The Beach House

The property was really nice, it just need a few maintenance issues to look at the jacuzzi bath did not work (did not impact our stay), cooker hood didn’t work again (did not impact our stay), the taps were a bit stiff again (did not impact our stay) finally to key code supplied by Sykes was wrong

A beautiful location, but far too many avoidable problems We recently stayed at The Beach House lodge in the grounds of Watermouth Castle**.

There are certainly some positives to the property — the location is lovely, the lodge has plenty of potential, there is free Wi-Fi, and the view from the decking overlooking part of the castle is really nice. If I stood on tiptoes and looked over to the right-hand side of the decking, I could even just about see the sea — although, at 6ft 4", I probably had an unfair advantage! Unfortunately, though, there were far too many issues during our stay, and several of them were things that really should have been sorted before guests arrived. The arrival – a complete nightmare The directions we were given were totally and utterly wrong and sent us on a wild goose chase trying to find the lodges. Luckily for us, Clare, the owner of Watermouth Cove Cottages, came to our rescue. She very kindly showed us exactly where the lodges were located and was incredibly helpful. Then, having finally found the place, we discovered that the key code we had been given was completely wrong. Clare once again stepped in and contacted the property management company for us. The call was initially answered by an AI assistant, which wasn't exactly ideal when you're standing outside your holiday accommodation having travelled to get there and simply can't get in! Clare was absolutely fantastic throughout the whole situation. She even offered us one of her own cottages for the night if we couldn't gain access to The Beach House. Thankfully, after some persistence, she eventually managed to obtain the correct code for us and we were able to get inside. Quite honestly, without Clare's help, our arrival could have been a very different story. She went above and beyond, and we can't thank her enough. Once inside... Unfortunately, this is where the list of problems continued. * Several light bulbs weren't working, including the one above the sink and the one above the cooker hood. * The cooker hood itself wasn't working. ( The cooker hood/extractor was not working. While I appreciate that a cooker hood is not necessarily a legal requirement where adequate alternative ventilation is provided, it was a facility supplied with the property and, in our view, should have been checked and in working order before our arrival — particularly as there was a gas hob beneath it.) * The advertised whirlpool bath only worked on one setting, which was disappointing for everyone who used it. * There was no television in the master bedroom, despite one being specifically advertised in the property listing. * The TV in the lounge was **not a Smart TV**, despite the listing describing it as such. * The lounge TV may well have actually been the TV that was supposed to be in the master bedroom. * There was a DVD player, but despite looking around, I couldn't find any DVDs to actually watch. * There were, however, a good selection of books, which was a nice touch. I actually left two books behind myself to add to the collection. * There were cobwebs everywhere — and I really mean everywhere. The lodge clearly hadn't had the thorough clean we'd expect before our arrival. * There was no toilet paper provided, which I find particularly poor for a holiday property. Surely a basic amount of toilet paper should be provided for arriving guests. * There were no dishwasher tablets whatsoever. Even providing one or two would have been enough to get guests started, but there were none, resulting in another trip to the local shops. * The bedside lamp in the master bedroom was powered by a **10-metre extension lead that was still coiled up**. Apart from looking untidy, using a coiled extension lead can create a heat build-up and is something that should really be avoided for safety reasons. * The taps were virtually impossible to control. They seemed to be either fully on or fully off, with very little in-between, which made using them unnecessarily difficult. The listing needs updating A particularly frustrating aspect was that several things didn't appear to match the property listing. The master bedroom television wasn't there, and the television that was provided in the lounge **wasn't a Smart TV as advertised**. When guests book accommodation based on the facilities listed, they reasonably expect those facilities to actually be there and working. Some positives It's not all negative. The lodge itself is in a really nice position, with a pleasant outlook over part of Watermouth Castle. The setting has a lot going for it, and the free Wi-Fi was appreciated. The selection of books was also a nice touch, and hopefully the two books I left behind will add something to the collection for future guests. And, most importantly, Clare from Watermouth Cove Cottages was absolutely brilliant. Her kindness, patience and willingness to help us when we were struggling to find the lodge and then couldn't get in was exceptional. Offering us one of her own cottages if we couldn't gain access went far beyond what she needed to do, and we are genuinely grateful to her. A little something for the next guests... And finally, to whoever stays after us: have a look in the cupboards!

The lodge was good but the site was like a building site, and I would never recommend booking through Sykes they are notoriously useless