Guests say
Bayview Cottage is praised for its excellent location, with proximity to beaches and nature reserves, making it ideal for dog walkers and families. The property offers a comfortable stay with a well-equipped kitchen and secure garden. While some guests found the property to be a perfect holiday spot, others suggested improvements in maintenance and facilities.
Guests generally found the property to be comfortable, but there were instances where cleanliness was an issue, such as a late cleaning on arrival and some areas not being very clean. However, these seem to be isolated incidents rather than the norm.
The location is highly praised for its proximity to dog-friendly beaches, nature reserves, and local amenities. It's considered a highlight and a strong selling point of the property.
The property is described as comfortable, with a good layout and suitable for families and pets. However, some guests mentioned issues with low beds and the bath being difficult to access, which affected the comfort level for some.
The property is well-equipped, especially the kitchen, but there are several mentions of maintenance issues such as broken garden furniture, a non-working whirlpool, and a lack of instructions for appliances. These areas could benefit from attention.
There is no mention of gifts or special touches that would indicate thoughtfulness from the property owners towards the guests. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a score in this category.
About this property
A fabulous single-storey cottage, within a short walk to the award-winning sandy beaches of Southbourne and Hengistbury Head, which enjoy far-reaching views of the Isle of Wight and Old Harrys Rocks.
Bay View Cottage, which has a secure enclosed garden accommodates up to six guests and is dog friendly. You will experience a relaxing atmosphere, a homely interior and the perfect setting for a self-catering getaway.
Bay View Cottage provides parking for three cars in front of the property. You will also find a kitchen/dining room with all the expected appliances to ease your stay.
Enjoy meals as a family in the formal dining room or venture out to the enclosed patio, ideal for an alfresco affair. Return indoors to relax on the plush sofa, with your favourite programme on the Smart TV. At the end of the day, retire to one of the three bedrooms including a king-size room and two double bedrooms.
Begin your day with a stroll along Southbourne Beach, reaching Sobo Beach restaurant for a bite to eat, before continuing your travels along the promenade to Bournemouth or hire bikes and head past Bournemouth along to Sandbanks. Southbourne Beach provides an idyllic natural scenic sandy beach with sand dunes, it’s the perfect place to watch the sunset.
Turning left out of the property will take you directly to Hengistbury Head, a natural scenic area of Headland between Bournemouth and Christchurch; it is an AONB with views of Mudeford Quay, the Isle of Wight, Studland, Bournemouth and Christchurch Harbour.
Hengistbury Head is the perfect walk, especially if you have a dog, with all the dog-friendly beaches around the headland and if you’re tired from the walk, jump on the land train which travels between the Beach House Café on the spit and the Hiker Café at the start of Hengistbury Head. The Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre offers a range of activities for all ages; as well as this, you will also find Solent Mead Par 3 Golf Course & Driving Range behind the property.
Alternatively, head to Tuckton where you will find a selection of shops, restaurants, and local convenience stores for your every need. From Tuckton, you can make your way back to Bay View Cottage via Wick Village, walking along the river, stopping of for some crazy golf, a sandwich in Tuckton Tea Gardens or if you are feeling up to it, renting one of the small motorboats and taking a ride up the river.
You can also catch the short ferry ride to Christchurch Quay where you will find a host of restaurants, cafes and Christchurch Priory and Ruins. On the Quay, you will also find access through the riverside walk to the park, including a children’s play area and water play park with a paddling pool.
A short walk away on the Broadway, you will find a local convenience store, fish and chip shop and a post office. A very short drive will take you to Southbourne Highstreet which hosts a selection of café, pubs, bars, and restaurants as well as a convenience store, petrol station and locally run boutiques.
Bournemouth town centre and Boscombe are only a short drive along the coast for those visitors wishing to experience a more traditional seaside town with beaches, high street stores, plenty of tourist attractions and bars and restaurants.
From Bay View Cottage you can also head inland to the New Forest, the countryside area offering beautiful walks in a vast area of peace and tranquillity. Throughout the New Forest there are many small villages, perfect for shopping and dining.
This property is in the perfect location for any type of activity and day out. From chill out days at the beach, exploring the countryside and local historic villages to venturing out of the coastline for some water sports and adventure.
A short distance from the centre of Bournemouth, Southbourne has its own sandy beach and neighbourhood amenities. Along with a Post Office, gift shops, and cafes, it's a wonderful place to find independent stores and boutiques. A funicular railway called the Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway connects the promenade and beach area to the coastal road. Every season, nearby Bournemouth has something to offer everyone. Seven miles of golden, Blue Flag-certified beaches, a variety of water sports, boat tours, and breath-taking gardens will keep you occupied all day.
Accommodation
Single-storey.
Three bedrooms: 2 x king-size, 1 x double.
Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin, and WC.
Kitchen/diner.
Dining room.
Sitting room with sofa bed which can accommodate an additional 2 guests.
Gas central heating.
Electric oven, gas hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher.
Smart TV, WiFi.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
Off-road parking on a private driveway for 3 cars.
Enclosed rear garden with lawn, patio, and furniture.
Dog-friendly.
Sorry, no smoking.
Shop 0.3 miles, pub 0.9 miles, beach 0.2 miles.
Note: The property can accommodate two more guests on the sofa bed, sleeping eight in total.
Note: Maximum occupancy is 8 guests and must not exceed this number of guests at any given point.
Note: No stag/hen parties or anything similar
Reviews (17)
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Darren
Very spacious and comfortable A coupe of tiny set backs that would have made it perfect, which we have put in the guest book, but would highly recommend Bayview
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Ben
The property was comfortable and cozy, all beds were clean and fresh and kitchen fab, lovely garden very safe for the dogs. Everything we needed was pretty much available in the cottage. Really lovely safe place to stay, wish we had of booked one more night, we did think about contacting the owners! We would say the only disappointing factor was the outside garden furniture was very tired and parts of it unsafe, which put my 80year old mum off sitting on it, maybe invest in a new set or a paint job, as we had glorious weather and love sitting outside. Also we did have a little blockage in the toilet, which husband sorted but having a plunger to hand would of saved time and mess clearing up. Would these points put us off staying again, No we are keen to book up again very soon but would like to see the changes made. I would recommend this property very much and we are very excited to return soon. Thank you guys The Sands x
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Keith
From here it is under 10min walk to get feet onto a sandy beach, or the local shop, or the land train at Hengistbury Head. Simply cross the road, enter the field and the dog went off lead. There are also many âberyl bikeâ locations not far away for bike hire should that suit you. Other people have commented on the busy road- itâs not that busy but the house is facing a junction and we appreciated the new bedroom curtains which did block out car and street lights. The decor is tasteful and I would guess newish for the most part. Though some maintenance is needed (eg end panel next to washing machine). Maybe the owner is new to the holiday rental market? Glasses and crockery fill the kitchen cupboards, while an adequate supply is needed thereâs just too much; maybe that suits Airbnb guests wanting a party place, but for a family on a weekâs holiday we had to empty a cupboard to be able to fit food in, rather than leave it loose. A surprise to find empty tea and coffee containers on counter and my first stay in a cottage where owner hadnât left a pint of milk in fridge and other welcome items too. Garden furniture still needs a serious look despite owner claiming to have replaced it. Many chairs (which were by appearance certainly not new) on the patio had broken or loose slats and unsafe to sit on. We question both sofas comfort for sitting on, and the choice of futons rather than ârealâ beds in 2 of the bedrooms. Again perhaps aiming for a different market than a family? Other cottages Iâve stayed in tend to have a second telly in the main bedroom perhaps this absence reflects a perceived switch to mobile use? The bathroom also needs consideration. Iâm not elderly (yet), and I saw the new handles, but the bath is a case of sit on side and swing legs over. For the bathroom to have the only shower but also the only loo? This caused a bottle neck at times when going out or coming in (eg from beach) and there were only 4 of us not the 8 the house claims to be able to accommodate. Am hoping for future guests that owners will consider some out of season major works replacing bath with separate bath & shower (the room is big enough) and finding space for a second toilet. Individually I know most of these comments seem petty niggles but after 20 years of using cottages across the country of all shapes and sizes, town and rural, this one although having best ever location, suitable parking, and with fully enclosed garden for dog, somehow just didnât measure up to what we hoped for, or the price!