Elfin Cottage

41 Customer Reviews

• "The downstairs toilet door needs some attention, and it has been like it for the last three years."

  It fust needs to be taken off its hinges and a bit shaved off the bottom to solve the problem. Also the shower upstairs needs a bit more pressure, rather than relying on water pressure alone, and the glass panel could be replaced with a shower curtain. Apart from that, the cottage and location are great, and we will be back

  Reviewed by John4.7★Oct 2024

• "Toilet did not flush upstairs."

  If door from porch to lounge was locked could not unlock. We all suffered back ache due to uncomfortable beds.

  Reviewed by Karen3.4★Sep 2024

• "Lovely property."

  Shame we didn't have 2 weeks.

  Reviewed by Karl4.7★Sep 2024

• "We booked our stay at Elfin Cottage Porthleven as a last minute holiday."

  We wanted somewhere that had an enclosed garden for our dogs, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. This cottage ws exactly what we wanted. It was clean, tidy and very well presented. The kitchen had enough crockery and it all matched. The bedrooms are a decent size with comfortable beds (2 doubles and a twin). Parking can be a bit tricky, but we parked in the car park near the local shop just a short walk back to the cottage. The windows have got cables on them to prevent young children falling out of them, they do still open to allow air flow. Keys are supplied to remove this safety feature. We will be looking to stay here again.

  Reviewed by Ian5.0★Sep 2024

• "Read the reviews before you book!"

  Elfin Cottage is a charming little property in a very handy, central location in Porthleven. Set back from the harbour (no view) with a small enclosed garden. Sadly we experienced most of the ‘issues’ previously detailed in the reviews left in the last 12 months or so…these include: • kitchen is tired and the provision is poor. We had to clean items taken out of the cupboards, which smelled damp and some of which had been put back dirty. The initial smell of bleach as we entered the cottage was overwhelming. The oven cut out twice which resulted in a 20 min meal taking over an hour - possibly due to a restriction on electric? Or a faulty thermostat? Difficult to see how this kitchen can cater for 6 people. The cooker hood needs a really good clean - the grease filters are filthy and it’s incredibly noisy! • water pressure and shower facilities were pretty poor. The shower cut out while showering a couple of times and dripped constantly. Both bathrooms have tiny, rusty towel rails which seemed pretty inadequate. • the garden is pretty neglected (the lovely rose bush in the photo at the front of the cottage is now dead) and needs quite a bit of tlc. Although there was a washing line (whirly gig) there was nowhere obvious to put it - it was also rusty. Fortunately hubby is resourceful and strung up a washing line! Thank goodness we didn’t have wetsuits to dry! We were also really concerned when our dog found a flat dead rat in the garden - although we do appreciate it could have been brought in by a cat or a bird? • There were a couple of safety bars missing from the windows (which could have done with a good clean). • there appear to be no recycling facilities available (apparently a requirement of the local authority?). With some TLC and a bit of investment this could be a delightful little cottage and I hope this feedback is acted on as-well as providing others with information we wish we had digested before booking (this is our only family holiday this year and we felt it was a lot to pay for what we got!) Having said all of the above, it is a beautiful area with lots to explore. Lovely shops, bars and restaurants. The Cornish welcome was very warm wherever we went - we will definitely be back to visit the area!

  Reviewed by Joanne2.2★Aug 2024

• "Comfortable old cottage, lovely and clean and extremely convenient for harbour and shops."

  Reviewed by Christine5.0★Jun 2024

• "Really lovely stay."

  We had an issue with TV that was sorted very quickly. Sofas are a little soft for me but everything else was fine. Good location but would have been better to know that the festival was on that weekend as road to cottage was closed.

  Reviewed by Tina4.4★Apr 2024

• "This was booked as a 'dog friendly' cottage."

  Upon arrival we noted that dogs were not allowed on furniture or upstairs, not very dog friendly. The cottage was difficult to find once nearby as the final directions weren't clear enough. Whilst it was reasonably clean, the kitchen was dated and had chipped worksurfaces. There was insufficient room for 6 people to dine or sit comfortably yet this was listed as a 6 berth cottage. The wheelie bin in the front garden was full and overflowing with additional bags of rubbish on the floor. These were pulled apart by birds. Not a very good look for us when we arrived. They didn't get removed until halfway through the week so we had to put up with the noise if the bags being ransacked. There was insufficient crockery or small glasses for 6 people. All of it was bits and pieces cobbled together from old sets which didn't look very nice. The smell of the plug in air fresheners was overwhelming upon arrival which meant we had to open windows & doors to get rid of the smell. Two of the bedrooms unbelievably had their windows wired shut. This represented a huge safety risk in the event of a fire. Although we didn't need to use it during our stay, the woodburner was dirty and needed to have the glass thoroughly cleaned. Providing logs for visitors would have been a nice touch but there weren't any. Ending on a positive note, it is a beautiful area and the 'welcome pack' of scones, cream, jam, biscuits etc was a nice touch.

  Reviewed by Craig2.5★Apr 2024

• "Cottage a little tired but its position suits the family"

  Reviewed by Terry2.8★Apr 2024

• "Cottage is very damp you can feel the damp and smell the damp, electric air ..."

  Cottage is very damp you can feel the damp and smell the damp, electric air freshners do not cover the smell Broken draft excluder on front door Garden nothing like photo needs work on it Heating not ideal Settees need replacing, very uncomfortable Pillows soft and squishy Mattresses to soft Cottage could be lovely with a bit of tlc Get the damp sorted rather than paint over it

  Reviewed by Carol2.2★Feb 2024

• "Lovely cottage very warm and great location."

  Just a couple of points of recommendation back door and front door were difficult to open from the inside as wood was warped. Also no cleaning products and not enough black bin bags.

  Reviewed by Jackie5.0★Nov 2023

• "The following extract is from a letter sent to Sykes Cottages on 18/9/23: to date (14/11/23) I have heard nothing, not even an acknowledgement."

  ..Having hoped for a peaceful and restful holiday in a Cornish cottage, I am sorry to advise that the lasting memory from our stay in Elfin Cottage will be the barking and howling of two black Labrador dogs from the cottage opposite (Kyldenna?) which occurred constantly throughout the week. The situation reached a climax on Thursday 14th September when it appeared to us that the two dogs had been left unattended overnight and were barking and howling continuously throughout the night; I have video footage taken at 06:37 Friday morning as an example of the situation which we found distressing from an animal welfare perspective and had seriously disturbed our sleep. It would seem that our concerns were not alone as the matter had been reported by someone to the RSPCA. Whilst packing up on Saturday morning at 09:30, I noticed a local RSPCA Officer speaking with a gentleman at the front door of the neighbouring cottage (Salvay?). I have just spoken with the RSPCA national helpline and understand that the situation on Thursday/Friday had been reported to them locally, that a case had been opened and an Officer had been sent (presumably the lady RSPCA Officer I noticed on Saturday morning?) to investigate the situation. Whilst the RSPCA was not in a position, due to Data Protection, to give me the case reference number and any update, the ‘Call Handler’ I spoke with a moment ago was able to share the above general information with me....I have just posted a 2nd letter to Sykes Cottages asking that my comments be treated as a formal complaint under the Complaint's Policy.

  Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We are sorry to hear about the issues you faced during your stay. Sadly, due to personal circumstances, our neighbours had to spend a lot of time in hospital during the week of your stay and had limited time at home. We have not had an issue with this before. Once again, we are sorry for the disturbance you faced. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nigel3.1★Sep 2023

• "The cottage is lovely and spacious with all you need for a family stay."

  Owners are lovely and leave cute little gifts all over the house. The only downside I had was the water pressure bit the temperature is hot. Parking we found easy a space labelled just next to a garage on the nearest street. And cottage is a 2 minute walk from porthleven Harbour.

  Reviewed by Jacqui4.1★Aug 2023

• "Lovely little property."

  Everything you need is there. Situated close to harbour. It’s in the back streets though so no sea view but that didn’t matter to us. Garden was lovely to sit out in.

  Reviewed by Olympia5.0★Jun 2023

• "Lovely cottage."

  Everything just as expected. Very good location, and very peaceful. Didn't have any issues with parking although this could be a problem in peak season. Bed was very comfy, nice sized main bathroom, shower pressure could have been better but still adequate. Overall, a fantastic cottage, we had a lovely time ( the weather helped :))

  Reviewed by Andrew4.7★May 2023

• "We had the most wonderful week in Elfin cottage."

  The accommodation was perfect for my family of 5 and our pup. The cottage is also excellently located.

  Reviewed by Emma5.0★Oct 2022

• "This is our fifth stay."

  It’s a bit tired but clean and could do with an update but we love it! The position is excellent and it’s perfect when we get together with our Porthleven family for meals and games.

  Reviewed by Terry3.8★Sep 2022

• "Thanks for a great week in Elfin Cottage."

  The cottage was perfect for our group of 5 and so well located in the beautiful village of Porthleven. We would love to come and stay again at some time in the future. Best wishes, Ian, Tina and family

  Reviewed by Ian5.0★Jul 2022

• "Cottage is getting very tried and needs some TLC."

  Cooker hood is so noisy that you can hear and feel the vibration in the bedroom. The front garden is small with no space to sit out in the chairs provided

  Reviewed by David3.1★Jun 2022

• "We also wrote the following in their guest book."

  Blinds in the kitchen and downstairs shower room. Appreciate an old cottage but the squeaky floorboards up and downstairs were pretty annoying. The real let down for us was the garden! Very overgrown, our first task was to cut back the old rose bushes (large thorns attacked me) so we could use the path to get into the cottage as 'front door inaccessible. We had to do quite a bit of pruning bushes and weed clearing, putting a rotating clothes dryer in the middle of what might be a lawn and filthy garden chairs meant only the dogs could use it. Large apple tree was a delight for the birds but meant little sun reached into the garden. No fresh towels or bed linen for a 2-week stay was a disappointment, but we could use the garden dryer as we had done the gardening. Our dogs are small and I can imagine larger pets escaping over the low wall, could have moved the rose bushes in front of that. Despite this it was a brilliant cottage for the four of us and proximity to the harbour was a delight. Will definitely be back as it really was a lovely place.

  Reviewed by Brian3.1★Jun 2022

• "Hi, left message in property book."

  We had a great time thankyou. Would recommend. Elfin is a lovely little cottage and catered for our needs. Welcome pack was a lovely touch. A couple of niggles of course! Washed out the kitchen bin as dirty and discovered a hole! Appreciate our responsibility, but our dog escaped over wall to side of property so we used wheelie bin and a garden chair to block off. Thankyou for letting us stay. Kind regards.

  Reviewed by Janet4.7★Apr 2022

• "I had read some less favourable reviews but these were unfounded!"

  Elfin Cottage is cute, clean and well maintained. The beds are really comfy and the linen crisp. Lovely little touches such as the welcome pack made it special. The wood burner was gorgeous and made our winter holiday. Perfect location and we parked in the pay car park which in winter was £1.20 a day. We just renewed it from an app. Cottage is very well equipped with everything you need. It is pet friendly and we don’t have a pet so i worried it may smell doggy but it absolutely didn’t. We loved our stay and I wouldn’t hesitate to return. Thankyou.

  Reviewed by Melinda5.0★Feb 2022

• "We've stayed at Elfin a lot over the years."

  It was beautifully clean, warm and cosy and the garden well tended. The welcome pack was really generous and appreciated. Thank you. The only thing I would say is that the kitchen is very dated now and could do with sprucing up. It was very clean and well equipped, but dimly lit and dark. Not a deal breaker though. We enjoyed our stay very much. Thank you.

  Reviewed by Lisa4.4★Feb 2022

• "The cottage was generally dirty and smelled of 'dog' which to some extent was expected."

  However, we arrived early evening after a long journey and had to wash crockery and cutlery and clean the teapot. The freezer is in dire need of a defrost. The washing machine drawer was clogged up with crusted powder. I had to vacuum the place because of dog hairs which were also on the carpets (in clumps) upstairs in the bedrooms even though the cottage file requests no pest upstairs. There were also pet hairs attached to the duvet cover. The brushes on Henry (the vaccum cleaner) were worn down to the metal so were of little use. I vacuumed the sofa cushions as they had crumbs and sand in the seams (but didn't dare lift them in case there was further filth to view beneath) The bases of the uplighters were filthy. My husband cleaned the top of the fridge and found the same filth. One drinking glass had a crack in it. Unfortunately the photos in your catalogue are deceiving. There was limited information in the cottage file. It seems that this cottage has not had an inspection for a while. Porthleven is a lovely holiday destination spoiled by the lack of cottage cleanliness which as you can see was extremely disappointing considering the price we paid. We have photographic evidence of our discoveries. Please contact me for further information as I am unable to contact you via the telephone number displayed in your email.

  Thank you for taking the time to complete your feedback. We take all feedback seriously and had you contacted us during your stay we would have been happy to rectify any issues. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Angela3.1★Sep 2021

• "We had a great week in Porthleven and this quaint cottage is in a very convenient location."

  Although there is no parking with the cottage we managed to work round it fairly easily once we had found our bearings. I think a moderate investment in cleaning, decoration (particularly downstairs) and some thought in planting up the garden and pots would go a long way in making the cottage feel that extra bit special. We would book Elfin Cottage again but might check out some others first.

  Reviewed by Michael3.4★Jun 2021

• "My sat nav took us into Porthleven in a different direction to what was indicated on your directions, we arrived at 10:00pm at night and was still searching for the cottage an hour later, Prospect place was not signed and neither was shute rd."

  In the dark very difficult to find, which we didn’t need after a 10 hour journey

  Reviewed by Kevin4.7★Jun 2021

• "We have just returned from a really lovely stay at Elfin Cotttage in Porthleven, Cornwall."

  It was a very long journey down from Lancashire and I was a little worried after reading some reviews but we where very happy with Elfin Cottage. As it is a cottage it isn’t big inside but we where a party of 6 three adults and three children as well as one dog and did not have any difficulties with the size of the property. It has absolutely everything you need and extra bits too like spare bulbs and all sorts! Also if you look in the cupboard drawers across from the stairs you will find all sorts of information leaflets and a little booklet with tide times on ( I put that in there!) so you can plan trips out. As we are not nosey Parker’s we didn’t realise until the last night that the chest underneath the tv has all sorts of games in too! The beds are comfy and we found the whole cottage to be lovely and clean and there was no mould in sight any where. The garden is just lovely, the roses are coming into bloom ( the children need to be careful around these as they are prickly but our three never hurt themselves) there where six chairs to sit out and the sun shone in the garden all day. There was plenty of opportunities to move the chairs into the sun and enjoy the garden. We perhaps could have done with a small table out there ( maybe a folding one or one kept out of the way under the window?) but we managed well without one. Although this cottage is near to the harbour and the beach it is tucked away,we just loved the quiet location, we couldn’t hear any of the bustle of the busy harbour. There is a table with four chairs in the dining room but there is extra chairs in the kitchen and we managed to fit six of us round the table no problem. We also didn’t find parking a problem, yes sometimes we needed to park on the car park next to the supermarket but generally it wasn’t a problem for us. We didn’t realise that there are restrictions on walking the dog on Porthleven beach at certain times of the year we where ok but between July and October there are no dogs allowed on the beach, so that something to bear in mind. Also the dogs are not allowed on the sofas or upstairs at all,something else to bear in mind. Our dog seemed to get the hang of this pretty quickly too! Overall, I would recommend Elfin cottage we have had the best time and we all feel sad to be back home from such a fantastic holiday, Porthleven really is just beautiful.

  Reviewed by Danielle5.0★May 2021

• "Overall we made the most of this holiday as there were only 2 of us staying in the cottage."

  It is however listed as sleeping 6. Agreed there are beds for six but the kitchen and eating area were not big enough for 6. The dining table only had 4 chairs and space for 4 chairs. The garden is tiny and almost always shaded, so on a 12c May day it was too cold to sit in. Also, although there were 5 outside chairs there was no outside table. The chairs were filthy and looked like they were never covered or cleaned. Cleanliness was NOT acceptable. There were cobwebs everywhere and many traces of food and greasy marks in the kitchen. Given that we were told we could not access he property until 5.30pm to allow for thorough cleaning, the place was NOT as clean as I would have expected. We were told that there was no parking for the property and nearby street parking should be available, it was not and we couldn’t get the car within 200 metres of the property to unload or re load. This was a massive inconvenience as it was raining heavily. Finally, our first impression was not good as when we had accessed the keys from the keysafe, the 2 keys were attached to a very grubby unhygienic paper label - not a good initial impression.

  Thank you for taking the time to write your review. We are disappointed that you did not contact us during your stay regarding the cleanliness issues, if you had I can assure you that we could have remedied these issues as necessary at the time. The marketing and photographs of the property show how the property is laid out and also the size of the rooms and garden, we are sorry you were disappointed. We state that parking can usually be found close by but that if not, there is a car park close by. You can park for a short while to unload and upload within 200 metres of the property. We do hope that you will holiday with us in the future. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kevin2.5★May 2021

• "The cleanliness was fine the house was fine took a while to find as was down a ..."

  The cleanliness was fine the house was fine took a while to find as was down a snicket but OK parking said on the info was on street but mostly yellow lines round there so non exist ant really luckily could park at me cousins round corner but all in all was a base which what we wanted so fine

  Reviewed by Philip3.8★May 2021

• "Unfortunately the property was not as clean as it should have been, especially when the current climate under covid is taken into consideration."

  there were a number of dusty surfaces, fingerprints on appliances in the kitchen and the stair hand rail was filthy, I appretiate the only way this can be remedied is by constructive feedback the property was comfortable and what I have grown to expect from Sykes, the welcome pack was very much appretiated and the wipes and sanitisers were put to goid use in addressing this situation

  Thank you for taking the time to send us your feedback following your stay. It is very disappointing to hear that there were issues with cleanliness. If you had contacted us during your stay, I can assure you, we would have done our utmost to deal with any issues as necessary. We do hope that you will holiday with us again in the future. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ian3.8★Sep 2020

• "We expected a certain amount of dampness in the cottage give the location and ..."

  We expected a certain amount of dampness in the cottage give the location and the age but we did not expect the bed sheets to be mould stained and damp also the weather was quite warm so would have been nice to sit in the garden but it was very over grown and had not been tided for some time

  Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback following your stay at Elfin Cottage. The bedding comes from a linen supplier so we are surprised to hear this - had you mentioned this during your stay we could have sent one of the housekeepers to check and change the linen, if required. The outside area is overseen by a gardener so we will ensure this is brought to their attention. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nicole2.8★Aug 2020

• "We enjoyed our stay at Elfin cottage."

  We didnt experience any of the problems regarding damp, as other guests have suggested. The cottage was well cleaned and well equipped. We would be happy to stay again, as the cottage was comfortable and located in an ideal spot for walks into the town and local amenities on the doorstep. The parking was very difficult on the side of the roads as it was summer holidays however we found that the car park by the supermarket usually had an available space and was reasonably priced. Porthleven was lovely as always.

  Reviewed by Thomas3.8★Aug 2020

• "The cottage was comfortable and warm and ideally located."

  We loved it but a few things could do with attention. The blind in the upstairs bathroom was broken so people can see in. Both the flushes on the toilets (upstairs and down) don't work properly. There are no instructions or guides as to what to do with the rubbish (ie is anything recyclable etc).

  Reviewed by Steve4.4★Dec 2019

• "Cottage very nice layout and in brilliant position by Harbour."

  Ideal for pets as has garden. Definitely needs cleaning properly for next guests. Also needs blinds in kitchen and downstairs shower room as people are walking passed cottage. There are blinds in all other rooms. This is our third time staying at the cottage as we love the cottage and Porthleven but the above needs to be addressed.

  Reviewed by Mary4.1★Sep 2019

• "This was our fourth stay in Cornwall and we where so disappointed with the cottage , on arrival it smelt of dogs the mat was covered in dog hair ,the cottage was dirty ."

  The cooker needs a good clean ,the cottage needs up dating , the car parking was not clear and our daughters car got vandalised ,l hope you take note of our compliant this was not a cheep holiday .

  Thank you very much for taking the time to comment. We’re very sorry to hear about the cleanliness on arrival and agree this isn’t a pleasant thing to arrive to. Thank you for reporting it to us promptly so that we could arrange for the cleaners to return the very next day and put everything right for you. This property regularly receives complimentary comments for its cleanliness (see previous reviews) and we are confident this was a one off. We are sorry that you had trouble with parking (which is either street parking nearby or in the local car park). Again, we’ve never previously been made aware of any damage to anyone’s vehicle before and although there is always a risk when parking in a public area, remain confident this is a safe place to leave your vehicle. Overall we do hope that you enjoyed your visit to Cornwall and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Property Owner

  Reviewed by jennifer1.3★Aug 2019

• "Lovely small cottage / great location a couple of minutes walk to harbour - if that."

  Porthleven is beautiful and so much to do and see will definitely be back to Porthleven and would come to this cottage again. Just a bit cob webby especially outside areas, and needs some tlc but definitely ok for a week on holiday. Comfy sofas and beds and has everything you need.

  Reviewed by Helen3.8★Jul 2019

• "Our third visit and the property is even better having been refurbished since our last visit 2 years ago"

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★May 2019

• "Loved the cottage very homely and welcoming, the log burner would be lovely at colder times of the year"

  Reviewed by Gary5.0★Apr 2019

• "Plus points - very comfortable, clean beds, and lovely hot water."

  Needed instuctions about how to find Elfin Cottage - after a long journey, we had quite a job to locate it. Felt the whole house was 'tired' - it could do with redecorating, and the bathrooms brought up to date. Kitchen adequate, but also looked old. Too much stuff, needed to be rationalised. The furnishings lacked something - one of the sofas smelt - dogs? In fact we thought the whole place needed a thorough, in depth, clean (this is not to criticise the people who went in to spruce up between clients - sure they did a good job, with the time available to them). Books very old; everything felt greasy, even the blue information folder. Contact telephone number in the folder rang off immediately. The garden was charming but way past its best - dead plants and overgrown shrubs. And why not a table and chairs in the garden? The chairs provided, once we'd cleaned them, were only comfortable to lie back in - hard to drink a cup of tea unless you perched on the edge. Finally, we think that you should provide some means of collecting recyclables, and instructions as to what to do with them. Surely just chucking everything in one bin isn't enough these days.

  Reviewed by Martin2.2★Sep 2018

• "Absolutely lovely traditional cottage in heart of Porthleven."

  Very restful and all necessities catered for. Garden was lovely and had some welcome shade under the apple tree. Thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and would love to visit again. Only little negative points was that parking could be difficult (although appreciate there are little narrow streets) and the dustbin was filled and overflowing with unhealthy unbagged rubbish from previous renters. Loved it though

  Reviewed by Angela4.7★Jun 2018

• "The cottage was cosy, comfortable, warm and quite well appointed, especially the kitchen."

  Showers were good too. Unfortunately it was also rather tired and jaded. The exterior was rather scruffy and there were copious amounts of dog poo on the garden and in a bag left by the front door - not a pretty sight when you arrive at your holiday cottage. The free wifi annoyingly gave up after a few days - possibly a router problem. Whilst we would wholeheartedly recommend Portleven (lovely harbour and foodie lovers paradise), we won't be going back to Elfin Cottage.

  Reviewed by Paul3.1★Mar 2018

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