were a delight and surprise. The best accommodation we have ever stayed in and hopefully will be back. We met Sarah later on our visit and the couple are delightful couple. Jenny, Rich & Elaine (our American family member, who thoroughly enjoyed here stay)

  Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so pleased that you all enjoyed your break and liked Windy Willows. Thank you for leaving Windy so tidy too. Hope to see you again all the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jennifer5.0★Sep 2024

• "It's a lovely open place with plenty of space outside."

  The rooms are all big and spacious. Kitchen facilities are more than enough,however the lack of lighting over the work surfaces is a bit annoying and we did find the TV rather high, looking up is not very comfortable. The owners are very helpful and friendly with a nice warm welcome..and a bottle of wine with cake always helps..thanks..

  Thank you for your review. We are glad you had a good holiday and enjoyed the wine and cake….….also thank you for the suggestions around the lighting and TV. All the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alec4.1★Aug 2024

• "We had a fabulous stay at Windy Willows."

  The setting was stunning looking out on to beautiful gardens, rolling fields, cows & sheep. Even though it felt remote everything around was within easy access for lovely days out - the perfect combination. The accommodation was clean, spacious, stylishly decorated, comfortable, quiet & the hosts had thought about everything that you could ever need for a relaxing time away. The hosts - John & Sarah were a delight; full of useful information on places to visit, eat & where to park when out & about. The day before we arrived they sent us a ‘pin’ of the exact location of the accommodation so they were very easy to find. We were welcomed with milk in the fridge & a Victoria sponge cake & white wine (after checking with us before our arrival of any allergies & preference of red/white wine). On the second day we were treated to scones, jam & cream - such a lovely gesture. John & Sarah were there to meet us on our arrival & were on hand if needed, which was reassuring. On our last day we were sad to leave. John & Sarah were the best hosts & we particularly enjoyed stopping for a chat with them. We would wholeheartedly recommend Windy Willows & will definitely plan another visit in the not too distant future. Thank-you so much John & Sarah - you should be very proud of what you have created at Windy Willows. Nicola & Max.

  Hello Nicola and Max thank you very much for such a kind review. We loved having you both visit and really hope to see you again in the future perhaps even with your doggy take care and all the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nicola5.0★Aug 2024

• "We can recommend Windy Willows definitely, a really warm and cosy place, very comfortable and pleasant, everything."

  John and Sarah so lovely hosts, always helpful and supporting us, travelling with one child and two babies. The garden is a real pleasure and offers so many opportunities for playing and resting, really amazing, some games and facilitis offered to us, that wonderful. The cottage well equiped and the woodburner our place to be for colder evenings. Will come again next year surely! Thanks a lot, once more.

  Thank you so much for your kind words. We really enjoyed having you all to stay at Windy Willows. Very much hope to see you again. All the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Dirk5.0★Aug 2024

• "We were so fortunate the Windy Willows property was still available for the week we had planned to book for part of our holiday to Devon."

  We are experienced self-catering property renters and were looking for somewhere well placed as a base to be able to explore Devon, somewhere with a super clean and luxurious feel and somewhere with outside space for al fresco dining and to enjoy with the family of four (2 adults, 1 early twenties, 1 late teen) and not forgetting Teddy the 2 year-old Cockapoo. We booked immediately and looked forward to arrival day. We arrived circa 2 hours later than planned due to traffic delays. I informed John of our delays and he politely replied not to worry, that it was not a problem and see you when you get here. On arrival as we turned into the driveway, we knew we had secured a fantastic property (and that was before we had set foot inside!). From the initial courteous meet with the owners, we were guided to the property (located just behind the owners). We were given a brief tour of the property covering where things were located, how things work, knowledge of local amenities, supermarkets, etc. The property was immaculate. Immaculate to the level that demonstrates care and super high standards. Also prepared for our arrival was a complementary bottle of wine, a luxurious cake and milk already stocked in the fridge (as well as all the other usual items). Even Teddy received a new tennis ball to play with!! The hosts John and Sarah were absolutely outstanding for the whole visit. Their hospitality is genuine, friendly, considerate, super dedicated……..they are both amazing hosts. As if the pictures of Windy Willows are not impressive enough, the spacious and airy feel of this modern property is amazing. The whole property and all the rooms are much bigger than even the photographs suggest. The sliding doors open immediately to the outdoor seated area and then wow……the magnitude of the external space, the tranquillity and those panoramic views are more than impressive (location, location, location!!). Sunsets were magnificent. The perfectly landscaped external area is super safe, fully fenced and protected, and all gates have sliding bolts, etc., to securely close them. Absolutely no concerns for a dog to roam and play. We played flashing ball throw with Teddy long into the dark hours, confident he was safe and would return soon with it firmly retrieved in his mouth…..again and again. To name a few places we visited Brixham and nearby Cockington Village (recommend the Weavers Cottage Tea Room for cakes/cream tea and the Drum Inn Vintage Inn for an al fresco drink/meal). The Springer Spaniel Country Pub near Launceston was also a great choice, super dog friendly, a great menu and excellent food. Recommend Daisy’s Tea Room in Dawlish (great ploughman’s) and the go-karting at Dawlish Warren (a great promenade/sea wall walk alongside the GWR railway connecting the two). Exeter had a food festival on in the Castle grounds so we purposely visited that day and purchased some fabulous and massive cookie dough pie cakes from Big Bakes Bakery (also have a shop in Exeter) and enjoyed a great brunch/lunch in the Puerto Lounge down on the Quayside. Teddy has raw food (remember he is the cockapoo not the late teen) which his brand was well stocked at Heart Pet Supplies also at Exeter. A day out to the North Devon Wake Park. The Aquapark is an outdoor water-based assault course on the lake. Great little cafe and all the wet suit hire, changing facilities, etc. Was also fascinating just to spend time watching the Wake Boarders practice their amazing skills on the zip wire. A visit to Exmouth. A super clean family seaside town and without doubt a visit to the Sea Shore Ice Creamery cabin is a must (don’t let the long queues put you off – so popular for a reason!) So many flavours and super-efficient friendly staff with at least two to three serving so you don’t have to wait too long. So in summary, Windy Willows is the perfect base to explore all of Devon (we also ventured into east Cornwall as well but less so as ticked off in previous holidays to Cornwall). We always have very busy days and we looked forward every night to getting back to the modern, super clean and comfortable Windy Willows with everything it has to offer to relax and recharge (it truly is a home from home). John and Sarah – it was a pleasure to meet you both, thanks for your incredible hospitality throughout, the times we spent chatting and overall making our stay at Windy Willows perfect and 5 star in every way. Gary, Donna, Megan, James and Teddy the Cockapoo

  Thank you so much for the review and we are delighted that you all had a lovely holiday in Windy Willows. We loved having you to stay and hope to see you again all the best Sarah & John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Gary5.0★Aug 2024

• "We highly enjoyed our stay at Windy Willows: the location offers amazing views from both the living room and terrace, and is super close to Dartmoor which offers great hiking trails."

  The huge & beautiful garden (fully fenced) was offering plenty of space for our dog to play around safely. The cottage is spacy and was thus ideal and very comfortable for us (2 adults and 2 teenagers plus one dog), even during the few rainy days. And the hosts - John & Sarah - were fantastic: very kind and always helpful, (even did some initial shopping), great humour... We can highly recommend this place!!

  Thank you so much for your kind words. It was a real pleasure to have you all stay in Windy Willows and very much hope to see you again all the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Bettina4.7★Jul 2024

• "Of all the cottages we have stayed in this has been the best we have ever stayed in hosts John and Sarah could not have been more friendly and helpful."

  On arrival There was a bottle of wine a cake tea, coffee, milk and sugar the pictures don't do the cottage justice views out of patio doors look straight onto dartmoor lots of see and do will definitely be going back again

  Thank you so much for your kind words about Windy Willows and your holiday here in Devon. So glad you enjoyed it and we would love to see you again…all the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by David5.0★Jun 2024

• "Wow what a property,as experienced cottage renters this is without a shadow of a doubt the best one we have been in."

  From John and Sarah welcoming us with a special food package to sorting out the smallest problem and recommendations on where to go and help with finding the nearest supermarket etc.The property itself is big,clean,modern and as everything you need,as dog owners you have a fully enclosed garden where they can roam,play and enjoy.The views from the cottage and garden are spectacular.We have never returned to any other cottage but this one as to be the exception. Terry,Linda and Millie the dog

  Thank you for the kind feedback we really enjoyed having you as guests. So glad to hear you enjoyed your break and we would love to see the three of you again…all the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Terry5.0★Jun 2024

• "Sarah &John are running a great setup in a perfect setting."

  Comfortable, quiet, peaceful. We loved it and will go back when we can.

  It was a pleasure having you both here at Windy Willows for three weeks and hope to see you again…take good care Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Hugh5.0★Apr 2024

• "Windy willows is a beautiful holiday home."

  It is situated high up and close to the A road, so it's with ease that you can get to places from here. You can hear the road, mainly lorries at times, but not so much that it disturbs the peace of the place. When getting there you have to ignore Google as it'll take you to another house just down the road. We found it easy enough to find and it's central to so many good areas to visit locally etc, including North Cornwall. It's handy to know that there's ample parking here, enough for two cars, however, there's a ramp and a small walk with your gear upto Windy Willows. The ramp is rather steep so some elderly may find it rather difficult. My brother did slip down it too, as we got one day of snow, so in those instances just take care. Outside there's lovely seating area with gorgeous scenery. There's ample grounds which aren't securely fenced, so if you have dogs you may need them on a leash if they are prone to roam. Inside it's larger than what the photos depict. So spacious. Very pleased with all the rooms. We were welcomed with a cake, there's also tea, sugar, coffee, salt and pepper available, however, just a note for others, make sure you get milk in before arriving, as my brother didn't, as he's used to this being supplied when we go to other holiday cottages. Also bring your own shampoos, shower gel etc, another thing we are used to getting at places, but I understand not all places do supply these as complimentary items. The bedrooms are large. The double beds' mattress was lovely soft enough, but not too soft. My brother found the single bed mattress slightly too firm for him, and so didn't get as good a sleep as I did. These are different preferences for everyone. There are sensor lights in certain areas of the holiday home, unfortunately there were issues with them which John did try to rectify. To be honest we weren't a fan of them. Some would flash on and off for no reason, others come on for either too long, or not long enough, as in the hallway. Again this is owners preference to what they feel best works for their place. I would definitely recommend Windy Willows though, it really feels so homely. You can't get a more lovely and helpful couple as Sarah and John. They made me, my brother and my pets feel very welcome. I hope to return soon. Thank you Sarah and John for sharing your place with us.

  Thank you for the feedback and to hear you had a great time and plan to come back. We hope you enjoyed the Tassimo Pods that we gave you and that John was able to fix the light. We were happy to accommodate your cute pet ferrets and hope they enjoyed their stay too Thanks for the comments regarding the safety of pet dogs …we always make it clear if you visit with a dog to keep them on a leash just to be sure however the fence has no gaps in it See you soon Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ilona4.7★Mar 2024

• "The owners could not have been any more welcoming, helpful or friendly."

  Windy Willows is a beautiful holiday home that is spotlessly clean and comfortable. A great base to explore North and South Devon. Thank you for helping us to have a great week.

  Thank you so much for your kind words…we loved having you both to stay…and of course Merlin was gorgeous. So glad you had a lovely holiday all the best Sarah and John Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nicky5.0★Mar 2024

• "We absolutely loved our stay at Windy Willows, beautiful surroundings, fresh air, great location, our hosts where fabulous."

  Accuracy of the listing: the location wasn't easy to find, as the information on the app wasn't concise. Very confusing if dont know the area. Leading us to be in totally the wrong location, we found the place after contacting the owner. Hardly a problem in the grand scheme of things we had lovely time looking at that beautiful view! Oh that beautiful view!! Cleanliness of the property the bathrooms and kitchen where spotlessly clean.. The property was everything we needed it to be. It was warm and dry considering it was mid Feb. We just love staying in that main living space and soaking up that view!! The facilities were exactly what we were expecting, but more importantly what we needed! If you are looking for a lovely break with great views then I highly recommend Windy Willows!

  Thank you so much for the lovely feedback and we are delighted that you all had a relaxing break. Hope to see you again in the future Property Owner

  Reviewed by Hannah5.0★Feb 2024

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