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"We were pleasantly surprised with the cottage, it’s very spacious and the gardens are fantastic especially if you have a dog."
Location is excellent only a short walk to the Minster Mill Hotel / Old Swan. Heating and hot water were very efficient and parking outside for one large car was easy. Only slight negatives were the damp in the downstairs bedroom, why has this not been fixed? The quantity of spiders… and no Microwave or coffee machine. However we had a great stay and would recommend the cottage!
Reviewed by Gary4.1★Sep 2024
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"A gorgeous cottage with a beautiful garden."
We loved the features like the antique furniture and the chess board, and thoroughly enjoyed the table tennis. Our dog really liked the garden and meadow. It's a beautiful village and a great base for exploring the many attractions the Cotswolds has to offer.
Reviewed by Carolyn4.4★Aug 2024
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"I would not want to stay here in the winter."
Rodent sized holes under the door from the dining area to the garden look very inviting for a cold four legged critter or in fact any other critters out there.
Furniture in the lounge is very stained and we were pleased we could sit in the garden due to the weather. However, the garden lights are in fact nowhere near the garden seating area so a little useless as it gets darker.
The knives and forks look like they were there when the place was built and that is not a compliment as to their vintage look. Rugs, both upstairs and downstairs, are threadbare and fraying at the edges. Some of the windows are broken and the garden was quite overgrown during our stay. The key safe is in fact nowhere near the front door and so when arriving in the dark it was a challenge to find the door keys tucked around the corner nowhere near the door !!
In the upstairs bathroom the sink was falling off the vanity shelf so be careful when washing in it or cleaning your teeth for fear of it parting company with the shelf, and the glass tiles are all lifting off the surface too. The bin in the bathroom also doesn’t close and needs to be replaced but was still there so contents are all on display. The pots hanging in the kitchen needed to be cleaned prior to use. In the main bedroom one wall was plastered but not painted. In the downstairs bedroom en-suite there was mold in the bathroom which has clearly not been cleaned sufficiently and the walls are showing signs of damp in the main bedroom upstairs and in the downstairs bedroom.
This property is advertised as being dog friendly but there is in fact nowhere convenient for dogs to sleep as there is no door on the kitchen area and so dogs, unless kept in a bedroom with you are, free to roam around the house, which is far from ideal.
Also, it seems the place must be totally cleaned tip to toe on departure which is not ideal when kicking out time is 10 am..... plus I would highly recommend taking your own towels as we have been charged for a towel with a bit of mud on it and a towel with some water based makeup on it.... having used them obviously... derrr... you would think you could !!
The issue with the towels is the fact that the decision to charge for them was taken before they had been put in to a washing machine. Unless of course the linen and towels are not normally washed between guests ? This was all done without any discussion on the matter, despite us asking for better information and whether the towels had actually ventured anywhere near a washing machine or not, however the funds were simply taken from our account with zero discussion on the matter...
It is also ironic that on arrival, the tea towels that were in the kitchen were absolutely filthy and we put them to one side but there was no mention of the tea towels in the “damaged towels” claim and it was a good job we took our own tea towels as directed.
We would not stay at this place again and we would not use Sykes cottages again either. Their handling of the matter was to simply brush it under one of the threadbare and frayed carpets...
Reviewed by Andy1.9★Jul 2024
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"We loved the cottage, its garden and the location too."
I lovely place to relax and get away from it all. Only negative point I can think of is the transfer day being Monday, which was a little inconvenient. Otherwise perfect - thank you!
Thank you for such lovely feedback. We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay at Holly Cottage and the Cotswolds. We shall look forward to welcoming you back again soon.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Jonathan5.0★May 2024
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"Loved the house, it’s history and presentation."
The garden and access to the meadow was special as was the location and view. We had everything we needed for a Christmas week.
Please note that I rescued the table tennis cover that had blown off in the storm but it needed to dry before putting back on. The downstairs bedroom was cosy for my very elderly mother but the bedside lamp needs to be easier to reach, minor comment. I would happily return and found some peace of mind there.
Reviewed by Michele4.7★Dec 2023
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"We were a small party of 3 and really enjoyed our stay with plenty of space."
The lovely garden with access to the meadow was fanstastic as was the location and view. Being so close to the car-park was a real bonus given how limited adjacent parking on the lane/ road can be.
Only suggestions we have would be a microwave and some more crockery/ cutlery. The instructions were a little out of date and we initially had some issues with hot water temperature in the downstairs bathroom - but the suggested options solved the problem even though it seemed rather a faff. As it was the colder months, we found Burford Garden Centre a useful source for firewood. Would happily return!
Reviewed by Robert4.7★Dec 2023
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"Lovely property, a beautiful place to stay."
A few issues with the downstairs bedroom being cold but eventually sorted that. The main bathroom needs a bit of work around the sink area but honestly didn't hinder the stay! It's a wonderful cottage with a gorgeous garden! I can imagine it's as great in the summer as it is cosy in the winter. It's a shame we didn't have logs for the fire really! But all in all a real find :-)
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We have passed your suggestions onto the owner. He will be replacing the radiator valve in the bedroom. An initial supply of logs is provided. Further can be purchased locally from garages and supermarkets. We are very pleased the you enjoyed the cottage and its garden. Perhaps we can welcome you back again in the summer.
Best wishes Manor Cottages
Property Owner
Reviewed by Emily4.1★Dec 2023
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"We (four adults and two children) had a wonderful week at Holly Cottage."
The gardens are lovely, the cottage was spacious, comfortable, beautifully and generously furnished and equipped, with nice towels and bedlinen. Although hard to find fault we would suggest that two extra pillows in the downstairs bedroom would have been welcome, and a couple of large serving bowls for pasta and salads - enough for six people- would be useful. The cutlery was very nice but a bit more of it would be good. The location is great with lots of good walks from the cottage and interesting places to visit if you want them.
Many thanks for taking the time to share your feedback, which is helpful. We're delighted you enjoyed your stay and made the most of the area. Best wishes, Character Cottages.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Sonia5.0★May 2023
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"The cottage was lovely, comfortable and well equipped (except for a dearth of mugs)."
The dials on the stove are hard to read and an instruction book would have been very useful. We loved the garden and local walks, and it was great to be able to walk down the road to the pub.
Thank your for your kind feedback, I am so glad you enjoyed your stay at Holly Cottage. Thank you for letting me know about the missing mugs, we aim to keep sets 8 in the kitchen and I will replenish the mugs immediately. I have also added links to the appliance Manuals in the guest information pack and will add a folder of manuals.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Lucy5.0★May 2023
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"We really enjoyed our stay at Holly Cottage."
The house was gorgeous, well kept and very clean. The beds were really comfortable and the shower was great. The gardens were lovely with so much room for my daughter and two dogs. Our only regret is that we didn’t stay for longer!
We are so glad you enjoyed your stay and very much hope to welcome you back soon. Thank you for your generous review.
Grainne & Michael (owners)
Property Owner
Reviewed by Siobhan5.0★Mar 2023
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"We had a wonderful stay at Holly cottage the position is brilliant and we could take our little dog for wonderful walks !"
Extra special treat was Minster Lovell Hall this is a must see and only at the end of the lane !
Our parents who are very elderly enjoyed the garden the views and the cosy fireplace !
Yes there are some steps and yes there are some low ceilings so for those who don’t want character and original features go to a modern house !
This place is unique and should be embraced for its wonderful charm .
I have no criticism what so ever the owners emailed me and was to hand if need be which was nice to know .
I am adding just one suggestion - a hair dryer would be great as I did not take one !
that’s just because other places I have stayed at provided one so did not bother to pack .
That is all so no big deal ! …… thank you for a wonderful break where memories were made
Thank you for this lovely review and we're delighted that your parents (and your little dog!) enjoyed staying at Holly Cottage. We look forward to welcoming you again. Character Cottages
Property Owner
Reviewed by Michelle3.8★Sep 2022
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"The moment we walked in the door, we knew we would not want to leave-- all right, maybe it was when we opened the back door to the gardens."
Anyhow, we were right: a haven of peace and beauty. It was too hot for walking, but being in the cottage itself was a constant pleasure: the combination of aesthetics and comfort cannot be overstated. We loved the respect paid to the history of the place. The little steps up and down from rooms, the lower ceilings, all contributed to the charm for us. But the kitchen was magnificent. The beds very comfortable, and the bathtub a treat - as was the shower in the downstairs bedroom. The shaded outdoor dining table was much used. The views from the back garden (an extensive area, not shown in the Sykes photos) were wonderful. We sat out in the comfortable garden chairs and watched the moon rise every night.
We were sorry there was no point to lighting a wood fire, and so appreciated the large candles in globes left for guests to enjoy the atmosphere. I can't help feeling that we would be friends with the owners, if ever we met.
I do agree that a microwave would be useful: we're just too accustomed to reheating cups of tea to go without it!
Thank you so much for this wonderful review. We're delighted that you you had such a comfortable and relaxing stay at Holly Cottage and managed to make good use of the garden. We hope to welcome you again one day.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Ellen5.0★Aug 2022
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"We were really looking forward to our weekend away in Holly Cottage to celebrate the birthdays of both of my parents who are in their eighties."
The downstairs bedroom was a real bonus for them but we were not ‘delighted’ by the steep steps into the property and up into the dining room making this property totally unsuitable for people with limited mobility- even though the property claims it to be so. Add to that the very low ceilings- beautiful and a part of it’s true character- this was another reason for making it unsuitable. The garden steps were also steep and steps were loose in places. The property is in a lovely setting but sadly is in much need of decorating and a deep clean. Almost every item of crockery we used needed washing and the kitchen seemed much smaller than photographs hinted at. All in all a disappointing Sykes property and one we would not recommend.
Thank you for your feedback provided for Holly Cottage. I'm sorry to hear you found the step a little steep to the dinning room and the low ceilings an issue at the house, but unfortunately with wonderful period property's, you will get low ceilings and small doors, steep steps and so on in some propertys . If you had mentioned this on booking, we would have found you the perfect property that would have worked for the whole party. The same with the garden, if steps are an issue, we could have advised and taken images of the steps for you to review before booking. I will get maintenance to check if one of them is loose and if so we will get this addressed easily. The cottage has just had a deep clean and the owner is giving it a freshen up in a couple of weeks, so all comments should be addressed and the dishwasher is going to be replaced. I hope you will give us the opportunity to show you are high standards in the future.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Elaine2.8★May 2022
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"Beautiful location although road quite busy at times."
Parking really difficult and was told not to park opposite house by neighbour. Some issues listed by previous occupant not dealt with which was disappointing, eg: updated gas certificate. House could have done with a big clean. Plus dishwasher broken. Overall though a great stay in a beautiful part of the world.
Thank you for your feedback with regards to your stay. It is a fabulous spot to base yourself and so close to all the sites to visit. I'm sorry to hear you had issues parking, it is on street parking, but we would be happy to have advised you on he best places to park close to the cottage. Thank you for the mention of the out of date certificate, we thought this had been taken out, but it's now been replaced with the up to date one. We have also deep cleaned the cottage and the dishwasher is being replaced once the new one arrives. We hope you had a lovely time exploring and hope to welcome you again soon.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Louise3.8★Apr 2022
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"Everything was perfect."
What a beautiful cosy home, stunning garden and such a wonderful location. True Cotswold feel but not remote with lots to discover in the village itself, locally and slightly further afield.
The only minor problem was with the dishwasher. We couldn't seem to get it to clean dishes properly. Most likely something we didnt do properly.
Thanks for such a wonderful venue for sharing precious family time together. It's been a long time and Holly Cottage was very much appreciated as was the trampoline...a big hit with our grandaughter and some of the adults also.
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We are so pleased to see you had a lovely stay at Holly Cottage and a great venue for your family holiday. We have reported the dishwasher and appreciate you reporting this to us. We hope to welcome you back again soon.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Gillian4.7★Mar 2022
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"Kitchen greasy and dirty
Sofa in the lounge heavily stained
Electrics in downstairs bedroom + bathroom stopped working
Bed sheets stained
Very poor repair to tiles around sink in upstairs bathroom."
Outhouse for rubbish clearly open to rodents
Outside cushions for garden furniture dirty and wet.
Cleaning products very poor. Hoover full of dog hair.
Photos in Sykes brochure not accurate nor is the description of being in quiet lane. Traffic from 6am!
Neighbour complained about us using ‘joint’ field for our dogs, despite info saying that was ok. Garden walls in disrepair so easy for a dog to escape. Garden gate not attached to anything
Reviewed by Patrick2.2★Mar 2022
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"A beautiful cottage in a gorgeous location."
Couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
NathanaelMar 2020
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"A well maintained, tasteful and characterful cottage in a really lovely quiet village location."
The furniture and paintings add to the interest. The garden is extensive and also well maintained for year round display.
GillianMar 2020
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"Very nice place and very well positioned both for Oxford Area and for the Cotswolds."
I think we´ll try to come again in the future.,Luis
Dec 2019
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"Holly Cottage is a lovey spot In a picturesque village from which to explore the Cotswolds."
The description is very clear that tall people will need to stoop in several rooms, due to low ceilings, and we appreciated that - our tall family only bonked their heads twice during the visit! The bedrooms are comfortable, with great linens and towels. Not having a shower was something to get used to, but we managed fine with the large bathtub and hand-held shower fixture. There was lots of hot water and the heating was fine for cold days, with a great wood burning stove in the living room. The gardens would be lovely in the summer, but we were there in a cold and rainy season, so just looked at the view. And enjoyed the cozy inside. The Old Swan pub is a short walk down the lane and great for a drink or meal. And there is a spa next to it that looked fun!
SaraDec 2019
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"Wonderful property, Michael was quick to respond to any questions, instructions to locate the cottage and tips for local experiences were all spot on."
PhilipAug 2019
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"The cottage was absolutely amazing, cosy and chic."
We loved the beautiful garden & trampoline. The rooms were specious & well set.
KhalifaJul 2019
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"Holly cottage is a beautiful property!"
Perfect for all ages, the youngest of our group was 2 and the eldest was 71 and everyone enjoyed it. The property is spotless and they have thought of everything, from the children’s books and games to all of the different things in the kitchen! The rooms are all spacious and the property has been decorated to a high standard throughout! The village is lovely and has a great local shop for day to day bits. We all had a lovely weekend away and would thoroughly recommend to anyone looking for a get together in the Cotswolds! Thanks again.
JordanMar 2019
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"Lovely cottage with outstanding gardens."
Pity weather wasn't too great. Hopefully be back in summer to enjoy it. Beautiful location.
SusanJan 2019
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"A beautiful village and comfortable cottage."
KateSep 2018
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"I wanted to thank Characater Cottages for their helpful and efficient handling of the booking arrangements and to express the appreciation of every member of the group to the owners of Holly Cottage for the use of their lovely cottage in Minster Lovell!"
We had a really great stay (despite pretty bad weather!) and enjoyed the surrounding areas as well as the cottage itself. Many thanks.
SharonAug 2018
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"Lovely House with very nice garden."
The river nearby was very inviting, even for swimming.
ChristophJul 2018
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"I arrived as Cas Wright & left as Cas Jackson."
Had a lovely stay in a beautiful cottage.
CasMay 2018
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"We enjoyed our stay very much in this lovely cottage and stunning gardens."
Bas, The NetherlandsApr 2018
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"Another lovely few days in Holly Cottage beautiful walks and shopping!"
The Swan is excellent, see you next year!
JoanneApr 2018
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"The cottage was great and the garden was too!"
We had so much fun!
StacyMar 2018
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"Simply perfect we want to come back lots!"
Thank you.
AliceMar 2018
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"We absolutely loved our stay at Holly Cottage."
It was very comfortable and a lovely place to be.
JoannaAug 2017
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"What a gorgeous cottage, and wonderful service from Character Cottages, would definitely recommend and use again - THANK YOU!"
LisaJun 2017
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"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, The cottage is beautiful and well equipped."
The garden is stunning and a joy to sit in and enjoy the sunshine. Great location for getting around but so nice you don't want to go out too much! We would highly recommend to others and would absolutely return. Thank you so much. The Gill Family
Mar 2017
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"Stunning cottage, gardens and village."
Plenty of room for games in the garden and rooms so beautiful, we loved the log fire. The Clarks
Mar 2017
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"The cottage was stunning!"
Huge but cosy at the same time. We had a lovely long weekend there with the children and would certainly stay again. There's lots for a family to do in the area and its just 30mins into the centre of Oxford. I can only imagine how lovely it would be to stay in the summer months and enjoy the lovely gardens. The addition of a shower would be nice but we found time to enjoy the luxurious bath tub.
Anna DavidsonFeb 2017
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"Return visit for half term with the grandchildren, we had a great time."
Many Thanks. Press Cookson Family, Ireland, Lake District & Oxford
Feb 2016
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"Fantastic cottage the perfect place for me to get ready for my wedding at the Old Swan + Minster Mill."
Caroline, London
Jan 2016
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"Had the best time."
The cottage is beautiful and met all our needs. A Lovely time was had by all and we will definitely be back! XOXO, Samantha
Jan 2016
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"Beautiful cottage, very comfortable, Ideal for a relaxing weekend break."
Chris, London
Dec 2015
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"In my opinion the best cottage I’ve ever stayed in."
Lovely & relaxing cottage with beautiful gardens & walks. Needs a microwave and dryer. Samara Ord, Australia
Dec 2015
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"Lovely cottage, beautiful countryside and very relaxing Thank you."
Maria, Leamington
Nov 2015
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"Happy 80th birthday Mummy."
A relaxing and happy weekend, thank you. The Goodyears and Townsends, Somerset & Hampshire
Nov 2015
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"What a find!"
Beautiful cottage, garden & location. We had such fun. X The Claytons. West Sussex
Nov 2015
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"A fantastic experience, we loved the cottage."
Thank You! Joshua, London
Nov 2015
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"Beautiful cottage & countryside."
A perfect Week! We shall definitely be back, thank you. The Millers, Lichfield, Staffordshire
Sep 2015
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"A beautiful cottage, thanks for having us."
A wonderful weekend escape Ingrid, London
Sep 2015
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"Really lovely house and a perfect place to stay, you have thought of everything."
Lamberts & Dodds, Sydney Australia & Seattle USA
Aug 2015
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"Gorgeous place to soak up the true English countryside experience!"
Thanks The Loosemore Familly, Australia & America
Jul 2015
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"Enchanting!"
Beautiful cottage in a fabulous location, loved it all. Thank you. Catherine, Marlow, Bucks, .
Jul 2015
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"Lovely cottage and garden!"
We very much liked the location, nice and quiet. Thank you! Mr Paardekooper, The Netherlands
Jun 2015
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"What a wonderful break – enjoyed the house, the garden, walks and talking with the locals!"
Thank you. Lizzie, Greenwich, Connecticut
Jun 2015
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"Excellent séjour avec le beau temps, maison et jardin très agréable Jean Pierre, France"
Jun 2015
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