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"Ideal location, quiet back lane, shops & short walk to main bus route."
Loved everywhere at Siena Cottage, highly recommended
Reviewed by C5.0★Sep 2023
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"Overall we enjoyed our stay at Sienna Cottage."
It provided a great, comfortable base for our holiday and we would reccommend to others and return ourselves. The sofa was particularly nice, very comfy and the beds and mattresses were comfy too which is great. Its in the perfect location for exploring the English Riviera and South West Coast Path and although is in a busily area inside the cottage is peaceful and quiet.
The added benefit of off road parking was welcome, especially due to the road being very narrow and often tricky to navigate due to all the other parked cars and potholes.
However we did find that it lacked a few essentials and other things that we would usually expect to find in a cottage of this calibre and price point.
Essentials wise, the grill pan was missing its handle which is a H&S issue, there was no hand soap provided in the bathroom or kitchen and no cleaning stuff or bin bags in the kitchen to keep it clean during our stay - we would not usually expect to have to provide these things ourselves. When arriving there was only half a roll of toilet paper in each toilet, quite a measly offering.
The cleanliness of the main bathroom could have been better, we found the bath plug hole blocked up with a huge matt of hair and grime which was unpleasant to remove but necessary as the bath wasnt draining properly and the handles on the bathroom drawers were dirty and flaky. The cottage was otherwise very clean and presentable.
The heating was set very high and came on by itself during the night and the instructions to operate the temperature were not obvious.
The front window in the master bedroom did not shut properly meaning a lot of noise was let in at night.
Finally, the welcome book gives no where near enough information on things like refuse/recycling expectations, the state in which you expect us to leave the cottage (where to leave towels & linen ect) it was very very minimal and could really benefit from an update.
Additionally, a couple of things that would be appreciated/nice to have and would vastly improve the comfort of a stay at the cottage:
Curtains in the bedroom: although the wooden blinds look great, they do not block out any light and also offer no heat or sound insulation. We found ourselves being woken early by the light coming in and often by noises coming through. Curtains would have been very much appreciated and would fix this issue.
A shoe rack in the hall would be great, there is space for a good sized one behind the front door and would help to keep the hall tidy during a stay.
A key ring on the key would be really helpful, as would a second key. There were times when we really could have done with a second key and this is something that's been available in any other place weve stayed.
There was no lock on the gates as is advised on the listing.
It would be great if some of these comments could be taken into consideration. Nothing said above is meant as criticism, all just feedback on things that either really do need addressing or would be beneficial to add/improve.
Reviewed by Jenni-emily3.4★Aug 2023
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"The cottage is very nice and we had a lovely stay."
It's located in a quiet area with parking which was a bonus. A hook to hold the gate to the parking area in place on the right hand side would be helpful to prevent it hitting cars.
The house is cosy and nicely decorated with comfortable beds. We had an issue with bedding on the first night which didn't seem to have been changed from the previous visitors. The issue was very swiftly and courteously resolved by the owner the next day who apologised profusely for the situation. The garden area could do with some TLC. There are a lot of weeds and some discarded fencing propped up in the corner. The garden furniture also needed a good wash before use. Some general cleaning products to keep the house clean and tidy during our weeks stay would have been useful. A larger fridge would also be helpful when catering for a family for a week. Overall, it is a lovely cottage in a quiet area.
Reviewed by Rebecca3.1★Jul 2023
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"We had a really lovely stay here, and would definitely return!"
Our week was a bit rained-filled but the holiday home was cosy enough that we could enjoy being there too when the rain stopped other plans. There were a lot of thoughtful touches to the place, such as plastic plates etc for smaller people, and the games and puzzles, and the attention to detail was wonderful. We parked our car in front of the house, not in the lane, and had no trouble parking besides one day when the neighbour opposite was having trees felled and the lane was blocked. Thank you for a lovely stay!
Reviewed by David5.0★Jul 2023
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"The house was great and ideally situated to visit the local area."
However, in the description it says off road parking for 2 cars. From this, and the photos I assumed I would be able to park on the property. This was basically impossible. The property is situated on a private road / lane. Many residents park in this narrow road which caused a problem when trying to get into the gate. Eventually after much shunting I got my Ford Kuga down the side of the property with minimal clearance each side of the car. However, I could only get the car into the property in reverse due to the difficult access. By reversing all the way to the bottom my passengers could exit the vehicle, but I couldn't. We also couldn't open the hatchback. I had to drive back out of the gate and park outside on the road. Unfortunately the adjacent neighbour had a motorbike and a car parked outside their house and part of our house. I had to park across the gateway. This then made it difficult for the neighbour opposite to exit his drive. So I think the listing description needs to make it clear that parking is outside the property in the lane / road. It in fact does state this in the file of information inside the property.
As I've already said though the house was fine. Maybe a more comprehensive information file? The only technical info in there was for the heating.
Reviewed by Andrew4.7★Jul 2023
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"Lovely comfortable cottage in very nice lane with own drive."
Amazing. Well equipped and easy to get to all of Torquays attractions. One negative, the hairdryer that is supplied is faulty and quite dangerous but we left a note. Very enjoyable stay visiting family. Thank you from the Prebbles
Reviewed by Susan4.1★Jul 2023
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"Lovely cottage."
Convenient to a lot of places. A most enjoyable stay Thank you
Reviewed by Colette4.7★Apr 2023
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"Good location and local bus stop in the Babbacombe Road used to various places."
The access road (lane) is full of pot holes, so care is needed if returning in the dark. The paved driveway had greenery and leaves all over and on first impression the property looked a little uncared for. The interior of the house was completely the opposite. Clean and nicely decorated. Kitchen was well equipped although washing machine did not work (owners notified). Just two of us so only main (double) room used, but second bunk-bed room would be ideal for children. First Sykes property (and we have stayed in many) where there was no Welcome Pack of any kind - not even a pint of milk in the fridge. Small Coop store, The Kent's pub and other shops and restaurant just around the corner. Overall we would recommend this property.
Reviewed by Jeanette3.8★Mar 2023
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"This cottage is really well located for visiting the surrounding areas, we stayed a week and didn’t use the car once instead preferred to use the local bus service which is very regular and if you use the app (stagecoach) very reasonably priced for a hop on - hop off weekly ticket."
The cottage itself was immaculately clean and comfortable with everything you could need provided. Local deli, co-op shop and pub are all within a five minute walk. All in all we couldn’t fault anything.
Reviewed by Steve5.0★Nov 2022
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"Lovely clean homely cottage enjoyed using the dressing area"
Reviewed by Cheryl5.0★Sep 2022
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"Great holiday home - very comfortable and well equipped."
A few small essentials like washing up liquid and a cloth or scourer would have been helpful (these are usually provided). Would also have been nice if the garden was a bit more appealing - some greenery and a few decorative ornaments to cheer up a blank space. The Cottage is in a lovely quiet location and was very clean and tidy though, so no complaints. Recommended.
Reviewed by Angela5.0★Jul 2022
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"Excellent holiday home, wonderful location such a beautiful part of Devon."
Siena Cottage had everything you required, most relaxing,
Off road parking, an added bonus.
Looking forward to our next visit.
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Reviewed by Anne Christine5.0★Jun 2022
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"As advertised there is parking for two cars but the entrance is not wide so the combination of a largish vehicle and parked cars and bins in the lane made access difficult."
On a couple of days the wind was strong enough to move the gates so one had to be held open. Tricky if you are alone. Maybe a couple of hooks to hold them in place? We did speculate that why so many people waxed lyrical about the bus service was because once parked they didn't want to repeat the process too often.
The parking and outside seating areas look unkempt with grass and weeds growing in the block paving.
In a self-catering property you should not expect anything but on previous stays in Sykes cottages we have found fresh eggs, home-made cake and even bottles of wine on arrival. So we were somewhat surprised at Siena when there wasn't even a bag in the rubbish bin. However, liquid soap was provided (Covid related?). The only other things we found were a teabag in an open sachet and a single tube of sugar - the welcome pack?
We were only two people so the cottage was more than adequate for our needs and apart from some long hairs behind the bathroom door and dust on parts of the skirting boards it was very clean.
Reviewed by John4.4★Jun 2022
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"We were very pleased with the cottage it was spotlessly clean and beautifully furnished,we parked the car when we got there on the Friday and didn’t use it again until the following Friday as everything was on the doorstep for us and our grandchildren, we would definitely recommend and would certainly go back again."
Reviewed by Simon5.0★May 2022
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"Really nice place cracking local pub and restaurant (waddling duck) central to visit many places highly recommend."
Reviewed by David5.0★May 2022
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"Very well presented and equipped."
Secure and quiet position. Have booked again!
Reviewed by David5.0★Apr 2022
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"This is a lovely, well-appointed cottage and is very comfortable."
Once the car is safely parked in the property there is no need to use it in the local area where lovely walks and easy access to the shops make this an ideal base.
Reviewed by John4.7★Jan 2022
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"Excellent tasteful accommodation with everything you need to have a very comfortable enjoyable stay."
Situated in a desirable location with all amenities within a short walk.
Reviewed by Janet5.0★Dec 2021
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"Lovely cottage, very clean & well looked after throughout with a well equipped kitchen."
Reviewed by Debbie5.0★Nov 2021
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"We had a wonderful 3 night stay at Siena Cottage and loved it so much that we didn’t want to leave!"
The cottage is immaculate with lovely furnishings, decor, bedding and a great bathroom. It was generously equipped with everything from fluffy towels to everything you need in the kitchen, even liquid soap!
Great location, so close to a good pub and shops just round the corner. Highly recommended!
Reviewed by Caroline5.0★Oct 2021
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