There were too many things that spoiled this holiday for me to even think of writing any positives. The boiler didn't work for 30% of our stay and there was only 1 electric shower working for 8 people for the 1st 3 days! The drain blocked on the 2nd electric shower so could not be used. The host did not respond in a timely manner to fix the issue. The compensation offered was less than 4% of the value of the holiday which was just not enough for the inconvenience created. No shower mats were provided in any of the bathrooms until we requested them. There was no welcome pack provided, not even a pint of milk or a loaf of bread. This is for a holiday costing more than £5K. There was no oven glove in the kitchen. The £60 fee to bring a dog is ridiculous and unjustified. You don't get anything for the fee, it is just another way to make money. The dog was only allowed in un-carpeted areas (the hall or kitchen) so hardly dog friendly as advertised. The outside areas were unkempt. In the garden with the lawn, there was soot from the boiler flue on the path which I ended up swilling so you could at least use it. My grandson and I got filthy from it the first time we went in the garden. The courtyard with the hot tub had a broken lantern, a grotty entrance mat and it just felt tired. It did not evoke luxury. The skylights in four of the five bedrooms need to have black out blinds fitted to them as it's way too bright in the morning. There was no recycling information or facilities without me having to ask for them. There is a refundable £650 damage waiver payment which is like a threat hanging over you in case you break a glass. The response from the owner on the issues raised was disappointing in that he just blamed other people for the issues that he is ultimately responsible for. The check in is 4pm so there is more than enough time to quality check the property and resolve any issues before arrival. I've stayed in over a dozen holiday cottages in England. Most have been excellent. This one was not.
Svar från Luxury Cottages
Hi David,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on your stay at Rose Walls, the owner of the property has addressed your points below.
We are sorry that parts of your stay did not meet the standard we aim for, particularly on the first day, and we understand why that was frustrating.
A 1-star rating does not fairly reflect the cottage, the service we normally provide, or the stay as a whole. The main disruption was the hot-water fault at the start of the holiday. Two electric showers remained available throughout. That was not ideal for eight people, and we are sorry for the inconvenience. The issue was resolved within 24 hours of being reported to us. The blocked shower was also addressed straight away.
Most of the other points - welcome pack, shower mats, oven glove, recycling details and garden presentation - were not raised with us during the stay, apart from recycling. We would have put them right at the time. The welcome pack should have been left by the cleaning team; that did not happen on this occasion and we apologise. We have since tightened those checks, along with shower mats, kitchen essentials and garden presentation.
The dog fee covers extra cleaning and wear. The refundable damage waiver is standard for a house of this size and is returned when the property is left as found.
We take responsibility for the overall experience. As a goodwill gesture, we offered a refund and a discount on a future stay for you or your family, which you received.
Rose Walls is cleaned and inspected after every booking. This stay highlighted a few gaps we have already addressed so that future guests get the stay we intend. The points above should not define the property. We respond, we put things right, and we use feedback to keep the cottage at the standard people book it for.
Kind regards,
Guest Services
