Robert Sadler's Studio

20 Customer Reviews

• "This was our ninth week at the Studio and we are back for a tenth in the Autumn."

  We love Aldeburgh and the property itself and so do our two large dogs. It is a ‘home from home’.

  Reviewed by Steve5.0★Jun 2024

• "We booked this property because of its uniqueness and we weren't disappointed."

  We really enjoyed being surrounded by Robert Sadlers beautiful paintings and sculptures and thought the top floor was an especially lovely and special space. Unlike a previous, frankly bemusing post, we felt the owners have done an excellent job of maintaining the history and integrity of the studio while making this a comfortable and well laid out holiday home. We loved the upstairs bed, it felt very special to sleep up there, and were not thrown by a seaside themed tablecloth or slightly squeaky step. The balcony is a wonderful place to enjoy a morning coffee and the garden is really lovely. Our dogs especially loved it and I really appreciated the mix of naturalistic planting to encourage insects and wildlife with the more manicured sections. The gardeners came while we were there and did an exemplary job of tidying the space and it is clearly well maintained. I was not bothered by the small TV either as I came away to visit the beautiful local area and to relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility of this property. We enjoyed exploring the town and ate out at several local restaurants, cafes and pubs. We have to give a special recommendation for the afternoon tea at The Chocolate Teapot which was delicious and amazing value, plus the staff were so friendly and accommodated our two large dogs without any fuss. We also enjoyed visits to some of the dog friendly beaches, walks in beautiful nature reserves, two English heritage castles and the stunning gardens at Helmingham Hall, so there were plenty of nearby low-key relaxed activities to give us the chance to recharge our batteries. Sadly, the Red House isn't dog-friendly so we couldn't visit,which was my only disappointment of the week. The only thing I would change would be that shower in the upstairs bathroom and I note it has been mentioned in several reviews before. It requires Herculean strength to turn it off. I could only do it using a towel and both hands for extra leverage, however this means the design of the shower means you get covered in icy cold water and/or cover the bathroom floor in water too. Other than that, this is the loveliest dog friendly property in a really good location for access to the high street and beach while offering something much more special than the other more generic properties available in Aldeburgh.

  Reviewed by Victoria4.7★May 2024

• "Very interesting Studio with its history and ambience."

  Excellent garden and parking are added bonuses! Quirky layout but as there were only two of us it worked well! Great location for walking into town and also exploring the local area. Thank you for the welcome basket that included doggy treats….vert thoughtful!

  Reviewed by Sonia3.8★Apr 2024

• "Whist we loved the property, neither of us could turn the shower off in the en suite."

  This has noted in a number of reviews dating back to September. Whilst the initial appearance of the house was clean and tidy, there were lots of cobwebs and dust spiders so would benefit from a deeper clean. The bed linen and towels were lovely and fresh. The windows were also dirty and again would benefit from a more regular clean. It did rain one day so we took the opportunity to use the garden room to play pool, however while there is detailed instructions on how to look after the pool table, it too needs brushing and the room itself needs a really good clean, dead insects, spiders and generally grubby. The studio is lovely, in a great location with a beautiful garden, the studio just needs a little more care when being cleaned. We had a great stay and relaxed from the moment we arrived

  Reviewed by Nance3.4★Mar 2024

• "I always thoroughly enjoy the amenities , location and comfort at The Studio."

  I have been going since 2015 and would highly recommend .

  Reviewed by Donald5.0★Mar 2024

• "Next year will be our 9th visit to The Studio since we discovered Suffolk, Aldeburgh, and The Studio itself."

  That says it all. It is perfect for my wife and me and our 2 dogs.

  Reviewed by Steve5.0★Oct 2023

• "Excellent accommodation and location"

  Reviewed by Gavin5.0★Oct 2023

• "We really loved ‘The Studio’…."

  It is very special. Surrounded by the artwork, it is easy to imagine you have escaped all the worries of the world. Sitting in the garden is so peaceful and private, even though you are amongst other houses. The beds are very comfortable and we loved sleeping downstairs, looking out the French doors onto the garden we would love to return. We think the property would benefit from an updated TV. The present tv has a constant buzzing noise and we could not get ITV at all so missed the Ireland v Scotland rugby game

  Reviewed by Diane4.7★Oct 2023

• "Our visit to The Studio was enjoyed immensely once again."

  The welcome gifts were much appreciated. The weather was lovely which added to the pleasure. We did all the local walks along the marshes and seafront. We tasted lots of delicious seafood, bought from the fishing huts. The town delicatessen provided wonderful salads and cheeses. The property is set in a delightful garden and the house furnishings are of a high quality and comfort. We slept very well each night, lovely crisp linen, and it was so quiet. It was lovely to wake up to birdsong. We found a few things that the owner may like to consider:- 1. The kettle and taps need regular descaling, I did all the taps which were ‘crusty’ with limescale. 2. The upstairs shower mat needs either scrubbing or replacing. 3. Some pillows didn’t have pillow protectors on. 4.The downstairs double bedroom bedside lamp nearest the wardrobe needs attention, the stand is very wobbly. 5.The single room main lightbulb flickered. I was able to find a replacement in the sideboard. As this light has a special fitment, a spare might be useful. 6. We found a couple of dirty pieces of cutlery and a glass, these were thoroughly cleaned. 7. And a mystery to finish, the washing machine had a handful of small stones in the drum and rubber seal! I removed all that I could see before using the machine which seemed to run perfectly well. Despite all these points, we would love to return to The Studio next year.

  Reviewed by Alison4.4★Sep 2023

• "Shower difficult to turn off."

  Bigger tv would be nice. Paintings were good.

  Reviewed by David4.7★Sep 2023

• "The studio is a delightful place to stay with the art work of Robert Sadler, the hidden stories dotted around."

  The place is relaxing, has a great garden, secure for the dogs. I love the balcony giving a sea view. It has the added bonus of bring a quick walk away from the high street and sea front. The house is well equipped with kitchen utensils, I didn't need a mad dash to the shops for cleaning materials etc. All in all and fabulous place to stay.

  Reviewed by Sarah5.0★Jun 2023

• "We loved our week staying at The Studio the Aldeburgh."

  A really delightful holiday home, perfectly located in a very quiet residential street, within easy walking distance of the beach and High St.

  Reviewed by James4.7★Jun 2023

• "We were disappointed."

  We had really hoped we had found a place we could return to frequently, particularly for the festival. The good things: the location, parking, having outdoor space, the well stocked kitchen ( a sense that eating and hosting was important) and the 'cultural ambience' of art, music, film and books (what makes Aldeburgh a special 'by the sea' place for us). What's wrong then? A sense that some corporate fairy has waved a wand and decreed what brings in income: many beds, at least 2 bathrooms and TVs, and 'seaside themes (seagulls, beach-huts and bunting on table clothes and mugs etc). Does this matter? Yes, because it lacks integrity and pushes the accommodation into a generic 'seaside cottage' branding. It threatens to lose the specialness of this place and its heritage: which people like us are willing to pay for when we find it. More crucially, it can make accommodation uncomfortable when overcrowded with wrong or unnecessary things.. Too many beds!!!! All very clearly 'beds'...the in-your-face iron bed upstairs is almost fun in being such such a statement, but in the end it's a mistake, particularly when it is not being used and just sits there taking up space in the sitting room. The little beds downstairs take up too much space as well - a whole room given over to them. Why not redesign the two rooms downstairs as the two main bedrooms (move double bed downstairs) and then have a day bed upstairs for 'extra' space when needed? How often do 6 people use this place anyway? Must be quite crowded when they do - especially around the dining table. Other than bad use of space, other things niggle and as the week progressed began to irritate: the left hand French doors onto the balcony do not open (the lock key has no purchase and clearly needs replacing - we tried all the keys). Three glass panels in these doors are 'blown' - nice view of condensation in all three. Not being able to open these doors makes the room loess cool on hot days and funnels access to the balcony through one set of doors. Outside, this space (breeze and sea view) is wonderful but set up very badly for use. The chairs are very uncomfortable and very heavy: fine for brief dining, but not for sitting for a coffee let alone a book. Something more comfortable is needed (we carried deckchairs up there). The garden is so sadly 'let go', The grass has been cut, but the beds are overgrown with weeds (not attractive ones!!) and shrubs have not been pruned so flowering is sparse. I'm not a fan of tidy gardens, but this one is really badly unkept. You can just see the bones of what was once a well laid out garden with good architectural planting and interesting trees. Why would one sit a in a 'new feature/ of a half-boat seat when surrounded by weeds??? It would be easy to pack the beds with ground cover and herbs (rosemary, lavender etc) which could be allowed to take over (with little need for maintenance) as an alternative to weeds (and herbs for cooking would be great). Finally, there are some internal longer term maintenance problems which are already visible: the shower tray is moving away from the wall and opening up grouting (it will need more than extra grouting to deal with this), and the third or fourth stair tread 'falls' when trod on with what is almost the sound of a slam or something heavy being dropped. Why am I taking time to write although this? Because we were so looking forward to this rental, and with a little more thought and care (and a little less concern to maximise potential rental stream through generic sea-side cottage branding and stuffing it with beds and TVs), this could be such a good place to rent...............it is clearly important to the owners, and we would have liked it to have been the same for us too. (An up-note to end with: the welcome gifts of food and drink on our arrival were very appreciated - thank you, but, a last down-note: Adnams did not give us a discount as they said they couldn't without paper proof of offer, so please make sure some vouchers are made available in the property). Thank you for taking the time to read this - please keep and make this place as special as it could and should be....

  Dear Anne Bottomley, Thank you so much for your comments on your week at The Studio, which we own and let out for holidays. I am glad you liked so many aspects of The Studio, but sorry you found it overall not to your taste, and will not be returning. Let me address some of your comments in detail. We are sorry you found the place too full of beds: unfortunately I assume that both single beds in the smaller downstairs bedroom had been left made-up, whereas only one should have been left so, and I have reminded our caretaker about this. Some guests prefer the double bed upstairs in Robert Sadler’s old studio, with easy access to the sundeck; others (especially with young children) prefer to sleep downstairs next to their children in the smaller bedroom. But with couples as guests, we always make up both double beds to give them the choice. We quite often have 5 or 6 guests, who usually manage very comfortably. Unfortunately the wooden French Doors do tend to “bow” in the sunshine, which can make the Chubb security bolts impossibly stiff: the trick is to pull the left hand door inwards, and then the key turns the bolt quite easily. (New lock or keys would make no difference). We have already asked our glaziers to replace the “blown” double glazed panes which you noticed. The Garden: our gardener has unfortunately let us down by moving away without telling us, but we are having a blitz on the garden soon. Among your “weeds” are some 200 Vinca Major Variegata plants which we are encouraging to provide ground cover around the edges of the lawn and around the “boat seat”. Thank you for the feedback on Adnams: I will investigate and try to simplify our arrangement with them. As to The Studio being “stuffed with TVs”, there are only two: one in the studio/sitting room which some have complained is too small; and another in the smaller (children’s) bedroom which has proved a great hit with children. We are sorry if you feel we are just trying to maximise revenue by the way we have designed, laid out, and furnished The Studio: we have tried deliberately for an Art Deco/Beach Hut feel, which many guests love, some even returning 8 or more times and considering it their “second home”. We have deliberately retained Robert Sadler’s studio as the main reception room, and used his paintings, sculptures and furniture to finish the place. Some guests love this aspect, and even enjoy his classical cassette collection too. We are sorry you did not find the comfortable deckchairs and sun lounger which were in the summerhouse and can be taken up to the sundeck, and that a creaky stair tread annoyed you: we will see if this can be fixed. The upstairs shower tray has not moved away from the wall as you suspected, but a small area of mould-blackened silicone will be fixed soon. I hope this reply explains some of the problems you faced, and our philosophy in offering The Studio as it is. Kind regards Robin Sadler and Liz Spencer (Owners of The Studio) Property Owner

  Reviewed by Anne3.8★Jun 2023

• "Very homely and well equipped property."

  The Studio is on a quiet road but only two minutes walk from the high street. It had everything we needed for a relaxing holiday.

  Reviewed by Linda5.0★Jun 2023

• "This was we think our 7th time at at The Studio and we will keep coming back, which says it all."

  Perfect for us and our two dogs.

  Reviewed by Steve5.0★Jun 2023

• "Overall an excellent stay in the Studio."

  Plenty of information regarding the facilities. Comfortable ground floor double bed, though a little short for my tall husband. Peaceful garden with lovely birdsong. Plenty of parking but entrance was a little tight when cars were parked directly opposite. Well equipped kitchen with everything you could need. Nice welcome pack which was much appreciated. Minor snags the owner may wish to consider, the upstairs shower control is very stiff to operate, the hooks to hold back the upstairs central french doors are loose, tv upstairs is a little temperamental when changing channel and occasionally switched itself off without prompting! We enjoyed our stay and will book to come again.

  Reviewed by Alison5.0★May 2023

• "We loved staying at the studio."

  Fabulous place. Home from home. Everything was wonderful. Only a couple of observances, the kettle needs descaling, also limescale on taps. The single beds mattress is very uncomfortable. BUT we loved staying there and if you permit we would love to come back for a longer stay. Unfortunately our dog had to be put to sleep the day before we came, so he could not enjoy the beautiful garden. So sad.

  Reviewed by Pauline4.1★May 2023

• "We had a lovely week at The Studio."

  The house was beautifully laid out, extremely clean and very comfortable, with a beautiful garden. The lounge area has three comfortable sofas. Kitchen and dining area had everything you could need. Beds were all comfortable, as was the bedding. Just a five minute walk to the beach, so was perfect for us. Would return and would definitely recommend. My Son especially loved the balcony. Thanks for a lovely stay. The welcome pack was also much appreciated:)

  Reviewed by Hayley5.0★Apr 2023

• "Charming and characterful property that has been nicely renovated, light upstairs and cosy downstairs."

  We booked The Studio because of the upstairs terrace and pretty garden (and parking!) however the weather was so dismal during our stay we didn't get chance to enjoy them, we did however make use of the billiard table on a couple of wet afternoons. We liked the property and enjoyed our stay, as an older couple with less than brilliant eyesight we would have appreciated a larger television but otherwise all amenities were good as was the central location.

  Reviewed by Caroline3.8★Mar 2023

• "A lovely place to stay."

  The property was somewhat unexpected given the other houses/buildings on the street - and we mean that in a very positive way. Quirky is a bit of a cliché descriptor, but not sure what else to use. Loads of utensils/pots/pans/oven equipment. Comfy beds, sofas, outside furniture. Hard to fault anything. We did buy some Oust to descale the kettle as the water is very hard and causes lots of limescale, but it was back by the end of the week - maybe a point for regular cleaning. An absolute belter of a place to stay. And that's before the joys of Aldeburgh and surrounds

  Reviewed by Angus5.0★Oct 2022

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