“Overall we had a really lovely holiday in Neptune.”
The property was clean, comfortable and (except for the issues raised below) ideal for my family of 5 + dog.
The location was excellent - right on the beach, as described, and it is a really stunning cove with beautiful clear waters.
When the tide was going out the water was very calm and safe; when the tide was coming in, there were more waves, ideal for older children and body boarders.
There were two take away vans nearby, both serving coffees and snacks, which was ideal, and meant there was something for everybody if we wanted to grab something to eat (that said, the house was literally 4 minutes walk from where we usually sat on the beach, so not too far!). There is also a small shop for essentials.
The beach was perfect for our dog - it is a very dog friendly beach where they are allowed off lead, so she had at least as good a holiday as us!
However, there were a few issues.
1) Our main inconvenience was that though the property description said there was wifi (and there was), we were only able to access this off our one iPhone, not using any of the android phones (this is apparently a glitch with some of the BT home hubs, I found after researching it). I had specifically chosen a property with WIFI as my husband needed to keep up with work during the week, and one of my daughters had some university work to complete. The signal at the property is also very poor so, most of the time, we had no access to the internet at all. When we did get access, my husband had to hotspot his laptop off it to get his work done, and we managed to use up all of the data on some of the phones.
2) There was no microwave - the caretaker said that the electrician should have fitted one that morning, but obviously hadn't. I queried why nobody had checked the work had been done. The caretaker got us a replacement the next morning. Why this had been left for the morning of our arrival after the property had been sat empty for months, I don't know.
3) The freezer was turned off and there was old, mucky water in 2 of the trays. I needed to empty these, wash them out, turn the freezer on, and then wait for the freezer to be cold before I could use it. The caretaker said they didn't usually turn the freezer on but leave it for the first occupants of the season to do this.
4) One of the patio chairs was broken, and the outside handle to the side door to patio was also broken. This didn't affect us and I reported it to Sykes.
I also had a problem getting through to Sykes on the phone to discuss some of this (I was in a queue for over 20 mins on 2 occasions) - it would be easier if there was an easy email communication or more staff manning the phones. They did try to call me too but with no signal at the property they couldn't get through either.
- Mrs McCormack, April 2021
Thank you for taking the time to complete your feedback following your recent stay at Neptune. We have spoken to the owner regarding the points raised and she reports the wifi is regularly checked and this is the first instance that has been reported, the wifi has since been checked and no fault has been found. A new microwave had been arranged to be installed ready for your arrival, however when the item was unpacked it was found to be damaged, hence why a replacement was sourced for you the next day. The oversight of the fridge and freezer not being on was correctly pointed out and will not reoccur. A replacement outdoor chair has been ordered. Despite the points raised we are pleased your family and your dog enjoyed your visit. Property Owner
