“The Willows is a lovely property.”
It’s conveniently located, only a 5-10 minute walk from the shops, cafés, beach, etc, just a short distance up a quiet, peaceful lane. It’s modern, fresh, clean and nicely presented, with comfy beds and attractive bathrooms. There’s parking for multiple cars and a useful gate that slides smoothly across the wide entrance. The back garden is extremely steep and not really usable, but there’s lawn at the front and a paved area at the side of the house with a wooden table and chairs where you can sit out.
I can suggest a few minor additions that would make the house even better for guests. There are only 6 mugs, 6 dinner plates, 5 side plates, 4 bowls and 6 teaspoons, which isn’t enough for a property that takes up to 8 guests (although they do provide children’s plastic plates, bowls and cutlery, which is great). I would have appreciated net curtains in the rear bedrooms as the windows are large and overlooked by the property behind. They have helpfully provided a clothes drying rack in the utility cupboard, but someone has broken it and it needs replacing. A minor point, but it would be handy to add a toilet brush to the family bathroom. As with many properties these days, no oven gloves are provided, and it’s worth taking your own dishwasher tablets as none are provided.
There was a bit of a hiccup when the house was prepared for our stay, and although it was very clean, only 2 bath towels and no hand towels were left for our party. After contacting Sykes on Friday evening, a pack of 4 brand new bath towels was delivered on Sunday. Also, the kitchen bin hadn’t been emptied and was still full of the previous guests’ rubbish. The black wheelie bin was full to the brim with general waste and a large plastic tub by the bins contained additional mixed rubbish. Some of the recycling had been put in the wrong containers, but by re-sorting the rubbish I was able to create enough space for everything and it was taken by the bin men on Monday morning.
I appreciate that 3-weekly collection of general waste can create problems with holiday lets, but it would help if clear instructions regarding recycling and rubbish collection were left in a prominent position. I had to search the council’s website to find out what to do. It would also be very helpful to provide a folder containing the operating instructions for all the appliances.
But these are minor niggles which I only mention for the benefit of future guests. The house is lovely, we really enjoyed staying there and would very happily stay there again. We also very much appreciated being allowed to enter the property at 3pm, which is disappointingly rare these days.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review. I genuinely appreciate all feedback, as it helps me continue improving the experience for future guests.
This has been our family home for many years, and I've enjoyed welcoming guests to stay here. Based on recent feedback, I've already added extra towels, plates, cutlery and other kitchen essentials to ensure guests have everything they need.
The property is professionally cleaned between each booking. As I don't live locally or manage it day to day, I'm not always aware if items have been broken or gone missing unless guests let me know. If you notice anything during your stay, please get in touch and I'll arrange for it to be resolved as quickly as possible.
To help us prepare the property correctly, please ensure all guests, including infants, are included on the booking. Bedrooms are prepared according to the number of guests booked, so if you require additional bedrooms or have specific sleeping arrangements, please let me know before arrival.
The property is within walking distance of the village's pubs, restaurants, cafés and local amenities, as described in the listing. Being right by the sea, salt spray can build up on the windows between regular cleans, which is an unavoidable feature of a coastal location. The listing photographs also accurately show the naturally sloping rear garden, allowing guests to decide if the property is suitable for their group.
Thank you again for your feedback and understanding. If anything isn't quite right during your stay, please contact me. I'd always prefer the opportunity to resolve any issues while you're here so you can enjoy the best possible holiday.
Property Owner
