Old Harry Cottage 16

4 Customer Reviews

• "This is the only time in 35 cottages that I have spent over £1,000 on a cottage, and I was therefore expecting a really exceptional cottage and it didn’t live up to my expectations."

  A key reason for booking this cottage was that it had an EV charger. However this had a number of issues. The unit was dead when we arrived and the instructions on the outside wall did not explain how to power it up. The Cottage handbook claimed the instructions and EV charging cable were available on a hook in the kitchen – they were not. There was a tiny sticker above the fridge with nothing to indicate that it referred to the EV charger which said the switchgear (i.e. circuit breaker) may seem faulty because they are floppy, but they could be reset by pressing the switchgear all the way down until it clicks and then pushing it up again. Doing that then finally got some power to the EV charger (bearing in mind all this is being done in the dark since access to the cottage was only allowed after 4pm, and in mid-November it is dark by then. The next problem was the distance from the EV charger to the driveway. We have a perfectly standard VW manufactured Type 2 untethered charging cable for our car. I had to reverse the car practically onto the grass in order for the cable to reach, and even then it was a piano wire and had to be supported on a garden bench. This sounds not too bad, but there were three shrubs in pots, all of them relatively heavy, which first had to be dragged out of the way. The gap was still very narrow with a woody shrub to the left and prickly one to the right. Fortunately I had a pair of secateurs in my walking jacket so, in the dark, I could just cut enough of these plants out of the way to get the care far enough back and with enough space to open the EV charger cap and fit the charger. So far so bad for our first charge but eventually it was all made to work. The following day I could clear more of the shrubs out the way which made access slightly easier, but the second time the car was plugged in the charger simply stopped working after 12 minutes and it never worked again for the whole holiday. Fortunately there were also two external 3-pin sockets by the EV charger and I had my 3 pin style car charger with me, so we were able to charge the car, but we had to support the charging unit using a small garden table with the glass recycling bin turned upside down on top of it due to cable only just reaching. The cottage smelled damp from the time we arrived. It subsequently turned out that for a number of months there must have been a slow leak in a compression joint in the bathroom – the maintenance chap said there was a lot of mould present. While this leak was fixed during our holiday the bathroom still hadn’t fully dried out by the time we left. When we arrived the carpet in the main bathroom was soaking wet in front of the sink and damp patches had appeared on the ceiling of the dining room below by the time we left. Given the length of time this had clearly been a problem it is disappointing that it hadn’t been spotted and fixed much earlier. Four lightbulbs were dead when we arrive. We found spares and replaced three of them but there was no spare for the one over the bathroom sink. The maintenance chap changed this when he fixed the leak.. The cottage can sleep eight adults and yet there are only five matching wine glasses and the water tumblers were all plastic. Extra glasses were provided by Dreams cottages during our stay. Even having changed the batteries for the motor to raise in the kitchen bin lid is still didn’t work. The stereo remote control contained corroded batteries which had to be carefully removed and then replaced. The lounge lantern light and one bedroom clock also needed new batteries. We didn’t find a weighing scale for the kitchen and the one in the bathroom needed a new battery. The cottage information said that there were two keys provided, but we only ever found one. This had to be left behind in the key safe for the four days when Dream cottages said access to the cottage would be needed to carry out repairs. This was a bit of a pain since the key only just fits into the safe without blocking the opening mechanism – in fact we really struggled to open the key safe at all on the first night we arrived and were even beginning to doubt we had the right combination before it finally came free. The landing blind was broken and couldn’t be fixed during our holiday. We corrected the fact that one of the wardrobe doors needed to be adjusted. It was the worst holiday we have ever had and we were extremely glad to get home again – in fact we almost left the cottage two days early as there had been so many problems.

  Dear Guests Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed account of your recent stay at our Swanage cottage. We sincerely apologise for the difficulties you encountered and the inconvenience caused. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve both the property and the guest experience. We are very sorry that the EV charger was not functioning properly and that instructions were unclear. We will ensure the handbook is updated with clear guidance and that instructions are prominently displayed. The charger location and access will be reviewed, including shrub clearance, driveway positioning and appropriate length cable provided. A full service and reliability check of the unit is being scheduled to prevent recurrence. We regret that you experienced damp smells and a bathroom leak during your stay. The leak has now been repaired, and we are undertaking a full inspection to ensure no further hidden issues remain. Carpets and ceilings affected by damp are being professionally dried and treated for mould. Preventive maintenance checks will be increased to avoid long standing problems going unnoticed. We apologise for the inconvenience of dead bulbs and faulty batteries. A new pre arrival checklist will ensure all bulbs and batteries are tested before guests arrive. The kitchen bin lid and other small appliances are being repaired or replaced. We acknowledge the shortfall in glassware and kitchen equipment. The cottage will be restocked with a full set of matching glasses and tumblers suitable for eight guests. Missing items such as weighing scales will be replaced. We regret that only one key was available and that the key safe was difficult to use. A second key will be provided again for all future stays. The key safe will be replaced with a more reliable model. We apologise for the broken blind and wardrobe door issue. The blind is being repaired, and all furnishings will be checked for functionality. Wardrobe doors and other fittings will be adjusted and inspected regularly. Our Commitment We take your experience very seriously. Immediate corrective actions are being implemented, and longer term improvements will ensure future guests enjoy a comfortable, trouble free stay. Thank you again for bringing these matters to our attention. We hope you will consider staying with us again so we can provide the high quality experience you expected and deserve. With sincere apologies, Dave & Gill Property Owner

  Reviewed by Lynda2.0★Nov 2025

• "We had a lovely comfortable week’s stay at this cottage."

  We wanted for nothing. When the battery alarm went off in one of the fire alarms it was quickly dealt with by the out of hours property maintenance team. The town of Swanage was lovely. Every morning we walked down to the sea front and along the promenade, then did a bit of shopping and then walked back (9000 or thereabouts steps). Lovely walks along the cliff tops and also we accessed the buses to go visit Poole and Bournemouth. All in all a lovely week. Really nice weather too.

  We're glad you enjoyed your stay. it can be very pleasant at this quieter out of season time. Thank you so much for your kind reviews. Dave & Gill Property Owner

  Reviewed by Lesley5.0★Sep 2025

• "We had a wonderful family holiday for a week in Dorset."

  Very comfortable.

  Reviewed by Ian5.0★Aug 2025

• "We had a lovely week staying here as a family group which included 4 adults and 2 children."

  We all found the house to be clean and comfortable and well equipped for everything we needed. The photos are exactly how the house is - what you see is what you get! The bathrooms were very clean, beds very comfortable with clean bedding and plenty of room to sit and eat meals together. The kitchen whilst on the smaller side, had everything you could need and was very well equipped (it even had an air fryer although we did not need to use). The house has a very homely feel. We could see the owners were in the middle of making some improvements along the lines of decorating and the house will be even better once finished. The vast range of books, maps and leaflets in the house was outstanding. All the adults in our party thoroughly enjoyed the interesting selection of books and it was so helpful to have leaflets and maps for the local attractions/area. A few games too and a great selection of CDs and no problem playing these on the system. No problem with WiFi either with all of us using at the same time on various devices. Each bedroom upstairs has a view - you can see the sea from the front bedroom and the beautiful hills from the back bedroom. It is incredibly quiet and peaceful and a lovely safe area. The beach, railway and main town are all in walking distance (15 minutes to railway and about 20-25 minutes into town and onto the beach, but it is a steep hill when walking back (the nature of the area but does allow for beautiful views). A local shop and pub are even closer - about 5 minute walk. Ìf driving into town and to the local beach, it is a few minutes and we never had trouble parking. Excellent shops in town and places to get food shopping. The Swanage railway runs to Corfe Castle which was a fantastic day out, especially for the children to see the steam train and travel on it. The house is in an excellent location to set off and do walks all over the cliffs and to neighbouring villages and towns. A couple of our party walked to Old Harry Rocks and had stunning views along the way. Also, by car we were able to explore other places such as the Tank Museum, Kimmeridge Bay for fossil hunting (where we found lots!), beautiful Durlston Country Park, Studland bay and many more. The only thing that we couldn't find were place mats for the table (although coasters were in abundance) and a clothes airer/line to hang clothes outside in the sun (although there was a hanging system in the kitchen). In summary, the house has a warm and homely feeling. Swanage is beautiful and this house is a great location for exploring. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

  Thank you so much for your thorough, useful, and kind review of our holiday home. We’re glad you enjoyed your stay – and you certainly packed a lot into your holiday. Regarding table mats: that’s a good idea, we have table cloths in the dresser drawer but appreciate some people prefer table mats. Regarding the outside clothes line: we will find a way of securing the clothes dolly that fits into the stone on the lawn to the side of the shed. Regarding ‘making some improvements along the lines of decorating’: when we added the upper floor we visited the development in all stages, often sleeping on beds in rooms filled to the ceiling with furniture. The week after it finished, and we had put the furniture in place, we were lying in bed admiring the carpenters’ and plasterers’ skills – the faint but unmistakable swirls left behind. We thought we could paint over them, but it would be nicer to seal them in – not least in keeping with a fairly strong Arts & Crafts movement in Purbeck. So that’s what we did. We can see it isn’t to everyone’s taste. Thanks again, very helpful. Dave & Gill Property Owner

  Reviewed by Hannah5.0★Aug 2025

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