Merlin's Retreat

The layout of the property and the location were on point.

However, the cleanliness of the property and condition left a lot to be desired. There is laminated flooring with a distressed look through. However, the distressed look hid the areas that are cracked, chipped and dirty. The sofas are smelly, saggy and need replacing. The bathroom sink, bath and toilet were clean. The bathroom itself was dirty and dirty. The cooker was clean but the bottom right hand store was full of long established cobwebs. Kitchen worktop needs replacing. It looks as if its been varnished instead of oiled which makes it sticky and very unhygienic. The owner (or cleaner) couldn't even be bothered ironing the bedding and using matching bedding. Why did they not cut the grass? No garden furniture other than a really uncomfortable bench table and chairs. Conservatory needs blinds. Bedrooms and lounge needs blinds . Property looks very unkempt and unloved. even the letterbox is falling off. They say "the camera never lies". In this instance it has. I expect a higher level of care for these prices. Especially the money they are asking for high season.

I wasn’t going to leave a review because I don’t like being negative.

But, the bungalow is as listed, however the bed is extremely uncomfortable, and the outside was a mess. The garden needs a lot of maintenance, and the grass needed cutting. Inside wasn’t very clean, with loads of dirt under furniture, etc. It is very well equipped. It’s the first time we’ve used a dog‑friendly place and we were disappointed with it, although it didn’t matter if we made it dirtier. The owner wanted to have a decorator come in to paint a statue. The garden needed sorting out, but no, he wanted a statue painting. That was bad enough, but on the last day I was woken up at 7:10am, scared out of my mind, because the owner had given permission for a man to come and grind off an old padlock, then come into the bungalow to fit a new one. We didn’t know about this, and I was asleep. We refused entry because it was too early in the morning. We were leaving that morning by 10am anyway, so why come at 7am? It’s well situated and easy to find, with lots of things to do around the area. The windows needed cleaning, and a blind or net curtain would give privacy in the lounge. There was enough hot water for a shower, but not enough for a bath. We had a good holiday despite this, but I have written this review to let other people know about the privacy problems and the upkeep of the property.

Just got home from a great week away, Merlins Retreat is a superb base for exploring the Cornish coast which is only a short walk from the door.

The accommodation provided everything we needed for a comfortable stay, the kitchen is very well equipped so cooking was not a problem, we spent most of our time sitting in the lovely conservatory enjoying the sunshine overlooking the garden which is enclosed and very dog friendly. The highest recommendation I can give is that I would happily return to Merlins Retreat for another stay.

Lovely bungalow with a great layout.

Near to the village with a cut through path which is perfect. Comfortable, warm with everything you need for a home from home break. We will definitely be back. Only little problem is the shower. The shower head won’t stay up, it keeps slipping down while you shower, and it makes a mess of the floor so you just need to mop up after. Other than that it’s perfect.

Bungalow in good walking distance, for coastal walks, shops, pubs etc.

It is situated at the end of a busy cul de sac, cats constantly in garden, dogs running loose, children playing, cars constantly up and down. Alley way opposite so constant foot fall. Neighbours dog constantly barking when you step outside, ( and same dog out in garden barking constantly from 3am not appreciated.) Not a peaceful getaway! Beds were not made up as requested to sykes and had also spoke to the owner and reminded but arrived after midnight so couldnt do much. Bungalow is definitely ready for a deep clean, worktops very sticky, very dusty in places. Lots of dirty marks on floors, walls etc. Had to retrieve dogs toy from under couch it came out covered in thick hairy dust! Wardrobes have a fusty smell so didnt put any clothes in. Expected better standards when paying £1000 to stay. Some good facilities, but missing some basics eg was no knife to peel and chop veg, no washing line, no where to hang coats, especially when wet. Plumbing needs attention, sinks and bath drain very slowly and noisy. Side gates both need attention. Garden needs a tidy up, bushes need cutting back on driveway as its already tight for getting an suv on with all neighbours parking on road close by. Owners kindly rang to see if we needed more towels but we were fine, washing machine and dryer are good. Thanks for having us, milk & cookies were much appreciated, we love coming to Tintagel.

What a beautiful little bungalow!

Very spacious. Very clean , fully equipped with everything you need . Lovely closed in garden for the dog to run around in . The power shower was amazing . Beautiful little village is Tintagel . Very central for visiting other places . Such as port Issac . Newquay, bude etc would recommend to my friends and family . And we’re going back again . If we can get in ! It’s very popular!

Lovely place with enclosed garden, perfect for a small dog,

Great location for access to many places in Cornwall, short walk to all shops, cafes & pubs.

Bungalow great, sofa's a little tired but overall great facilities, (they forgot the loo rolls but lucky we had our own). Would definitely go again and recommend to others. Added bonus was Sky TV & Sports in lounge and bedrooms.

Stayed here for a week at the start of July, owner was polite and easy to communicate with.

Bungalow was located on a quiet residential avenue just off the main road into Tintagel and was in easy walking distance of all the amenities & attractions. Bungalow was clean and of decent size with a lovely garden and all the modern appliances. Would definitely visit here again in the future and recommend to family & friends.

they provided a washing machine and clothes line but no pegs,the drain grid in front of garage door is a trip hazzard,the patio needs sweeping, the front and back gates need attention,

We’ve stayed at Merlin’s Retreat on a yearly basis since 2016.

It really is home from home. It’s spacious, uncluttered, clean, tidy & comfortable. It’s got everything to make you feel at home. It’s a lovely stroll from the house to the village where here is a wide range of eateries. The owners are incredibly helpful & nearby if you need anything. I couldn’t recommend a property more. It’s a perfect base to explore Cornwall!

Cosy bungalow with everything we needed.

In a quiet area but close to the centre of Tintagel and the coastal path. If you love walking, the coastal path to Trebarwith Strand or Boscastle is recommended.

Some door mats and maybe some rugs would have made the place cosier.

We actually went out and bought some for the week. But otherwise it was very comfortable with everything we needed. Lovely location with short walk to the village and castle.

Ruined holiday damp and mould everywhere!

I rented Merlins Retreat for my pregnant daughter and young grandchildren to stay in as part of our big family get together in Tintagel. On arrival it was very strange that the heating was on at 28 degrees and the house was like an oven. The next morning my 3 year old grandson became very ill. On closer inspection of Merlins Retreat it was obvious that there is a serious damp issue in this house. There was mould on the window and window ledge of the twin room and once I moved the bedside cabinet and bed the wall and skirting were full of mould and the flooring blown with the damp in the corner . There was mould in the bathroom all over the ceiling. The conservatory was so mouldy and stunk of damp it couldn't be used and on opening the cutlery tray there was substantial mould all over it! I had to spend a morning of my holiday to bleach the mould the best I could and eventually had moved my pregnant daughter and grand son over to the other cottage we rented in the village as it was making them ill. Shame I could not upload photos on this review to show how bad it was. Will never stay in this cottage again

I had a wonderful stay in Merlin’s Retreat it is a beautiful bungalow, very quiet and spacious, everything you need for a comfortable stay.

I would highly recommend this property. I stayed with my dog and we did some hiking along the coast past and exploring the area. Tintagel is a mystical place with lots of interesting shops. A great location to visit Bude and coastal areas, villages etc. The owner was very helpful and communicative, thank you very much for a wonderful stay.

Gem of a property in a great location for exploring the local area.

Well maintained and equipped property, will be looking to rebook when we return to the area.

Enjoyable stay, have stayed a few years ago so came back again.

Generally in good condition, beds comfortable. Could do with a deep clean and a lick of paint just to spruce things up a little. Would stay again, great base to travel from, brilliant location. The garden is lovely to use and the conservatory/dining room is great. A good time was had by all, including our dog.

Lovely bungalow, spacious inside and out and situated in a quiet residential cul-de-sac.

Everything I needed was there and all in great working order. Would love to stay again in the future. I rang the owner day before my arrival to ask about entry code, and was told to contact them at any time if I should need to. Very approachable and friendly.

Couldn't fault this property.

Very relaxing and in a great location.

I had a wonderful stay at Merlins Retreat it is such a spacious and light holiday bungalow, very quite with parking.

Easy 5 min walk into Tintagel and the shops and just a short drive away from Bude, Wadebridge, Trebarwith Strand and Port Issac to name just a few. The owners were very helpful and easy to talk with by text when I had a few questions, thank you. I am staying again in this lovely holiday cottage this year!

Really lovely Christmas at Merlin's retreat.

The owners put a Christmas tree up and left us shortbread goodies. The owners were very friendly and helpful. The house is warm and spacious and good value for Cornwall. The kitchen well equipped, (and yes they did leave dish washer tablets ;) ). It was a great kitchen to prepare Christmas dinner Great location and easy walk into Tintagel. If you come out of the house, cross the road and go to the right, there is a short cut lane into the village. The garden was perfect was perfect for the dog, big, safe and secure. We would love a return visit in the summer.

The property had a very nice homely feel to it and was very comfortable.

The garden was lovely for my dog and I had no fear of her escaping.

Having stayed at Merlin's Retreat on 2 previous occasions, pre-Covid and found it to be clean and well equipped, we were looking forward to our visit.

Unfortunately, on arrival, we noticed a smell resembling "Tom Cats" from the bathroom, the door to the bathroom was also difficult to open once closed fully and the catch from the washing machine door was on top of the radio in the kitchen rendering it useless. There were also several other "niggling" problems As the weather was poor we spent more time than usual in the property and the smell became overpowering. we decided to cut short our stay and left on Wednesday. I notified the owner of this and also the reasons. Sykes advised us that we needed to liaise with the owner regarding the property so I sent him an email. His response was both aggressive and threatening. He accused us of causing damage to the bathroom lock by slamming the door and also causing the damp behind the bath. he did not comment on the dried blood that I found on the pillow protector when I stripped the bed prior to leaving, Sadly I cannot recommend Merlin's Retreat

We had a brilliant stay at Merlin’s Retreat in Tintagel, the accommodation was perfect and we had no problems at all.

Because there is a dishwasher at the property it might’ve been nice to leave a few dishwasher tablets as we had to buy a box and we don’t have one at home. Small suggestion, everything else was brilliant 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Had a great stay at merlins rerteat very comfortable and a well equipped kitchen.

Could do with some coat hooks and as we had some lovely weather some garden chairs

Lovely holiday.

Garden furniture would improve the stay. Other than that fabulous holiday

The cottage was in a good location.

All in all the cottage suited our particular holiday style and was suitable and close to all amenities. The cottage was clean and tidy . The main issues for us was that we were generally disappointed with the outside space. The external presentation was very poor with far too many weeds littering the driveway and the lawn edges. To the rear the garden was a general mess, poorly maintained. There was no outdoor seating provided apart from a well worn and weathered picnic bench style table placed near to the bins and in a spot that was out of the sun. The structure of the small height walled pathways was poorly maintained, again with weeds and many loose bricks / slates. This could be a serious trip hazard. This led us to not being able to use this aspect and was very disappointing. The beds were uncomfortable and the two singles were very cheep and well worn. The bedding left a lot to be desired. There was quite smell of cat urine in the bathroom. The service from Sykes was very good, efficient and precise, we wold book wit you again but I think this particular site needs to be advised of this situation.

Lovely bungalow with everything that we needed.

A mirror on the wall of a bedroom would be nice but there were mirrors to use. Shower screen leaked at times especially with four people showering. The use of the fan was a real bonus especially as it was so hot. Lovely holiday in a lovely location would recommend to others.

The accommodation was excellent just 5 mins walk from Tintagel and a excellent bade to travel to all the local attractions.

The accommodation was excellent, very spacious, clean and had all modern appliances which were handy to use. Excellent place and I would highly recommend. The owner Jenny answered all our questions and was very helpful when we spoke to her. Thank you for a wonderful stay Merlins Retreat

Such a lovely bungalow, within easy reach to town and all visiting attractions.

It was our second time here and I will be booking to go back again to the same house next year. I would recommend it very highly.

Very nice bungalow but let down by neglected garden and lack of instructions in relation to heating and television.

The owners did come to the bungalow to sort these problems out straightaway however but heating system very complicated. Also the thermostat on two of the radiators didn’t work and need replacing so you couldn’t turn down radiator as required. The twins bed were very uncomfortable and you could feel the springs of the mattress. Lovely lounge, kitchen and porch bright and airy but a shame the garden hadn’t been maintained for a while.

The Bungalow had everything we needed to make our stay easy and enjoyable.

lovely

The property is clean, comfortable, has great facilities and has lovely decoration.

The sky Q is a real bonus. The owners were in touch a couple of times to check all was ok and were at the end of a phone if needed. More comfortable, movable garden furniture would be a good addition and the pillows badly need replacing as they are all incredibly soft with feathers poking through.

This was the best holiday place, we used as a house, when we bought our business in Cornwall.

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A great holiday bungalow.

Spacious inside and out. Well equipped, great having washing machine and plastic tuppaware for youngster. Great location and parking. Clean and comfortable. Only negatives are as others have stated - 1) no welcome book with basic info, rubbish collection days etc, 2) no lids for saucepans, 3) no hair drier. This bungalow does accept dogs, and very very slight smell noticed (as a non-dog owning family) and a few hairs here and there on sofa. Assume this is also the reason that no carpets anywhere in house. But these things don’t detract from just how great the cottage is, would be lovely in warmer weather with the back garden which is a really good size too. Whole heartedly recommend.

The photos on the website do not do this property justice, far roomier and the garden is so large.

Sadly we spent our weeks holiday sleeping on the sofas as all the matresses had the metalwork poking through, The owner needs to replace them. I read previous feedback and didnt take too much notice of the complaints about the beds but in truth they were far worse than I expected. We even tried putting a quilt from one of the single beds over the double matress but it made very little difference. The two single beds were no better. The bed problem will stop us booking this cottage again as in all other respects it was perfect.

We had a lovely stay!

there was everything and more we could need in the bungalow. The area fantastic easy walk in to Tintagel and surrounding areas easy drive to. Only points I would like to make are that the sofas are in need of changing they were uncomfortable and dirty, plus the cushions on there were on their last legs. Also under the bed in the double room was disgusting and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a long time. Double bed was uncomfortable and I don’t think much of feather pillows but this is personal preference we all have different tastes. I think it would be really beneficial to the property to add hand rails or Similar by the front and back door where there are the steps, so it is more accessible for disabled. Also a hand rail in the bathroom again to make it more accessible. Lovely little touches when we arrived eg milk biscuits, tea, washing tabs etc which were hugely appreciated. Gutter leaking bad out the front right by bedroom window so had some bad nights sleep very noisy. An introduction page/pack would also be very useful to welcome guests in to the property and details in there of bins and any other useful info... just light reading welcoming guests in to the bungalow. We would definitely stay here again despite few comments.

This was our second visit to Merlin's retreat and we were not disappointed.

Tintagel is a very special place and Merlin's retreat is the perfect base from which to explore it

We had a magical holiday and Merlin's Retreat met our expectations.

Ideally situated in a quiet location and just a short walk away from Tintagel village. The property was clean, comfortable and well equipped. We were able to spend lots of time relaxing in the spacious garden, as we were lucky with the weather which was gloriously warm and sunny. We are definitely intending to return soon.

Cottage has just about everything you can think of to make the stay as pleasant as it can be.

We found the double bed and pillows very uncomfortable but I guess you get that wherever you go if it's not your own bed. The front bedroom overlooking the road could also do with a black out blind adding to the room for those that don't like a light bedroom. There is a street light that shines right in the place to the extent we could see each others faces quite clearly when the light was turned off in the bedroom and if you got up in the night it felt like the sun was coming up even though only 2 in the morning. Was easy to find the property and the cut beside no 21 was used daily to walk the dog into Tintagel.

The cottage was very clean and finished to a high standard.

Garden was much better than the pictures had shown and was great for the dogs The only way it could be improved would be a welcome pack giving instructions on appliances, bin collection etc. Overall we had a very pleasent stay and would have no problem booking again

Ideal situation.

we were in easy driving distance to every where and the village was only a 5 minute walk. Beautifully clean bungalow. It had everything you could possibly need. Had so many great days out but looked forward to coming home to the bungalow. It was great for my 15 month old grandson, he had a great time exploring. We cannot wait to book to come back again soon

Perfect location.

We enjoyed our stay, the bungalow was clean comfortable and home from home. Will definitely return.

Fantastic cottage!

Best we've stayed in yet. Hope to be back in September

Would definitely recommend this property to anyone looking for a comfortable well designed holiday rental

Perfect little home from home.

Lovely location in Tintagel. We managed to see Lands End, Bodmin Jail and Poldark County Charlestown. Shame the castle was closed but itt gives us an excuse to come back again

We left feedback for the owner to say that there was a loose paving slab on the sten in the rear garden, the oven handle was loose and the gutter adj to the garage appeared blocked as over flowed with water when it rained.

The bungalow was perfect.

.. well equipped, clean, modern and in a great location for walking to the local facilities. We would definitely rebook for our annual pilgrimage!

lovely modern clean bungalow altho' wouldn't recommend for disabled as no handrails, & also a grab handle needed on bath/shower wall.

loose slates on low wall in garden, but, overall a lovely holiday, bungalow in a quiet fairly residential road. Nice garden for dog, ours loved it. only drawback is finding nearest large supermarket Bude J. Sainsbury closest, or so we found. There is a Tesco at Launceston. Weather was good to us 28th Sept. to 12th October. Ufortunately the Castle was closed for necessary maintenance, and little bus for bringing us back up verysteep hill from beach, was not running, eek! If National Trust members, Merlin's Retreat doesn't have many N.T. properties nearbye, south of county is better, about an hour's run.

We had a brilliant holiday - we stayed in the same bungalow last year and it was just as good

We loved our stay in Merlins Retreat and really couldn’t ask for anything more from a holiday let.

Not only was it extremely clean and comfortable but also a perfect base to explore North Cornwall. Sky Q in every room was a bonus particularly for those less than sunny days as were the numerous board games in the conservatory. The large kitchen is well equipped and includes use of a washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher. The bathroom has a lovely big power shower, my 14year old son had more showers here than he ever has at home just because it was so nice. All in all a great home from home that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anybody.

Description of view from garden was greatly exaggerated!

Unable to use the advertised Sky Q system to its full potential as the PIN number was withheld. 4 blown bulbs throughout the property where reported and it was suggested we replaced them and we would be reimbursed which we found disappointing.No information on how to use the appliances etc within the bungalow. For example we could not put the recycling out as we had no idea when the collection day was!

The cottage has everything you could want and was clean but the double bed matress has seen better days and is uncomfortable.

plus the bin in the garden was full of rubbish and was infested with maggots was unsure if bins on street belonged to property .mid week had a large amount of ants appear from floor rear of telly in living room having said the property is very quiet on a night and as a good sealed in garden and just a 5mins walk into the village

Dirty scatter cushions had a footprint on and drink marks also thick dust on skirting boards, ceiling fan and radiators, cob webs on pictures and light fittings, sofa covers filthy and got no life left in the cushions so very uncomfortable to sit on, rubbish bin in garden not been emptied so we had nowhere to put our bin bag, old dog poo in garden, no chairs to sit in garden, I’m disabled and found this upsetting, outside light didn’t work, wasn’t greeted on arrival or departure, very overlooked at all angles by neighbours so no privacy.

..the list goes on and on.

Bungalow was ideal a short walk into tintagle and a secure garden perfect for the dog

Yes on the paperwork for our initial booking and the final paperwork it's listed .

( Conservatory with lovely views.) We found this to be inaccurate as the only views from the conservatory were the rear garden surrounded by an high fence , not what we would call lovely views just a rear garden. Apart from this we had an enjoyable holiday

Excellently situated for Tintagel castle and many lovely walks.

Most places were dog friendly which is a good thing.

Brilliant base for visiting surrounding area - really lovely cottage & very well equipped Very quiet location- perfect getaway We had a great time!

Clean and tidy bungalow.

Walking distance to town and local attractions. Sky TV and games were a nice touch incase of rainy days. Milk and biscuits left for us were appreciated. Difficult to fault.