“Our booked six night stay consisted of one night before we gave the keys back and found somewhere else to stay.”
In 25 years of renting holiday cottages, this was by far the worst.
Spartan, poorly equipped, no room whatsoever, no storage space and what we believed to be us having the run of a large garden (as the photos depicted) for our two spaniels, we had a 12 x 12ft patch of grass.
The tv is at a 45 degree angle to the settee, so you had to crane your neck to watch it. No net curtains so no privacy. A kitchen without a cooker, draining board or washing machine, the latter essential for a cottage ...
In 25 years of renting holiday cottages, this was by far the worst.
Spartan, poorly equipped, no room whatsoever, no storage space and what we believed to be us having the run of a large garden (as the photos depicted) for our two spaniels, we had a 12 x 12ft patch of grass.
The tv is at a 45 degree angle to the settee, so you had to crane your neck to watch it. No net curtains so no privacy. A kitchen without a cooker, draining board or washing machine, the latter essential for a cottage that's supposedly dog friendly. As for the front door.....
We were told NOT to turn the car around using the property opposite's drive which necessitated reversing down the narrow lane to get out, no mention of this when we booked. Presumably the cottage owners and the neighbour don't get on?
The directions to the place weren't even accurate.
If this place WAS converted from a barn, I can only assume that the barn was more comfortable.
When we departed on the Sunday morning, the owners weren't in, so I texted them to say we'd left the place and to let them know where we'd left the key. Several hours later they replied to say, "oh dear, thanks for letting us know, we hope you find something more suited to your needs".
No apology, no " what could we have done to make your stay better?", essentially, " thanks for your £400, 'bye".
I just can't believe the glowing reviews for this place, people must have very low expectations.
We will NEVER book through you again, a complete and utter disappointment.
Yours sincerely
Graham & Caroline Brown
I was sorry to hear that Little Orchard Barn didn't meet your expectations (I did state this in my text message which you have unfortunately decided to edit). However, as the only thing you mentioned in your text message was that the property was just too small for you. Something which is obviously impossible for me to change, it is a little strange for you to expect me to say " what could we have done to make your stay better?"
You state that you can't believe our previous reviews. I can assure you that they are all true and feel that it is quite rude to say that our previous, lovely guests, have low expectations. Just because you didn't like the property, to imply that other guests have low standards is unnecessary.
I can assure you that we get on extremely well with our neighbours, we just believe in showing respect for other people's property. Yes, the lane is narrow, as many are in Cornwall, something that we, and many visitors consider to be part of Cornwall's charm. There is space to turn outside our gate and it is perfectly possible to do so without having to use our neighbour's driveway.
With regards to directions to the property, I am sorry that you couldn't find it at your first attempt. Occasionally certain Sat Navs struggle in the area, although most of our guests do find it without any problem at all. You were very close to finding us and my daughter walked you round to the entrance after you bumped into my husband to ask for directions.
Moving on to facilities, our listing specifies what is included in the property and a full-size cooker and washing machine are not listed and neither do they appear in any of the photos of the kitchen, which clearly shows everything that is provided. Many of our previous guests have taken time to mention in their reviews how well equipped the property is. With regards to the garden, the lawn is not the entirety of Little Orchard Barn's garden, which is clearly shown in the pictures on the listing. The photos and the listing do not in any way depict that you have the run of a large garden. Many of our previous guests have also stayed with their dogs, all of which have been happy. There are also many countryside walks and beaches available within very close proximity for dogs to stretch their legs.
I believe that our listing is accurate, but I am always open to suggestions to make it better, However, I would suggest that all guests read the listing properly, view the pictures included and ask any questions that they might have before booking, as we want all our guests to have a lovely holiday.
Property Owner