Big House

A few maintenance bits that others have mentioned in their reviews which could be addressed (especially the blinds) but these didn’t bother us much at all.

We were out hiking, swimming in the lakes/rivers and exploring everyday so found it to be a great base for the activities we were doing ( from Harlech castle to hiking up Mount Snowdon, Beddgelert, various river walks, Zip activity centres etc - all were within a relatively short and easy drive) Loved the house, very spacious, loved the feel of the history it has - dating back to the 1400’s, garden was lovely, great views , loved the beam across the big fireplace, bedrooms are very spacious and beds are comfy, loved the sheep baa’ing every evening along with the tawny owls hooting to each other next to us in the trees. Kitchen had everything we needed and just want to say how nice it is to stay in a place that has a lovely big fridge /freezer - as a family of 5 we always struggle with this as most places have tiny fridges! We enjoyed the outside tables and chairs and used this a lot as the cleaners said there was an issue with the main table and a chair and not to use it - Which wasn’t a problem as there was outside furniture we could use and the weather was gloriously sunny so we made good use of this. We were very happy with our stay and would definitely stay again. Thank you.

Excellent property, beautiful location, with a superb, commanding view of the coast.

The house was well proportioned and spacious. Only reservation was provision of cups ( only four ) and knives. One chair had a broken leg. A lamp had no plug - our son attached one. He also mended a blind in the main house en suite bedroom. In the annexe, it would have been preferable to be able to put the upstairs light on from downstairs. Otherwise, the house was well equipped.

4th year and thoroughly enjoyed our time at The Big House.

The owner has taken on board past reviews and has improved cleanliness and tried to repair things. Thank you. Stay was fantastic. The views do not disappoint regardless of weather. The house and garden are ideal to just chill out in. Cooking facilities are good and there are takeaways and restaurants nearby if you do not want to cook. Porthmadog is ideal for getting supplies. There is so much to do either within walking distance or a short drive. We would recommend the walk along the river gorge to get to Beddgelert rather than driving to it. Scrambling over the rocks with the river casscading near by was wonderful.

We enjoyed a wonderful week.

The comfortable house suited our needs, is in an ideal setting, with a beautiful garden facing the estuary and Snowdonia. We would love to return one day. There are a few maintenance matters which we would like to share with the owner but so as not to damage reputation, do not wish to publish. One dining chair has an unstable leg, so we did not dare to sit on it, also the leaf to the table has lost a screw so is loose and unstable. A vicious screw protrudes from the twin bedded room door handle. The ensuite toilet seat is loose. The house is running low on water tumblers as there was only one, in an otherwise very well equipped kitchen. Last of all the dust pan is well past its sell by date and needs replacing! Hope this list is helpful.

We love this property and it’s the 3rd time we’ve stayed here on our holiday.

There was a few things that were disappointing this time however, no welcome basket, but also very low on things like washing up liquid, there was no hand soap in some of the toilets or downstairs, and a few of the oven trays were quite dirty. A couple of things others mentioned in reviews, like the dining room chairs, and towel rail in the main bathroom, and half of the oven were still not fixed. A few of these things we felt could have been really easy to sort or provide and would make a big difference. Nothing that ruined our week, but just disappointing as some of those little things would have been easy to provide or fix without much cost. We will hope that we can come and visit again another time, the location, views and size of the property is perfect, and the beds are so comfy and we love the annex area! Lots to love about it, but wanted to give an honest review

Lovely cottage beautiful views would visit again.

A lovely place needs a little TLC here and there but overall a comfortable and quirky property.

Everything stated by previous reviewers was correct.

A disappointing 2 week stay. After the 1st week the owner arrived, he mowed the lawn which was overgrown, put weedkiller down. Replaced the shower rail, did temporary fix on towel rail, and replaced 2 toilet seats! No welcome pack on arrival, no basket of logs. Not enough glassware if more than 4 staying. We stayed here twice before, however by the owner's admission he has let things slide. We are still waiting for a response from Sykes' CEO. On a plus, the view is still lovely

As others have said this property is let down by lack of maintenance, blinds stuck on with tape and don’t go up/down properly, loose door handle, broken towel rail etc.

All really easy fixes with a day of tlc. The location and character of the house is lovely and we did enjoy our stay here.

A spacious & attractive house in a wonderful location marred by continuing neglect.

Broken shower bracket, damaged blinds, some damaged dining chairs, no soap in bathrooms/ kitchen, & tv not working in main lounge- all previously reported in reviews. Owner did not respond to messages left about the tv on his phone, & the tv engineer that Sykes told me the owner had arranged never turned up. There was no follow-up from owner or Sykes. Theres no shower curtain on second shower, insufficient drinking glasses for our party of 6, & grass needed cutting. Sorry to sound petty but I don't think we received value for our money.

The house desperately requires minor maintenance, broken kitchen chairs, reported months ago, window blinds broken, shower pole broken, large tv not working, loose toilet seats, garden needs weeding, grass cutting, generally lets initial image down.

Insufficient towels for 6 of us, no hand soap. Not enough seating for 6 in large sitting room. Overall a nice property needing a bit of care, currently fails to represent value for money.

We are currently going through a complaint with the property as it was unsafe and a liability.

My son is covered with bedbug bites, and the issue wasn't resolved by yourselves or the owner. Very poor from both parties. We hope to get this sorted ASAP. Currently, we don't recommend the cottage due to safety issues for the customer. This is an ongoing case until rectified by the owner. Also, false advertising, as the TVs don't work at all, the grass is knee-high, amongst several other issues.

The house was nice, beds comfortable but many fixtures were tired.

Examples include 2 dining room chairs were broken, and left for people to sit on, blind in master bedroom came off the wall and had to be reattached everytime it was opened or closed, shower fixing were broken meaning shower head wouldn't stay in place, towel rail in bathroom broken

Yes the property does have all the teething problems mentioned by other reviews.

These seem easy to fix and we were tempted to get on and do that. It does seem rather tired as the years go by and some items that were there are now missing. This is our 3rd year using the house and are about to book again for our fourth year. We love the house - excellent location near shops, but also not too far to travel to activities; lots of local walks including mountain, woodland and beach; ideal garden to sit in and provided the side garden entrance is blocked off the dogs are fine; when needing some shade sitting in the annex with the bi-fold doors open is luxurious; views are fantastic and it is great watching the routine that the sheep have or the coming and going of the tide. Would like some of the superfluous furniture removed and the sitting room can not seat all seven of us. Not specific to this house, but we have noticed that as we book for two weeks we do not get extra toilet rolls, a few more towels or tea towels to help with the length of stay. Would thoroughly recommend this property.

We loved the coziness and quirkiness of the cottage and the view was magnificent and ever changing.

A few maintenance issues, mainly with the blinds, but overall the house provided us with a warm, comfortable refuge after a day’s battle with the elements!

Lost hearing for a while which impacted on holiday.

Sykes washed their hands of it! Poor show! Won’t use them again.

This property is as listed and more!

The location is stunning, peaceful and has all the commodities to spend a great weekend with friends.

Really enjoyed our stay at big house, it was a great space for our family get away.

We also rented the cottage next door as well which was a great extension to the space. The cottage is a great space with everything you need to have a great stay.

door knob on one of the bedrooms had fallen off blind in main bathroom had fallen off and shower head wobbled lovely location but access on to road was dangerous - mirror would be useful

Property in need of TLC.

Door handle on twin bedroom falls off, so unable to close the door. Shower bracket broken. Shower curtains mouldy. Central ring on hob and one oven seemed not to function. Garden very overgrown - branches over back door and windows at back of house. Field had sheep in, and garden was not secure for dogs (as advertised). Blanket folded in living room smelled of urine (presumably dogs ...) A lovely house in a beautiful situation, just a pity that it isn't better maintained. We understand that it's getting to the end of the holiday season, but we did pay a lot to stay there!

Shower bracket broken in main bathroom , tv controls broken and chewed but still use able by switching on at box.

Mirror lights not working but I changed bulbs. Lawn space not secured so I used fishing net to cover gap and stop dog wandering off. No paddock to be used because of sheep.

We had a lovely week at Big House.

The house is clean, comfortable and well-equipped and the layout with the connected annex really worked for our family. The location is great with easy access to Harlech and Porthmadog for a good range of shops and cafes. Unfortunately, it rained for the whole week so we weren’t able to make the most of the lovely garden and beautiful views but the wood burning stove meant it was a cosy place to hunker down with a glass of wine and some board games. The only negatives were some issues with the shower not draining properly in the annex bathroom but the biggest concern for us was the very steep driveway and the blind spot for exiting on to the road. We felt like we were taking our lives in our hands every time we left the property and I really feel that a mirror is necessary at the bottom of the driveway. Otherwise, a great stay in a beautiful house in a fabulous location!

To be honest I can’t fault this wonderful house !

It’s amazing! Views to die for ! Comfortable beds ! Great sofas and a dining table for the whole family. ! Will definitely try to stay here again !!

Fabulous time spent in this beautiful cottage oozing with character.

There wasn't a thing more we could have asked for it had everything we needed for the week. We loved the logburner on cold nights. The granny annexe was beautifully light to enjoy breakfast with amazing scenery. It was lovely and quiet but didn't feel completely isolated and the use of the field for the dog was great. We would definitely look to coming back with our family again in the future.

this was our second stay and did not disappoint.

great location and amazing views. comfortable and very dog friendly. house is well maintained and clean and comfortable and we will be back with the fur babies again. many thanks jenny

Loved the Big House, we will be booking again in 2024, one minor improvement as dog owners we would like to see, is a gate installing at the left side side of the property to allow the front/side garden to be fully enclosed.

We had a very enjoyable stay.

The bed in the master bedroom was very comfortable only the duvet felt too small for the bed. There was plenty of room and utensils for our self catering holiday. The views were great too. Thank you for allowing us to stay in your house.

Very satisfied with our stay at Big House.

Property clean and well presented. Kitchen facilities excellent. Bedrooms comfortable and bathrooms ok. Inclement weather meant we couldn’t make full use of the garden but lovely views over estuary. Driveway not the easiest to exist and beware the two very low doorways!!

The property has a lovely view.

We were a bit disappointed that the gardens weren’t secure with very low and poorly maintained fencing meaning that we had to keep dogs tied up and couldn’t really relax. In addition to this there was another cottage right next door which meant that the privacy we were looking for wasn't there either.

The dishwasher was broken so we had to wash up after seven people,we would not have booked a cottage without a dishwasher for this reason,there were only 5 dining chairs for seven people so we had to bring the patio chairs in.

Only one light out of three working in en-suite bathroom. The oven baking trays were rusty and non stick had deteriorated,they are so cheap that they should be replaced each season.

What 3 words is incorrect - should be calm not class.

Tumble dryer socket faulty. Not clear in listing how many bathrooms and showers there are. The en-suite description implies shower as well as bath

The big house was the perfect place for me, my husband and our three dogs.

The location was perfect, the house had everything we needed (little touches like cleaning supplies and salt/pepper that you don't usually get in a holiday let were really appreciated) and the views were stunning. We had the perfect getaway and hope to return soon!

Really enjoyed our week!

The Big House was exactly as described, in a fantastic position for exploring the west of Snowdonia. Lots of beaches and wooded walks for our dogs to be kept happy too! Comfortable accommodation, great for extended families, I particularly loved sitting in the Annex watching the view changing with the weather (the weather gods were very kind for February), and must say the sunsets were glorious! One improvement I would suggest is to have a traffic mirror on the post at the bottom of the very steep drive - at times it was a close miss creeping out into the road due to ack of visibility. Thanks for a restful, relaxing week.

Amazing!

Beautiful!Tranquil!Relaxing! We have had the most chilled weekend at the big house, absolutely fabulous. Perfect little getaway. The children loved the safe space & hidden doorway! Teenagers happy with phones working!The adults loved the separate lounge! Fires lit, rugby on Tv & beers, super chilled! Fully equipped kitchen, everything & anything you need. Just over 10mins to Tesco in Porthmadog if you need anything, dogs loved the run on the estuary, I sat & enjoyed the views, spectacular! The clear skies, the wildlife- owls calling to each other & birds of prey, fantastic! We caravan in this area so know it well, but to stay in the Big house was a treat- and a fabulous treat at that. Only thing I'd possibly mention is a sign at the bottom of the drive? We didn't arrive until 8pm, very dark & ended up on the loggers property a bit lower down! Don't use postcode use what 3 words & you won't go wrong! Will definitely recommend & Hope to return again. Thankyou for a much needed & well deserved Relaxing weekend :-)

We had the most amazing time, we loved it, if anything the photos didnt do it justice .

The garden has amazing views over mountains, estuary and Portmeirion. The garden was safe and enclosed for our 2 smallish dogs. Its location is perfect for exploring North Wales or you could just sit in front of the beautiful log burner and enjoy the view. The facilities were all excellent and everything we could have asked for was provided.

Absolutely disappointed in the beautiful big house.

Stated they had wi-fi, which they clearly never and no phone tariff either was extremely difficult when taking children plus contacting relatives over Christmas. Also in the middle of nowhere. The house was fantastic but so difficult for any sort of reception. Plus you do have to travel far to go to any shops. If you want of grid its ideal but as for wifi it's none! They need to change the description of the house.

We really enjoyed our stay, property was clean with a great layout, cosy with everything we needed.

This property is quirky. Really good location central for lovely Beaches and great walks. We really enjoyed our stay.

Fantastic house for family get together with dogs!

Beautiful home and setting for the perfect ‘get away’ and the cheese n wine supper was much appreciated on our arrival (thanks Ivor). Stunning views from the gardens, every evening spent watching the sunset over the hills and coast line. We were so lucky with the weather, but come rain or shine I would definitely be returning to this part of the world

The house was perfect for our stay.

The rooms were spacious and well furnished and we were able to choose to be all together or to seek a little privacy and quiet. The location was great for exploring different parts of the countryside and the views were stunning. Our grandchildren agreed it was the best holiday they've had.

The Big House is lovely with great views of the estuary.

We had a very enjoyable stay, only let down by the rain, which seemed relentless!

The Big House was perfectly positioned for exploring Snowdonia, the coast to the south and the Llyn peninsula.

The house was very comfortable with great views of the estuary. Pretty garden to sit in when weather allowed. Perfect for family or group of friends with delightful annexe.

A lovely property a week away with the family also lovely weather will be back The jenner family

Ivor was very kind, and generous ( plenty of free wood supplied ) and nice welcome hamper and flowers.

he was very considerate about the dogs needs and set up a hose for me as requested. The house, garden and view were all tip top ! The view from the annexe was my personal favourite. Couldn’t have asked for more !

We loved the house and the spectacular views and sunsets each evening over the estuary.

the kitchen had a large fridge freezer and range oven allowing us to self cater easily for the week. The annex was a great overspill space for some of our group and although we had great sunny weather in March the wood burners were a great bonus to light in the evenings. An ideal location to walk Snowdon,visit Portmeirion and take a ride on the zip wire. Walk along the estuary to Harlech and take the train back as a treat. I made the right decision booking this property for a family get together.

The property was great every thing we needed, it was great having the extra plates and cutlery, only one downside at the time was enough sockets in the property up stairs for hairdryer extra, but we know that the property was being renovated after our visits, so hopefully some extra ones being put in, but the cottage was a beautiful place, loved the quirky little bits and pieces within the property , would definitely go back.

Brilliant cottage, great location.

Lovely Christmas decorations. The only drawback was the beds. The annex bed was like concrete and the other double was so soft my friends thought they were drowning. It it did not spoil the holiday, a good time was had by all.

We had a very enjoyable week, beautiful area and views from the house.

The house was very comfortable and felt really homely, well equipped and very clean. Gorgeous towels, comfy beds and log burners! Perfect location for visiting Snowdonia with walks on the door step! I would happily return for another visit as there’s so much we didn’t have time to do and see.

A very well equipped , tastefully decorated and welcoming spacious holiday cottage.

Situated in a position with outstanding views of the ocean and the mountains . Conveniently located near multiple tourist attractions and with local amenities only 1 mile away .

A really lovely stay, we really appreciated the basket of goodies and fresh flowers.

Just one small point we found the shower in the main bathroom upstairs was difficult to achieve a good temperature and the flow was disappointing. Apart from that everything was lovely .

The house is great, clean tidy and well appointed.

The lighting in the kitchen is poor, the 2 main lights would go off or flash for no reason. There are other lights not working in the annex There was no key for the annex patio door. Apart from these quirks we had a great holiday.

The cottage was lovely and owner was very kind and helpful.

The views are just amazing. A clear night sat in the front garden watching the sun set and stars come out was so perfect. Even seeing the Milky Way. The field at the back is an enclosed area which we could use for the dogs, very helpful. The cottage was very nice, it is possible to see the section that was the old long house. Warning, an old cottage means low door frames so take care when walking through, I had a few head bumps. There is access straight from the cottage to the Welsh coastal path which can be walked to Harlech or to Porthmadog. Both towns are very close, with lovely restaurants, cafes and places to visit. It is just a wonderful area. We will return.

Fantastic location with amazing views.

House had everything you needed and the detail in the decor enhanced the experience.

Fab holiday, weather was amazing and the view are lovely.

This is a beautiful large house, in a lovely location.

The owner was really helpful. The house was clean, very well equipped, spacious and comfortable. The only improvement would be to fence off the garden for dogs, however the owner did mention he plans to do this. I’d highly recommend this house for a relaxing break in a beautiful location.

Both houses were brilliant.

The view from them was exceptional

A lovely holiday cottage, well equipped, comfortable and with stunning views.

There is so much to see in the area if you love walking, beautiful scenery, ancient castles and huge beaches. It’s a great area for dogs as well. We’d love to go again.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

The views from the annexe especially were amazing. The house itself was clean and spacious. Also, use of the grounds and fields with rope swing were well used!! The owner was so friendly and helpful. He went out of his way to assist us. Thank you! The only thing I would suggest if possible, is to change the electric shower in the main bathroom as it was not the most powerful. But a minor issue, and overall, the Big House was a great house.

This is our third time at Big House, Menai.

We absolutely adore the location, the cottage, the space and all the comforts one would expect at a holiday cottage that is provided in abundance. It has the best view from the Mr & Mrs Apartment and that is where we tended to spend all our time when not out exploring or walking the dogs. We look forward to returning soon! Gail, Ed, Wez, Phil and all the pooches xoxox

The property was a lovely place to stop very peaceful and clean with plenty of parking everything you need to have a good time we went the first week it was open after lock down due to Covid so we had to do most of the cooking which was fine as there was everything we needed for three generations, the size and lay out worked for us as the attached annex meant that great gran had her own space when she needed a break from the great grandchildren, the garden and the parking were great plenty to do around from walks to travel and beaches we had a really relaxing time and would go back and do it again we wished we had booked a longer stay the host had left everything we needed from bbq high chairs travel cots garden furniture and lots more thanks for a welcome and great stay

The cottage and annexe were perfect, very cozy, comfortable and had all home comforts you'd need, excellent base for walks and activities, Mount Snowdon which we walked is about 49 minutes away, would highly recommend this cottage.

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A beautiful house in a peaceful location which served our needs perfectly with the three dogs.

The garden is not enclosed and next to a field with livestock so you would need to keep them on leads around the property. There was plenty of room and the little annexe with ensuite bedroom was a bonus but note the stairs are quiet steep so wouldn't suit anyone with mobility issues. The kitchen was very well equipped and the views from all four bedrooms overlooked the estuary. We were about 10-15 minutes from a range of stunning beaches including the huge wide sweeping Black Rock beach which we'd recommend visiting. The only thing to mention is that the driving directions aren't great, however if you enter 'Awel Y Mynydd' into Satnav, that will take you directly to the narrow road leading to the house.

Enjoyed a fantastic holiday at the 'Big House'.

The house suited the needs of our extended family with well equipped kitchen and seating for everyone. Amazing views across the estuary, and a good setting for exploring Snowdonia.

Lovely house.

Lots of space for 7 of us and the dog. Home from home with everything you need to make our stay very comfortable. The additional bedroom up steep steps would be unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues as steps are steep and narrow. Gardens and a view to die for in a quiet private location but no more than 10minutes drive to towns and beaches.

What a wonderful cottage, well equipped, clean, beautifully furnished and the log burner was a wow!

Very clean and spacious cottage, with great views, and would book the same again if we return to this part of Wales.

Excellent accommodation, comfortable beds, fluffy towels,deep hot baths all you need after a day on the hills in beautiful although damp North Wales.

The kitchen was well equipped with everything you needed, plenty of space to relax and a lovely table for family meals looking out onto fantastic views.

Ideal house in hood location.

Only negative was we couldn't find it ! Maybe a sign at the bottom of the drive would be helpful .

Beautiful large house.

Very clean and wonderful little stylish touches.