“We were so disappointed.”
Thank goodness, for the sake of other unsuspecting guests, the description of this property has been amended and it now says it is adjacent to another holiday let.. At the time my partner and I booked the Granary ( I can not accurately say the exact date ) there was absolutely no mention of another holiday let anywhere near it., especially not such a huge one. The only thing mentioned was that it was close to the owner's property, which did not concern us. We were so desperate to find a stand alone, peaceful retreat that we scrutinised the literature over and over again before booking. It was of the utmost importance to us and we certainly would not have overlooked such a vital detail. We did not miss the mention of another holiday let because it was not there, written in the description! Neither was there any mention of the meadow being shared either, which would have obviously alerted us to other holiday makers in the close vacinity. Even now the details have been updated, it might be an idea, just to totally clarify how close these properties actually are, to add an extra photo to the gallery. This could be taken from the front of the little Granary, illustrating how severely limited any privacy is, especially as the doors and windows are directly opposite from each other. I feel only then can future guests make a truly informed decision before booking.
Now on to the condition of the Granary itself. Lovely as it could have been, it was dirty in several areas. The beam in the bedroom actually looked furry there was so much thick dust standing up on it. You couldn't miss it so goodness knows why it hadn't been cleaned. Cobwebs hung like lacy garlands from the wall at the top of the stairs, dust on the heated towel rail was so visible you could have written your name in it and there was grime around the base of the taps. The shower area wasn't too bad but there were still several pubic hairs in the base which obviously were not pleasant to contend with. Some of the plates and dishes still had crumbs sticking to them and a lot of the cutlery was dirty. The cutlery tray looked like it hadn't been washed for a while too. It was disgusting. My partner was so upset she was in tears and neither of us felt relaxed until we had cleaned the necessary areas ourselves. Everything (we didn't attempt the dust on the beam or stairwell) cleaned off with ease so this only served to indicate that the cleaning regime was obviously lazily carried out with no attention to detail.
Yes, we could have mentioned the lack of cleanliness to the owners. The main reason we didn't was because they were really lovely, having driven out to meet us when we couldn't find our way there through all the country lanes. Not a brilliant reason I know but, as we were just beginning our holiday, we didn't want our week to start with a confrontation and, possibly, subsequent awkwardness. Above all though, the need shouldn't have arisen in the first place - the grime was self-evident and everywhere should have been spotless. There is no excuse. Guests should not be put in a position where they have to point this out, possibly resulting in a bad atmosphere. It is a basic right for a paying guest to be provided with a clean place to stay. It doesn't have to be the height of luxury, just clean.
We filled in, in great detail, the feedback form provided by Syke's when we returned from our holiday and even sent it via recorded delivery so they were certain to receive it. Not a word did we hear back from them. Absolutely nothing. Great customer service! Maybe they're only interested in positive feedback. Although, it's strange because I notice there is a response from them with regard to another negative review on Tripadvisor.They appeared to respond very quickly to it too. Amazing that! Maybe, as the negative comments are being expressed within the public domain, rather than privately, they have to look as though they're listening. Whatever the reason, we will not be booking through Syke's again, or recommending them to anyone either.
- petey321, May 2012
