“This small house is pleasant, reasonably well furnished and best of all, in a quiet country location; a bit of a ghost village actually, and a mile inland from the sea in Aberporth.”
It lies in the grounds of an expensive hotel where drinks at the bar might require a mortgage !
Unfortunately, when we arrived, a wheelie bin at the front door was overflowing with 6 or 7 weeks of rubbish stinking like a garbage dump. We complained and it was emptied 5 days later.
Arriving after a 3 hour 30 minute drive to the property, we needed the loo. There was no toilet paper or kitchen roll provided. We complained and were directed to a shop which was a drive of 7 miles return. We had to buy our own loo paper and even our own salt and pepper. There were none of the normal ‘hospitality’ items - a few tea bags, coffee sachets, milk or anything else. Better introductory hospitality would only cost a pound or two.
On day 1 the bathroom door jammed & could not be opened. The door lever/latch was not working. We spent 5 minutes crashing into the door to open it. Finally it gave way without damage. Since we could also have been locked into the bathroom, we stuffed a toothpick into the latch to keep it open until it is repaired.
The availability of an adequate wifi signal was sporadic and slow. We could not use the catch-up TV and during the whole week I could only open my emails on my mobile phone. When it is working the internet speed is 29 Mbps.
The property was devoid of instructions on e.g. the television or heating system, or when the rubbish is collected. There were no recommendations on local walks, shops or restaurants etc. (Tesco/Aldi in Cardigan).
We like to keep a holiday let very clean, but there were no cleaning materials supplied.
The good news is that following previous poor reviews the double bed mattress (firm) and the microwave have been replaced. Unfortunately when I removed the instructions from inside this new microwave in order to use it, they slipped down between the side of the fridge and the worktop. This does not prevent the microwave being used. Since the freezer compartment needs defrosting, when the fridge is turned off to do this, they can be retrieved. (Incidentally, when I logged in to the Sykes website, this property was not registered on my account, although 7 or 8 previous ones are still there).
Thank you for your detailed feedback. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the peaceful location and found new mattress and microwave being a good addition. However, we sincerely apologise for the discomfort and inconveniences you faced during your stay.
We have addressed the issue with the overflowing wheelie bin and have taken steps to ensure that it is emptied regularly in the future. We also understand the importance of having basic supplies like toilet paper and kitchen essentials, and we have now revised this to make sure we offer a good hospitality.
I’m sorry to hear about the bathroom door and the Wi-Fi issues. We’ve since repaired the door and are looking into enhancing the internet service to ensure better connectivity. We will also provide clearer instructions for the television, heating system, and local services in the cottage moving forward.
Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention. We value your insights and are committed to improving the experience for future guests. We hope to welcome you back for a much more enjoyable stay.
Property Owner
