Fiddlesticks Cottage

Sleeps 4
Bedrooms 2
Bathrooms 2
Pets Yes
View on map

Features

Pub/shop < 1 mile
Dishwasher
Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing

Cleanliness

Comfort

Facilities

* Based on a combined average customer score

39 Customer Review(s)

Pauline
May 2022

“My Sister & I had a wonderful week at Fiddlesticks.”

The cottage was really comfortable & had everything you needed for a great stay. There were shops in the High Street, and lots of places to visit close by, as well as a beach. We really enjoyed our stay.

The cottage was really comfortable & had everything you needed for a great stay. There were shops in the High Street, and lots of places to visit close by, as well as a beach. We really enjoyed our stay.

- Pauline, May 2022
Anne April 2022

“Excellent level of equipment supplied in the kitchen, with all the entertainment you would want in the lounge (TV, Blueray, Board games, radio, CD).”

The cottage was cleaned to a high standard.

- Anne, April 2022
Linda March 2022

“Absolutely beautiful and clean warm and comfortable.”

..only problem although we coped was parking...people seemed to take up 2 spaces left us struggling sometimes. Also there was space to park but plant pots in drive so not sure if that was for other cottage .

- Linda, March 2022
Jenny December 2021

“Our second stay here, and we were pleased to return.”

Very comfortable and homely - the beds are super snuggly.

- Jenny, December 2021
Karen November 2021

“I have spent many years here, visiting family in village, it is very comfortable and clean.”

....the only issues I had was, no milk on arrival to make drink and the radiator in front room under window needs bleeding...I did leave a note for housekeeper to pass on, other than that I would always recommend it. I will return next year!

- Karen, November 2021

Thank you for your feedback, It's good to hear you enjoyed the cottage and intend to return again next year. And thank you for your comments - all the radiators are fine again and thermostats are calling for heat as necessary. And we're currently providing milk in sachets for that essential first cuppa on arrival. Best wishes. Property Owner
Janine October 2021

“The only issue with the cottage is the difficulty of parking and remembering where you parked the night before!”

We did find there was a long stay car park in the village which only charged £2 for the day. There was also the possibility of paying the £2 the night before so you didn't have to be there before 8 o'clock in the morning! In the event we didn't need to use it and always found a car parking spot in the vicinity. The plus side of the village is the wonderful array of shops, a butcher, baker, fruit and veg, florist as well as the Coop and a bookshop! All within about 50 yards of the front door.

- Janine, October 2021
Robin September 2021

“Delightful cottage in delightful Beaminster, a rural market small town in Dorset.”

The cottage has superior furnishings and facilities in a quiet lane of mainly C19th cottages. The location is ideal for travel to the coast or the wonderful local rural counryside. We spent days by the sea, a boat trip on the River Frome at Wareham and local villages for water mills and historic country houses. We often ate out in the local Beaminster restaurants.

- Robin, September 2021
Peter June 2021

“Well equipped cottage in a really nice village .”

Kettle could do with descale

- Peter, June 2021
Carolyn May 2021

“Lovely comfortable cottage.”

No parking, which we knew about, is the only downside. Although we could always find parking within a very short walk of the cottage it still would be nice to have your own. Mainly for ease of packing, unpacking etc. Lovely area with good walking right from your doorstep.

- Carolyn, May 2021
Rosemary September 2020

“The cottage was exceedingly comfortable and well equipped with everything one could possibly need; comfortable furniture and beds, a superbly stocked kitchen and great bathrooms.”

The whole cottage was immaculately clean and maintained... So often we find holiday rentals have been furnished without thought to guests’ comfort, but Fiddlesticks Cottage was the best we have ever stayed in.. Even parking on the street was possible every day.

- Rosemary, September 2020
Margaret September 2020

“Fiddlesticks Cottage is very conveniently situated - within walking distance to local shops, cafes and restaurants and is fitted out with just about everything you need.”

Our taxi driver, Martin Herbert who supported our walking holiday with lifts to and from some quite isolated places, was super reliable and a mine of local history.

- Margaret, September 2020
Jonathan September 2020

“Before we had decided to commit to the booking we contacted yourselves but after 2 months received no response.”

This was disappointing. We had been to Fiddlesticks Cottage before so were acquainted with it and liked the cottage and the location. Whilst it was not a game-changer for us, we were informed on arrival that the tv was not functioning correctly and would be fixed. It was not. We were, however, most impressed with the cleanliness of the cottage and the contact we received from the cleaning team to check how things were.

- Jonathan, September 2020

We are pleased you liked the cottage and thank you for your return visit. The booking agency are normally very responsive and we apologise they were not in this instance which could be due to these Covid-related times. We are grateful the TV was not a major issue after a power cut in the street knocked-out the tuning - we had tried to get a TV engineer out as advised in the note we left for you, but he regrettably could not attend until the Friday after you had left. The TV has since been retuned. We will pass on your kind remarks about the cleaning team, thank you. Property Owner
Samantha August 2020

“Roxanne was part of the housekeeping team and she responded to any request we needed.”

The place was very clean and the facilities were perfect for 2 couples. We all slept well.

- Samantha, August 2020
Neil August 2020

“Great cottage in a good location.”

Easy access to lots of beaches and walks

- Neil, August 2020
Amanda July 2020

“Great Secluded cottage in quiet Village - easy to maintain social distancing even in summer months.”

So CoVid easy. Cottage very high standard and clean .small coop 5 mins walk for supplies. WiFi’s great

- Amanda, July 2020
Andrew July 2020

“The cottage was very warm and appealing - all accessories of good quality.”

Overall recommended location. Parking poor as others have mentioned. Outdoor space and sunroom/utility could do with an upgrade including stairs providing access. Not too much space for 4 adults to sit outside comfortably. Shrubs in rear area could be cut back, but appreciated the pots. Why not add more seating to front as suntrap early evening?

- Andrew, July 2020

We are pleased you enjoyed the cottage and thank you for your helpful comments about the outside seating and shrubs. Due to previous guests having issues with the parking space you refer to in your comments, we removed mention of it within our advertising in October 2019. This space should no longer be used by guests and the current instructions for parking are on the website and on the route details. To stop any further confusion we will place some nice flower pots in that area to make it clear the space should not be used for parking. Thank you again and we do hope you will visit us again in the future. Property Owner
Sarah March 2020

“The cottage is very comfy and cosy, warm and welcoming with pretty roses and biscuits .”

Two decent size bedrooms and very quiet. If you have a dog the outside space does not have any grass but on turning left out of the house after a short walk there are lovely open fields you can walk for miles! The kitchen all works well and there are a few good shops round the corner. Nice friendly town and if it wasn’t for Corona virus worrying us we would have had a more relaxing time!

- Sarah, March 2020
Nick December 2019

“Very comfortable cottage.”

Parking is general problem in Beaminster but fiddlesticks has its own space all be it a bit of a squeeze if you have a big car.

- Nick, December 2019
Jonathan September 2019

“This is our second visit to Fiddlesticks and we like it very much and the town of Beaminster and the surrounding area.”

The cottage was spotlessly clean. Just one point, we have an average sized car and a larger car would not fit in the space.

- Jonathan, September 2019
Elizabeth August 2019

“Lovely comfortable cottage in the the lovely village of Beaminster.”

Very well appointed. Good facilities and very comfortable beds. Thoroughly recommend this property.

- Elizabeth, August 2019
Sally August 2019

“Fiddlesticks is a lovely well-appointed cottage.”

The decor is tasteful and the beds are very comfortable. The kitchen is very well equipped. As mentioned in other reviews, the parking space is a bit too small for most family size cars. It is tucked away in a very quiet location but just a short walk from the shops. Whilst it does have WiFi, we found that it was very slow, especially when more than one device was trying to use it. All in all, a lovely cottage in a great location.

- Sally, August 2019

Thank you for your kind comments about Fiddlesticks Cottage, we are pleased you had a nice holiday. We have taken your comments on board and amended the wording slightly for the parking to make this clearer for future guests. Property Owner
Paul July 2019

“Great cottage, lovely area only thing is parking people should be advised in advance or at time of booking where to park for use of the cottage no problem if you have a small compact car , but SUV would struggle .”

Otherwise magical breakdown with a well catered for cottage .

- Paul, July 2019
Jennifer July 2019

“A delightful cottage, everything you could need.”

As the weather was very warm it was a pleasant surprise to find the cottage stays cool inside. Nearby shops and restaurants very handy.

- Jennifer, July 2019
Carol June 2019

“Fiddlesticks cottage was in a great location for dog walks, town and pub.”

The cottage was really nice and comfortable and we had a great holiday. We felt we had the best of both worlds; a real getaway and easy access to all the places we wanted to visit. This was my first visit to Dorset and definitely won't be the last!

- Carol, June 2019
Margaret May 2019

“We enjoyed our 5 days at Fiddlesticks.”

It was a perfect location to visit our son with a good kitchen, living room and bedrooms/bathrooms. The neighbours were chatty and helpful. Plus when we trouble with the door lock one day, the handy man was there quickly to resolve. We also really liked Beaminster and the surrounding area. We cooked every breakfast, most lunches and several dinners at the cottage, and had no trouble, except maybe the need to get spices, even pepper and salt, and cooking oil. We also did laundry one day successfully using the machines in the outside laundry room above the deck, and thankfully washing detergent was provided. The TV worked well, and we found the books on the area interesting and useful. The beds were comfortable and the linen and towels were clean. There was plenty of hot water and pressure in the bathrooms. We do have a couple of suggestions though...first, we had to purchase shampoo, conditioner and bathroom bar soap, since we are not fans of the bathroom-gel-used-for-everything soap, and would suggest you at least let people know what to expect. We also purchased some spices for cooking, even salt and pepper, which seemed unreasonable. A minor issue was a new deck umbrella provided that did not fit the tables on the deck. Also we were told there was a parking stall for the cottage, but it is very small, difficult to navigate and the neighbour in front has a 3 ft wide access allotment that makes it pretty well impossible to use the stall. Thankfully one of the ladies on the street allowed us to park in front of her place, and I think kept others from parking there while we were in residence.

- Margaret, May 2019
Heather May 2019

“Absolutely fantastic cottage.”

We usually stay in rural locations but this was above expectations - extremely quiet and yet easy walking to town. Everything provided in cottage and all to a high standard. Parking is not an issue as loads of off street parking. The summer house is a real sun trap. Walking from the cottage is great, turn left from cottage and just keep walking along lane into fields for miles. Our dog loved it.

- Heather, May 2019
Sarah April 2019

“A wonderful cottage in a beautiful location, only negative is their are no recycling facilities although s recycling bin is provided in the cottage, just s small bin for all waste outside, garden is in need of some attention but overall s good holiday.”

- Sarah, April 2019

***Owner Response*** We're pleased you enjoyed your holiday and thank you for your comments about recycling. The 3-compartment bin continues to be in the kitchen and we have reintroduced outside recycling bins again, where waste is collected by the housekeeper. We have also put clearer guidance in the House Information File so holidaymakers should not find the situation confusing. Thank you again. Property Owner
Jim March 2019

“This cottage and location is very much as described,; close to amenities but also with great walking straight from the door.”

Beaminster and the area surrounding it are relatively unspoilt, quiet and glorious Dorset countryside with farms, woods, valleys and hills.. Cottage has had a recent thorough make over and is little gem.

- Jim, March 2019
Ian December 2018

“Very comfortable and clean and brilliant location with pubs and restaurants and good shops all in very short walking distance.”

The only thing we thought was appalling was the absence of any recycling facilities whatsoever. That may well be entirely the fault of the council rather than you or the owner but it's the first cottage we've stayed in where nothing whatsoever could be recycled. Given that there is no recycling, one dustbin for potentially four people is not enough.We took our (many!) bottles home and recycled them there.

- Ian, December 2018
Karina October 2018

“The cottage was well furnished and decorated and impeccably clean.”

The bed and pillows were really comfortable and the shower was good. Unfortunately the heat wasn't working properly when we arrived on Saturday - it was not on in the evenings although it came on OK in the mornings. We had to wait 2 days until Monday to get it fixed. Apparently the number listed was for an agent on leave and it was only when the office was open on Monday that the phone was picked up. We called Monday morning and they sent someone round on Monday late afternoon. He told us there had been problems with the heat before. Another disappointment was that the kitchen, while very well stocked with utensils, had very little in the way of supplies - just salt and pepper and a few tea bags and instant coffee sachets. I'm not sure whether that's normal for the UK, but its a pain coming from abroad to in effect have to stock up with kitchen basics like oil and vinegar.***OWNER RESPONSE*** ''Thank you for your feedback following your recent stay at Fiddlesticks Cottage. We are sorry to hear about your difficulties with the heating, especially as the boiler and controller were replaced less than a year ago. Although the type of controller is quite typical of those in UK properties, we will introduce a simple user guide for guests to adjust the heating to their wishes. As the cottage is a self-catering property we only provide a few essentials to get you going for the week, we are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with this. We are glad you were comfortable for your stay and thank you for your comments''

- Karina, October 2018
M October 2018

“Really pleased we stumbled across this cottage for our short break, lovely cosy lounge, kitchen well equipped, whole cottage really clean.”

Great location close to centre of quaint town with local shops, good pubs and restaurants. Definitely be back.

- M, October 2018
Annie September 2018

“The cottage is lovely, beautifully decorated and well equipped.”

It boasts a lovely location in a quiet residential street, and is perfect for visiting this beautiful part of Dorset. However the listing on your website suggests there is off street parking, which is simply not the case. While the smallest of small cars (eg a Smart car or a Fiat 500) could possibly park on the hard standing in front of the cottage, a regular family sized car would never be able to, most especially when there is a car parked on the roadside opposite. Interestingly, speaking to the local neighbours, they all commented how difficult parking would be and that all guests have to park in the road. It is clearly a source of frustration for them as well, especially for one lady whose car was stuck at the garage for 3 weeks having been hit by one of the Fiddlesticks guests. Personally, I think you would be better to describe the cottage as not having parking, as it sets the expectation for a potential guest, more accurately. The cleanliness of the property could perhaps be improved as well. We were left with no bathroom cleaning equipment which was disappointing, so had to go out to purchase this, including a strong limescale cleaner which my mother spent some time cleaning the bathroom basin, to remove the built up limescale residue. I should say that the property was not dirty, but perhaps not as clean as it could have been. A steam clean of the floors would be beneficial, as would the nooks and krannies. The bin in the kitchen would also benefit from a deep steam clean especially around the press button opening mechanism. Likewise, we were only left with 5 dishwasher tablets. As we were staying for 7 days, we had to go and purchase more tablets, which we have left at the cottage for other guests. Also, there were insufficient bin bags. It’s not a big issue but rather an annoyance especially as we had to buy other cleaning products. In other cottages we have stayed in, there has always been a plentiful supply of these sorts of items. Unfortunately there were a number of defective lightbulbs in the kitchen, with no spares available to replace them. Of the 7 lights in the kitchen, only 3 were working. I suspect the cleaning team have not noticed the issue as they don’t need to turn the lights on, but perhaps they could include this in their checks and replace where necessary, in future. None of the items are big issues in isolation and certainly did not stop us enjoying our holiday very much. Perhaps a little attention to detail on the finer points could help make ours (and others) stay, even better. ***Owners Response*** Thank you for taking the time to complete your feedback following your recent stay at Fiddlesticks Cottage. We’ve spoken with the owners about your comments and they have asked we respond with the following: Although we agree the parking area is fairly small we do mention this in the property description on line to ensure guests are made aware that the parking space is more suited for a smaller car. We are not able to confirm if 1 of our visitors caused damage to our neighbours car, it's not something we have been notified of by her. Thank you for letting us know about the limescale in the bathroom, yours is the first report of any potential problem and we will ensure it is investigated. As a self catering property we do only provide enough household supplies to start your holiday off. The kitchen spot lights are LED and work on 2 switches, 1 of which works 4 spots and the other 3, all were working fine after our recent stay, we wonder if you had possibly not located both switches? Despite the issues raised, overall we are pleased you enjoyed your holiday

- Annie, September 2018
John Paul August 2018

“Great cottage - felt like home for a week.”

- John Paul, August 2018
Robert July 2018

“We had a lovely holiday staying at Fiddlesticks Cottage for the second year running, 3 of us plus Florence the dog!”

Just felt it was not as clean as last year. The freezer in fridge was so frosted up, impossible to use. The upstairs bathroom, ok, but had not been cleaned in the corners etc. The cutlery tray was horrid, old dried food amongst the cutlery. Outside, in the courtyard garden, just needed a bit of TLC, hanging baskets dead, bushes needed cutting. I watered the geraniums that were ok. Sadly no garden umbrella for the table, disappeared from last year, really needed it this last week in the heat. Front of the house 2 dead plant pots by the front door and the path/steps all needed sweeping.The neighbour also commented about it. Best not to have plants if they can't be cared for. Anyway a happy week with great weather, lovely position of the cottage, but please don't let the care of the cottage go down. it was very clean last year. ****Owner Response**** Thank you very much for your comments, we're so pleased you chose to return to Fiddlesticks and we're delighted to hear you had another lovely holiday. We're sorry to hear a few things weren't perfect however and would like to let you know that our regular cleaner is now back and we hope to continue the same high presentation as previously. Having had such a hot and dry summer we agree that the garden needs a bit of attention and we will ensure this happens. The garden umbrella has also been replaced. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, we're really happy again to have had you back and we look forward to seeing you again next Summer!

- Robert, July 2018

Thank you very much for your comments, we're so pleased you chose to return to Fiddlesticks and we're delighted to hear you had another lovely holiday. We're sorry to hear a few things weren't perfect however and would like to let you know that our regular cleaner is now back and we hope to continue the same high presentation as previously. Having had such a hot and dry summer we agree that the garden needs a bit of attention and we will ensure this happens. The garden umbrella has also been replaced. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, we're really happy again to have had you back and we look forward to seeing you again next Summer! Property Owner
Colin July 2018

“It wasn't quite clear what to do with food waste, we put into freezer bags and then into the dustbin out the front otherwise everything was fine.”

- Colin, July 2018
Robin June 2018

“A very comfortable property, albeit rather overlooked by surrounding properties, in a very pleasant town.”

I would emphasize that when they say 'Parking for one small car' they mean exactly that. Luckily for us our car is small!

- Robin, June 2018
Sarah April 2018

“Charming cottage in a wonderfully friendly village, surrounded by beautiful countryside.”

The cottage was very well equipped, the village of Beaminster had a good selection of shops, butchers, green grocers and a good Co Op.

- Sarah, April 2018
Berenice April 2018

“Helpful holidays has that personal feel that so few companies have now a days.”

They always deliver!

- Berenice, April 2018
Mike March 2018

“We had a lovely weekend at Fiddlesticks Cottage - perfect size and shape for a family of four, and all mod cons.”

... Beaminster is a lovely little town - lots of pubs, nice shops, a Co-op just round the corner, for those last minute items, and the Beaminster Museum is a wonderful place to spend an hour or two on a rainy day...or even on a sunny day! The Giant Man at Cerne Abbas, and the beach at Lyme Regis are only 30-odd minutes away,,,two nice trips with lots of fresh air and walking, followed by cream teas and local ice-creams, respectively. Couldn't recommend it more - I'm sure we'll be back...

- Mike, March 2018
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The property

In Beaminster, 50' back from a no-through lane, a pretty, detached, 19th century cottage.

Lovely wooded valley walks to neighbouring Netherbury, where the original 'River Cottage' from the TV series is located.

Access up 6 shallow steps to stable doors into hall with tiled floor and shower-room (suite).

Archway into attractive living room with fireplace (flame-effect electric fire) and TV/DVD/Blu-ray.

Kitchen/dining room (slimline dishwasher, microwave, fridge, electric cooker) with back door to little paved sunny area (table/chairs) on two levels (2 steps).

Further steps up to outhouse/sunroom with sink, washing machine and contemporary rattan sofa, good for sunny cuppas on cool days.

Steep stairs from living room up to two bedrooms - a double (5' bed), and a roomy twin with pretty village view to the hills; bathroom (suite, shower over bath).

No children under 7.

A comfortable cottage for all seasons.

Beaminster: thriving little town (church, pubs, cafés, shops, museum, art gallery) there are two lovely pubs nearby, just a quick walk from Fiddlesticks Cottage, both the Greyhound and the Red Lion are around 350 meters away, while the Ollerod Hotel is a bit further along the main road, around 500 meters, ideal for a meal and a drink or if you would prefer to pick up a quick snack on the go, a well stocked co-op is located just 200 meters away.

In the midst of a conservation area, 5 miles from the ancient historic market town of Bridport (restaurants, pubs, cinema, arts centre) and 7 miles from the wide, unspoilt beach of West Bay (location for ITV's 'Broadchurch' series) on Dorset's 'Jurassic Coast'.

Summary

Two bedrooms: 1 x king-size double, 1x twin
Sitting room with fireplace and electric wood burning stove style fire
Kitchen with dining area
Sunroom
Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC
Ground floor shower-room with shower, basin and WC.
Central heating with electric fires
Microwave, fridge, washing machine, dishwasher, TV with Blu-ray, DVD, WiFi, Fuel and power inc. in rent
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Parking on quiet road near to the cottage
One well-behaved dog welcome
Sorry no smoking
Pub less than 1 mile from property
Note: This property does not accept children under 7.

Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £100.

About the location

BEAMINSTER

Bridport 6 miles; Crewkerne 7 miles; Lyme Regis 15 miles.

The attractive country town of Beaminster nestles beneath the rolling West Dorset downland within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Around its square is the Conservation Area which boasts over 200 Grade II listed buildings, many of which are built from mellow hamstone. This thriving rural community offers a good selection of shops, inns and restaurants, whilst each summer hosts a popular music and arts festival. The local area abounds in a network of footpaths, one leads to the village of Netherbury, the site of the original River Cottage TV programme. An easy drive takes you to the lively market town of Bridport and to West Bay (TV's Broadchurch) on Dorset's stunning Jurassic Coast, whilst Lyme Regis, Dorchester and Weymouth are all easily accessible. A charming Dorset country town set in a most attractive rural setting.

Note: This property does not accept children under 7.

This property offers the following short breaks:

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Reviews & Ratings

“My Sister & I had a wonderful week at Fiddlesticks.”

“Excellent level of equipment supplied in the kitchen, with all the entertainment you would want in the lounge (TV, Blueray, Board games, radio, CD).”

“Absolutely beautiful and clean warm and comfortable.”

“Our second stay here, and we were pleased to return.”

“I have spent many years here, visiting family in village, it is very comfortable and clean.”

“The only issue with the cottage is the difficulty of parking and remembering where you parked the night before!”

“Delightful cottage in delightful Beaminster, a rural market small town in Dorset.”

“Well equipped cottage in a really nice village .”

“Lovely comfortable cottage.”

“The cottage was exceedingly comfortable and well equipped with everything one could possibly need; comfortable furniture and beds, a superbly stocked kitchen and great bathrooms.”