Big Cottages in Wales

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Helen - Verified booking

  This place is not for everyone….

  .but it is ideal for many. The downside for us No freezer or even a fridge ice box…..we take all our food frozen, side dishes the lot ….we have no interest in, and we are normally too tired and stinky (mountain runners) to bother with eating out and have no wish to visit a supermarket…..after all we are on holiday. This made it difficult this week as we found out last minute after our food had been purchased ready to take with us that there was no freezer. There is space for a freezer which would be more useful than the pointless sauna!! Sleeping arrangements ……well this gets a bit Goldilocks and the three bears……..nothing is great, you take your pick or get creative. The main mattress is a marshmallow disaster. Off grid…….this is all very well done and I would expect no real problems with the set up at this cottage. The generator came on for half an hour late one evening to top up the batteries (service engineers that visited earlier that day had probably drained the batteries testing things)..Bit noisy but brief. There are instructions should anything go wrong, very basic things, easy fixes .. anything more call Andy. The grounds….so looking through the previous reviews I think some context is needed. First the cottage is in a commercial forest with rough but reasonable forest access tracks. If you are precious about your vehicle go somewhere else. You need to lock the gates on entry and exit ( sheep need to stay safe ). At present it is largely clear felled so to many (townies) it may look a bit bleak. But in perspective if the trees were there it would be very dark and gloomy and the mountain views are lovely, not from the cottage. The immediate surrounds would benefit from a bit of a tidy up (there are builders material bags, old car batteries and various untidy bits around .It is a work in progress but how about hiding this stuff away in the unused poly tunnel. Take some pride in your property. It is in a natural (ish) environment so if you prefer smooth concrete and paved areas or flower beds think again. Also if you bring children and are the type of parent that hurry your child away from an over keen sparrow then again maybe it is not for you. The sheep live here and around the cottage .. so maybe your best shoes will not be a good idea either. The generator is not caged away or fenced off and as per the cottage booklet instructions keep the children away, also be warned there is a natural pond down a steep bank by the cottage, unfenced! Some stern warnings to your children may be needed or go elsewhere . • No mobile reception! But who cares you are on holiday. • Wifi intermittent but improvements pending apparently. • TV was not working but again who cares ,take a laptop and hope for the best. All the above aside it is great place with wildlife all round if you take time to look, not a soul for at least a mile. We did not use the car all week. Dog owners - make sure you've got your dog covered for ticks. Tick removers are invaluable, for you and your dog. Otherwise we really had a really nice week and enjoyed ourselves. Even the aircraft flying over the house (Mach Loop) didn't phase us, what a sight!

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• Sam - Verified booking

  First and foremost, wow.

  We were absolutely captivated by Brithgwm Canol. It’s clear that a great deal of love and effort has gone into making this off-grid retreat a true paradise. We left with a sense of envy that this is someone’s second home and deep admiration for the skills involved in creating such a secluded and beautiful space. That said, I’d like to offer some constructive feedback on areas where we feel there’s room for improvement to enhance the overall experience: Shower Safety - A non-slip mat in the shower would be a helpful addition to prevent any accidents. Towels - Unfortunately, the towels provided were not as clean as expected, with some of them smelling damp. Improved cleanliness here would make a big difference. Smell of Damp - There was a noticeable damp smell in the property, which detracted from the otherwise cosy atmosphere. Kitchen Roll - It would have been convenient to have some kitchen roll available in the kitchen for general use. Television - The television felt outdated and could benefit from an upgrade to something more modern. Freezer - The lack of freezer capabilities was a bit inconvenient, especially for longer stays. Cleanliness - The overall cleanliness of towels, bedding, and crockery could be improved. We found some of these items were not up to standard. Signage - There was no sign on the first gate, which made finding the property a bit challenging initially. Spice Rack - The spice rack had congealed spices, which should be refreshed regularly. Firewood - We found only five sticks of kindling and no extra logs underneath the cupboard behind the fire, as stated in the information book. We share this feedback with the intention of helping to maintain and even improve the high standards we know Sykes Cottages aims for. Despite these small issues, we had a truly memorable stay, and we appreciate the unique charm of Brithgwm Canol. Thank you for providing such a wonderful getaway, and we hope to return in the future. Best regards, Sam

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• Shaun - Verified booking

  This is a hard review to write because the property really is a hidden gem - with one major flaw.

  Firstly you can see alot of thought and money has gone into the transformation of this old farm building to make your stay comfortable and homely. You really are in the middle of the woods. The biggest let down with this property is the water supply. The supply is taken from water flowing off the mountains - which is fine except the inadequate filtration supply meaning the water is brown and sediment still comes through the system. You would be foolish to drink this water or even cook with it which is annoying considering you are 5 miles ish from the nearest shop. So after arriving at the property and seeing the state of the water we had to get back in the car and go and get bottled water to drink and cook with. The thermostatic shower is also nearly always freezing cold even though there is a lpg boiler to supply heating and hot water. I changed the filter in the filtration system which made no difference what so ever in cleaning up the water. Whilst how the water to the property is supplied is fine it needs a much better filtration system than the tiny and wholly inadequate system that's currently fitted. The only other issue that spoiled things for us during our stay is that currently there is alot of logging going on in the forest meaning lorries chainsaws and heavy equipment noise from early morning until late spoiling the peace and tranquility. Also resulting in the roads to the property being a complete mud bath to drive through. Also the advertised sauna shed was padlocked and no combination supplied to unlock it. They also give you a basket of logs for the fire but no kindling or firelighters - so another trip to the shops! I don't normally write reviews but this property was too disappointing not to.

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• Andrew - Verified booking

  Finding BRITHGWM CANOL.

  wasn't very clear from the given instructions. Do NOT go left at the sharp bend in the road. Instead, go straight ahead, open the metal farm gates {at my visit, there was no house sign to be seen!}, after that, the directions are 'simple pimple'. The cottage was just what me and my dog, Hebog, was looking for. Perfect isolation surrounded by trees and mountains. For a week, the only person I spoke to was the checkout girl at the Eurospar in Dolgellau {just to say Thank you! after buying supplies.} Outside, the area around the cottage could do with a good tidy-up. Inside though, was wonderful. Nicely kitted out kitchen, could've done with a microwave and freezer. Being 'just one man and his dog, frozen stuff is very useful, especially mixed veg, peas, chips etc. The lounge area was really comfortable. Moby signal is zero, although the owners, in the instruction sheets, did offer some advice on how to get a signal, maybe in the summer, eh chaps! There's a tv {no www} but I took my lappy, several downloaded of films and a long HDMI lead to connect into the HDMI port on the tv, fab! Shower ect, were spot on, clean, bright and did all I wanted. Obviously, being solo {+dog!} traveller, I didn't use the bunks, but the main bedroom was a joy to use and the bed wouldn't let me get up in morning! I was lucky with the weather the too, mostly warm and sunny, sometimes cloudy and only rained the night before I left. Oh yes, being early April, I heard Cuckoos! Living near a busy town in Kent, I haven't heard a Cuckoo for many years. Every morning with the fabulous Dawn Chorus, and every evening just before and after sunset. Would I return?..........YES, IN A HEARTBEAT!

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• Rebecca - Verified booking

  Upstairs was just beautiful, and so homely and warm and looking out on to the woods was a treat.

  Downstairs i can't help but feel needs a little love. The main bedroom had a bit of a stale smell (so we slept in the bunk beds), and the bathroom needs a bit of an overhaul. The mattress in main bedroom also is just awful. The TV didn't work - and neither did the sauna. We rang the maintenance guy but it was a saturday and we really didn't want to drag him out 15 miles to us. It wasn't end of the world, but we both need to keep abreast of the news and we were not able. The actual lodge was stunning - the stone cottage, the bench outside - all charming. The woods are lovely too but again, there is a bit of a sadness too it - as the trees are planted to be used as renewables. The landscape is half trees whilst the other half of it is like the apocalypse has hit. You cannot easily walk in the woodland for this reason. The fire is a wonderful touch, and the painting hanging above just has so much atmosphere! Great selection of books too, and there are plenty of beaches and areas to explore a short drive away. We never have a bad holiday because we always love to explore, but i doubt we would book the cottage again because of the downstairs, the tv situation (although not end of the world by any means) and the sauna (it would of been nice to have relaxed with that sort of facility after trekking or climbing all day).

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