written by on 11/03/2022
AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Disgusting company who are unprofessional, unethical and unreasonable. Once they have your money they do not care about the customer experience at all. They will not cancel your booking and won’t even make basic amendments even if made well in advance. Customer service is shocking and purposefully unhelpful. Wish I’d read these reviews before I was tricked out of £405!
written by 353Flood on 30/08/2020
Welcome Cottages do not reply to emails or answer the telephone. Consequently, if you have a problem you are stuck with it.
written by Cooperpf90 on 25/08/2020
booking and monies taken immediately. From then on cant get hold of them . We had to contact owner directly for info eg key code . no customer care whatsoever
written by Darien338 on 09/04/2020
WELCOME COTTAGES ARE REFUSING REFUNDS AFTER CANCELLATION OF HOLIDAYS DUE TO CORONAVIRUS. INSTEAD THEY ARE ISSUING VOUCHERS FOR MONEY OFF A FUTURE HOLIDAY EVEN IF YOU HAVE REQUESTED A REFUND. *************PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS CANCELLATION ARE ENTITLED TO CASH REFUNDS. DO NOT PUT UP WITH THEIR RUBBISH.************ IF THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE THEN REGISTER A CLAIM THROUGH SMALL CLAIMS. GOOGLE MONEYCLAIM ONLINE FOR FULL INFORMATION OR REQUEST ADVICE ON THIS SITE.
written by JulieKeeble on 29/03/2020
Mum paid a deposit of £25 for a holiday for my sister from Australia who was coming over to care for her whilst I was supposed to be on a break to Turkey with my partner for his 60th birthday. We cancelled today having booked in Feb for June. We were still outside the 70 days arrival at destination date but still they made up pay another £175 cancellation fee. Mum is 87 years old, this absolutely made her day. So if you do book, PLEASE PLEASE take note of the small print. If you need to cancel they can still take a 1/3 of the holiday price from you. Disgusting company!
written by Jkl3333 on 03/10/2019
I’ve booked with welcome cottages and was going there on family holiday then my wife been poorly with liver problems, so had to cancel holiday with the time limit and these took me to court over £67?and suppose to be a friendly considerate company? Don’t think so
written by CarsenCardenas on 07/09/2018
Booked a cottage through them several months in advance. Received confirmation emails both at the time of booking and a few days before it was due to start. Called the owner to arrange key collect, the day before setting off. She was surpised because she had cancelled the booking several weeks earlier (apparently she had cancelled all bookings with Welcome Cottages because of their poor customer service; I see why). I contacted Welcome Cottages who blamed it on short notice from the owner. When I told the owner this she was able to provide email evidence that they had known for weeks and hadn't bothered to tell me. As a result I was left with a very stressful afternoon desperately trying to find an alternative with just a few hours to go. I failed to do so and so all our annual leave etc has been wasted, as had 'special' food bought for the time away plus booked day trips etc. It was an absolute farce of a booking and such a waste of money and time.
written by on 31/05/2018
The gardens to the cottage showed on the website is now very overgrown on to the footpaths, the seat shown is hardly visable through overgrown plants, the table and chairs shown could not be sat on. Plants now so close, no room for a dog to be with you. Had to push way into only grass part. The table and chairs were covered in tree sap and dirt, filthy,so unable to use. No place at all to sit out side. Inside the cottage it needed to be deep cleaned and updated with new settee and beds etc. Paid for a week's stay. Arrived Sat.26th May 2018 at 3pm. Left Sunday 27th May 7am.in the morning. Unbareable.
written by Nicki2512 on 03/10/2016
Review: Nuthatch cottageTawnamoor Barns Cornwall Stayed here 24/9 to 1/10 You have to drive down to the car park turn around and go back to the bottom of the slope to begin your climb up the quarter of a mile steep single track with one pull in, ( not sufficient ) Upon reaching the cottage it looks quaint and old very nice. The views are quite stunning. The owner is not at home so worked out how to get in by going up to the cottage that the door was open. Immediately although it was aired due to bedroom window being ajar you are hit by the smell of damp. Understandably it is an old cottage so a damp smell was expected, but this was way beyond expectation. Immediately opened more Windows to allow fresher air to circulate. Went into the bedroom the smell here was awful the room smelt and felt very damp. The living / kitchen area was not as bad smelling. Put the kettle on to make a cup of tea ( no welcome pack) although had read previous reviews so was made aware to take our own. I noticed the oven glove on the microwave had mould on, on further inspection it also had food from previous guest or maybe befor that. This led me to look further, underneath the cabinets was filthy brown stains the cupboard doors all need a scrub with soap and water, tea stains food stains and dirt. Behind the bin was mould around 3/4 weeks old maybe more. Cutlery had food on. Wood lice hanging from cobwebs by internal door entrance, crisp crumbs from previous guest. The bathroom was nice visually from a distance, because the other room was dirty I checked more closely in the bathroom, I found mould around the whole bottom edge of the shower glass. So that was out of bounds for the week. Next the bedroom looks clean but again felt like it needed a clean all over. I had taken my own bedding ( sheet and duvet cover and pillows. I do not believe the sheet had been changed anyway. Going to bed that evening was a joy getting into a smelly damp bed which was the same each evening. I didn't unpack any clothes I just got clean stuff out daily so I didn't go out smelling like an old church. The kettle didn't switch off if pushed to far down and tended to dilute all the stains under the cupboards so they dripped on the surface below. The toaster need cleaning. The oven had a dirty smell to eat, old grease so I didn't use it. The fridge was set so high my milk froze ( adjusted it to suit) No Hoover, dustpan or broom you have to live in your own filth or do as we did and use your boot to remove dog hairs. The cottages are neglected we were invited into one by the other guests and like ours it needed cleaning and updating. The images you see are old and nothing has been done to improve or maintain since they were first done many years ago. The shared bbq well it's a joke I would rather have a fire on the lawn in the overgrown shared garden that is not suitable to be described as it has been on the write up. The patio area small and unkempt old furniture that seen better days. Utility room well utility barn with one wall not long for standing with the wet Cornish weather. The electrics in here are dangerous because the wiring is holding the front onto the back box and you can just pull it off. There is no lighting to or from the utility barn. The only lighting in the garden area worked intermittently and seemed to be shorting out judging by the sound coming from the box beside our cottage. We had no water for five hours we tried calling the owners mobile then landline then finally he answered his mobile, the other guest had tried via text. When we got through the owner said he was an hour and half away he had had to travel from Bristol like it was an inconvenience for him. Ahhhh. The weather was quite good for this time of year. I have given a generous 1 star because I cannot give a zero. The age of the cottage, the weather all play a part in the overall experience with regards to dampness only and can be excused to a degree, however each season a deep clean should be carried out and maintained throughout the season. Skim cleaning is not sufficient when you are taking people's money. If I had had to settle up for my holiday at the weeks end instead of at the beginning I would have left after day one and gone elsewhere. I would not only not use Wellcome cottages again because they do not check out the people advertising on their site but I would not stay here again either.
written by ndCook216 on 12/04/2015
Booked a wood cabin for 1 week during spring 15 in Bridlington & was charged £50 fees! Beware prospective bookers!!!
written by BennettFischer on 30/04/2014
First time i have booked with welcome cottages, never again, i booked a holiday for july 2014 in march hoping to give me time to pay i paid the deposit only to be told i have to pay the full balance in april, I fnd that disgusting i have just had yet again another cancer scare in which i wont know until the end of this week may 2nd, i explained this to them they said i will have to pay for a doctors note, also they will keep most of my money due to canceling if i have to, HOW HEARTLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I always go with owners direct they are brilliant wish i had stuck with them, My advice to you all STEER WELL AWAY FROM WELCOME COTTAGES
written by EmeliaHuffman213 on 28/02/2014
Website broke, took twice as much money off me. Tried to get it sorted, so found out what I needed to get them to do from my bank, and contacted. First call lasted ages, at my expense. When I checked they'd not sent the fax I asked for, and when I rang to find out where it was, they asked would I like to make a payment! They then tried to go through all the same conversation as I went through last time. Don't any of them make notes? Don't any of them actually do what they promise? Won't use them again, and given the trouble their website causes I'd recommend everyone to steer well clear.
written by on 15/08/2013
Cottage ref : W14684 (Le Chalard France) We expected a warm welcome but arrived at a gite with massive electrical problems obviously going back several years judging from the comments left in the guest book. If you put on anymore than the hob, everything tripped. We had to buy a bar b que as the one supplied filthy and not fit for use. Thick dust under furniture, filthy cloths in kitchen and bathroom, ants everywhere in kitchen on arrival, overgrown garden & the splash pool was used by others when we were out - very unsettling! We booked for 14 nights and left after 5. We felt so let down. Welcome cottages totally disinterested even though all payment was made out in their name and the owners obviously not interested in property at all or the hard working people who paid for it.
written by jimmytown on 14/03/2013
I made two mistakes when booking through this company. Assuming I was booking a cottage with no problems and also then assuming I could cancel the booking plenty ahead of time (over 6 months) and maybe only lose out on the initial deposit of £25. I find out the cottage is up for sale on Rightmove, this had me thinking I need to find an alteranative. Be warned Welcome Cottages will require you to find an alternate with them. If you do not and be honest with them you will have to pay £100 ( a low deposit offer, how nice of them). My Main complaints after my experience is that nowhere on their website is there a warning that the property is for sale. Also that the booking cancellation conditions are hidden in terms and conditions, I think their requirement for you to find alternate accommodation with them is close to being held for ransom. It also should be made clearer during the booking process. Just wish I had read the reviews on here first and hope no one makes the same mistakes as me.
written by on 09/11/2012
After returning from a holiday in Wales, I was upset to find a phone message from the cottage owner stating she had to send in a team of cleaners and was sending us the bill! Welcome Cottages promised to get in touch with the owner, and let me know what was going on. They never returned my call, and later said it was between us and the cottage owner. Every cottage I have ever stayed at, I have left in a tidy state, with no problems whatsoever. On their website Welcome Cottages claim "All properties are cleaned between lets. In the UK and Ireland there is no extra charge for cleaning, unless extra, heavy cleaning is required", however this lady is expecting you to spend the last day of your holiday scrubbing, cleaning, washing and replacing bedlinen for the next family!! I have used Welcome Cottages many times. However this is the first time I have required their help. Hidden costs were not advertised, and this lady is ripping people off! BE AWARE, Welcome Cottages are not interested in getting involved in any way shape or form.
written by DaveG38 on 06/10/2012
Booked a cottage with Welcome Cottages at Ilfracombe in the grounds of a hotel called the Darnley. Prior to the stay, welcome was hardly the term I'd use when my wife phoned the owners with a couple of queries, the attitude being that they were too busy to consider anything we might want. On arrival, we were met by a man who was a cross between Basil Fawlty and Norman Bates from Pscho - not a good start! The cottage was at the bottom of the garden and was so overhung by trees that on the grey day we arrived this made it look dismal. Inside it was even more depressing. It was 1970s in style, smelled of mould and damp and was cold - the outside temperature was 13 degrees, but the owner (Norman) told us that the heating wasn't on. Despite this he wanted a fuel supplement to cover the extra costs that would be incurred when the weather was poor - quite how much colder it had to get before the heating would be turned on I really don't know, although to be fair he did refund this payment when we arrived home. We stayed all of 10 minutes and went off to a nice hotel we know in Lynton nearby. I wouldn't recommend anybody go to this particular cottage, nor would I recommend booking with Welcome Cottages, as they have been made aware of the problems with this holiday and haven't even had the courtesy to speak to us about it. Frankly, the company is only interested in taking your money and stinks as far as customer service goes. DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR THEM.
written by klindsay1824 on 04/07/2012
We rented a damp, grubby cottage in Harlyn Bay Cornwall for 7 nights through Welcome Cottages. In our opinion the cottage was nothing like the brochure description. We arrived late Saturday and returned home Monday as the place was so disappointingly bad. According to Welcome Cottages we were in breach of their terms and conditions because we didn't ring them before leaving the cottage to return home, consequently and despite having a legitimate complaint we were only entitled to a very modest "goodwill payment" This payment just about covered the cost of our petrol and meals on the drive down to Cornwall and back! This company trades on customer expectation and in my opinion fails miserably - I will never book with them again - providing a holiday cottage that bears little resemblance to the one adverised and then hiding behind "terms and conditions" is modern day highway robbery. We lost our holiday and they and the owner pocketed our money! Beware...........
written by on 30/06/2012
We rented a cottage from welcome cottages near Bideford Devon last year.The place resembled a building site,with the inside of the cottage(if you could it that)not a lot better.It had no facilaties whatsoever and was miles from anywhere.On complaining to the company we heard absolutely nothing.This would be the last company we would use again.
written by lalaaboutdogs on 12/04/2012
I was 7 months pregnant and decided to take a last holiday as a couple in the Lake District. We rented out through this company the Burrow cottage in Windermere. We travelled from the south and after 8 hours on the road with a dog we arrived to a dirty cottage with food debris all over the floor. Dirty worktops and carpets. the toilet seat had faeces all over them. I cleaned the cottage as I was too upset and needed to stay there. But after cleaning for 2 hours I went to bed to find hair on the linen and stains! there were 3 bedrooms all with this problem. Upset I called the owner who lives in York and they were adamant their cleaner had been in and changes sheets etc. But we took pictures of the dirt and were promised compensation for the work I had done and clean of sheets the next day. I sent the owner and Cottage company the review and evidence and they did not bother to date to compensate us and they have never responded to our complaints. They just take your money and you have to live with it. Well everyone, please DO NOT BOOK AT THE BURROW IN WINDERMERE AND BE CAREFUL AS REVIEWS SHOW WELCOME COTTAGES ARE BADLY MANAGED. we will never use them again.
written by VDalton on 11/07/2011
We booked a holiday cottage through Welcome Cottages for 2 adults a 2 year old and our dog. Upon arrival the cottage was unclean to a diabolical standard. Dead flies everywhere, left over food and mould in fridge, smell of dogs, thick with dust and dog hairs everywhere. The furniture in the house was shabby and old. The sheets were un-ironed and had holes in them. When we called the owner to come and clean it (as per the instructions from Welcome Cottages) he refused and told us to 'get out before he threw us out'. As this was 7pm on a Saturday in rural Gloucestershire with a dog and a baby (and 6 month pregnant wife), there was no-where to go, so we were forced to stay. Despite promises to re-house us Welcome Cottages failed to come up with any respectable solutions. We eventually left the property and took refuge in a lovely hotel (after driving the dog 200 miles home and back again, as we had to be in that part of the country for a family wedding). If I had not had to stay we would have left immediately. The response to our complaint on our return is to basically call us liars, take the side of the owner, offer us £100 and no opportunity to respond. This company is the worst I have dealt with for holidays and would NEVER use them again. They will rob you blind and treat you like you are the problem and not the customer. NEVER use Welcome Cottages - and from web research and word of mouth - anything to do with Hoeseasons (the parent company). And certainly NEVER stay in The Alms Cottage in English Bicknor, Gloucestershire.
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St11943's Response to DaveG38's Review
Written on: 30/10/2012
Re:Camelot, ref, 25795. Norfolk
We had a very good holiday at this cottage. Everything we required was at the cottage, there was extras not mentioned in the discription which added to our comfort and pleasure.