Dove Cottage

21 Customer Reviews

• "Having stayed at the property many times before, I was exceedingly disappointed with my stay this year."

  Mostly I was disappointed the response from Sykes - so much so that I will not book with them again for any property. Arrived to find no hot water, heating, nor a fully working AGA. The former I remedied easily enough but the AGA was below temperature all week so we couldn't cook (I have the same AGA at home so I know how to work them). Electrical problems all week, portable ovens fused all electrics in the cottage - resulting in no wifi, tv, radio, fridge, lights etc, so no hot food all week. Whilst the owner kindly offered to buy another portable oven there seemed little point since any attempt to use electrical sockets fused all else in the property. Sykes emailed after five days implying I had refused 'offers of help' and 'what would I be satisfied with' (the offer of help declined was another portable oven - see above it wouldn't solve anything and I was actually saving the owner money!). Utterly shocking response considering I had spent several evenings sorting fuse boxes, had lived off cold suppers for most of the week (FBI doesn't open Monday or Tuesdays) sat in dark most evenings and was general expected to sort out the electrics myself. By Thursday the ceiling/down lights in the kitchen had fused (and couldn't be resolved via the fuse box) but I didn't bother notifying Skyes (little point) and we just sat in the dark. If I used hair straighteners the lamps flickered. Came back most days to find electricity box fused and thus all appliances off (not a huge problem but food did go off). Whilst I accept an AGA person wasn't available for a week an electrician should have been sent round. The response from Sykes was shockingly rude - particularly given the cost of the property - absolutely zero help. I will happily upload the email from them if required. It is a lovely property, location etc but I would not recommend booking via Skyes. Very disappointing indeed.

  Thank you for the feedback from your stay at Dove Cottage. I know from our conversation that you previously enjoyed a number of great holidays at Dove Cottage and I’m so sorry that hasn’t been the case on this occasion. On your arrival, you informed Sykes of two issues 1.The hot water and central heating weren’t working...and 2. the Aga oven temperature gauge indicated the oven was below optimal temperature. Sykes contacted me and I immediately phoned you to help get everything up and running. The first issue was easily rectified when I referred you to the instructions on how to turn the hot water and heating controller to On. The Aga proved to be more problematic and a technician was not available. I explained to you that the combined use of the Aga hot plates (which were working perfectly) with extended time in the oven (operating at 170C), would enable you to use the Aga for most cooking requirements. A combo microwave and 2 ‘back-up’ portable ovens were also available. As I recall you didn’t use the microwave and unfortunately the first portable oven you tried hadn’t been used for quite some time and turned out to have an electrical fault which caused the electrics to trip. I helped you to quickly reset the electrical supply and you then informed me that the other portable oven was also shorting the circuits. The electrics have subsequently been checked throughout the house and there’s no fault with either the general circuits or any of the other electrical appliances, including the other portable oven which is in full working condition. Throughout this, I tried to provide solutions to ensure you had an enjoyable holiday and I’m sorry that didn’t meet your expectations. Property Owner

  Reviewed by M3.1★Oct 2023

• "Beautiful home - tastefully decorated, with very comfortable furnishings."

  The kitchen was well equipped and I enjoyed cooking in there and making use of the Aga, as it was on permanently and gave me the excuse to slow cook dishes on our lazy day at the property. Having the Aga on did get a little warm on our hot week, but opening those beautiful patio doors helped with that. The generous welcome goodies were much appreciated. The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars is that we hadn’t appreciated just how difficult accessibility would be (our fault - there were some warnings in the literature and the reviews). We were prepared for the difficulty passing on narrow lanes leading to the property, but not for just how steep the hills are from the property - seemingly on every route you took from the house. We enjoyed the challenge running up and down them and had a great week, but I was glad my parents hadn’t come (they had to cancel last minute), as they would not have been able to leave the house on foot, because they wouldn’t have coped with the gradient. I don’t remember reading anything about that when we booked it. The drive was also a bit of a surprise … we wished we had brought our smaller car, to negotiate the tight turn on the steep hill. Definitely not fun in a large car. Having said that, I can’t leave the review on a negative… if you have a smallish car and are fit and able to cope with steep walks, this property is just idyllic. The views are sublime - some of the best anywhere we’ve stayed in the world and even better in life than on the photos. The house is beautiful, had everything we needed and was very comfortable. Thank you to the owners for a brilliant week.

  Reviewed by Helena5.0★Aug 2022

• "Beautiful cottage."

  Plenty of room for family. Lovely deck from which you can really enjoy the view over the river. Garden very steep,but this was explained in description of property. Last 2 1/2 miles to cottage very narrow lane with passing places, but not too busy. Overall very enjoyable stay with housekeeper very helpful when contacted.

  Reviewed by Ann5.0★May 2022

• "Lovely house, very beautiful terrace with stunning view, clean and well maintained."

  Love Dittisham, good location & pub in village. Aga is tricky if you’re not used to it but we managed most things - don’t attempt stir fry! Would have liked some logs & matches for log burner just to get us started. Management company helpful & responsive.

  Reviewed by Louise4.7★Apr 2022

• "Unfortunately the bedrooms in our opinion had not been cleaned just the bedding and towels changed it was very grubby the hoover was not working because it was overflowing full ,the roasting trays have seen better days and so has the breadboards ,the patio doors are very hard to lock ,the top slab as you come from the car park is loose and dangerous,on the plus side it is a beautiful house ,furnished very well and beautiful maintained gardens and stunning views ."

  It’s a shame a few simple things let it down .I did send a email with a pic of hoover because I’ve never seen anything as bad before

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear you reported such issues. The owner is going down to the property to discuss these matters with the property management company. - The Helpful Holidays Team. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kevin3.4★Feb 2022

• "The house is beautiful and was the perfect retreat for us."

  We were a little disappointed at first as despite the pictures of the property all outside furniture had been stored for winter. This was resolved by a wonderful and delightful Morgan after a simple call. Will definitely stay again.

  Reviewed by Garry4.4★Dec 2021

• "The property itself was exactly how it was advertised by you."

  It suited our family break having 3 double bedrooms with ensuite, plus another room with twin beds. I did not expect to go into the kitchen and have to wipe all the cabinets doors, as they were sticky and dirty. The freezer compartment had bits of food particles in it. There was also a cup of used cooking oil on the side! Some of the glassware also needed rewashing. Dead flies/insect between windows and shutters. Smeary mirrors and glass bannisters. Muddy shelving in utility. Bits and dust under cabinets.

  Thank you for your feedback. We have notified and discussed your comments with the owner and the cleanliness issues you mention have been rectified. We hope this did not impact upon your stay too much. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Caroline4.1★Jul 2021

• "Amazing views and really well equipped."

  The one warning I would give is that the roads in the village are very narrow and not for the faint hearted.

  Reviewed by Steven5.0★May 2021

• "Dove Cottage is a stylish and very comfortable house with a fantastic view, in a lovely setting."

  It was well supplied with everything we needed; the beds were exceedingly comfortable with high quality linen and towels. We really enjoyed our stay and would certainly return there. It's worth noting that the electric Aga is the traditional kind, with fixed temperature hotplates (delightful as a source of warmth).

  Reviewed by Clare4.4★Oct 2020

• "We were really impressed with the cleanliness of the house, particularly in these difficult times."

  We had thought we would have to provide everything ourselves this year, but there were tea towels, toilet rolls, toiletries, dishwasher tablets, detergent tablets, salt and pepper, tea and coffee and sugar. The house was lovely, modern and comfortable, especially the beds. The best thing, though, was the view over the River Dart. It was beautiful. We all took many photos especially of sunrise! Beware - to walk anyway, you must negotiate very steep roads. To return from the jetty was especially difficult, though we did find a longer but slightly less steep route on a dirt track. The Anchorstone Café was lovely. Delicious fish dishes cooked beautifully and washed down with wine made the walk back up the to the house slightly less daunting. You must book a table in advance. Other fun activities included Stand Up Paddle Boarding from Dittisham jetty, visiting Greenway across the river, swimming at Blackpool Sands, a day at Sharpham Vineyard and Cheese tasting wine and cheese, exploring the estate and eating the best meal we had all week, and 2 of us walked to Dartmouth and back: 11 miles in the fog! It was a great week and a very welcome holiday in this strange year.

  Reviewed by Mick5.0★Aug 2020

• "The only issue we had was the bins."

  They already had waste in them when we arrived as collection day is a Wednesday, but they were not collected on the Wednesday which left them full to overflowing by the time we left on Saturday. This may well have caused an issue for the next visitors, although it did not impact us too negatively. I rang your office to let them know on Thursday that the bins had not been collected. We were also disappointed that there was not a BBQ even though the cleaning checklist said that the BBQ handles had been cleaned. To be fair, the property was not advertised as having a BBQ, but the owners should consider making one available as the price for the week is considerable. The gardens at this property are simply stunning and I don’t feel you give them enough emphasis in your description. They have been so cleverly landscaped on a steep slope and the winding path down is just beautiful. This despite it being the end of August. Hats off to the gardeners.

  Reviewed by Carol5.0★Aug 2020

• "We had a lovely stay at Dove Cottage."

  The view from the terrace is amazing. The cottage is in a good central location for lots of lovely villages and beaches (by car or ferry). Everything we needed was provided in the cottage. We would stay again and recommend to others.

  Reviewed by Chris4.7★Jul 2020

• "The quality of the house and the fixtures and fittings."

  The outside deck area and the view of the River Dart. The proximity to The Ferry Boat Inn and the passenger ferry over to Greenway plus other options for river trips.

  Reviewed by Anne5.0★Sep 2019

• "Dove cottage is set in an ideal location, with superb views over the estuary."

  Ideally located for exploring the area. Large, well equipped property with plenty of room for 2 families. My only negatives would be: pillows in bedrooms felt lumpy and would benefit from replacement. A welcome pack would be a nice touch in a property of this price bracket - we have always received them in other properties.

  Reviewed by Carolyn3.8★Aug 2019

• "We reluctantly left Dove Cottage and Dittisham and environs last Saturday after enjoying a very enjoyable stay in the "cottage" with all its amenities and comfort The panorama of that part of the Dart valley, from the deck is one of the most satisfying backdrops for outdoor dining that we have ever experienced (including foreign holidays)."

  Dittisham, though small, has the delightful Anchorstone Café and other temptations and Dartmouth is still quite unspoilt. Two small management comments: A ceiling light failed just above the exits to the deck and we could not re-set the distribution box. We did not find out that one of the doors to the deck was unlockable until the end of the week and we apologise that we did not realise that 'bin day was Wednesday.

  Reviewed by Roy5.0★Jun 2019

• "Lovely cottage with fantastic views."

  Really comfortable, and had wonderful weather for eating and drinking out on the decking area. However, one small complaint - could more toilet rolls and dishwasher tablets be provided please? There were inadequate supplies of these for 6 people for one week, and we had to our purchase more ourselves.

  Reviewed by Christine5.0★May 2019

• "Wonderfully equipped comfortable cottage with stunning views, great location for enjoying local walks and exploring further afield."

  Be aware! I hadn’t quite registered that 3 upstairs bedrooms have en-suite facilities but the downstairs twin room only had access to cloakroom which could cause issues for some visitors.

  Reviewed by Louise4.7★Apr 2019

• "Lovely well equipped and beautifully furnished house in a gorgeous setting ..."

  Lovely well equipped and beautifully furnished house in a gorgeous setting Great place for a family or group of friends

  Reviewed by Judith5.0★Sep 2018

• "This was our second annual consecutive stay at Dove Cottage."

  It is well designed and appointed with car parking for up to 3 cars, which is necessary. The cottage would benefit from: serving spoons other than plastic salad servers. more than one hairdryer replacing rotted wood on terrace and oiling all of terrace. the external wood furniture on terrace is showing its age and two chairs need replacing maybe worth considering removing three seater chair on terrace and replacing with a sun lounger The peace and tranquility is great, this year we also had super weather

  Reviewed by Mary4.1★Jun 2018

• "We had a fantastic holiday and enjoyed exploring the area from this gorgeous location."

  The views from the veranda were spectacular and we loved waking up to them!

  Reviewed by Barbara5.0★May 2018

• "We had a very good holiday in a lovely property."

  However when we arrived at the property the keys had been left in a key safe. Unfortunately the code appears to have been changed and the number you provided for the key safe was incorrect. It was lucky that we arrived at the property at a time when we were able to contact Pure Management who provided us with the correct code.

  Reviewed by Simon5.0★May 2018

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