Garreg Wen

This was our 4th stay at Garreg Wen.

It is a well-equipped and comfortable property and we very much enjoyed our stay again. We found it to be clean with the exception of dog nose marks on both lounge windows -The kitchen is a bit short on all glasses. Outside furniture needs a very good clean or replacing, otherwise its 5 star.

The location excellent which is why I returned to the Penaber estate.

Property spacious and light with a great garden. A bath towel was provided on each bed but only a single hand towel in the bathroom for everyone to share for a fortnight booking!! To enable comfort and facilitate washing of hair had to purchase some. Only a few of each type of glassware no full sets and bathroom needs a deep clean. Such a shame as otherwise great.

Lovely bungalow in a great location, let down by poor housekeeping.

Knew it was pet friendly when booking, but still expected it to be cleaned properly after previous guests. On arriving, the porch had cobwebs and dead leaves, could have done with a sweep. White dog hair found on the dining table, in the baking tin in the oven, on the hall and living room rugs and kitchen/diner floor, also in the smaller bedroom - first thing we did was to clean all the floor, photos taken. Covered the table with a paper tablecloth and ended up not using the kitchen to cook. Human hair found in the drawers in the small bedroom, clothes stayed in the suitcase. Few suggestions- Could do with an automatic security light at the front, there is a small step which you can't really see in the dark, tripped a couple of times. Mat in the shower, could be slippy at times. A toilet roll would have been appreciated, had to go back out to buy. Having paid nearly £1,000 for the week, we didn't expect to have to strip the beds, never having had to do this in any other holiday accommodation. Despite the very poor housekeeping we still had a lovely holiday and would hope our criticisms might help the owners to improve the standard of cleanliness for the future.

The bungalow was a very good size, brilliant enclosed rear garden for the dog and within a few minutes from the main high street and beach.

There was plenty to do in the immediate area for both kids and adults plus nearly everywhere was dog friendly which was great. There was only two things that spoilt the stay was the double bed was awful, so hard and uncomfortable also the cleanliness of the property was poor especially the bathroom.

This was our first stay at Criccieth and Garreg Wen met all our needs.

Situated in a really quiet residential area but with everything in easy reach. The property was comfortable, clean and well maintained. We particularly appreciated the enclosed rear garden for our dog and the front seating area where we enjoyed the sun setting in the evening. Parking on the drive was also very convenient. We would definitely recommend and hope to return next year.

Just returned home after a superb week at Garreg Wen - what a comfortable and thoughtful place to stay whilst exploring Criccieth with our five year old son.

The bungalow is perfectly located for the town and beach, and is so quiet (except for the wonderful sounds of birds!) It is well-equipped and the owners have clearly taken on previous feedback and comments. We personally found the beds to be very comfortable. Great WiFi, heating, TV, lovely bathroom and big shower. Garden beautifully maintained and nice to have own driveway. Criccieth itself is a gem; been coming to the area for over 30 years but Criccieth really impressed us. We enjoyed various locations on the beach, 9 hole pitch and putt, the bakery, the butchers, Cadwaladers ice cream (every day!), the castle, walks and runs along the coast, the playground and football pitches and the newly refurbished Y Maes. A really special week away - thank you.

Lovely holiday let.

Roomy, fab enclosed garden for dogs. Area is very clean and so close to the beach. Lovely walks from the door. Accomodation modern and clean-just a couple of things keeping the "stars" lower. Really need a new clothes maid (very useful for wet outdoor clothes), lovely modern bathroom -but the rusty dirty bin is a let down. Double bed needs a topper. It's such a shame it definitely would have been 4* all round if these had been sorted. Hasn't put us off, I'm sure we will be back.

This was our third stay at Garreg Wen.

It is a lovely bungalow situated in the heart of Criccieth and very convenient for walks in all directions. The Bungalow was clean, comfortable and had everything we needed. The shower room is particularly nice, although it was new on our previous visit and now would benefit from a better clean of some of the edges. The garden is absolutely perfect for our dog to have a run about in the glorious weather we had. Perhaps it would benefit from some new outdoor furniture for both the front area and the back garden. All in all a great place to stay and we look forward to our forth stay at Garreg Wen.

Great stay but the double bed extremely uncomfy.

The mattress is very hard. I had to sleep in the spare room all week. Could do with some oven gloves too. Very good other than that.

Brilliant holiday in your lovely bungalow.

Perfectly situated, suited all our needs, & ticked every box. Even had an interesting chat to your gardener. I think however, for health & safety purposes, there should be a pair of oven gloves in the property as per your photos.

Garreg Wen was a comfortable place to stay and so close to the sea and the castle.

Loved the colourful art work especially the welsh kitchen clock - we have one on order. It was clean and tidy and thanks for the milk, tea bags and welsh cakes. Will stay with you again if we stay in Criccieth.

Modern and very clean, great base to explore from and within easy walking of everything in Criccieth.

Only downside is the double bed, it is very uncomfortable, it seems like a firm orthopaedic mattress. It needs changing or adding a topper, we used the 2 single duvets as toppers. Kitchen cutlery lacking and no cullender, charity shop on high street had cheap cutlery.

Property was ideally situated.

A really nice quiet area..We had an amazing week considering it was November. Shower was brilliant, there was constant hot water. A couple of niggles, the double bed was a little uncomfortable. The shower area needed a deep clean as there was black mould and we only had 4 towels for 5 of us! I must admit overall it was an amazing holiday. Thank you.

This little bungalow is an absolute gem, It’s on a beautiful quiet residential street set 1 street from the beach and 1 street the other way to the high street.

It has everything you need for a comfortable homely stay, There was just me and my son (17) And our pooch. My sons doing A levels so had lots of online work to do and the WiFi was great, The sofas were really comfy plenty of nannas naps taken. The back garden is perfect for my little dog no escape routes, It’s backs on a field so was lovely and private. The kitchen looked pretty new as did the bathroom both were fab. Kitchen had all you could want . Maybe a bit more cutlery we were fine but may run short if there was a family of 5. This little house is Definatly one of the best Sykes properties I’ve had , I’m very fussy about cleanliness and it was spotless and smelt lovely and clean. A fair few bugs but it’s backs onto a field nothing the owners can do about those. Cricceth itself it’s always a joy , I’ve been visiting for 15 years And it never disappoints. The cottage is perfectly placed for getting out and despite being oct the weather was kind , 2 standouts for us caenarfon castle and the Bunny farm which is a mile away. Loved both of these. Although I have to say seeing cricceth castle lit up at night was breathtaking. Shop wise there’s a spar on thehigh street within in the garage . And a couple of convenience stores. There’s an asda in pwhelli and an Aldi and Lidl in Porthmadog. There’s plenty of pubs and takeaways in cricceth itself too. Note though the takeawayswere all collection much to my teens disgust lol . The main chippy on the front is by far the best chippy in wales in our opinion just be prepared to queue also check times as they don’t open all day . Garreg wen is fantastic We can’t wait to stay again . I know where I’m retiring to. Few little things , Nothing major. An exstention lead for main bed room would be great as plugs were not situated by dressing table. A full length mirror , Maybe spare keys . Again no issue for us but may help for bigger groups . Spare batteries too. And maybe a black out blind in black bedroom as curtains are quite thin, Not great for a teen lol. To finish I’d like to say not sure why some had cleaniness issues or had issues stripping beds . I’ve always done this whether asked or not. And cleaned up our mess and put bins out if nessary. Don’t let that put you off. We really loved our stay The artwork by the way was beautiful. Someone is very talented . Thanks again Anne ,Harvey and Teddy xx

Ideal location for exploring the local beaches, towns nearby, Portmeirion and Porthmadog and the heritage trains and close by to the Snowdonia national park.

The property is set within a quiet cul-de-sac with many other holiday homes and only a few roads away from the beach. It offers easy access for those with mobility challenges, with only one small step to access both the front and rear of the property and a shallow shower tray with grip handle. We were glad we’d read a previous review which stated that no oven mitts were provided and so we brought our own. Also, as per another review there is very limited cutlery provided, with only four dinner knifes being provided which necessitates daily washing up, which was achievable with only two of us during our stay, but larger groups may wish to bring some additional cutlery along with them. There is a slimline dishwasher in the property. There is also a washing machine and clothes line outside and clothes airer inside. The only draw backs to the property for us were that we found the double mattress terribly uncomfortable which impacted our sleep during our stay. Also the general rubbish bin was full at the start of our stay which meant we were left to find alternatives for our weeks worth of general waste. On the whole we did have a lovely stay, and would return if the mattress was replaced.

Comfortable warm bungalow in a lovely area, but let down due to poor cleaning.

Not a good welcome by having a dirty front door mat. Others have mentioned this in the guest book. Only tea and coffee supplied, but no milk. Dining table was sticky and full of crumbs. Edges of wooden bed in main bedroom was full of hairs and dirt. All flooring could have been better cleaned, lots of dirt on and under rug in lounge. No oven gloves, baking sheets, colander. Can opener broken and a bulb left by previous guest wasn’t replaced. Not enough cutlery as only 4 knives. Owner asking to put bins out for recycling, but not stating which boxes they go in as all the markings on the boxes are worn out. Also owner asking to strip bedding. Only heard about this during Covid. This was not done as I have never been asked before at any other self catering. Surely this is included in the rental price. Seems like mattress and pillow protectors are not washed each time as these were told to stay on the bed. We didn’t contact the owner about the issues. Before our arrival we contacted Sykes about some reviews online and this took several weeks to get a reply from the owner. Wi-Fi is now working, but has low security, so reluctant to use. We would return to Criccieth as it’s a very friendly village with plenty to do and great to tour around North Wales from there, but sadly would not return to Garreg Wen until issues have been sorted.

One of the better properties of the many we have stayed at.

Would not hesitate to recommend it.

Excellent location Would stay again Short of hanging space but warm quite adequate for our needs

It is a lovely bungalow in a lovely location on arrival the property seemed spotless but there were a few missed areas the skirting boards were very dirty and the corners of the rooms hadn’t been cleaned very well.

It is unusual to only have one bath towel per person and only one hand towel for five people not good. The wooden furniture in the lounge and dining area were very sticky and needed a deep clean but we have been to far worse places and would stay again .

Ideal location for beach & castle.

A great fish & chip shop and ice cream shop also near by. Property is a good size bungalow on a very quiet estate. The secure garden for the pooch was great, although so much more could be made of it as it’s large & a sun trap. Only a handful of niggles (1) no oven gloves, so with only 1 tea towel and hand towel I got a couple of burns! (2) only a small set of cutlery so if you use the dishwasher you invariably had to get cutlery back out of it to wash up. (3) no heat mat for the kitchen worktop and (4) unstable WiFi - which was a bit of an issue as we were travelling with a teenager. Other than those small issues, we enjoyed our stay.

We cannot fault the cottage for cleanliness - it was very clean and in a good location.

However it was massively let down by the inaccuracy of the listing - WiFi was not working and clearly had not been for some time judging by the comments in the visitor book and online feedback (dating back 2 months prior to our visit). Owner was aware of non- functioning WiFi but his efforts to fix it were lacklustre and we were without WiFi or smart TV all week. Owner further refused to provide compensation for this massive inconvenience, which seemed extremely unreasonable. Also experienced an issue with the shower flooding on a daily basis - again highlighted by others before us (comments dating back to June in Visitor book). There is clearly a blockage in the shower drain that has not been remedied. Extremely disappointing response to these issues from Sykes - we would not use again.

As the weather sometimes wasn't too warm, the need to get the towels and washing dry we unable to get the central heating to work.

Also couldn't get the wifi to work. A general point about the size of the double bed, maybe if you could encourage your clients to get a least a 5' bed as the one in the bungalow was only a 4'6 and rather small for us, and probably for most couples this would help. Overall we had an enjoyable holiday.

Unfortunately we couldn’t get access to the wifi.

The shower drainage was poor.

Very cosy property with everything you need and is clean and modern.

Ideally placed for beach, village shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Stunning bungalow in a great location in Criccieth with easy access for both shops and the beach.

The new kitchen, just finished, was excellent and a new bathroom too. Comfy beds and sofas. Lovely touch of house plants giving the property a homely feel. Spotlessly clean, and warm on arrival, we couldn't have wished for better. A fully secure rear garden for the dog. A credit to the owners. One of the best properties we have ever stayed in. Perfect in every way.

A lovely bungalow in a great location for Criccieth and also Snowdonia National Park and other coastal towns in North Wales.

The private garden was a great facility and the bathroom was lovely with a good shower. We loved the airy feel to the bungalow and would not hesitate to visit again. Criccieth has everything you need in a holiday destination with the town, sea front and castle all in walking distance to the holiday home. The advantage of the driveway for parking is a big plus too. A lovely stay - thank you!

Lovely bungalow, very nicely kept.

The interior design is so calming and cosy. The beds were comfortable and the rooms were just the right size. The kitchen was well equipped to cater for a family of four. We loved the garden, it was great to sit out and enjoy a morning coffee and our doggy like to have a morning run around there too. The location of the bungalow is just perfect with kids, with the playground and the beach in walking distance. Our kids also loved to take the short cut to the high street to get fish&chips. Great holiday, we would love to come back another year.

A fabulous cottage, Our first visit to Garreg wen but will be back, Lovely location sitting right near the beach and railway Stn.

Criccieth is a stunning little village with cafes shops. We found the cottage very spacious and light. The perfect combination for relaxing. The Gardens we’re large and ideal for the dog, Overall a stunning cottage which has a feel of home and holiday. Thank you….

We had a great holiday here.

The bungalow is clean, comfortable, very well equipped and in a great location. We liked that the gardens back and front are very private. It’s also very close to the castle and the beach. Also the location is within easy reach of Porthmadog and Portmeirion. We spent the whole day at Portmeirion which was fabulous and visited Blackrock Sands on the way back. This is our second holiday in Criccieth and we fell in love with the place. We would definitely stay at Garrag Wen again.

Another great stay here - our fourth time.

Ideal location - lovely comfortable bungalow with private back garden Glad to see the back outside light in working order and the loose outlet pipe have been fixed. New shower is very spacious

Very nicely decorated bungalow.

Clean and confortable. Very quiet location and so near to the castle and beach. Ideal for coastal walks. On the down side there were no curtains on the lounge window, only blinds which when the sun was shinning made it difficult to view a television program which for us happened to be the coronation. There was only 1 toilet roll left aswell which seemed poor but that is only a minor point. We would definitely book again and recommend to friends with no hesitation at all.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 2nd stay at Garreg wen.

The property is so much better since the bathroom has been refurbished and the shower is now brilliant. The back garden is well enclosed and our dog enjoyed being able to run across its width. Criccieth is a delight with great walks, lovely countryside and delicious Cadwaladers icecream. Looking forward to our 3rd stay! Two minor issues, we could not get the cooker grill to heat up and the microwave is now very rusty inside. Hence the drop in cleanliness and maintenance scores.

Lovely cottage in a fantastic location, close to beaches, shops, coastal walks & the castle!

Clean, spacious, comfortable & well equipped. Would highly recommend.

The bungalow is in a superb location with amenities in Criccieth within easy walking distance, including the castle and coastal path.

A small Spar shop is available at the petrol station which was well stocked. The property is generally well equipped, warm and comfortable and we appreciated the Welsh cakes and milk on arrival. All the basics are provided e.g. toilet rolls, tea, coffee, washing up liquid, tea towels which makes things very easy, and the kitchen has sufficient equipment to enable you to cook simple meals A minor negative is the bathroom, which is in need of some redecoration, but is clean and perfectly functional. Overall we had a great holiday and would be happy to visit again.

The bungalow is in an ideal quiet area,disappointed with bathroom,no grab rails for shower and bath,I didn't use the shower for fear of falling,used the bath but with no grab rails difficult to get out,lack of wardrobe in back bedroom,also no blackout curtains,kitchen could do with new worktops,we wouldn't stay there again unless there was a new walk in shower,and new sanitary ware to bathroom,with other property in area having more up to date facilities, it needs a makeover.

A lovely bungalow in an ideal position for Criccieth and all it has to offer.

On closer inspection the bungalow could probably do with a bit of a clean-up here and there. The outdoor back light wasn't working - so was a bit awkward at night-time to see anything at all in the garden. Part of one of the outdoor waste pipes continually ended up on the floor in the garden, (and if I recollect - was the same the previous year when we came! ) I have put these comments in the visitors book in the bungalow. On the whole we really enjoyed our stay.

Excellent property.

Very pleased with the new mattresses. Only issue is, could do with a clothes maiden. If it is wet and Wales can be at times. There is nowhere to dry off your wet clothes indoors.

The bungalow is very comfortable, clean, I have stayed there a few times and hope to book again.

Thank you.

Lovely bungalow bright clean and appealing layout.

Good sized gardens and big drive. Location excellent for touring the region or walking into Criccieth and local area. An en-suite shower room would be ideal. Enjoyed our stay very much.

Really enjoyed my stay here.

It's a lovely quiet neighbourhood and there's the added bonus of very quick foot-access to the rest of the village. I was particularly pleased to be able to walk to the railway station in about 3 mins, which really helped me with getting to and from my coastal walk adventures! It's a cosy, warm little house and would definitely recommend it for singles/couples/young families. Thank you!

Very much enjoyed our stay.

Carreg Wen is well equipped and in a very convenient position. We felt that the bathroom was not as clean as we would have liked and could do with a refurb. Otherwise the bungalow was great and in particular the heating was very fast in warming up once we had mastered the smart thermostat which kept setting the temperature back to 12 c twice per day.

The bungalow was warm, bright, clean, comfortable and in a good location.

Previous reviews had mentioned a lack of cutlery, crockery, glasses etc but this had been addressed by the owner before our stay. Perhaps now just the addition of a larger pan, big enough to cook pasta in. If we were to holiday in the Criccieth area in the future we would happily return to Garreg Wen.

A lovely clean property that was well decorated with beach and coastal themes.

The WiFi was adequate for catchup on the Smart tv. The location of the property near to the promenade was excellent, and the nearby lane up to the station and the High Street made for an easy stroll to explore. The Cadwalader coffee and ice cream shop in the village is a must to visit. We enjoyed Gwyn’s artwork especially the painting near the tv. Well done Gwyn.

A superb clean, spacious bungalow.

Ideal for all age groups. Centrally based. Highly recommended

Its a really nice bungalow and nicely decorated, warm and a nice open plan living space.

My only criticism would be there was not enough cups, glasses etc really and this could be easily rectified cheaply. My other would be dog hairs. It was clean, and I suppose being pet friendly its going to happen and i should have thought about this before booking, but we wouldn't stay again because of it being pet friendly. So if you have a pet its a great place and great location... but if you don't have pets and you have a child I would not stay again. But everything else was lovely.

Excellent cottage in excellent location stayed for 2 weeks (November 2021) and extended it by another 3 nights just didn’t want to leave Things provided at cottage tea/coffee/milk/ Welsh cakes, toilet roll and all cleaning products including dish washer tabs and some laundry items and towels and tea towels and hand soap Didn’t spot a hair dryer but I didn’t look in all drawers, and always bring my own.

Will definitely be booking Garreg Wen again two minutes walk to beach and can cut through park at the back for high street train station and buses etc Tesco in Porthmadog and Asda in Pwhelli but garage open till 9pm with shop in walking distance to cottage over hump bridge and turn right

Having stayed at this property 3 times, I can say the property is of really good quality and in an excellent location.

The biggest and most disappointing issue is the quality of mattresses on the beds. One of the most important things for accommodation is a comfortable bed sadly the beds are a big let down. I have rebooked for next year as the house itself is excellent as is Criccieth but I’m hoping the bed issue will be resolved or it may very well be my last visit.

Excellent property in a fantastic location.

All attractions of Criccieth within walking distance. The property is clean bright and fresh with a nice enclosed rear garden. The only disappointment is the mattresses on all the beds are of very poor quality and very soft. I have mentioned this before as we have been before and have made another two bookings for the same property. Would love to think this could be addressed as other people have made the same comment on their review.

Garreg Wen was a great holiday home for us.

We've been to Criccieth 3 times now with our young children and Penaber is a good base, and this bungalow was perfect with its enclosed garden and lots of parking. But the beds were too soft! We just couldn't get a good night's sleep on them, far too uncomfortable. This would put me off returning as we were all so tired by the end of the week. Also the shower was stuck to the hottest setting so we couldn't shower the children. I loved the little sitting area out the front, surrounded by hydrangeas - a lovely place to sit and catch the sun when the kids had gone to bed!

We had a lovely holiday, weather beautiful bungalow homely, very clean , good situation, As I commented last year, could really benefit from more crockery and cutlery.

But we had a super time. Thank you.

Really enjoyed our stay at this property.

Very clean and well stocked. Good enclosed garden for the dog. Certainly recommend staying here and hope to make a return visit.

This lovely bungalow was very well located, well equipped and extremely comfortable.

We would like to commend the cleaners as everywhere was spotlessly clean on our arrival. Thank you to the owners and Sykes Cottages for helping to give us a wonderful week in Criccieth.

We had a great time the house is well placed for beach town and train.

It was easy to get to main road to go to other places and also short walk to beach or high street a really good choice for a holiday

Very soft mattresses and not a very powerful shower

We had a super holiday, the bungalow was lovely, it was very comfortable, good position, very clean, and top quality items in the bungalow.

The only things that we found awkward was that there was 5 of everything with regards to crockery and cutlery , you had no spares of anything. Also the double bed was squeaky. Please take these comments as constructive criticism, we had a great time and would like to book again. Thank you.

We had a wonderful time at this property.

Location is excellent for all local amenities. The property is very clean, comfortable, bright and fresh. If there was a negative it would be soft bed mattress’s. However we have stayed in many properties and they all seem to have the same issue. However it’s a beautiful property and we are looking forward to returning here next year.

A lovely stay, everything we wanted in the accommodation, and more.

We were very touched to see that the owners had gone to the trouble of putting up a Christmas tree and decorations for our stay.

A really comfy holiday home within easy access to the beach.

The beds were extremely comfortable and the open plan living/dining/kitchen area is very nicely finished with quality furniture and amenities. The back garden is well enclosed and private. Criccieth is a friendly and welcoming place. We really enjoyed our stay here and intend to revisit again next year.

The only disappointment was that the garden was not secure for the dog, other than that everything was perfect.