Misrepresented “boutique” property – forced to abandon stay on arrival
We booked a 4-night stay at Lemon’s Cottage in June 2025 through Sand & Stone Escapes, based on their strong branding around “carefully curated” boutique properties offering charm, quality and comfort.
What we arrived to was entirely different.
From the moment we arrived, it was clear the property had not been properly prepared. The first thing we encountered was an overflowing recycling area filled with empty alcohol bottles and cans, which gave the immediate impression that the property had recently hosted a party and had not been reset for new guests. This is not what one expects from a premium rental.
Inside, the situation was worse. The cottage had a strong, stale odour throughout, making it unpleasant to remain indoors. The general cleanliness and presentation fell well below expectations — it felt tired, neglected, and lacking the basic standards one would expect from a professionally managed property.
There were also maintenance issues, including a broken dishwasher which had clearly been identified prior to our arrival but had not been disclosed. Combined with the overall condition of the property, it gave the impression of a home that had not been properly checked or prepared.
We remained at the property for over an hour, contacted Sand & Stone immediately, and carefully considered whether the issues could be resolved. While a cleaner was offered, this could not be arranged the same day and would not have addressed the fundamental problems — particularly the odour and overall condition. After walking through the property again, we concluded that it was simply not suitable to stay in and made the decision to return to London the same day.
The most disappointing aspect was the handling of the situation. A relatively small sum was offered in response to a booking of several hundred pounds, which did not reflect the loss or disruption caused. Throughout the process, the issues raised were largely downplayed, and the responses remained defensive rather than focused on resolving the situation fairly.
This experience fell significantly short of the standards advertised. For a company positioning itself as offering “curated” boutique stays, the lack of quality control and accountability in this instance was very surprising.
Based on this experience, I would strongly advise others to approach listings with caution and not rely solely on how properties are presented online.
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Thank you for your response.
To clarify, the issue was never simply the recycling bins. It was the overall condition and presentation of the property on arrival, including the strong stale odour throughout the cottage, the lack of cleanliness, poor maintenance, and the fact the property did not reflect the carefully curated “boutique” standard advertised.
We did not make the decision lightly. We spent over an hour at the property, contacted your team immediately, discussed possible options, and walked through the cottage again before ultimately concluding that it was not suitable for us to stay.
While a cleaner was mentioned, this would not have addressed the fundamental issues that led us to leave.
As reflected in our review, the most disappointing aspect was ultimately the handling of the situation afterwards, where the concerns raised were repeatedly downplayed rather than properly acknowledged.
9 juni 2025
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