written by Racheljoned on 28/12/2019
Fantastic location and open fire but that was about it. When we arrived is was very cold and damp and took about 24 hrs to warm and dry up. Very well equipped but very dated. Beds uncomfortable, kitchen pretty useless, shower hopeless, no hot water in property unless you put Emerson heater on. No vacuum or brush even to keep place a bit tidy and a general feeling of dirty. Carpet grim, bedding and towels very old.
written by FelipeMoreno on 22/05/2015
Smell of damp on entering the property. In need of thorough cleaning, covers on settees were very dirty, carpet was also dirty. Oven door did not close properly (hazard for small children), chipped and cracked pottery, chair with spindle missing. No door on the attic bedroom. Patches of damp in the master bedroom and mould to one wall and wallpaper peeling. Thin towels. Access road steep with deep potholes. Very disappointing.
written by happy daughter on 20/08/2014
We arrived at 4:30 on a Friday, had difficulty getting into the "key Safe" but whilst trying noticed one of the garden chairs had a broken back, and the area needed a tidy up. Finally we got inside, could be a nice cottage but was very tired looking. Went upstairs and checked the bedrooms, and found a half empty beer can under one of the single beds. Next day we decided to do some laundry (we had a small child with us and they make a lot of washing) tried the dryer, didn't work, called the agent as per paperwork, left a message, no response. Worked out that the tray under the dryer hadn't been emptied. We emptied, it worked. Family came round we pulled out the dining table, chair back fell off. We tried the log burning effect electric fire it didn't work, light bulb out in the bathroom, and when we turned over one of the pillows there was dried blood on it, we also had to clean the bath before we could use it, oh yes and no iron or ironing board, so spent the week very crumpled. I called the agent again on the Wednesday, and he came round, and couldn't understand as "the places are cleaned each time", I pointed out, that, if the place had been cleaned properly, the broken chairs, beer can, bloody pillow slip, dirty bath, light bulb, non working fire would all have been found. Called Welcome Cottage on our return and apparently because I didn't call till my return there wasn't much they could do, but they would contact the owner, oh yes and give me £100 voucher of my next booking, as if I would use them again. Sound familiar.
written by on 11/08/2014
Cottage clean and spacious but basic. looked tired and needed some TlC e.g new throws on sofas which were faded and worn. Mugs stained and had to buy our own. Only three cereal bowls one was cracked and one chipped. Dinner plate chipped. Poorly stocked kitchen with incomplete set of cutlery. No hooks for towels. Not enough clothes hangers. No hooks in bedroom. No battery in kitchen clock which had stopped. Kettle should have been PAT tested in June. Also told to bring tea towels although this was not in original agreement. Enjoyed holiday inspite of cottage not because of it. Considering the price felt what was on offer was poor. Wouldnt go back and will not be recommending it. Have used welcome cottages several times now and this one probably most disappointing
written by on 08/06/2014
very disapointing dark dirty and depressing. garden unsuitable for dogs as very overgrown, wild is not the word we would use,and not as pictured could not sit outside glass,slugs everywhere and not gated so not secure. cottage full of spiders, ceilings held together with sticky paper, could not open windows as covered in slugs but on the up side beach fantastic.
written by Peeceegee on 12/11/2013
Welcome Cottages' website is easy to use and the cottage we chose - Prospect Cottage, Kirklevington, Yorkshire looked and sounded quite nice. Welcome Cottages described it as a 'Cosy holiday bungalow' and quoted good reviews. Total fiction - the cottage was dreadful! It was thirty years out of date, cold, damp and smelly, dirty and dingy. They said it has 3 bedrooms - it doesn't as one 'bedroom' consists of bunkbeds positioned in the 'L' shaped hallway. We discussed ways in which we could make it habitable - moving a bed into the lounge, borrowing heaters, lamps and cleaning materials, but it was so bad we decided we just couldn't stay there. We arrived at Prospect Cottage on Saturday evening and left the same evening. I tried to contact Welcome Cottages on Sunday, but the website doesn't have Customer Service contact details - no email address and only the sales telephone number. So I wrote a letter of complaint when I returned home on Monday. Welcome Cottages said that they could not refund our money as we should have contacted them when in the property, as per there T&Cs. They said that they would 'monitor' future customer comments about Prospect Cottage, Kirklevington. So be warned - if you decide to book a your holiday accommodation with Welcome Cottages, make sure you take all your booking information and contact details with you in case you find yourself in the same predicament. And be aware that you may be booking a property that previous customers have complained about and which they are 'monitoring'.
written by Tanner4 on 13/08/2013
Not warned in advance of a bat colony there! Bedroom carpets very dirty. Beds incredibly hard. Overall cleanliness lacking. Certainly not worth £800 per week. Also extremely isolated. We were all very disappointed.
written by Antoniaindorset on 26/08/2012
It is quite ironic that our holiday cottage was booked through Welocme Cotaqges as the 'welcome' was not what I expected. I felt about as welcome as a wasp sting. The owner spoke to me as if I was a mentally defective employee. Apparently pets are welcome but my dog was met with horror (my dog is a very sociable and lovely spaniel). On arrival the owner was not present but her very elderly mother greeted us, she showed us through the cottage (she walked sheep poo all through the property as she led us through) The owner turned up two hours after we arrived and prceeded to outline the house rules. She was very clear that she did not want the cottage spoiled for her 'other guests' She made Hyacinth Bucket seem warm and friendly! Apparently she had difficulties getting a horse into it's box that afternoon. She obviously took her frustrations out on me!! I spent the week worrying about breaking or damaging anything. We tried to stay out as much as possible and out dog had to stay in the kitchen during the time we were in the cottage. We did not dare use her garden furniture or garden. Luckily she did not bother us during the week but did visit on the last evening to ask what time we were leaving next day (she did not enquire as to whether or not we enjoyed our stay). This is a shame as the property was plesant and well equipped. The owner has put much effort into providing a quality of accommodation that ticks all the boxes however things as intangible as warmth, friendliness and a genuine acceptance of pets do make all the difference. I would hav much rather have foregone the ribbon tied around the hairdryer (whats that about anyway?!) and had a smile and a proper welcome on arrival. If the owner does not want dogs she should not offer her cottage as 'pet friendly' ...she wasn't even human friendly!!
written by on 16/07/2012
Apartment W14841, France - Shower was dreadfull - push button, 5 seconds of water, so you had to keep the button depressed. Try showering with one hand !. Water temperature went from tepid to warm to scolding hot within a few millimeters of movement. Far too dangerous for small / young children. No electric heating or CD player as advertised. Wifi was stated but only available in main play areas not in cottage and they charges £15 upon arrival for wifi - not stated on web page. £100 deposite for breakages - but there was nothing to break ! it was all old & tired, they are trying to get clients to pay for replacing anything when it will eventually break or wear out. No gas igniter, so you had to use matches (left by previous customers). Cleaning was left up to clients - despite a quoted arrival time of 4pm to allow for cleaning after a leaving time of 10am. We had to clean top to bottom - cups & mugs were in a state that builders wouldn;t drink from, hairs (dog cat, human - who knows !), dead spiders & dead flies everywhere. Pool area tired and all in need of a lick of paint. Never again - the site has no easy way to contact to leave comments, owners were selling so had no interest in clientel.
written by on 09/05/2011
Having booked a cottge through this company we found the cottage to be sub standard and the area discriptions were not up to date. The cottage on arrival was found to be unclean and the local amenaties described were closed. Due to the standard of the accommodation we only stayed 3 nights instead of 7. Having reported this we were informed that the contract was with the owner and nothing to do with Welcome Cottages. It is quite clear that the cottage had not been visited regulary to ensure that it was up to standard and the after service we have received has been poor.
written by on 15/02/2010
We thought this would be the perfect New Year break, lovely location and great property, however it all went downhill when the heating broke and we had no hot water or heating for 5 of our 7 day holiday. Upon returning I wrote to Welcome cottages complaining and asked for a refund for our holiday, they offered me a meesly amount as a refund saying that was all they were prepared to do and if I had contacted them at the point of no hot water or heating then they would have been able to do alot more to help. I think the customer service for this company is appauling and they did everything in there power not to offer a full refund. Although the land lady did try and help as she was our first point of contact (in the terms of the contract with welcome cottages it states please contact the owner) the help we received was minimal and unnacceptable. I would not recommend you use Welcome cottages if you would like any form of customer service.
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Amber1234's Comment
Written on: 07/04/2011
I found this review very helpful because... as is said they take your money with a smile but offer no customer care afterwards, also beware these people go under lots of different names the main one being hoeseasons.