Holly Cottage

8 Customer Reviews

• "Generally a good cottage but it was missing a few things we would have expected such as a tea pot, milk jug and trays."

  The fridge is far too small. It was inadequate for two people let alone the full occupancy of five people. Also it was not cold enough to keep food fresh. As cottage owners ourselves we have found that most guests eat out rather than cook and the lack of fridge capacity may not be an issue where this is the case. Parking was not an issue. We could park outside the cottage with hazard lights on to unload on arrival and pack up on departure. No problem at all parking by the hedge a little further away from the centre of the village, ie to the south of the cottage. We received a notification from Sykes before our departure saying that the parking arrangements had changed from the details provided when we booked. This was not the case since the parking arrangement was correctly described at the time of booking. The stairs to the first floor are steep but you soon get used to them. They may not be suitable for people with impaired mobility.

  Thank you for leaving a review and I hope you had a lovely holiday. I have taken your advice and we have now supplied a tea pot and milk jug. There are several trays in the property, which while displayed decoratively, are there for you to use. I am sorry you felt the fridge was too small. While obviously not large, it is standard for small holiday cottages and we have always managed quite well. As we always want to be able to support local Cornish businesses we tend to do a practical supermarket shop at the beginning but stock up on fresh produce locally every 3 days. That way everyone wins and the fridge doesn't need to be crammed full which will affect its effectiveness. Property Owner

  Reviewed by R3.4★Sep 2023

• "The cottage was open plan downstairs , kitchen and bathroom were well appointed ."

  The garden was a haven of peace! The only issue was the chairs in the lounge were quite uncomfortable and also the stairs were steep, as usual in old cottages.

  Thank you for your feedback and I do hope you had a lovely holiday. We will be updating some of the furniture in 2024. Yes the stairs are steep and we have added a note about this to the description of the cottage. Thank you for your advice. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nicola4.4★Sep 2023

• "Cottage on very busy road outside and large vehicles at all times of day."

  Village shop closed some time ago. Nearest one 2.5 miles away. VERY steep stairs with extremely awkward stair gate at the top. Totally unsuitable for less agile guests. Tatty overgrown garden. I insufficient crockery. Overall not what we expected for a 4 ticks property.

  We appreciate you leaving feedback. Holly Cottage is in an agricultural community and while we may yearn for ancient times and the bucolic and pleasing sight of horses and carts, modern farms now use motor vehicles, and please bear in mind that August and September is harvest time so there are more farm vehicles on the road at this time of year. During the busy summer season we are not able to mow the lawn every week, as while guests are in the cottage we can only do it on a Friday and not if the grass is wet. As in many villages across the country, it is hard for every village to continue to maintain a local shop. There is an excellent one in Mawgan, approx 2 miles away, which stays open until 7pm in the summer months. We make a point of patronising local stores as much as possible when we stay. This cottage was built in the 1700s and as is usual in this style of character property, the staircase is steep. We have noted the point you kindly raised and will add a note to our description to indicate it may present a challenge for guests with mobility concerns. Crockery is provided for 7 people. The holiday cottage is rented on proviso of 5 guests at any one time. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew2.5★Sep 2023

• "We don’t feel that the listing was accurate on the Sykes website."

  The listing stated that there was off street parking, this played a big part in our decision to book the cottage, as a family with children. When we arrived it was obvious that parking was quite a way down a busy road, not ideal when you are constantly lugging beach gear and children back and forth. It was at times treacherous with the harvesting farm transport racing back and forth. This mention of off street parking has luckily since been removed from the property advert. There was also unfortunately no mention of a staircase that may be challenging for those with limited mobility. The staircase is little more than a ladder, with a drop onto slate flooring, we have a two year old child and the cottage is listed on the website as ‘family friendly’. On arrival we contacted Sykes immediately as this was a very dangerous situation for our young child. There were brackets for a stair gate but not one available at the cottage and no prior indication via the cottage advert that this may be needed. Instead we were led to believe it to be family friendly. It took 3 calls and 5 days for a stair gate to be fitted. There was an light socket in the kitchen that gave electric shocks when you pressed it on, thankfully high enough that only adults encountered it. This was changed when we contacted Sykes for the third time to request a stair gate. The garden was overgrown (mentioned in a previous review) this despite the fact that we visited in August, a time when you may expect that a garden be in full use. The garden furniture was mouldy and unclean and the BBQ unwashed and without tools despite the garden and BBQ being listed as part of the cottage listing. This was rectified after the third call to Sykes. There were many positive elements to the cottage, but the lack of knowledge and dreadful customer service from Sykes, the fact that we suffered electric shocks from faulty electrics would lead to us being unable to recommend either the cottage or Sykes and their subsidiary companies.

  Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We sincerely apologise for the issues you encountered during your stay at Holly Cottage. The listing did state the property does not have off road parking but we have changed the wording to say roadside to avoid misunderstanding. This cottage was built in the 1800s and as is usual in this style of cottage, the staircase is steep and may present a challenge for guests with mobility concerns. It is unfortunate but the safety gate for the stairs had been locked away in the storage building outside and we regret the delay in helping you with this issue. We strive to respond promptly to guest requests and will take steps to improve communication and expedite resolutions in the future. A qualified electrician visited after the reported electrical issue, and has confirmed the switches are completely safe. We do have limitations during peak season with garden maintenance, While guests are in the cottage we can only do it on a Friday/changeover day, and not if the lawn is wet. There was relentless rain in the area prior to your stay, unusual for August admittedly. This weather also caused issues with the BBQ and garden furniture, but again, we sent someone round to mow the lawn and clean the BBQ and tools. We take all guest feedback seriously and continuously strive to improve our service and the overall guest experience. We have taken steps to address the issues raised in your review and will use them to enhance the property description and guest communication. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Stephanie2.5★Aug 2023

• "Lovely little cottage, really comfy beds!"

  Great downstairs area with everything we needed. The scones, cream and jam were a lovely touch thank you. The shower was lovely too. The location was perfect for exploring Lizard. Parking at the cottage not an issue, just down the road and always space. We discovered Gwella Dairy just a short walk away- best ice cream ever! So many beautiful beaches a short drive away, and village stores at Mawgan and Gweek were great, had all the usual bits plus some local delicacies. Gear farm pasties down the road- delicious.

  Thank you very much for leaving feedback. It is appreciated and I hope you have a lovely holiday. We'd love to see you again! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Zoe5.0★Jul 2023

• "House is lovely and well equipped."

  It is an older Cornish house and therefore has low ceilings so I banged my head on beams a couple of times but I am quite tall. Good sized secure garden for dogs. It was winter so we didn’t use it otherwise. Parking is not ideal. It is street parking but not outside the house. If the neighbours have guests you could parking quite far away and in a quite exposed spot. Everyone does try to accommodate as best as possible however. The pub is literally 20meters away and while we didn’t feel it quite met it’s very positive reviews is a great spot for a beer and also dog friendly.

  Thank you for your comments - we appreciate the feedback. Parking in these Cornish village is a little bit trying we agree, although having lived in a city for years, it is easier in Cornwall. I guess it's what you are used to! The pub is in new hands since many of the reviews you may have read will have been written. Our favourite pub to eat at is a few miles away in Helford, The ShipWrights Arms. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Scott4.7★Dec 2022

• "Lovely cottage in hamlet near Helford - good base for exploring the Lizard."

  Cottage well organised, cosy and good for dogs with small enclosed garden - latter could do with a sort out but then so could mine!! For the money I would have expected a few extras e.g. dishwasher/clothes washing tabs. Front door opens on to street and very busy junction - noisy farm vehicles come tearing round the corner day and night!

  We appreciate the feedback. Thank you. Basic supplies are now provided by our housekeeping service to keep you going. It is a farming community in this part of Cornwall and there are agricultural vehicles using the road. I am sorry if when you were there, there were incidents of speeding. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Simon5.0★Sep 2022

• "Lovely cottage."

  Great location. Very noisy because of the road but I wonder if this was due to harvest. A couple of small things that might be useful to provide: surface cleaner for counters and table and maybe some kitchen roll. Loved your folder with ideas for the area, very useful, thank you. Thank for help with the keys. So sorry, I had to go to the car garage and have my front seat removed to retrieve them!!!

  We now supply basic pack of essentials on arrival. Many thanks for the feedback Property Owner

  Reviewed by Aishling4.4★Aug 2022

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