Greenfingers

This is a lovely, quirky cottage in an ideal location.

Access for unloading can be challenging and there are a lot of stairs, which may not suit all guests. During our stay, there were some maintenance and housekeeping issues that affected our experience. Rain appeared to be leaking around one of the bedroom windows, resulting in damp patches on the wall and water dripping onto the bed below. The garden furniture was not usable as some items were broken and the cushions were very wet. We also found the kitchen floor to be dirty on arrival, and some rubbish had been left under beds and behind cushions. In addition, the property was only supplied with a limited amount of toilet roll, so guests may wish to bring extra provisions. The cottage has a lot of character and potential, but some maintenance, deep cleaning and attention to the outdoor area would help improve the overall guest experience.

Unfortunately, our experience at Greenfingers was extremely disappointing.

When we arrived, the property had clearly not been cleaned to an acceptable standard. There was dust across the windowsills, sideboards and skirting boards, dead insects, dog hair and crumbs in the carpets, cobwebs, dirty sinks and oven, hair in the bathroom, fingerprints over cupboards, windows and appliances, and items left in the dishwasher. This was particularly concerning because we had a nine-month-old baby crawling around, and we found a large broken cracker on the bedroom floor that could have been a choking hazard. Both my baby and I have asthma, so the amount of dust and animal hair was also worrying. There were also maintenance and safety concerns, including peeling wallpaper, a back door that jammed, no bath or anti-slip mats, stained bedding and holes between two bedrooms that affected our privacy. There were also only three bowls despite the property being booked for six people. We appreciate that the owner may have paid a cleaning company and trusted them to prepare the property properly. However, the owner still has a responsibility to check that the required standards are being maintained and that the property is clean, safe and ready for arriving guests. This is especially important because a review posted shortly before our stay also reported that the property had not been cleaned properly. This suggests that the problem was already known or should have been identified, yet adequate checks and improvements do not appear to have been made before our arrival. We have not communicated with the owner directly, so we cannot comment on how she personally responded after our concerns were raised. All our communication and our complaint have been handled through Sykes. Cleaners attended the following day and did a good job considering how much there was to do, although some areas were still missed. However, this could not undo the condition in which we found the property, the time we spent documenting everything or the disruption at the beginning of a holiday costing over £1,600. Our complaint was acknowledged by Sykes and we were told an investigation had been opened, but we then received very little communication despite sending several emails and WhatsApp messages. We were initially told we would receive a response the following day and were later given a one-week timeframe. Despite this, we received no meaningful update and were then told our emails had not been received, even though we had confirmation and evidence showing otherwise. Whitby itself was lovely, but the condition of the accommodation on arrival and the way Sykes handled our complaint seriously affected our holiday. While the cleaning company appears to have failed to do the job it was paid for, both the owner and Sykes have a responsibility to ensure the property is properly checked and presented to an acceptable standard particularly after an earlier guest had already raised similar concerns. We are still Waiting for a resolution to our complaint. Based on our experience, we could not recommend this property or booking through Sykes and it’s a shame because we have used Sykes for the last 5 years and they really have let us down.

Perfect location comfy beds and homely feel!

Let down by lack of general maintenance and cleanliness! Lots of dust in shelves cobwebs and dirty kitchen floor. Wallpaper coming off walls paint flaking off! Garden seating broken and not welcoming at all. Garden looked unappealing and grubby! Still really enjoyed our stay just felt like could have done with some TLC and maintenance!