Self Catering in Somerset - Odcombe

Pleasing house in need of TLC
Seekings House is a large, comfortable home, with a handsome garden fa?ade and a vast garden with a pleasant outlook. It was a perfect, relaxed place for our party of six adults and one baby, and we had a wonderful week there, with the added blessing of sunshine. BUT it is not as described on the Sykes Cottage website. It is neither antique-filled - unless you count the contents of the chest freezer in the utility room - nor is it especially well-equipped, or indeed, equipped as billed on the website. The cutlery was just about adequate for six people, the china was cheap, and some items cracked and chipped, and most of the pans needed replacing. I was advised just before arrival that the swimming pool cover was broken, and despite the sunshine, the temperature dropped over the week. It was too cold for the one year old to enjoy a first splash. The burglar alarm went off early one morning and the television didn?t function properly. Both these problems were reported, but nothing happened. Wi-fi needed a booster and didn?t work upstairs. Some of the furniture pictured on the website had been removed, in particular, the large, attractive bed in the main bedroom had been replaced with a modest ironwork frame. The second bedroom had a random extra bed at the end of the twin beds - an inelegant addition - and I only realised at the end of the stay that the scruffy pillow perched on it was actually an un-emptied hot water bottle. The third and fourth bedrooms share a bathroom, and the fourth bedroom, though it has a large double bed, is decorated for a child. Wardrobes had wire coat hangers. The attic was unbearable hot and stuffy - no fans provided - and very, very ?tired?. The carpets on the first and second floors at the very least needed a shampoo. However, it was all absolutely fine for a family holiday, but anyone expecting a more luxurious vibe is going to be disappointed. It lacks proper management and needs more attention to detail, repair, and decent equipment. I should also advise that although it is described as dog-friendly, the sweeping lawns pictured on Sykes? website are not romping grounds for your hounds: there is a courtyard available with a Hobbit hole in a wall - dog, not human size - that leads to a woodland doggie walk - fine for a dog trained for this set up, but not suitable for a visiting dog, especially a small one. Be prepared for lots of walks elsewhere! There are unnecessary prohibitive notices which make it feel more like a boarding house than a home, and padlocked and chained cupboards in the library. Not a great look. The rules mentioned in the ( brief ) house information folder, include a ?no shoe? regulation in the piano room - which has floorboards and an elderly sisal rug, and is the only decent access to the garden - coupled with the threat of a charge if you eschew the chopping boards in favour of the well-used worktops. It's not conducive to one feeling like an honoured, paying guest. I notice that advantage has now been taken of the current demand for staycation breaks, and the rental is 50% higher than when I booked the house at the end of December. This would be fully justified if the fixtures and fittings complemented the potential elegance of the house, but seems unreasonable in its present condition.
BeauAndMe
2020-07-25

A beautiful house that could be better
We had a lovely holiday in this beautiful house but felt there was a lack of attention to detail and some misleading information in the description. The two bedrooms shown are not quite as grand as seen in the pictures and some others fall short of that standard - naked or missing lightbulbs, mismatched furniture, lack of wardrobe space, a sheet for a curtain etc. The 'office' shown in photos is a room bare, save a TV and four bean bags. The 'larder' is full of junk and the owners have left belongings scattered around the house. There is no second fridge. Access to the top floor was largely locked, denying us access to one of the bathrooms. In fact, there were many chains and padlocks on cupboards and doors in the house - perhaps the owners prefer to leave belongings there but it is unattractive and unwelcoming. There were also a number of points I fed back to the owner directly (as requested), regarding lack of crockery, saucepans etc and a list of minor repairs required but did not receive any acknowledgment of my email. It would not take a great deal of investment in time or money to remedy or repair the problems, (starting with an accurate description on the Sykes website). The rental price has increased by 50% since I booked but I feel the house does not warrant this at present. The wi-fi and phone reception are poor, reliable in only a part of the house. The house and gardens are beautiful and we enjoyed the pool and all being together as a family. We were a bit disappointed in parts of the house when we arrived but still had a good time. I really hope the owners can address the issues - Seekings House is already a lovely place to stay but could be even better.
Vanessa P
2020-07-17