-
"We have stayed in several Sykes cottages on Angelsey over the years and this was by far the best."
The views were spectacular and we were lucky enough to be there on an RAF Valley family day so we had our own air show with Spitfire, Hurricane, parachute and Red Arrows displays - magic . The whole family loved it especially our young grandchildren. Private access to the beach was also a great benefit with the youngsters and a big garden for 2 energetic golden retrievers ensured all three generations and animals had a great holiday. We had such a great time we booked again for next year - before we left.
Reviewed by GerryAug 2022
-
"Lay out suited our family of three generations very well."
Beautiful views all round, and had a very good week. Cant think of anything bad to say!
Reviewed by ReginaldJul 2022
-
"Very clean and comfortable property."
Beautiful location with breathtaking views and all the family enjoyed their stay.Bedrooms and bathrooms were clean and a good size. The access to the beach and costal path was ideal.
The aircraft on manoeuvres was enjoyed by all.
I would recommend as it will not disappoint.
Reviewed by JohnJul 2022
-
"Excellent - facilities, space, location, everything provided that we needed - and although I don't believe you can take credit for the weather - well why not, we were very, very lucky."
Other family members have looked at the pictures, heard of our experience etc and intend booking with you ! Thank you.
Reviewed by PeterApr 2022
-
"A great holiday home with lots of space for the young children to run around."
Very clean and light with fantastic views. It was a pleasure to see the RAF valley exercises and they are not that loud as some guests make out. Already rebooked next year, see you again :-)
Thank you so much for your review. We are really pleased that you appreciated and enjoyed our home as much as we do. We look forward to having you back next year Property Owner
Reviewed by CharlieApr 2022
-
"Thank You for a memorable weekend Just arrived back home after a long weekend at the property."
Reading previous feedback I was slightly worried of what to expect, but to be honest I really do think some of these people stayed at a different property than ourselves..!!! Spent the weekend celebrating daughters 30th birthday and my mothers 80th so a good mix of age groups to judge the suitability. All can confirm FAULTLESS in many ways..!!!!! From the stunning views, the spacious bedrooms and facilities and your own private access to the beach. Whilst in the property you will need for nothing. From extra outdoor seating, to books, games and every item you need to cook up a meal, through to information of facilities in the area. Yes, a bit of the beaten track, but again not as bad as some make out as we had no problem with the single track road....no you dont need a 4x4 as some exaggerate. Literally 5 - 10 mins from the main A55 and about a mile from Valley, but guess what...you can't hear a thing at the weekend (cant say the same for mid week when RAF Valley starts flying Hawks at around 10:00 am, but rest assured there is a curfew at about 5:00pm Great gastro pub a very short drive away (2 miles) the White Eagle and for sure make the effort to visit. Put it his way, if you want to wake up to idyllic views and facilities that make a great weekend break then as a family we can highly recommend staying here.
Reviewed by NeilMar 2022
-
"Well where do I start?"
If you like your holiday to be a relaxing and pleasant experience then maybe Glanrhyd Uchaf is not the place for you! We arrived for what we hoped would be a relaxing 50th birthday weekend, to a freezing cold property where the heating only worked at certain times of the day and cut off overnight so that every night’s sleep was uncomfortable and freezing. The owner told me to go into the boiler room with a torch to press the heating controls when it tripped out, which was really irritating and I certainly didn’t want to get out of bed at 4am to put it back on! The property was dirty, the cleaning had either not been done before we arrived, or it was done badly! Tea spillages on the work surfaces, cobwebs everywhere, dirty sticky marks all over the inside of the windows, and the door handles looked like they had never been cleaned (not ideal when covid is still around). Lampshades were broken, the curtains were hanging off in the lounge, the blind in the sunroom was broken and permanently closed which ruined the view completely. Toilet brushes covered in poo next to the toilets, totally disgusting and an infection control hazard! There were leaks from the radiators onto the parquet floor and the owner asked me to put a dish under the leak to catch the water! If you like to shower daily then take your own towels as we were only given one bath sheet and one hand towel for 4 days, which is not substantial in my opinion. The owner of the property offered to send her cleaner in on the second day but we declined, as I had already cleaned up the mess and quite frankly the cleaning was already substandard so how was there going to be any improvement? After all of this and spending 3 days on the phone to Sykes both the company and the owner have refused to offer any form of refund, which is appalling! My advice, holiday elsewhere because all this messing around ruined my birthday weekend, a total waste of our hard-earned money!
Thank you for your feedback, which we always welcome, so that we can see what we are doing right and so that we can swiftly deal with any suggested improvements. We take our guest's comfort very seriously, and want our home, and it's beautiful location, to be enjoyed by all who stay there.
Firstly, to address the heating. When I spoke to you on your arrival, I explained and apologised sincerely that the heating timing clock had unfortunately been changed so that the heating had only just come on when you arrived. I talked you through how to press the button on the illuminated timer clock in the cupboard in the utility room so that you could chose whether to have the heating on 24 hours/all day/twice a day etc. At the end of the call, you confirmed that the heating was on and that you were able to use the controls, and I apologised again for the inconvenience caused. I would just like to point out that our guests have differing preferences as to how long and how hot to have the heating on for, and some do not like to have the heating on full whist they sleep, or even on all day when they are not in. We leave full instructions of how to use the timer clock in the information folder in the living room, and are very happy for our guests to change the settings to suit their own needs. We have never had a complaint before that the house is cold.
With regards to the broken blind in the sun room. This was actually broken by the guests from the previous week, and we only found out about this on the changeover day. As soon as we found out, Sykes called you to explain and apologise that it was not going to be possible to fix the blind before your imminent arrival. Whilst I appreciate that the broken blind did restrict your view, I think it is important to clarify that it was only 1 of the 12 window blinds in the sun room that was affected, and luckily it was on a side window facing the outbuildings. We are also very disappointed that the blind had been broken, but being a Friday afternoon when we found it, it really was impossible for us to do anything about it, other than apologise to you and let you know before you arrived. Just to confirm, this has now been repaired.
With regards to your other housekeeping comments, I will of course look into all of your concerns and discuss them at once with my housekeeper. I can only apologise if some of the cleaning was not up to the high standards that both I and our guests expect.
As far as I am aware, providing one bath sheet and a hand towel per guest is the norm for a three night stay. My housekeeper has confirmed that one of the hooks on the sitting room curtains had come out of one of the rings, so we will get that replaced at once.
At the end of our only conversation, just after your arrival, I encouraged you to call me at any time if there were any further problems with the heating or anything else, so you can imagine our disappointment to read your review. As you rightly pointed out, we did offer for our housekeeper to come over to the property, and you also asked for a late check out, which we agreed to. In the circumstances, both Sykes and I did not feel that a refund was appropriate. Property Owner
Reviewed by MelanieFeb 2022
-
"Very nice property, missed the sea a bit but worth it for how quiet it was."
Read comments about drive to property was only suitable for a 4x4, not sure I agree as it was a country road suitable for most normal cars.
Good dog friendly garden could do with a hose pipe to wash dogs off. Good walking from doorstep.
Maybe a list of good walks would be handy.
Late check in and early check out, we were also asked to clean the property (which we do anyway) on 3 occasions. When we're charged extra for the dogs and there's no cleaning equipment I find this a bit cheeky. This is not a criticism of the property but more to do with the management company. It feels like your losing a days holiday.
We had a really nice break, wish we could deal directly with Menai.
Reviewed by DirkJan 2022
-
"Excellent break my 4 Grandchildren enjoyed the holiday"
Reviewed by PhilipDec 2021
-
"I stayed at this property with my family over the Christmas period ."
Absolutely fantastic ! We had everything we needed home from home .this property is very hard to find in the dark at this time of year I would recommend earlier check in this time of year .
I would recommend will return .
Thansk
Louise and family
Reviewed by LouiseDec 2021
-
"Lovely, clean, modern beach house with stunning views."
Out of the way but ideal for us with our two dogs. Little touches such as log fire being set up ready to light, dishwasher tablets and hand wash in bathrooms was much appreciated. Comfy beds and plenty space for everyone. Only downside for us was pillows were too soft so take your own if you prefer something firmer
Reviewed by HelenNov 2021
-
"This is the fourth time we have visited Glanrhyd Uchaf and we are booked in to go again in May so l think that speaks for itself."
We love the house
and the position by the inlet that it has. It is comfortable and even in bad weather it is a cosy place to be with beautiful views from all windows. We don't have to go far to visit places like Rhosneigr, Trearddur Bay and lots more in Anglesey. We love it.
Reviewed by SheilaOct 2021
-
"We had a fabulous month only marred by 1 thing which will sadly, prevent us from returning."
Although the single track lane is a little hairy (as, in fairness, are most) once you turn off to the right you really need to be driving a 4x4 or something similar particularly once you reach the farm track since it's really not suitable for a Mazda 6 saloon or any other vehicle with low ground clearance as it's quite overgrown so scrapes hence we only ventured out for essentials which bears testament to the beauty and tranquility of the surroundings and the cottage itself. Breath taking views and RAF Valley was a joy, we were convinced that the pilots were putting on 'fly past' displays just for us.
Out thanks to the owner for sharing your property with us
Reviewed by DavidSep 2021
-
"The cottage itself is fabulous with stunning views, but the continual daytime roar of jet planes from the local RAF training base can get a bit irritating after a few days."
Also, it was lucky that we did not travel to the cottage in our sports car, as this would not have been able to get down the track to the cottage. The description on the website did not mention the state of the track, and the fact that vehicles with low ground clearance would not be able to drive to the cottage without damage or getting stuck.
One of the outside doors (Boot Room to Patio) would not lock due to heat expansion, thus rendering parts of the property insecure. We tried to report this but gave up afet 20 minutes hanging on the phone line.
Sadly, Menai Cottages is owned by Sykes, and therefore follows the same poor policies on refunds and cancellations.
Reviewed by M JeremySep 2021
-
"The windows were filthy inside and out."
There was water left in the coffee maker and spillage marks on and down tables that made us unsure of the cleanliness due to covid, considering we couldnt go in until 5.30pm. The entering and leaving times mean that one loses a day of their holiday considering the cost of the rental. Other than that and the unhealthy decibel sound of the aircraft which we accepted and knew about. Maybe sound ear protectors should be at the property. Also people leaving the gate open on several occassions. Now that the negative side is done. The pisitives out weighed them. It was a lovely break and so nice not to have to wear masks for a week. We were fully contained with our supply of homemade meals that we took and all appliances were more than adequate. The weather was amazing and we were able to swim everyday in the private spot at the bottom of the garden. We took our own lounger matresses as it gave no indication of the accommodation having them in the literature and so glad we did as the black mould on the ones on site was really unacceptable. We have stayed at so many of your properties over the years and never had anything negative to say in the past. I think the price reflects in the disappointing expectations. Saying that nothing was ruined and we have returned home with batteries fully charged.
Maybe the fact that there is a microwave at the property would be a good addition to the site description.
Thank you for your review, we always welcome guests feedback. Firstly, our apologies that our home was not up to the high standards of cleanliness that both you and ourselves expect. I will contact our housekeeper without delay and will address the points that you have raised. The arrival and departure times of 10am and 5pm respectively are, I believe, standard times for Menai Holidays, however I will check this. I will also ask them to add the microwave to our home description.
With regards to the aircraft flying in and out of RAF Valley, whilst they can on occasion be noisy, this is the first complaint we have ever had about the planes. In our experience, there are occasional noisy jets flying over, and these are only ever on a Monday to Friday in the daytime, and never during the evenings/night or at the weekends/bank holidays. I am afraid it is something which is out of our control, and we have therefore always made a point of referencing our proximity to RAF Valley in our home description when it is advertised.
Aside from these issues, we are glad that you were able to have a lovely stay in our home and that you got to enjoy the wonderful Anglesey sunshine and sea. Property Owner
Reviewed by AnnJun 2021
-
"We absolutely loved our stay so much and the location was just perfect, we felt relaxed as soon as we arrived."
The only two minor things I’d suggest (because we had an elderly person staying with us) would be to find a way to stick the rug down under the dining table as it sits upwards and is easy to trip over and offering a slip-free shower mat for use. But only minor things - the place was perfect and exactly what we wanted!
Reviewed by KathrynMay 2021
-
"Beautiful house, spectacular views from all rooms, extremely comfortable, spacious and inviting."
Take a pair of wellies as there is a small stream to cross even at low tide. Perfect place that I would highly recommend
Reviewed by HelenMay 2021
-
"A nice comfortable property within the most amazing location with 360 degree views."
Reviewed by JohnApr 2021
-
"Great property in a great location."
We took 2 small dogs and the garden was large and secure so they could go out and enjoy themselves whenever they wanted. The access to the beach was great and there was a small area that was accessible apart from when the tide was high. We would take wellies next time as there was a stream even at low tide that was a little too deep to cross to get to the main expanse of sand.
Reviewed by SteveOct 2020
-
"Well equipped accommodation, lovely to have 2 areas to spread out in, some of us sat in the conservatory and some in the main living room which gave us all a bit of space."
Good amount of quality crockery and pots and pans. Comfy beds and the decor suited the position being nautical themed. The views were breathtaking from all windows and it was lovely to watch the tide coming in and out. We had some lovely swims from the bottom of the garden. We did have one issue with the neighbouring ‘farmer’ but I will update Sykes separately as this was not a problem with the rental property itself. Lovely holiday.
Reviewed by CarolSep 2020
-
"We loved our week at Glanryhd Uchaf."
The house is huge and light and the views are even better than they appear on the photos.
We loved coming back after a day out walking along the coast path or visiting one of the many beaches to sit on the sofas and watch the estuary.... Curlews, Oyster Catchers and of course the Kestrel who seemed to be always hunting along the edge of the garden.
We walked both ways along the coast path from the garden - lots to see in both directions. Walking south to see the amazing aircraft at RAF Valley and north to the bay near the bridge. Our dog loved the walks on the sand when the tide was out - so much space to run around and when the tide was in we used our kayaks to explore a little further. A week was not nearly enough to do all we wanted to.
A huge thank you to the owners who very very kindly let us have their week after ours had to be cancelled due to covid. We were so grateful.
Reviewed by JuliaJul 2020
-
"Trying to contact you ahead of our holiday was a nightmare."
Many a phone call on hold for an hour and still no answer. Failed to respond to emails asking question, generally not great.
The house was as expected and ticked a lot of boxes. I will say though it’s a little rough around the edges and in need of a good paint job. Also a bbq is very much required at a property like this.
Overall a good holiday but don’t think the house is worth the price and relies very much on the location to the beach as there is nothing else around it in walking distance.
Reviewed by NeilJul 2020
-
"A return visit so knew what to expect - was a perfect family weekend away / get together."
Only disappointment was the cleanliness of all of the bathrooms. We were very disappointed that we had to clean all of the toilets and baths before we could use them and the toilets were dirty (appeared the cleaner had just put toilet cleaner down them and not wiped them) and both baths had hairs and dirt in them.
Thank you very much for your feedback. We are so pleased that you returned to us for your family weekend away and that you had a lovely time. We sincerely apologies that the bathrooms were not up to the high standard of cleanliness that both you and we expect. The issues raised will be addressed immediately. We hope that your disappointment will not put you off visiting us again with your family and friends and enjoying all that Glanrhyd Uchaf has to offer. Property Owner
Reviewed by NicholasFeb 2020
-
"We had an amazing time here, they were really accommodating, making sure there were household items there for when we first arrived, the house was clean and on a beautiful location!"
Although a bit remote! Lovely location right on the seafront the kiddies and dogs had a blast!
Reviewed by LauraDec 2019
-
"Fabulous cottage, stunning location."
A few little tweaks and this cottage would be perfect.
Reviewed by NikkiNov 2019
-
"Complete isolation."
And we all loved it. Masses of space for all sports in the grounds. Just fabulous.
Reviewed by JackieAug 2019
-
"A lovely cottage in a great location!"
Reviewed by SusanJul 2019
-
"Fabulous cottage and location."
Only 10 minutes from shops and restaurants but felt like you were on your own secret little island. Will definitely return.
Reviewed by TrudieJun 2019
-
"The gates leading to property are a bit stiff at 70 i struggled to open and ..."
The gates leading to property are a bit stiff at 70 i struggled to open and close them not enough comfy chairs outside but beautiful place and views outstanding the cottage all one one level was great for young and old and everything you could wish for we kayak so ideal place loved it all everybody from 7yrs to 73 yrs had a brilliant time thanks
Thank you so much for your feedback, we are very pleased that you all had a brilliant time. We will of course address the issue with the gates and look into more comfortable outdoor seating. Thank you for letting us know. Property Owner
Reviewed by JohnMay 2019
-
"We all enjoyed our break as the accommodation was perfect only slightly disappointing thing was some of the cleaning was not up to a good standard but understood this to be the cleaning crew."
Must point out that this did not spoil our break at all.
Thank you so much for your feedback and I am so glad that you all enjoyed your break. I can only apologise that some of the cleaning was not up to our usual high standard. Our housekeeper has been made aware of the issue you raised. Thank you for letting us know. Property Owner
Reviewed by BeverleyMay 2019
-
"Amazing house and a fantastic location."
Beautifully decorated throughout, very comfy and homely and fully equipped with everything you need. The ultimate place to relax and unwind - can't wait to come back!
The RylandsMay 2019
-
"Wow! Fantastic home for a fantastic stay."
Lovely views, couldn't wish for anything more. Can't wait to come back. Perfect get away!
The DanielsApr 2019