3 Old Police Station

Great location, lovely place to stay, had plenty of space for 4 adults and 2 dogs.

Only real issue we had was the kitchen tap dripping and looking at the guest book it has been like that for weeks which is not great considering the water shortages we are all experiencing at the moment!We even filled the kettle using the drip during the day! Overall though our holiday in the old police station was lovely and it was great to stay in such an old property.

Dirty,needs deep clean,owners unhelpful,you're been warned ⚠️

The cottage is in a fantastic location with easy walkable access to Dunster Village.

Not far to alot of places to visit within 30 minutes by car, Porlock Weir, Dunster Beach, Watchet Harbour, St Audries Bay, Minehead. The beds were really comfortable, the rest of the cottage needs some TLC. The carpets and sofa need a clean or replacing. The toaster didn't work and the tap in the kitchen dripped constantly. The garden would be lovely if it was keep tidy. Needs cutting back and weeding, then would be able to use the 2 seating areas. Along with the parking area, this was unusable as needed cutting back and weeding.

No.

3 Old Police Houses is a lovely grade11 listed property. The bed was very comfortable,the kitchen was modern and the bathroom and shower room very good. However, it lacked a touch of maintenance as weeds were abundant to the entrance and we had to sweep the patio before use. The substantial Internal window reveals have peeling paint and in need of a repaint. The lounge carpet had a strong dog odour and was really the only reason we would not return to this property.A simple solution might be putting a wooden floor if a dog friendly approach is to be maintained.

Great location for a short walk into Dunster and visiting surrounding areas.

nice garden for dogs. Leaks on previous comments appear to have been fixed. All round a great place to stay.

The building is old, as can be seen from the picture.

It has character and charm. All the equipment was available and working. It's in a really convenient location that is central to lots of local interest. The disappointment though was the cleanliness and decoration. A number of previous guests had left comments about this but they seem to have been overlooked. Hopefully, as it is now the end of the summer season this will be addressed. It needs a really, really deep clean. Carpets everywhere are dirty and stained. Curtains, especially nets, are very grubby. There is secondary glazing and there are tons of cobwebs between that and the stone window frames, and the windows need cleaning. Suggestions for additional equipment would be for a folder that explains local services and instructions for the property, and some form of clothes airer or maiden.

Difficult one to review as there were some very good points eg kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and location.

However the dining room was not great as clearly they had started replacing the ceiling. When we were there we had a leak from the bathroom into the dining room. We reported this but received no reply. The windows also need cleaning and painting. A shame about the negatives but this could be a great place with a bit more TLC.

Prime location , I appreciate it's an old building with lots of character .

Bedrooms comfortable, , bathrooms clean apart from curtain in main bathroom ( mouldy). Unfortunately sealant around bath couldn't cope with overbath shower and leaked through to dining room ( owner advised at the time). Ceiling in dining room unfinished due to previous problems with leaks. Well equipped kitchen with all appliances, only one bin liner provided for a week's stay for 8 people. Washing line needs replacing. Would suggest replacing carpet with laminate flooring. Sofa needs replacing and information booklet updating.All amenities nearby ,shops ,restaurants, beach, and Dunster village and castle thoroughly recommend.

Spacious house with a large kitchen.

Looks very nice from the outside! The downstairs bedroom smells strongly of mold, but the other rooms are fine. The beds are comfortable. Unfortunately, the large corner sofa has sagged terribly, making it difficult for the family to sit comfortably together in the living room. Neat bathrooms, one of which is very spacious.

Really needs a deep clean, particularly oven which had baked on food left on the shelf which was sticky with left on grease.

Although the outside was as shown the true picture was that neighbouring properties looked dirty and unkempt. The walk to the beach was far more than stated 10mins and there was no mention of Dunster village being at the top of a steep hill.

We booked this particular holiday thinking it would be entirely suitable for my elderly parents and in particular for my physically disabled mother So we were surprised to find that although there was a downstairs bedroom access to both bathrooms involved climbing the stairs The cottage was well positioned for visits to steam trains and NT properties Local amenities in Dunster and Minehead were used - particularly friendly Chinese and Fish and Chip shop staff Owners were very helpful when we found the front door mechanism difficult to open A very friendly and concerned maintenance man visited to repair it

The cottage was clean and well located.

It really could do with some TLC, one mattress needs changing, the cold water taps in bathroom need sorting,, the lids for the pots need handles (missing), ironing board cover missing, electric hob didnt seem to get hot enough. No clothes airer and washing line was rubbish. There was no welcome booklet, for local amenities and when to put bins out. Front door lock needs changing. These may seem minor points but collectively, they really make a difference! Also nowelcome pack of milk ,teabags etc, there was absolutrly nothing, not even cleaning spray. A few hundred pound would correct all this but it seems the owner could care less.

Dirty bed linen with some that looked like blood stains and whatnot.

Uncomfortable sofa with lots of animal hair on it. Dirty cups in cupboards. Toilets were not clean properly and there was lots of dust all around the house. The location of the property was good though.

Lovely character house, great location easy to access.

but dirty carpet living room dining room. mould in kitchen and both bathrooms. not able to open windows. musty smell in downstairs bedroom. heating coming on a strange times ( we presume to warm house) heavy maintenance needed and upkeep

Lovely property, warm and homely.

We had a great time and absolutely loved the property, it had everything we needed and more. For 6 adults it was the perfect space for us to relax and catch up. 2 from the Midlands, 3 from Kent, 1 from Taunton. We mostly stayed in and enjoyed each other’s company and we really didn’t want to leave. We will definitely be returning in the future for our group catch ups. A few of us met the owner and she was lovely and so friendly.

A nice property and a good location to start the SWCP walks.

Value for money A bit of a clean and general maintenance would not hurt, but overall comfortable

Lovely quirky historical building (with historical furniture as well).

Plenty of space. Good internet connection. On bus route for Exmoor Tourer. Easy walking distance to Dunster old town and riverside path in the opposite direction. Welcoming bottle of wine awaiting us when we arrived. Bin collection details need to be put in prominent place and guest information book needs updating. All in all - a very enjoyable holiday.

Lovely stay, ideal spot to explore the area, quiet, comfortable for 4 adults and 2 kids, kitchen was nicely equipped had everything we needed.

Would have happily stayed longer.

We enjoyed our stay here again.

We were pleased to were that the water damage in the upper hallway has been repainted and the kitchen has been restocked. There were some ants in the lounge which managed to get in around the window. The property is well situated off a main road s short walk from the castle and Dunster town with major supermarkets a few minutes drive in Minehead. There is plenty to do with our dog and didn’t get though the list of possible walks within a week

I don't know how often you go & look round these properties before you advertise them through your company.

3 old police house Dunster. (931999)Need's a lot of repairs doing to it . Some of the sockets in the kitchen didn't work, the paint work was peeling off most of the widows and most didn't open. The sofa needs replacing because when you sit on it you go through to the floor & the quilt in front bedroom had large stains on it there was food left in the freezer. The garden was very over grown & out side furniture was unusable as there were no cushions & the table and chairs were filthy. It's the 1st time we used Sykes but very disappointed. My son writes for a paper & Feel's other people thinking of booking with Sykes should know what they might be getting.

Lovely stay here, booked very last minute and it was all ready for us when we arrived.

Very spacious and ideal for what we needed!

Fabulous house, loved the period features and just a short walk to the shops and pubs in Dunster.

Easy parking and lots of local dog walks - particularly enjoyed the beach/coast walk to Minehead. Ideal for cosy nights in too, with wine (thank you) and Indian/Chinese takeaway from nearby Alcombe. Only thing I would change is have the log burner in the sitting room rather than the bedroom, but overall a great base to explore the local area from and we would definitely stay here again.

Before you go to the Old Police House in Dunster, make sure that all the problems have been addressed - and how they do that I don't know.

It's the challenge we have issued to the owners and Sykes. In 2022 the property had very good reviews but 2023 it seemed to all go wrong. In essence many of the previous reports of 2023, particularly August and September still rang true in December when we went. We were confronted by a grease caked oven (roll on Christmas dinner) and unacceptable areas of mould. Thankfully we made contact with the owner and they got hold of the cleaners to come in and degrease the oven and clean some of the mould off the walls and replace light bulbs (although we dusted the chandeliers!) Some minor items had improved, plenty of cutlery, glasses, new roasting tin and even a colander.) . Some of the walls need redecorating, chipped dado rails need painting and the lounge furniture needs either cleaning, recovering or replacing. The carpet seemed new and clean. The kitchen and main bathroom are modern (save for the grease and mould!!). The heating is good and the main bedroom was comfortable for us. The linen is contract linen and was clean and comfortable (although the cleaners should have removed some of the previous occupants laundry). While the property description includes a wood fire in a downstairs bedroom 'with the first basket of logs provided free' the owner commented 'we haven't done that in years!' . So the description may not be relied upon!! The owner and Sykes have made noises about getting their act together. The property has all the promise of being rather special. However, how you get an assurance that everything has been sorted is not clear. If they offer us a free weekend with every expectation that we can give it a clean bill of health - you'll be hearing from us!

Property in much need of attention both in cleaning and equipment.

House is well situated and Dunster is beautiful. However the negatives outweigh any positives (just read previous comments) The garden which could be a lovely place to sit out on an evening was totally overgrown and patio covered in weeds. Sykes of no help getting a refund and negate any responsibility for listing this home This house could be lovely but needs an owner to take responsibility for it.

There are a few positives about this property; the location is very good for Dunster and local beaches.

It is a lovely building and the upstairs is spacious, garden is lovely. However, I am a surprised that Sykes use this property as a rental as there are many negatives and we were definitely overcharged for the week we spent there. There is mould in both the shower room and bathroom (I took photos which I will send to Sykes, why aren't you checking properties you rent out?) We were two families with four children, this is unacceptable. There was a damp patch on the landing wall, a patch of plaster missing in the kitchen. This is general maintenance that should be completed by the property owners and Sykes should be checking the properties are acceptable for people to stay in. There was not enough bedding for six people so we had to ask for more, there were not enough glasses, bowls, plates for six people. There was only one tea towel, no oven gloves, which is dangerous. There is a washing machine but no clothes airer to hang clothes and only five pegs for the washing line. The cupboard over the sink in the shower room is situated so you hit your head. The sofa and chairs in the lounge were really uncomfortable and dirty and the whole house smelt of dog when we arrived. It also needed updating generally, it was tired and unloved. The house was clean on the surface but there were cobwebs in every room. It needs a thorough update and clean. Some of these issues have been mentioned in previous reviews and in the guest book in the house. Yet the owners have ignored feedback and just taken more money from guests. Unacceptable. We have stayed in many lovely properties throughout the UK and this is the worst we have experienced and I'm disappointed that Sykes are marketing it.

The house was nice, in a good location (although it sits on the A39 but with the extra glazing installed it wasn’t a problem.

The place is in need of some upkeep/maintenance, the kitchen had no kitchen towels, only 2 cereal bowls and 3 side plate’s with 2 juice glasses. So trying to set the table for 6 was a struggle. There was only 1 pan for 6 people and this was awful to cook with as there was no Teflon left on the pan. The garden needs tiding up also. We only had beds made for 5 people and we had to search for some more linen..meaning there was only five towels( no bath towels) and only 2 toilet rolls too. we did enjoy our stay and if the things mentioned above were addressed we would stay again.

We had a comfortable stay however we feel there were a few things lacking in the kitchen that made cooking difficult, including no cheese grater, not enough bowls and badly placed plug sockets that prevented us from using them.

On the plus side the beds were really comfortable and the property was relatively clean, we could however smell a slight smell of dog when first entering. On the whole we enjoyed our stay and would stay again, it’s an ideal place to explore the local area and at a good price.

Cottage was extremely comfortable and in a lovely position.

Everything was there that we needed. Only thing that was missing that would have been useful was a colander to strain vegetables. Would definitely return again.

Didn't get off to a good start as there was an overpowering smell of previous doggy guests.

Perhaps some diffusers would help as couldn't fathom how to open the windows to freshen the place up. Lack of homely touches I.e no ornaments, clocks, etc. The house seemed unloved and tired. The kitchen was pleasant to work in but as previously mentioned no oven gloves., only one tea towel, toaster didn't work, the bin lid was broken and no dishwasher tablets left. Just about adequate for the two of us but would struggle at full capacity. On the plus side the location was good for exploring the area , parking was good and garden was pleasant. Attractive building from the outside We have to say that we've stayed in better with yourselves over the years.

The property was wonderful.

It was full of signs that this was a much loved home, not just a holiday rental. We loved the quality of the fittings, the layout of the house, with the half landing with the extra bathroom. Also, the beautiful doors, the lovely quality kitchen. Dunster itself is a lovely place; we loved the ford at the far end of the village, and the walk through the castle grounds along the river, back towards the main road and home. its also convenient for the beach, the steam train, Blue Anchor, Watchet and shopping in Minehead We felt so lucky to be able to stay here for a few days, and look forward to hopefully being able to stay again

Lovely building, we had a fab stay in a spacious comfortable house.

Very close to Dunster high street and Minehead also within easy walking distance so great to leave the car behind. Everything you need is provided and many thanks for the wine on arrival,it was much appreciated

Lovely looking building from the outside and quirky interior, being an old police station, comfy beds and lovely bathroom.

Unfortunately the cleanliness was not the best, under the sofa cushion was very dirty and a tap in the kitchen was dripping constantly (something that has been brought up in a previous review). The kitchen was lacking in some utensils, including a corkscrew! Just seems like it needs a facelift the it would be 5 star feedback.

We enjoyed our stay at the Holiday cottage, nice location and very spacious.

Just to mention some of the cleaning was not up to standard, still had a Christmas tree in the dining room and the child gate was broken. Lots of matted dog hair in the carpet which the vacuum cleaner had problems lifting.The tap in the kitchen needs some attention as it was dripping constantly. Did try texting one of the mobile numbers to inform someone but was informed that it was a wrong number . But it was still a nice comfortable stay and would definitely book again.

Lovely property, unfortunately there had been a leak in the roof and the ceiling over the stairs had fallen in when we arrived.

Without much alternative (we were offered another cottage nearby but this was not suitable for us) we stayed. The mess was cleared the following day by the cleaners and then there was a visit by the roofer. This said we had a lovely stay and would stay there again (if the roof has been fixed). We left the property 6 weeks ago and no sign of the promised partial refund as yet.

Really easy to collect keys.

All information was provided in the books, including things to do locally. Beds were comfy and house was very clean - with a free bottle of wine - what a lovely addition!

Lovely comfortable house,great location and plenty of space.

Lots of character and great that it was suitable for dogs.We went in November,But can imagine it would be even more fantastic in the warmer months.Had a lovely time and would definately come again.

There were no oven gloves, which is a hazard and must be fixed.

The batteries in the heating remote control were dead (we replaced them). The kitchen has many pan lids that are missing handles and the handles should be fixed/replaced. We were left only a couple rolls of toilet paper, one dishwasher tablet, and one tea towel. This is really poor.

We had a great weekend stay in this characterful house.

Great location half way between Dunster Castle and the beach, we found the property fine as it's visible from the main road to Minehead. Photos need updating as the sofas have been replaced by a great corner sofa and a couple of easy chairs. Towels are provided. If you need the downstairs bedroom you need to know that the bathroom is half way up the stairs. In all a great place and would recommend to my friends.

Firstly check the postcode as the one we had would not have taken us to our destination.

We felt the property was quaint and comfortable. The lawn is large enough for our 2 dog one a DDB one a Jug. When the heating comes on it more than adequate but strangely it seemed to cut out when needed most. Sofas have been treated rough by previous users and this is a dog friendly cottage so some responsibility needs to be placed on previous owners with dogs. All amenities where very clean and well presented including Bed linen and kitchen utensils. Take bath towel as we weren't supplied any but we always take some just in case.

Lovely accommodation.

Well kitted out. Secure garden for the dog. Well placed for visiting lots of local sites of interest. Great for people wanting to walk. Many dog-friendly venues available.

The cottage and it’s location were excellent.

The only thing that was disappointing was the terrible state of the faux leather sofas in the lounge. They are so old, really uncomfortable and the padded armrest’s kept falling off. The vinyl coverings are disintegrating and every time you sit on them, bits crumble off onto the floor. Apart from this we found the cottage charming and full of character. We had a lovely break!

The sofas in the lounge were really uncomfortable with springs poking through.

They also had splits in the fabric. We were not the first to complain about this. Everything else was so nice, lovely kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. There was only one tv, in the lounge, so it's a shame that the sofas were so awful.

Lovely accommodation spacious and enjoyed the garden.

Kitchen very large an every appliances available, separate dining room was also very beneficial plus large bathroom and shower room. The furniture in the sitting room was rather old and needs replacement. Room to park up to 4 vehicles.

House fine and lovely area.

Sofa's need replacing. Shower room cabinet needs moving to other corner as it is impossible to use the basin safely. House wi-fi password needs to be provided in welcome book, as we had to get down on the floor looking for it on the router.

Lovely property, plenty of space, comfy beds, great location to explore Somerset.

Mirror cabinet in shower room makes it impossible to put head or face over the basin.

Listing should emphasise that whilst there is a ground floor bedroom, bathrooms are upstairs. Garden is lovely, as is overall ambiance, presentation and location.

This holiday was originally planned for May but had to be re booked for October due to COVID.

The property and location was really good and met all our needs we have nothing negative to say at all. If I was to say one thing which would be a nice touch for someone visiting would be to give some history about the property as I am sure it would be of interest to those staying.

Very good centre for Exmoor.

Quibbles: there was no razor point in any bathroom. And the bedside lights had one black shade and one purple...both useless to read by. Luckily I brought my own from home .

No mention which day the bins were being emptied,the bins were full when we arrived and consequently there was no room to put our rubbish and it had to be left by the side which is unfair to the people coming after us.

It would be nice to have a second television as grandparents can only take so much cartoons.

Generally the house was great, but more information needs to be provided to guests about the rubbish/recycling collections.

General rubbish and recycling are collected weekly, alternating between the two. Unfortunately when we arrive the previous guests hadn't put the general rubbish out to be collected so it already contained two weeks worth of rubbish. We put out the recycling for collection but unfortunately as no guidance was left for us several of the items weren't taken as not every councils recycles the things we're used to them taking. This meant more rubbish for the general collection which was already overflowing. I would assume new guests would arrive and then have three weeks worth of general waste in the black bin and nowhere to put their own rubbish. Surely if we're asked to check in an hour later, cleaners should be making sure and notifying either yourselves or the owner that the rubbish hasn't been collected, especially during the current pandemic. We also found litter by the side of the sofa in the living room so clearly checking in an hour later doesn't necessarily mean that the place has undergone any deeper a clean than before!

Fabulous house with loads of space.

Sofas in living room were extremely uncomfortable and arm rests kept falling off BUT everything else was fantastic.

Great cottage and location only disappointing thing was the walk to the beach was more than “10 minutes “ away ( nearer to 25 minutes) Nice touch having a bottle of milk and a bottle of wine waiting for us on arrival.

Would highly recommend the cottage.

Apart from lack of flaming June No3 very clean and comfortable plenty of room, to find a bottle of wine ,tea bags and milk made a welcome touch One small problem with a sink plug rapidly sorted by John all in all a very welcome and homely week It is a bit uphill to the village plenty of eating houses some more pricey than others If you want economical go mad in morrisons cafe 1/2 mile away

waste disposal.

clearer instructions .previous occupants left the waste bin full.

Everything about this place was amazing ,really felt like we were at home so warm and welcoming ,location perfect near the castle and beach and only a short drive into minehead .

Best thing of all we got it so cheap for such a brill holiday thankyou

Interesting and quirky place to stay.

Didn’t notice much in the way of road noise. Pleasantly furnished and comfortable accommodation. Perhaps a couple of serving dishes could be added. Lovely village with plenty of places to eat.

We were pleased with the accomodation.

We went to do paperwork; it was quiet plus the Wi-Fi was sufficient for the 3 of us to use. The previous occupants had not put out the main rubbish bin so it smelt. We could bot find anywhere to put the recycling which was disappointing. Other than those 2 issues, everything was fine.

The booking process was really smooth, I had some questions about the listing, which I made through the online chat in the website.

The staff was courteous and helpful. They passed on our questions to the owner and promptly got back to us with with answers and booking link to finish the reservation process. Check-in was easy with the keys being held at a key safe at the entrance of the cottage. The cottage was great, fully equipped kitchen, colouring books and pencils which my young daughter loved, overall really comfortable and clean. Thanks for a great stay at Dunster!

The property is advertised for 6 people.

When we arrived there were two double beds and a single bed made up for us. We had to pull out another single, which didn’t have legs!!!! And make the bed ourselves. One adult had to sleep on the ground. Property should have been made up for 6 before we arrived, and a clear description of single and pull out bed made clear. The pull out bed is only suitable for a child and this should have been specified in property details.

The cottage was homely and welcoming and had everything we needed.

We had a lovely stay and would come back again.

No The location was good and the accommodation was excellent.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The accommodation was excelent and there are lots of places nearby to visit.

We left some notes which we think would help the owners and future visitors. The one thing which will prevent us taking a similar holiday is that the change over day was Friday. Our son had to take an extra day from his holiday entitlement to travel on the first Friday. and as we excpected the journey which satnav said would take 4 hours and 40 minutes actually took 8 houirs and was horrendous. Never again.

Good base to explore surrounding area with guaranteed car parking place!

everything about the holiday was wonderful .

location,dunster itself ,good bus service taunton and minehead , and the cottage itself was clean and comfortable.

Basically a very nice cottage but the following comments might be helpful to the owner:- 1.

We could not find any welcome pack giving basic instructions about the cottage and it's contents together with helpful telephone numbers of local facilities. 2. There is a nice decking area outside but no patio chairs, tables. ( we had glorious weather all week and it would have been nice to relax outside occasionally without taking chairs from inside) 3. Could have done with a small freezer compartment in the fridge. 4. Downstairs loo?! 5. No teapot, unless tall coffee pot we used was meant for both uses. Please be assured we are not moaning people and enjoyed the location, the cottage was comfortable and we had a great holiday, just some thoughts for the owner.