“The finish of this cottage is nice, it can't be too long since it was painted, updated bathrooms etc.”
It's a nicely done up former stable! However, we found that it was not well equipped. First, the mattresses were not comfortable which did affect our sleep. We also missed places to put our things, like shelves in the bathrooms, more closet space, more hooks for coats, bags etc. It would have also been really nice if there were some throws for cold evenings, and a nice chair in each bedroom. One of the bathrooms had a slight smell of urine behind the toilet which was a bit off-putting. There was also only a bit of handsoap in one bathroom and very few toilet rolls. The main difficulty though was the kitchen. It's a nice kitchen, and has all the appliances, but it was very poorly equipped otherwise. There were not sufficient glasses, cutlery etc. to half-fill the dishwasher before everything was gone (or even for our family of four to have matching glasses for one meal) and there was very little equipment to cook with (e.g. colander, decent knives etc.). Baking sheet and frying pan desperately need replacing. There was only one drying towel, no cloths, dishwasher tablets or dish sponges, so we had to go shopping for that first night. Often cottages will have ketchup, vinegar and salt and pepper. This one had a bit of sugar and salt only. We also had to de-ice the tiny freezer compartment in the fridge before we could fit anything in it. A proper freezer would have been so helpful for a family but I understand there isn't space for that. Each of these things aren't terrible on their own, but together they made our welcome disappointing (they did leave a bottle of prosecco which was a nice touch) A little attention to detail and a well equipped kitchen makes for a much more comfortable stay. And it would feel like you're anticipated and welcomed. I think this cottage could level up significantly with relatively little extra cost to the owner. Maybe it would help them to stay there themselves for a week and see what was missing/needed upgrading?
- Christopher, September 2025