The Orchard

Lovely location with a nice garden.

Unfortunately that's where the good ends. Hard to find with the address nowhere near the actual property. The property has had no maintenance for a long time, arrived on the first day and the heating was on flat out, like a sauna. Then the issues started, the dishwasher didn't work, the grille didn't work, 3 of the hob rings didn't work. There is a major trip hazard outside the back door. None of the beds are comfortable, the garden furniture has seen better days, 2 of the stall in the kitchen/bar are about to fall apart, still no over gloves but very well stocked on everything else. The hot tub was nice and maintained daily. Unfortunately, the roof above the hot tub leaks and leaks water all over the electrics.

This was our second stay at the Orchard and was just as good as the first!

A great place for 3 generations of of our family to relax and have fun. Overall no complaints, but a couple of suggestions for consideration. Brilliant supply of crockery and utensils but missing 1 vital item, a bread knife? Also, be good to give the outdoor furniture a rub down and varnish this winter?

Feedback has been shared with the owners, as encouraged on an information sheet in the property, whilst I didn’t expect a response no acknowledgment has been received.

Below is the detail sent. Following our visit to the Orchard, which we’ve just left, we’d like to make you aware of a number of issues that may aid you in improving the property or resolving problems that we feel seriously let the quality/standard of accommodation down. Overall, the property is in a lovely location and cleaned/presented well however there are many cosmetic issues that seriously let it down and have resulted in a fairly disappointing stay for us, particularly given the price paid and comparing this to other cottages we’ve holidayed in previously. Having read reviews prior to staying we were concerned in relation to general maintenance and these are echoed in our experience. Issues are: No hot tub maintenance, despite all communication advising that this would be done daily; Wobbly stools in kitchen, so not safe to use and one has stains on the cover; Cracked drawer in fridge; Little blind by the back door keeps falling off the bracket when opened/closed; Bottom of fridge cracked; Mould on walls and ceiling by washing machine and tumble dryer and the area is full of cobwebs; Lounge - one window not able to be opened; Bedroom with double and stacker - blinds frayed at the bottom and stained and window not opening, marks on walls; Marks and stain on wall in double room; Showers - significant lack of pressure if more than one is used at the same time; Outside - Bottle opener by hot tub was full of empty lids. Fire pit filthy, table/chairs outside in poor state and look shabby and covers filthy; No bag to put dirty linen in despite it being advertised as being needed; Windows not able to be shut fully or easily throughout the property; Master bedroom - headboard is worn and ripped in paces, the bases of the bed have been knocked and are worn. One of the velux windows looks to be broken - this was already open when we arrived, as was the main window which we couldn’t close. Wardrobes rattle when walking across the room; A slate looks to have slipped on the roof (visible from seating in the gravelled area outside); Ceiling in bar area looks to have had leaks at some point and paint is discoloured and bubbling slightly in places; No visitor book available to view or leave a review. We’ve had a lovely holiday and as mentioned on the information sheet wanted to let you know of issues we strongly feel that you need to rectify the above and invest in the property to maintain standards for future guests. Thanks for allowing us to stay at the Orchard and we wish you all the best for the future.

On the plus side the cottage is in a good location, well equipped kitchen.

The garden is enclosed so ideal for young children and dogs. Sadly it is in need of renovation, neglected garden furniture with cushions in a storage box outside which looked past their best. We like to peg swimming costumes on the line outside instead of constantly using the tumble dryer ( bad for the environment) but we had to buy pegs to do this. No oven gloves in the kitchen which was disappointing, floors in the kitchen in need of replacing. A lot of money for a 1 week stay, photos on the website make it look pristine.

Perfect holiday home for a family of different age groups.

House was very clean and comfortable, hot tub checked daily. Location ideal for walking and beach location 25 minute walk but also a short drive. I would definitely recommend this property as spacious so you can have that quiet time alone and plenty of space to all be together.

Beautiful property just needing a little TLC.

The house is stunning; spacious, comfortable, quirky layout which I loved, clean and tidy for our arrival and Annette was quick to make contact on our first day. The hot tub was amazing!! A real highlight We had some lovely food in the pub down the road (The Sun I think) and spent our days exploring, we particularly liked the beach and pubs at Aberdaron. Unfortunately some small things let our holiday down; we booked this house for peace, quiet and privacy (the back garden/hot tub area is very private) so were surprised when people turned up and walked straight around the back of the property to the hot tub! We also had a gardener turn up when I was in the hot tub! And really not impressed there was a surveillance camera pointing straight at the rear garden, covering the hot tub! Also small issues like the ice machine on the fridge was broken, the grill didnt work, some hobs didnt work, towels with bleach stains on them, only one towel each (not enough when using hot tub too!), the head board in the master bedroom was very tired/cracking, the DIY was poor (clumps of silicone under the shower, paint on tiles & doors) We stay at holiday cottages twice every year and I look forward to a welcome hamper and a read of the visitors book - not here! No welcome hamper, not even milk to have a cuppa, and no visitor book. It really wouldn't take much to make this a stunning getaway but we wouldn't stay here again.

You have a beautiful home everything we needed to use to cook was provided.

Garden and hot tub was lovely. We told the lovely housekeeper about a leaking window in family room.

Fabulous!

! Everything within easy reach, ideal for us

We had a great week at The Orchard - made even better by the amazing weather.

Great communication from the owner before we arrived and everything was lovely and clean when we got there. There was plenty of room for us all, 6 adults and 2 children. The garden was brilliant for the dogs who enjoyed exploring and it was perfectly safe. The kitchen had everything we needed for preparing meals and the beds very comfy. Great location, less than a 5 minute drive into Abersoch for days on the beach. Would definitely return and highly recommend.

Great accommodation and beautiful grounds.

Hot tub was lovely. We found upstairs to be quite cold at night but it is November. Overall we had a lovely stay and would recommend

Lovely cottage on the outskirts of Anglesey.

Perfect for stays with a dog as garden is big and fully enclosed. Kitchen facilities have everything you would need and comfortable beds in bedrooms. Only a few criticisms that could make this cottage perfect. The garden is beautiful and we loved using the hot tub but the outdoor furniture is very worn and in need of replacing. Unfortunately the washing line is under lots of trees so after days on the beach nothing was drying. The towels for inside were also worn and we were only provided with a bath towel and nothing for your hair. Other than that, the would definitely recommend

Furniture, bedding and towels all well worn.

Handle broken on back door ( safety hazard ) Seat pads for outdoor furniture wet dirty and well worn.

We had a lovely stay at the Orchard and would definitely return.

Contrary to older reviews, the house was really clean and comfortable. There's a lot of space around the whole house which is really well laid out. We were also fond of the very well equipped kitchen. The hot tub is a welcome addition to the house and we liked the fact that the owners give visitors full control over temperature, something which often doesn't happen at other hot tub equipped properties. It was also fresh water when we arrived showing care and attention from owners/keepers. The only possible critique I can offer on the property and Sykes service: - When we arrived, there was a lot of dog faeces in the garden. With young children, this is an unwelcome sight. This is not necessarily the responsibility of the cleaners but more of a sad indictment of many dog owners today. However it should be checked before new customers arrive (perhaps an additional deposit for dog owners which is not returned if cleaners have to pick up round the garden?) - The shower in the main en suite seemed to be faulty, it was either scalding hot or freezing cold and requires attention. Other showers worked fine if a little underpowered. - We appreciated being able to check with the house keeper if we could access the property early on check in day, however the 0930 departure time is a little early compared to anywhere else we have stayed. Trying to get the whole family ready, out and house tidy by that time is not impossible but more difficult.

Hi, To say that you house is “well maintained” is stretching the truth I feel.

Your house has the following issues: 1. An open fire but no gloves for the door handle that gets very hot – health and safety issue. 2. You advertise a BBQ – there is an old kettle style BBQ with broken legs that sits on the floor in the gravelled area of your garden - false advertising. 3. There was a previous guests or your own dogs poo bag (full) in the garden on the steps to the decked area – health and safety issue. 4. There is black mould growing on the wall / ceiling in the downstairs bathroom, see attached images – health and safety issue. 5. There is black mould growing on the blinds in the downstairs bathroom, see attached images – health and safety issue. 6. There is black mould growing on the shower head in the downstairs bathroom, see attached images – health and safety issue. 7. There is black mould growing on the blinds in the “family bedroom” upstairs, see attached images – health and safety issue. 8. The pull out bed mattress is riddled with stains – cheap owners / poor management. 9. The double bed mattress is riddled with stains – cheap owners / poor management. 10. The washing machine drawer is full of black and orange mould, see attached images – health and safety issue. 11. The shower water hose in the family bathroom upstairs was covered in orange mould slime – cheap owners / poor management / health and safety issue. 12. The shower head in the family bathroom was covered in black mould, see attached images – health and safety issue. 13. The master bed was not made up (this is a repeat complaint from earlier in the year, are you so cheap that you only keep one set of bedding for this room?) on our arrival – cheap owners / poor management. 14. The windows in all of the upstairs rooms show signs of having blown / seals have gone allowing water and wind ingress – very cheap owners / poor management. 15. The double plug socket behind the door in the family bedroom is broken, this should not be in use yet it was available to use – health and safety issue, cheap owners / poor management. 16. Double plug socket in family bedroom covered by bedding and mattress with a lamp plug in it and turned on – cheap owners / poor management, health and safety issue. 17. Cleaners cupboard stank of damp – cheap owners / poor management, health and safety issue. 18. Broken chair in decked area – cheap owners / poor management. Your house has had most of these complaints before so I should not have been surprised! I guess some people never learn do they. I will be seeking a full refund from Sykes and Mastercard. No wonder your feedback email address has been cancelled!

This is a brilliantly laid out house in a fantastic location but has some issues which cannot be overlooked.

The sofas in the lounge and the outdoor furniture was rather uncomfortable. The cleanliness left a lot to be desired with the floor being quite dirty, one of the upstairs mattresses had yellow stains on it and the provided barbecue was not fit to use (had to buy one). Also the garden had sharp metal sticking out of the grass from an old clothesline post which had being removed. We had to cover this with some pots to prevent injury to the children in our party. In essence this house has the potential to be amazing, rather than good, if the required attention to detail is carried out.

The property is lovely, well maintained and in a great location.

Possibly a few things to update would be the pillows and sofa just purely for comfort . Shared driveway would be a bit tricky if there were 4 cars , we were fine as no one was in the other property. I would still book this cottage again though as overall it was in an ideal location , very quiet and not overlooked which was great when using the hot tub !

Poor standard of bedding and mattresses Mattress on top of mattresses Stained mattresses Bed not setup on arrival Dirty and unusable skylights Extension leads on top of extension leads on top of extensions leads (unsafe) No PAT testing of electrical appliances Electrical items faulty and wires on show Poor standards of house keeping (cleanliness) Poor workmanship on repairs/house maintenance offering safety concerns Dirty carpets, mats and walls Damp in the property Cobwebs Electrical wiring unsafe and accessible Extractor fan and dishwasher not working Dirty blinds and curtains Ash tray dirty (not emptied) on arrival Dog poo found in numerous locations on arrival Wholes in the external door Damaged furniture Leaking toilet Slippery decking area We are deeply upset and frustrated that our family holiday has been ruined and to hear from Annette that the owners are aware of some of these issues but still happy to take our booking is very concerning.

All attendance feel the property does not much the images and description visible on your marketing material. We look forward to your response and proposals for a resolution.

Mattress’s are a bit lumpy and need new pillows.

excellent kitchen facilities. Great service of hot tub and staff very accommodating when checking hot tub. Fantastic garden for children and dog. Excellent location for beaches.

Lovely and clean well equiped and good location