Big Cottages & Group Accommodation in Kingsbridge

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Lisa - Verified booking

  No frills cottage in a great location.

  We were concerned about previous reviews and as is clear in the photos, Highdown is an older cottage which still feels more like a residential than a rental property. The owner had worked hard to make the place clean and fresh for our arrival, even down to a new coat of paint in the utility room. Good points - the house was generally comfortable (although the mattress in the master bedroom should be replaced), the kitchen was well equipped (though no pantry provisions except salt and pepper) - it was not at all spacious, as stated in the description but certainly adequate, there is a large fridge freezer in the utility which is useful, the wifi and TV were excellent, the conservatory when sunny was delightful, the fire was cozy and the garden a nice size (although not completely dog-proof - a tenacious terrier would squeeze through the front gate in a second). The driveway was tight, but we managed to get our Landrover 4x4 in with a bit of skilful manoeuvring (on my part). Less positively, we arrived in a wet and windy Easter week and storage heaters hadn't been turned up so the house was very chilly. On colder days I think the heaters struggled to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the day and into the evening. The bathroom needs some storage (shelves, a bathroom cabinet?) as there was nothing to accommodate the smellies of 6 people and the provision of towels were a disappointment. Not sure why they state they are provided when all you get is one thin medium sized towel to last a week and no hand towels. I suggest you take your own. The owner however was responsive and did provide an extra electric radiator and a couple of hand towels on request. All in all we had a nice stay as Bigbury on Sea is a heavenly location for kids of all ages and dogs - The Journeys End pub has superb food. I wouldn't rent this cottage again as I think its rather basic and overpriced, but if you have realistic expectations it is a nice base from which to explore the area.

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• Mike - Verified booking

  This is our third visit to Crosscombe barn.

  We like the house and its position which is good for exploring the South Hams area. Whilst the upstairs is lovely, the place is seriously let down by the downstairs accommodation which comprises the bedrooms and bathrooms. When we stayed in September 2022, the bath and shower had significant deposits of black mould, requiring us to clean it before being prepared to use it. In addition, it was necessary to unblock the bathroom sink which was blocked with black slime and hair. We left feedback for the cleaner and in the visitors book hoping that the issues would be resolved. When we returned this September we were greeted by a fusty smell as we entered the house, and again the bath and shower had significant deposits of black mould, which required us to clean it once again. This is not a new problem, to which my previous comments in 2022, and a negative review by a guest in May 2023 (which has subsequently disappeared from the website) testify. There are now liberal supplies of anti mould sprays in the property, which, apart from being environmentally unsound, are not a sustainable or long term solution. This is a ventilation problem, and until it is fixed, mould will continue to develop, and at a faster rate as the winter months approach. Not a good atmosphere to be sleeping in. Whilst this problem persists, we are unlikely to make further bookings at this property. On a separate issue, a sudden surge in water pressure as the shower temperature was being adjusted caused one of the guests to slip backwards in the bath, fortunately not causing any long term issues. It is worth pointing out however that there are no grab rails on the bath and no non slip mats in either bathroom.

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• Tracey - Verified booking

  Wow...

  Bigbury-on-Sea is beautiful. Highdown is situated at the top of a very steep hill. Beautiful views to Burgh Island, which is worth a walk over, even just to have a drink at the Pilchard Inn. Little cafe/takeaway down on the beach car park which is pretty basic but lovely food. There is a food store within walking distance on a caravan park along with Fryer Tucks fish and chips (also very nice) but it is along quite a narrow cliff path. WiFi was very hit and miss but kind of expected that to be honest. Make sure you visit Pickwick Inn (pub) which is so lovely. Great food, lovely atmosphere and very dog friendly. Beware of the narrow lanes in the area, cars go pretty fast round them and although there are pull in places it does get a bit scary at times. Highview itself is a lovely bungalow. Pretty dated but we quite liked that. Could have been a bit cleaner but very cosy and warm. Loved sitting in the little dining area looking out to the sea even when it was raining. The garden is lovely too, wraps around the whole bungalow and is very safe for dogs. On two occasions we did have a chap come right through the garden to the shed at the back apparently to collect laundry? If he’d of knocked and said he was about then we would have been happier but to suddenly see a man walking around outside was a bit unnerving. The patio area again is lovely but not for small children. There’s quite a drop down a grass bank at the front of it. All in all we went away as a family of four (2 grown up children) after having an illness for most of the year to have some quality time together and a well earned rest and that’s exactly what we did. Would we go back there again? Yes definitely

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• Jill - Verified booking

  We had a wonderful holiday.

  The apartment was lovely, as usual, and we were very lucky to have fantastic weather which meant we could make the most of the beach and the swimming pool. The new carpets in the bedrooms are very nice and it is convenient to have towels provided now. We did have some issues (some of which others have mentioned too): The washing machine had A LOT of black mould in it. The powder drawer and slot it fits into were covered in mould, as was the seal. It took me a very long time to clean it up before the machine could be used. I realise this is partly due to the flat being unoccupied at times but, perhaps the owners could leave a note to remind people to leave the drawer and door open? The fitted sheet for the double bed was too small and kept coming off. The trays in the oven were all very dirty with bits of food on them -we had to clean them all. The oven gloves were so dirty that I had to soak them before washing them. I realise that some of the issues are due to people not cleaning up after themselves, and that cleaners have limited time, but my general impression is that cleaning is not as good now that Sykes has taken over the company. We have been going to No 7 since 2011 and the standard of cleaning does seem to have deteriorated. We love the apartment, with a few minor tweaks it would be perfect!

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• Amanda - Verified booking

  Crosscombe Barn is ideally situated for exploring South Hams with all its beautiful river estuaries and lovely beaches.

  There are several National Trust houses and woods nearby to explore and historic Plymouth is within easy reach. We particularly enjoyed a cruise on the Dart and discovering scenic Salcombe and quaint Totnes. The barn itself is spacious and very comfortably equipped with quality furniture and fittings, including a desk with lots of little extras. There is extensive kitchen and dining equipment and everything we could possibly want and more for a self catering holiday was provided. Overall, it is a warm and welcoming individual character home with plenty of room for 6 guests. The garden is a delightful sun trap and was full of late summer flowers during our visit. The provision of a small kitchen in the utility room was an added bonus - it is an upside down house so it saved the legs when making drinks and snacks. The village shop is well stocked but Kingsbridge is only 10 minutes away. We would recommend the local garden centre and farm shop for excellent lunches and a bit of browsing. The Avon valley is an excellent walking area with lots of wildlife. The barn is in a quiet corner of Loddiswell and so we had a very peaceful and restful stay. The views across the hills were a joy to view from the lounge window seat. We thoroughly recommend this property and thank the owners for their thoughtfulness.

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