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"We knew this was an old house but expected it to be clean."
The house was filthy. It didn't appear that it had been cleaned properly in a long time. There was a dreadful bad smell when we opened the front door which we think may be coming from the cellar. We had to clean the fridge before we could put food in it. The floors were not clean, the bathroom floor downstairs was filthy and sticky. Tiles over the bath were not clean, all the socket covers in the sitting room had brown marks that looked like insect droppings. I cleaned one of these and the marks do come off. We could not sit outside in the garden as the lawn hadn't been mowed in quite some time. The patio was filthy and in need of a good power-wash. Most of the windows do not open except for the kitchen and downstairs bathroom. One side of one of the windows in the sitting room fell off when we tried to open it and we could not get it closed again. There are cobwebs everywhere. The furnishings were not clean especially the sofa in the utility area. The windows were in need of a clean. The state of the house had an impact on our holiday but we were lucky the weather was good and we were able to be out all day and we refused to allow it to ruin our holiday altogether. Carrigaholt is a lovely village and the people are especially nice, we loved the coffee dock and the chat with the locals. We would stay in Carrigaholt again but definitely not in Bidsie Bricke's. We would NOT recommend a stay in this house.
I have to say the posting of this review caught me by surprise, especially as I had been using the same cleaning crew for the previous three years, with little or few complaints received. So I was extremely disappointed upon reading this review as it does indeed seem that there was an unacceptable lowering of standards, and I wholeheartedly apologise for this.
You mentioned noticing a "smell" in the house upon your arrival, and I suspect you were noticing the aroma of years of turf soot which occasionally emanates from the original inglenook chimney, particularly, as was the case, if the house hadn't been "aired" for a couple of weeks. It is after all a very old stone built house and though the smell of turf soot
is sometimes noticeable, it generally disappears once the house is in regular use.
And yes, the house built in 1893, with it's exposed stonework, does gather it's share of cobwebs remarkably quickly at times, that I am afraid is the nature of it.
The cobble locked patio is prone to moss, and after a bit of wind, it can also quickly gather leaves and small debris from the overhead canopy of sycamores. Because of this it is usually swept regularly, so again my apologies if this was not your experience.
Weather permitting the lawn is mowed weekly, but at times of wet weather and heavy ground, this can be delayed.
The upstairs windows are fitted with Chubb window locks to prevent any accidents, particularly to children. There should have been a key for this on the keys supplied upon your arrival. I am sorry you had difficulty with some worn and damaged windows, again maintenance of an old house is a continuous progress, and I do endeavour to keep up with repairs as they occur.
I do take complaints seriously , and as the cleaning crew did not complete their tasks to the required standard, I have addressed this by ceasing their contract and by putting a new arrangement in place for the coming season. Property Owner
Reviewed by TeresaSep 2021
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"Carrigaholt is a lovely village to base yourself for touring Clare and North Kerry couple of pubs/pub restaurant/chipper ."
The house just added to the whole experience Highley recommended
Reviewed by AnthonyAug 2021
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"A charming house in a lovely village which felt very homely."
We received a kind warm welcome on arrival.
Reviewed by JamesJul 2021
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"We were disappointed that there were no leaflets in the cottage or recommendations as to where to eat or even buy logs for the fire."
We were very comfortable at the cottage and thought that any visitors with children would be very pleased with the equipment and toys provided
Reviewed by NeilSep 2019
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"Bidsie Bricke's is a lovely old house, beautifully modernised and very comfortable."
It's in a perfect position in the village, with very friendly neighbours and business owners around. Wifi is available in the pub just a few moments away. Fabulous fish shop a short walk away (Sealyons). We enjoyed a trip on the boat to see the dolphins, the booking office is right opposite the house. It's an excellent place to stay.
Reviewed by ClareJun 2019
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"The cottage was great."
Everything required under one roof to make our week a lovely experience. With the blessing of good weather the location was ideal for a relaxing break, a village with 3 pubs, throw in a seafood restaurant, a fast food outlet and glorious seascapes and great accomodation....what more could you want (maybe two weeks). All the pubs were great to have a pint in (especially Carmody's bar, a fine pint of Guinness and hospitality) and all within walking distance of Bidsie Bricke's cottage. Would we go back again...certainly.
Reviewed by OliverMay 2019
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"Lovely place, and delightful garden."
Warm welcome from Caroline. Found everything clean and ready, and the kitchen was very good. The fact that there was no en-suite bedroom didn't bother us, but it may be an issue for some.
Friendly neighbours, especially across in the post office. And an excellent restaurant up the street.
Hope to come back sometime.
Reviewed by JoeMay 2019
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"The "cottage" was wonderful."
It's not a 5-star hotel but has all the charm and comfort expected in an old stone cottage. The location was fabulous. Close to Killkee with it's beautiful Cliff Walks, beaches, stores & restaurants. LoopHead peninsula is a hidden treasure. The cottage was everything we had hoped it would be..... comfortable, clean & cozy. The backyard is private and the bay is right outside the door and a nice place to sit after a day of touring. Mary, the keyholder, was wonderful! The comment about cobwebs is misleading.... may have seen a couple small ones but not unlike those that show up in my own home. I agree the addition of WIFI would be nice for researching the next day's activities. A simple coffee maker also would be nice. Cell phone coverage was hampered by the thick stone walls but stepping outside solved that problem. Would recommend this cottage to anyone booking an Irish holiday.
Reviewed by JolineSep 2018
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"Ours was an excellent and relaxing stay."
Problems with the water were dealt with in good time and we really enjoyed the relaxed nature of the cottage. The village itself was very welcoming with lots of quiet, peaceful things to do. The exceptional weather certainly helped but we would be glad to re-visit Carrigaholt and this perfectly well-equipped cottage any time, and in any weather!
Not sure who 'Sykes Cottages' are, but we'd highly recommend Hogan's Cottages, if this one is anything to go by. We thought we were renting via Hogan's, which we presumed was an Irish company. Is it simply a subsidiary of a larger, non-Irish company? For some reason that seems like a disappointing shame, yet sadly typical of today's hoodwinking culture. Ho-hum, we had a good holiday, although we'd rather have contributed more to the Irish economy.
Reviewed by GordonJul 2018
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"Lovely house in a superb location."
Very comfortable. We learned to live with the cobwebs!! Would definitely stay again. Could do with WiFi
Reviewed by HelenJun 2018
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"A well equipped house in a lovely, friendly village."
Reviewed by AnnJun 2018