“Where to start, on arrival we are met with overgrown grass, shrubs and damp slimey leaves all over the place (granted it is winter, but it looked like no one has been there in months).”
Slip hazard waiting to happen. On entering the property, the damp smell was off putting. They layout was as stated bedrooms on the entry level and the kitchen and living room upstairs. Wooden open staircase with wobbly banister rail was a worry. Going up the stairs you reach the kitchen, in theme with the age of the cottage, to be honest the kitchen was the best place to sit. Well equipt even with dust balls in the fridge. The kitchen felt dirty and tacky to touch, we had to get the detol out. On inspecting the cupboards we noticed cupboards full of books, all dusty. From the dining room there is a double glass door leading outside to a over grown jungle, slippy steps, again a slip hazard. You got up three more step that lead you into the 1940's, rugs scattered on the floor to trip over, extention sockets and more books, and I mean more books and a london bus!!! The books were so tacky to touch you had to wash your hands after looking at them. A lovely fireplace with the option to have a real fire if you wanted to add the smell of soot into the living room to go on top for the smell already there. We took our dog, who is treated for fleas every month and does not scratch, she thanks you for the new lodgers that she came away with. Oh did I say it looked like noone had been in to clean or freshen it up, as their was junk mail all over the hall floor. Very basic, needs to have new furniture in the living room as it is a lovely cottage, just needs some money spending, and rearanging, for some reason the fire place is the focal point but the seating is looking to a grandfather clock that does not work (why have it). We then check out the bedrooms, the first room looks like it is for a child, basic but nothing wrong here. The second room opposit is the double bed or it could even be a kingsize, again the room looked ok. We always take a matteress protector with us, on taking off the bedding sheets we noticed that the owners had put their own on, very sensible, but not this time, it had a very big yellow urine stain in the middle of it (photos was taken). Ofcourse this was removed and we used our own as well as our own bedding. If this property was seen to before we arrived this would not have been missed, we even washed the terry sheet for them. We then open the next door and closed it stright away, store room ( erm junk room)..... You then turn around and head to the dungen, two single beds in a damp, cold basement, this was smelly too, a damp smell, maybe becuase the heating was turned off and the room was not aired. Basic but fine, these beds were clean. Bathroom ok nothing to complain about, which then leads to the utility room, as advertised washer and dryer, great what more do you need. Washer works but dryer broken, looks to have been out of action for some time. All in all, the cottage could be outstanding if the oweners put some funding in and upgrade the furniture and replace the dryer and maintain the outside. The village and area is great. We would not book here again, not worth the money paid.
