“We’ve just returned from a week at this cottage, and while it has great potential and some really lovely features, there are several things that let it down quite badly — mainly around cleanliness and management.”
First and foremost, the cleanliness was very poor. The floors clearly hadn’t been properly mopped in a long time. Only small areas where there were obvious drips or water marks had been wiped over, but when I ran a wet wipe across the floor it came up brown, which tells you everything. The carpets are also dirty — they look grey but are actually blackened in places. A regular deep clean or carpet wash, even once a month, would make a big difference. It’s very obvious that these floors ...
First and foremost, the cleanliness was very poor. The floors clearly hadn’t been properly mopped in a long time. Only small areas where there were obvious drips or water marks had been wiped over, but when I ran a wet wipe across the floor it came up brown, which tells you everything. The carpets are also dirty — they look grey but are actually blackened in places. A regular deep clean or carpet wash, even once a month, would make a big difference. It’s very obvious that these floors haven’t had a proper clean for quite some time.
The bathrooms also need attention. Both toilet seats — one in the downstairs shower room and one in the upstairs bathroom — are extremely loose. Sitting on them is like balancing on a surfboard. It’s uncomfortable and, more importantly, unsafe. If an elderly guest were to use these toilets, they could very easily slip and hurt themselves. A good cleaner or property manager should have noticed this instantly and had it fixed before guests arrived. It’s not a small issue, and both toilets being the same suggests it’s been like that for a while.
The garden was another disappointment. It looked as though all the leaves had simply been blown or raked into one corner, with the outdoor furniture stacked on top of them. The fire pit was knocked over, and both the rubbish and recycling bins were full when we arrived. I understand the bins are collected on Fridays, but it doesn’t look very good for new guests to have to deal with the previous guests’ rubbish. That should be properly managed before check-in.
Regarding access, I did know when I booked that you have to walk through the neighbour’s garden to reach the property. While the neighbours themselves have been absolutely lovely — friendly, polite, and very quiet — I still feel it would be much nicer for everyone’s privacy if there were a separate entrance. If there’s any space at the back of their garden, it would be a good idea to consider putting in a small alleyway or pathway to give each property its own access. It would make things feel more private and comfortable for guests, especially when bringing in luggage or dogs.
Now onto the positives, because there are definitely some good points. The property itself is very spacious — much bigger than it looks in the photos. There’s plenty of room throughout, especially in the kitchen, which has lots of workspace and a nice table and chairs. The lounge area is comfortable, with good seating and a nice television setup. The beds are comfortable, and overall the house is very well laid out. The location is excellent, with two parking spaces and the town just a short distance away. It’s in a lovely area and has real potential to be one of the best properties around if managed and maintained properly.
However, the problem lies with the standards and management. There are a lot of rules for guests, yet it feels like the same attention and care isn’t being given in return when it comes to ensuring the property is actually ready for guests. There’s a five-hour window between check-out (10am) and check-in (3pm), which should be more than enough time to clean thoroughly, check everything works properly, and make sure the property is up to standard. That clearly isn’t happening.
And now, to address what I know will probably be said in response — “why didn’t you get in touch during your stay?” The simple answer is that after travelling four hours, unloading the car, unpacking bags, and settling in with two dogs, the last thing I want to do is start emailing, phoning, or arranging for people to come back and fix things that should have been right before I even arrived. I shouldn’t have to spend my holiday doing the job of the cleaner or property manager. It is not my responsibility to check or report on the state of the property — it is the responsibility of the owner or managing company to make sure everything is properly cleaned, safe, and ready before guests walk through the door.
I’ve stayed in many holiday accommodations before, some costing less than this one, that have been absolutely spotless and perfectly managed from start to finish. So it can be done. This one just needs that same level of care and attention. Someone should be inspecting the property after every clean to make sure standards are being met — that’s the only way you can guarantee guests get the experience they’re paying for.
To be clear, this isn’t meant as a nasty review. I genuinely think this cottage could be fantastic — it’s in a lovely area, it’s spacious, well-equipped, and has so much potential. But without better management, proper cleaning, and regular checks, it’s falling short of what guests rightly expect. Hopefully this feedback helps, because it really could be one of the nicest places around if these issues are properly addressed.
Update: I met a representative of the cleaning company at the Coach House and we tried to replicate the guest's claim that the hard flooring was not clean. We tested it in three different, high traffic, locations and the result was - clean! We will continue with the existing method of mopping with hot water and eco-friendly cleaning fluid after each guest vacates the property. Similarly, an inspection of the carpets found no 'black' areas - perhaps the guest mistook the 'knap' in the carpet pile left by the vacuum cleaning. Nevertheless the carpets were given a good shampooing and this will be done on a more frequent basis in future. The toilet seats are about to be replaced - we are waiting for new ones to be delivered. The leaves have been cleared from the garden - the guest's comments seemed a little 'overblown' as all the leaves only filled 2 black bin bags! There are still some leaves to come down from the oak tree so we will repeat the clear-up in a week or two. Original response: Thank you for your feedback Connor. Whilst there are many positives to your comments it is disheartening to read your critique of the cleaning and maintenance schedule. We employ, at considerable expense, a professional cleaning company to handle the changeovers at the Coach House and, to a large extent, manage the property. Belinda and I lived there ourselves until earlier this year when we moved away and are now a three hour drive from Castle Cary. Our return visits to the Coach House have been sporadic and we have been highly reliant on the feedback of guests to alert us to any deficiencies or issues there may be with the house. We have always sought to react swiftly to guests' feedback and will endeavour to do so in response to yours. Firstly, we will pass your comments onto the cleaning company and will resolve the issues with cleanliness with them. The toilet seats will be checked and replaced, if necessary. I'd be grateful if you could cut me a bit of slack with the garden - there is a very large Oak tree which, in the high winds we had just before your stay, lost all its leaves in one go and they apparently were blown into one corner of the garden - the garden furniture was half-buried under leaves. The wind also blew over the fire pit and no one saw fit to stand it back up again. All this will be rectified in the next few days. I have had it in mind for some time to speak to our lovely neighbours about the access and your suggestion is one which we are considering. It would mean, however, them sacrificing part of their garden with little in return - other than a small increase in privacy. Our ambition is indeed to make the Coach House one of the 'nicest places around' and we will use your feedback to help us get there! So, thanks again and please come back for another stay one day to see how we're getting on! All the best, Chris and Belinda
Property Owner