-
6 Guests
-
3 Bedrooms
-
3 Bathrooms
-
Pets Yes
Features
- Off road parking
- Open fire
- Garden / Patio
- Washing machine
- Dishwasher
- Broadband / WiFi
Reviews & Ratings
6 Customer Reviews
-
"Barn conversion so naturally dark but quite a number of light bulbs missing or not working in several rooms."
Sign for house at entrance to property not visible enough so drove past and found it difficult to find. Problems with no hot water for a couple of days and not being able to get in touch with owner did put a dampener on the holiday experience. Nice to have a washing machine but because no tumble dryer or out side washing line unable to do laundry for 5 people as no way to get high levels of clothes dry. If you don't like spiders this is not the property for you.
-
"Absolutely beautiful setting, so peaceful and relaxing the property is full of character with stunning views and very spacious."
Hello to you all, Thank you for choosing to stay with us at Swallows Nest. We were pleased to meet you all and to hear how you enjoyed your stay with us. Thank you for your lovely comments. Kind regards Diane Property Owner
-
"Expensive for a tired looking property."
Needs uplifting in the bathrooms although good hot running water Many cobwebs, spiders and funny smells (in the bathroom) Needs signs to the property On the positive: Great sized rooms, plenty of space, lots of pots etc. Lots of character, set in lovely grounds in the middle of a forest. Friendly. A good base for touring around Devon.
Thank you for your feedback following your stay at Swallows Nest. The property is a 13th century building with stone internal walls and whilst we try to keep the cobwebs at bay, they do reappear overnight unfortunately! The funny smell in the bathroom has been investigated and we were unable to agree that there was a smell. We have been fogging the property following covid and believe this may be what you could have smelt. Despite the points raised we are delighted you enjoyed the grounds of Swallows Nest, it really is an idyllic setting and as you say, a good base for exploring. Property Owner
-
"Lovely property in a great location - handy for the beach and for the roads that can take you deep into Devon."
The property itself is huge and well furnished to a high standard. The grounds are beautiful, we saw deer crossing the lawn a couple of evenings. We were lucky that the weather was warmish - there are some electric heaters around the building, however in cold weather I wonder how effective this might be. There is a wood burner in the main lounge which we did not need to use, so perhaps this would be sufficient.
Thank you for choosing Swallows Nest for your holiday in Devon and for the very nice comments you have made. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed your stay and were comfortable and saw our deer roaming freely in the gardens. We hope we can wlecome you here again. Diane Property Owner
-
"Overall, although the property can be said to be characterful and in a lovely area, it wasn't worth a price tag of £1908 for one week!"
I was interested to see that the same week in 2022 is £1782 and in a few weeks time it is £808 ... but I suppose Covid has made many companies a little greedier than normal! We arrived to a smell of damp throughout the building, a broken window on the landing and windows that had not been cleaned inside or out for some time. There was no welcome box on arrival which one would expect when paying this kind of money. There were 2 dishwasher tablets for the week and enough washing up liquid to last a few days. No logs for the fire, numerous cobwebs throughout the house and two chipped mugs in the kitchen. All a little trivial but not really what you'd expect for £1908. Upon leaving, £135 was taken from my bank account for 6 very average and used towels which the owner claimed were stained. Two of which I was aware of when returning home and offered to pay for - my son failed to tell me until the question was asked - four of which were almost certainly not stained by us as they were only used for showering. Sykes offered little in the way of support and took the money without investigation, totally taking the side of the owner who offered no proof other than a not very clear photo. After a little further research, which I should have done prior to the booking, I discovered a number of similar reviews, some of which were from customers who had worse experiences with the owner and Sykes than we did ... and by magic, as I started to complain to Sykes, a positive review for the property appeared on their website, pushing the negative one which was already there out of view. What promised to be a lovely holiday left a rather sour taste. C'est la vie.
Thank you for your feedback, although we hope you enjoyed your time in Devon we’re sorry to hear that it wasn’t perfect. We’ve spoken with the owners about your comments and they dispute the claims you have concerning the alleged damp, broken window and chipped mugs. They’re especially puzzled by this as when asked how you were getting along your reported to them that you very happy and didn’t raise any of these issues at the time. They do agree there wasn’t a welcome pack as this isn’t something they provide. We’re sad that a claim needed to be made against your bond for the damage to the towels following your stay. The owner has provided several photos verifying the staining in order to fully evidence and substantiate the claim. We’re very sorry this left a dampener on the experience, but we do hope it won’t put you off a return to Devon in future. Property Owner
-
"There was no Sky Sports package and no gas BBQ (which was advertised and still is)."
As we taken BBQ food, we had to buy disposable BBQs. On enquiring about the BBQ, the owner of Swallows Nest said she was going to provide one the following day but this did not materialise.
Thank you for your valuable feedback which we have discussed with the owner unfortunately due to an issue with Sky updating their service to Sky Q the full sky package advertised is currently unavailable temporarily, a normal Sky package was and still is available until the issues Sky have can be resolved. Multiple free view channels are also available. There appears to have been some confusion regarding the BBQ, the owner advised a BBQ was available to be collected from her house only a few yards away. Despite the points raised we hope you enjoyed your visit to The Westcountry. Property Owner
This property is part of the Helpful Holidays collection.
Let Helpful Holidays be in your plans for your next Holiday
Summary
- Three bedrooms: 1 x four poster king-size with en-suite bath, handheld shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x four poster king-size with en-suite shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x twin with en-suite shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC
- Kitchen/diner
- Utility
- Sitting room with woodburning stove and dining seating for 6
- Electric heating
- Range cooker with electric oven and gas hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, TV with freeview, DVD player, CD player, WiFi
- Fuel, power and starter pack for woodburning stove inc. Bed linen and towels inc. Off-road parking for two cars
- Private patio and lawn with furniture and charcoal barbecue on request
- Shared garden with 18 acres
- One well-behaved dog welcome at an extra charge of £25
- Sorry, no smoking
- Shop and pub 4.6 miles
- Note: No children under 6 years old, except babies under 2 years old due to safety
- Note: Bookings for any other reason than holiday/leisure are not permitted, this property cannot be used as private accommodation for work trips.
The property
Dawlish 5.1 miles.
A traditionally-styled, stone-built barn conversion resting at Magnolia Lake in the sleepy village of Mamhead near Dawlish, Swallows Nest makes a fantastic choice for your family escape to this scenic area of Devon.
Pull up in the two private parking spaces before venturing through the garden and entering through the stable door to find even more character inside, venturing into the warmth of the sitting room where a woodburning stove takes centre stage, offering an eclectic mix of plush furnishing with a traditional interior, here you can settle down for the evening in front of the TV.
Move through into the kitchen/diner to find exposed stone walls and wooden units housing all the essentials for a week-long stay, while your private patio area is the perfect place to dine beneath the sun.
The ground floor also hosts a handy utility, while moving up to the first floor will bring you to the three sleeping spots of two four poster king-size bedrooms, one with an en-suite bathroom and the other a shower room, and a third and final twin room with an en-suite shower room, each bedroom boasting its own beautiful interior and charm.
Begin the day exploring the 18 acres of surrounding grounds, before heading out to discover Devon.
Swallows Nest at Magnolia Lake is a delightful choice for your rural escape.
Note: This property can be booked with Refs. 1060791, 1060804, 1060805, 1060807, together sleeping up to 20 guests.
Note: Minimum 3 night stay accepted.
Magnolia Lake
Five individual cottages set within 18 acres of private woodland and gardens close to the beautiful hamlet of Mamhead in an unspoilt corner of South Devon and amidst rolling countryside and stunning woodland areas. Tucked below the beautiful Haldon Forest; a haven for walkers, cyclists and wildlife the cottages at Magnolia Gardens offer wonderful rural retreats yet are easily accessible form the A380 which connects Exeter and Torquay. Ideally suited to groups of friends or families, this accommodation caters to a variety of group needs, there's no better choice for your escape to Devon. All of the cottages offer a homely and traditional interior, with woodburning stoves in three of the cottage offering an added warmth in the winter months, while their private gardens offer the perfect spot for alfresco dining and social gatherings in the summer, with all of 18 acres of beautiful grounds to explore too! On the southern border of Haldon forest and just below the Mamhead Sensory Trail and the Mamhead Obelisk, the cottages are well placed for those seeking a relaxing escape, with walking routes leading you past the landmark via dens and wooded trails to explore. For relaxed days out then the coast is a short drive away with Dawlish Warren offering a huge sweep of golden sand plus a wild bird sanctuary and nature reserve or explore Regency town of Teignmouth with its pier and sandy beaches. Both Dawlish and Teignmouth are home to a scattering of shops, pubs, restaurants, ice cream shops, cafés and so much more, there's sure to be something here for every kind of dining occasion. Take a day trip to Shaldon to discover the Shaldon Wildlife Trust and the Shaldon Botanical Gardens both making lovely spots for a leisurely stroll, or enjoy a family-fun day out at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, home to baboons, red pandas, crocodiles, wallabies and so much more, it's well-worth a visit. The adventure seekers will delight at the surrounding attractions of Ashcombe Adventure Centre, Go Ape Bullers Hill and Crealy Theme Park and Resort, all offering a memorable experience and rides suitable for a variety of ages. While the history lover will be happy to find both Powderham Castle and the National Trust owned Compton Castle just a scenic car ride away too. In easy reach of so much excitement, the cottages at Magnolia Lake make a superb choice at any time of the year.
Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £250.
About the location
DAWLISH
Teignmouth 3 miles; Exeter 13.4 miles; Exmouth 19.7 miles
A charming seaside town set on the southern coast. The town of Dawlish offers all of the facilities for day-to-day living including a pleasant variety of shops, restaurants and cafés and a small cinema. Dawlish is famous for its Black Swans that live with other wildfowl on the Dawlish Water that runs through the central town park down to the sea, at night in the summer it is beautifully lit by strings of coloured lights. Dawlish comes with a wonderful, sandy beach with a crazy golf course also nearby, it is the perfect place for a family holiday. Up the coast is Dawlish Warren that can be reached by car or train or, for those energetic types, a walk along the sea wall. Further afield, Dawlish mainline station offers access to Exeter, Exmouth, Torquay, Paignton or even Plymouth, trains are plentiful.
Note: Please arrange with owner if planning to charger electric vehicles at the property.
Note: Bookings for any other reason than holiday/leisure are not permitted, this property cannot be used as private accommodation for work trips.
Note: Minimum 3 night stay accepted.
This property offers the following short breaks:
- Winter
- Off-season
- Last minute
- Christmas