“Booking was a little glitchy - Sykes gave us directions to a different property (around 10 miles away) to the one we had booked, and re-sent the same incorrect details when we flagged this up.”
Happily, after we contacted them again, the correct directions were given. We know the area of the property well, but those unfamiliar with the geography should check carefully before travelling. We were a party of 6.
The property itself:
Pros: The house was nice and warm when we arrived, and was spotlessly clean. 3 bathrooms with plenty of hot water. Enough parking for 3 cars. An excellent and affordable base for cycling, walking, and the many other attractions in the area. Small garden at the rear, where we stored our bikes. Peaceful location. Good TV and freeview/Netflix. Wifi excellent - although the router is lying on the floor next to the front door and should probably be on a table to prevent accidental damage. Good storage space for clothing in bedrooms. Kitchen appliances are fine.
Cons: The kitchen is missing a few items, which was odd for a holiday home. These included Oven Gloves; a mixing/salad bowl; a cafetiere (or similar, to make fresh coffee); insufficient crockery. There were lots of non-matching glasses, bowls, plates. There was lots of cleaning materials (e.g. bleach) scattered randomly around the house (e.g. in kitchen cupboards; wardrobes). The freezer needs defrosted. Quite a lot of leftover non-perishable goods were in one of the kitchen cupboards - it wasn't clear if these were for our use, or were the owner's. Quite a lot of the owner's possessions were left around in various places (e.g. linen; correspondence; cardboard box for baby's cot; small items of clothing). 2 of our party got locked in each of the upstairs bathroom - this has previously been noted in previous reviews and some maintenance is needed for the locks. The upstairs radiators need bleeding. Lots of spare lightbulbs in cupboards all over the house, but none that fitted the broken upstairs main bedroom table lamp. There are only 2 power sockets behind the TV and when we used the DVD player we had to unplug etc - an extension adapter would be good. The DVD power cable is far too short. We couldn't find a remote control for the DVD player but managed to work it. The lounge comfortably seats 5 people - another chair is needed - or a larger sofa. We brought a camping chair with us which worked ok. There wasn't a welcome pack as such when we arrived - we came across it accidentally when looking for the DVD remote in the coffee table drawer. This needs updated - some of the attractions mentioned are not working (e.g. Funicular). Soft furnishings were generally sparse. For example, some blinds in the kitchen and a rug or two would add some warmth. The downstairs bed is not very comfortable.
Overall, the location is strongly recommended for a week's holiday. It's a pity that some of the feedback from previous guests has not been acted on. I think that with a few minor adjustments, this house would move from being adequate/good to excellent.
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