Annest

We were quite disappointed with our holiday cottage: .

When we arrived the key stuck in the door and so we could not lock the front door and had to use the back entrance throughout our stay. . The drive at the front of the cottage leads directly onto the A5 just after a bend. The speed limit on the road is 60mph. There was a mirror opposite that changed direction when the wind blew. While we were there, the people staying in the next-door cottage were involved in a crash coming out of the drive. We decided always to turn left, even if we wanted to go right. We were also terrified of the dog or the toddler going outside and so the 4-year-old had cabin fever. . When we arrived our toddler's bed was full of dog hairs and the sheet covered in dirty dog paw-prints. . There was rubbish in the inside bin. .The toilet hadn't been flushed .There was no outside bin for general rubbish, only for recycling . The kitchen was poorly stocked eg only one cereal bowl We're not really fussy people but the property was way below expectations

We had a lovely stay , lovely place based in the mountains a short journey to Llanberis .

Would definitely stay again .

We would like to share this feedback with your so that you can improve your service.

Cleanliness: - On our arrival, the downstairs toilet was unflushed and there remained faeces in the bowl. - Although the surfaces in the kitchen were wiped down, other surfaces throughout the property were not and remained dusty and had flies on them - windowsills, skirting, etc. There were cobwebs in the corners of the rooms, and the place had not been adequately vacuumed as there were dust and hairballs under the side tables and sofa in the lounge. There was also some scum marks left in the shower. The 'clean' between guests had clearly been a swift one. - There was no toilet roll in downstairs toilet. - The towels that were left for three of the five guests were hand towels and were therefore too small. Customer Service: - It was disappointing that there was no feeling of welcome or follow up as to how our stay was going at any point during our week long holiday. Although there was tea/coffee/sugar/milk as a 'see you in pack', the biscuits that were in the box were not a new pack (one set was missing). - It was unclear about who to contact when there was an issue. (The water to the property stopped mid-way through our stay. We eventually found a number by googling Sykes Cottages on the internet and calling them that way.) - The water to the property is likely to be an ongoing problem - as mentioned above, we had no water at one point in our stay. This was influenced to a combination of factors, including use by ourselves (family of 4) and the guests in the house next door (who share the water tank) which was at full occupancy throughout our stay. The tank is too small for the demand when the properties are at full occupancy. - As a result of the water issue, we were drinking water with sediment in for about 24hours until the filter and water levels were resolved. The swift resolution was mostly due to a kind builder (Terry Jones) who happened to be working next door, and who is known to the owner. They should get special thanks as they were able to identify the issue and advise the maintenance man what was the issue later on that day. Other: - We think the danger of the road needs to be highlighted in the listing. It is a very difficult exit from the property either by foot or by car in either direction. The mirror helps, however, the property location is not advisable for families with young children. - The layout of the property is awkward, particularly the configuration at the rear. Despite the weather being amenable to using the outside area, it did not feel appropriate with only one bench. Perhaps if there was a second bench or outdoor furniture in the separated spaces, it might feel better to use. - The wheelie bin set up out the front was confusing, as it did not match the description in the welcome guide to the property (no blue food waste bin, for example) and the majority of the bins were removed part way through the stay, leaving us no where to put any recycling or rubbish for the last three days of our stay. - A washing machine would enhance the property facilities no end. This could be plumbed in at the back of the downstairs toilet, especially if the shelter was made more weather-proof. - The property would also be improved with hooks for coats, both inside the house and out the back of the property. We hope you and the owner find this feedback useful and feel able to act on some of it.

Great place in fabulous location.

I was unsure to book based on previous bad reviews about cleanliness but I called Sykes and they assure me a new cleaning company was employed and the place was spotless. Comfy beds, warm. Lovely log burner. Location amazing and easy parking in shared driveway. Beautiful river walk straight from cottage. Agree with previous reviews the kitchen is not well stocked, only 2 small cooking hobs. Take everything salt, pepper, etc. Would definitely stay there again. Highly recommended.

We very much enjoyed our stay in this cottage which is wonderfully situated for walking up Snowdon and many fabulous walks and 5 minutes from the Velocity2 zipwire, as well as easy drive to Anglesea and Caernarvon Castle etc.

The cottage had been very nicely renovated though the kitchen equipment is a bit sparse and it would make life easier with to cook for a family of 5 with more equipment but we were greeted with Welsh biscuits and some jams which were much appreciated. Overall we had a fantastic holiday with great weather and a very comfortable stay.

Where do we start!

It was very clear from meeting the cleaners on the day we departed that they knew the downstairs toilet door was broken and unusable and not cleaned but failed to actually notify us! Secondly we went 24 hours without having a shower because the property ran out of gas. How can this happen in peak holiday season when they knew that 5 people were staying at this property for a week?? Thirdly, after seeing a complaint about towels, lack of hygeine as well as other things, and messaging property maintenance company with concerns, we found upon arrival, that there were only three bath towels for 5 people!! We left a message immediately on our day of arrival and 4 days later we still hadn't received a return call. Finally and most importantly, the state of the property was disgusting! To the naked eye, it looks as if they only thing that had been done was that bedding had been changed and the towels that we did have were clean. Floors were dirty, surfaces were dirty, the fridge hadn't been wiped over, fingermarks all over mirrors and kitchen door handles. The Bin was black at the bottom where it had never been cleaned out. Cobwebs were hanging from ceilings, the fire place and the front room window which also had dead insects all over the inside window sill. We can appreciate this property is not one of your high end rentals but we had no option, as we were late bookers, to take it as it was close to where our parents live. However, there are absolutely no excuses for the house to be so unhygienic, especially as Covid is still a national isssue. Our first hour of our holiday in Wales was spent cleaning the house which I'm sure you can appreciate, somebody was already paid to do before our arrival. At this point we would like to inform you that we abandoned our holiday on Monday the 16th August due to a positive lateral flow test result (we all tested negative prior to leaving home). One of our sons began to be very unwell on Sunday the 15th August. Since then two other members of our family have contracted Covid which have been confirmed with PCR tests. It is coincidental, especially as none of our friends, family or work colleagues have shown any symptoms of covid or tested positive as we've had to trace our whereabouts with the government and the NHS. To sauy we are disappointed and angry is an understatement. We await your comments.

A really disappointing stay!

The cottage lacked a lot of things on a very basic level and it’s description and rating is not accurate! It’s a 3 tick/star at best! Not worth the money charged. 1st disappointment nothing at all to welcome you not even a pint of milk, no towels, no dishwasher tablets and absolutely nothing to light the fire! Yes it’s June but this cottage is in the mountains and it was12 degrees. The cottage is old and cold so does need heating. There wasn’t even any toilet roll in the downstairs toilet. The cupboards still had the last guests finger prints all over them (glass cupboards)! It’s not an enclosed property there is no gate on the front nor back so not safe for dogs given your on the main road. There is a gate to the main land the two properties are on but it’s dangerous to close this for the other cottage needs access and it’s on a sharp bend of a fast road so you need to turn in quickly. Parts of the cottage remain unfinished with skirting boards dirty and not even painted. It lacks warmth in its general appearance, a rug in the living room would help. The basic appliances were minimalistic (a 2 ring cooker) and what utensils it had were lacking (no scissors) or poor quality (tin opener that doesn’t open tins). Biggest disappointment was the garden because it was shared with the neighbours (not advertised as such) and only has one large bench so if they are out you can’t use it. Even if they are not out you have to have your dogs on a lead at all times (and there is no grassed area for them)! We didn’t even get a dog bowl! I could go on. A very disappointing stay and poor response from Sykes customer service. We finally got towels, a bath/shower floor mat and dishwasher tablets. It’s such a shame because a few little things That would not cost much to do could Make a huge difference to the customer service. A welcome pack for owners and dogs, a rug, a starter kit for the fire, an iron, a hairdryer, a dustpan & brush and painting it properly could make a difference! Value your guests they are paying a lot of money! The cottage is in a beautiful area just a shame it’s not that great to stay in it!