Somerset Self Catering cottage, 1 Belle Vue Cottage, Roadwater, sleeps 4

Rusty not rustic..
We choose this cottage based on the reviews on the Sykes website but it is a 3 star at best given finish & facilities. Sykes declined to post our feedback as we posted photos, no further options given. We choose to leave early as were so uncomfortable and looking at the visitors book the booking before us had also left early due to experiencing issues with both cottage cleanliness and the shower. We had the same, the shower overflowed despite being careful and the cottage smelt of dog - our 5 year old refused to be in the living room unless the windows were open as it smelt funny, and we spent very little time in the cottage as a result. Upon later communication with Sykes the owner advised that apparently the shower drains slowly but it would have to be running for a long time to flood. Turns out it didn?t need much time at all in fact. The oven constantly cut-out so cooking took ages and after raising the issue with Sykes upon our return home it is a known fault that it cuts out intermittently using the fan (main) setting. There are no instructions around this and when we contacted the caretaker during our stay to raise the issues our call wasn't returned and we had no visits. In addition, the main bedroom was a squeeze at best with high uncomfortable beds, the twin bedroom was light and spacious. The door to the tiny terrace wouldn't lock properly. The jugs and containers used to decorate in the main bedroom & kitchen both were rusty. Parking is a challenge and dangerous in the dark and unless you have someone to keep an eye on the passing traffic. In summary it was not up to the standards I would expect of a 4 star cottage. The dealings with Sykes were terrible and as it appears from reviews on trustpilot their customer service is one of the worst in the industry. We left early and as stated the previous occupants had done the same as it was an uncomfortable stay.
FamilyRichmond
2020-11-29

A pretty cottage
Updated with the latest kitchen gadgets, Skye television and modern bathroom. Decoration is clean and modern yet in keeping. I felt at home despite low settees and hard dining chairs. The village is friendly, every passerby said ?hello? . I had been worried that we would get annoyed by the narrow winding roads leading off the main road to get here but it wasn?t too bad and there were plenty of passing places. I would worry about water levels rising in the stream behind the house if I was there in winter. Parking is a downside. Our car is long and it's a tight turn into the parking space on the front. The road gets surprisingly busy so you need someone to stand in the road to let you know if anything is coming when you are pulling out. Only other downside is steep deep stairs and dangerous lip in the threshold to the bathroom, which you eventually learn to avoid!
Rose2009_9
2019-09-06