Mackerel Cottage

The cottage description was a little deceptive.

Whilst it was listed as traditional, it should have stated that it is a 200‑year‑old cob cottage — this way we would have been prepared for the quirks of the building. As one member of our group was a little infirm, the stairs and the uneven floors were a challenge. To call the alleyway you had to walk down a lane is, I think, more than misleading, as it is where everyone puts their bins out. We will definitely not be going back.

Great quirky cottage and great outdoor space.

Would stay again. However. kitchen facilities were poor, we could not cook simple pasta for 4 as there wasn't a pan big enough. Towels very small! Living area comfortable but would be a squeeze for 6 adults. The double upstairs sloped considerably, to be expected in an old property but the mattress meant you rolled into the middle due to sloping so uncomfortable. 2 upstairs bedrooms not suitable for anyone with mobility issues.

The accommodation is lovely, the only downside is the lack of lighting in the back alley that leads to the property and very uneven surface, particularly when older people are using the property, re downstairs bedroom/bathroom.

A very comfortable, well equipped cottage, close to nature reserve ,beach ,and high street.

The property would benefit with some lighting on the short path leading to the entrance gate. Would highly recommend this property.

It was a pleasant and quiet place to stay.

We thought it would be useful to have towel rails in the bathroom,there were only hooks to dry the towels on.It would be helpful to have a handrail for the bath as well. As my husband has walking difficulties ,it would be useful ,but maybe not possible , to have a railing on the wall in the passageway down the alley way . down to the cottage

We first stayed at Mackerel Cottage around 15/16 years ago with our children and returned this summer with our grandson.

The cottage is mainly as we remembered it with a few additions. We had wonderful weather and loved the garden seating area which was a welcome addition as the cottage is quite small. Garden also very secure for our dog. Lovely being able to walk into Budleigh with its beautiful beach too. One issue - shower is very small!!! Overall, we loved our visit.

I don't feel that the property was over priced at £1,200 for the week, I appreciate it was high season my reasons are based on the following.

The photos shown on your site made the rooms and the garden look much bigger and actually the rooms were small. Shown as a 3 bedroom , sleep 6 we feel would be a very tight squeeze with only one small bathroom. On arrival and opening the door the downstairs smelt fresh and clean but over a period of 12 hours realised that the pleasant smell was actually a plug in air freshener that was completely over powering, we switched it off. To find over time the was a smell mainly in the kitchen when you opened up the cupboards under the work top and the smell was over powering of damp and a musky smell. I appreciate it is an old property of 200 years but this smell was most unpleasant. We found the beds too hard for us and very uncomfortable. The outside garden furniture cushions have not been looked after and we're very old & clearly been left out in all weathers, we did put the cushions away in the the shed as there were expected heavy downpours, need not of bothered we did not sit in the garden. We knew there was no parking to the property and we didn't have a problem finding somewhere to park but the entrance the Mackrell Cottage is down an alley which may not be great for anyone with mobility issues and if we are honest was a pain emptying & packing the car. Budleigh Salterton was a lovely area and we would go back but not the this property.

A lovely place to stay with lots of character.

Old and higgledy-piggledy with narrow stairs and steps in from the path and again from the kitchen but good facilities for a stay. The garden is enclosed and safe for dogs and a brilliant spot for eating outside, a real extra room when the weather allows.

Perfect stay , loved the garden in the afternoon.

Everything needed . Only issue the boiler/heating makes horrendous noise almost constantly . This didn’t detract from us having a nice time . Thank you

A lovely cosy cottage with a beautifully peaceful private garden.

We enjoyed not being overlooked or hearing any neighbours. Thank you for a lovely stay, we will definitely return!

Lovely cottage - many thanks

Although we knew it was a small cottage I think more than 3 adults would find it rather crowded.

The facilities were OK but any larger person would find the shower almost impossible. The welcome pack was the most basic that we have ever received at any of your properties but still welcome. The garden was as described and my dog enjoyed it and I was happy that she was safe.

The cottage was just adequate for two adults.

I can not imagine what it would be like if there were more pople. We chose this cottage because of the doownstairs bedroom and the fact it is on one level. This is because my wife is arthritic and has trouble with steps. We were therefore surprised at the steep step to access the pathway to the cottage entrance. This step needs to be made in to a ramp for easier access. The access path is very uneven and needs to have a light for returning after dark. The patio door needs attention as we were unable to lock it. Parking arrangements are totally inadequate. Having said all of that the weather during our stay was glorious so we spent most our time outside.

The alley providing access to back gate was dangerous for walking especially when wet.

There are several metal man hole covers which were slippery made worse by wet leaves. Also there are 2 quite large steps down onto the alley way from the pavement. I had to clean the rubber seals around the fridge/freezer as they were full of black mould. The key safe switch was very stiff - had to get help.to retrieve key

This is a delightful quirky cottage We found it very comfortable Nice and peaceful Beds comfortable The outside is wonderful so many little corners to sit an enjoy Unfortunately the weather was not kind enough to allow us to do so We had a small problem with the fridge I contacted The owner she immediately asked the lady in charge of looking after the property to sort it Julie was there as arranged and was so nice nothing to much trouble.

Her Partner Darren also came and sorted out the Bins A lovely couple Please pass on our Thanks The only complaint was mine I did not realise that I could not take the car to the door I knew I had to park a little distance away that was no problem I had an invalid with me and carrying the luggage was difficult Once again Darren and Julie was on hand to help I do hope we get the opportunity to visit in the Future. The village of Budleigh Salterton is lovely. We visited Sidmouth. Exmouth Bicton Park Botanical Garden Excellent And Otterton Mill 3 times The food excellent lovely varied menu. A wonderful holiday despite the weather Thanks to all concerned.

Mackeral cottage is in a great location for the beach and town.

We spent 12 nights at the cottage and enjoyed our stay in Budleigh Salterton. We did have an issue with the shower as it did not drain properly but we used the bath instead. We were offered a mid week clean from the owner. The overall cleanliness was ok but I did need to wash crockery before use as some of it hadn’t been cleaned. The property has a wraparound garden which is beautiful. We used the courtyard garden, by the entrance a lot but we didn’t use the back as the patio doors didn’t work properly and there were workman on scaffolding next door. I do feel the property isn’t really big enough for 6 people as we had three teenagers with us and it felt cramped. There wasn’t any hanging room for clothing in the main bedroom and upstairs twin either which was an issue. Overall, we would definitely visit Budleigh again but probably find a different property.

A very comfortable well equipped cottage.

It was easy to park in the road opposite. We did find the living room a bit dark in the evening. We are not young and have a bright light in the living room so that we can read easily when it is dark.

Loved our stay at mackerel cottage, everything you need and in a fantastic location.

Beach and shops only 10 mins away. Walk through the wetlands to Otterton Mill is a lovely way to spend a few hours. Will definitely return.

Lovely cottage.

The garden was especially nice. It was an old cottage and quirky. We did lots of walking and were lucky with the weather. We would love to come back.

Beautiful cottage and ideal location, only a short walk to beach/town.

Thank you for a lovely stay.

Very lovely cottage comfortable everythingsupplied quiet lovely garden had a great stay Easy walk to beach and shops Easy travel by bus if do not want to drive Lovely walk along coast path all in all Budleigh salterton lovely place

This is the best holiday cottage we have stayed in to date.

It’s well within walking distance to the beach, marsh and village high street. The gardens are beautiful and provide a wonderful place to relax whilst providing complete privacy from surrounding properties, the garden is also well enclosed so we could relax about the dog trying to escape. The cottage itself is comfortable and exquisitely furnished with quirky features such as a real porthole for the bathroom window. We loved it and would recommend it to all. It’s also easy to find, just read and follow the instructions upon booking.

Location of the cottage is good.

Garden is enclosed and very pleasant. Kitchen and bathroom supplies provided and appreciated - this could be made clearer on the website. Upstairs was charming and clean though single beds were very uncomfortable - could feel misshapen springs. Sheets were clean but almost threadbare adding to the discomfort. Duvet and covers were good. Downstairs was only clean on the surface. The whole place needs a deep clean. For example, the inside of the cupboards were filthy and this transferred to the bottom of pots and pans. There was a rusty colander which flaked off when we tried to use it! The door handle of the microwave was sticky and there was a foul smell coming from the draws and cupboards. Downstairs bedroom has an overpowering air freshener. When switched off there is a pungent smell of damp. Seating area fine for four people but no more. The cottage could be really lovely if thoroughly cleaned.

we have stayed with your cottages for 9 years unfortunately this cottage was below standard, the first issue being the step down from the pavement was not one step but two very close together and very difficult for my elderly parents.

the cottage was then not described it said for 6 people but this would of been very tight if all adults, as it was certainly not spacious as described. The cottage then was filthy, very dirty under the sofas, the floor was dirty. The cupboards also smelt and I had to wash all crockery prior to use, i know there is no dishwasher but i think by putting one where the kitchen cupboard is would be beneficial, again it said out the patio doors to the garden but no mention of the step. I am afraid I would like to be contacted with a view to have some money back for this holiday as it did really limit us in what we could do. we appreciate older cottage but it was definitely not as described and very dirty. we usually look forward to our holiday cottages but when you have dog hair coming out from under all units, and we found a dummy under the sofa together with food waste, the lighting was also very poor.

Beautiful cottage and garden, really lovely.

Difficult to find in the winter and directions don’t clearly explain it’s an alley behind houses and there are no lights so it would have been good to bring a torch! There are 2 steps down into the alley, and a step down from kitchen to living room, so accessibility is compromised (mum isn’t steady on her feet). I would suggest that plug in scent diffusers aren’t used- they trigger my migraines and having 4 going as we arrived was overpowering. Overall a lovely place in a lovely little town, easy to find (apart from the alleyway at the end) and well equipped.

Lovely little cottage in an excellent location.

It was very comfortable with everything we needed. We would definitely stay again.

The short is quite small and should be identified as so to alert disabled persons of possible difficulties when using.

One of the shower doors is damaged as is the adjuster on the shower. On the plus side the cottage was very comfortable in particular the beds were superb.

Kitchen a little tired but overall excellent.

Beautifully quaint cottage in secluded surroundings.

We loved the wrap-around garden meaning we could catch the sun any time of the day. The property was clean and comfortable with everything you could need (and more!). The beach and town are only a short walk away, maybe 10 minutes down the hill. The kids were happy playing in the garden and of course loved the smart TV and decent wifi. Oh, and the coffee machine is awesome! Thank you, we really enjoyed our stay in the cottage and Budleigh Salterton.

Garden furniture not very good, table not very safe, no guide for tv , quite complicated to work out.

We think it would be better having double bed in one of the twin rooms. Apart from these it was a nice cottage and enjoyed ourselves. Thanks. Tim

A lovely cottage - perfect for hot weather as it is always cool and the garden shady either front or back at different times of day.

It is very well equipped. Not much space for washing up - a dishwasher would be good except there isn’t room. Directions for finding the cottage could be more explicit - road directions fine, but it took a while to locate the alleyway where the house is. The mattresses on the single beds upstairs were a little lumpy. The bench in the back garden would be better with some cushions. But these are minor things and overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there.

A truly delightful cottage with a secluded garden.

The standard of the facilities and the decor are very high. It's the second year running that we've booked it and we would come again. It's an easy walk to the beach and the shops and the town itself is very pleasant. All round great experience.

When we think of Budleigh Salterton now, its not just the jurassic sandstone rising from the sea, the pebbled beaches-we think of 'Mackerel Cottage' they belong together like the best secret.

A lovely cottage which I walked into and instantly relaxed as it was clean, homely and with the secure garden so the dog could wander around without me worrying.

The location is ideal and the bird song a delight whilst reading book in one of the suntraps on a comfy chair outside. A great break .

A hidden gem.

We love Mackerel Cottage. Its quirkiness is of great appeal to us. A slightly rickety ginnel/snicket sort of pathway leads you along to the cottage so that initially we wondered what we were going to find!...However, once through the door at the end of the path, we were into the complete charm of Mackerel with its wrap around garden and bijou quaint kitchen. We love the patio doors from the sittingroom onto the garden which will come into its own in the summertime for al fresco dining. It's lovely too at cooler times curling up inside by the fire. Location! Location! We love how easy it is to stroll to everything from the cottage. Thankyou to the owner for providing holiday makers such a place to stay and thank you to the housekeeper who gives us such a fragrantly clean welcome.

Location!

Location! So we returned for another stay to Mackerel Cottage. We pushed open the gate and stepped into its tropical tranquility. We pushed open the stable door and magic! stepped into its homely kitchen. Spotlessly clean and light. What a fragrant welcome! We love the sittingroom with french windows onto the garden. Location! Location! A hidden gem , it has all the advantages of being quietly tucked away yet is close enough for exploring the coastline and for every day needs. A quirky cottage? Yes, definitely. We love its magic. It's one for the two of us to return to again and again.