Crab Cottage

43 Customer Reviews

• "Well located for Bembridge and local beach walks."

  The property was well equipped, acceptable and plenty of space for a family of 4, as described. Good comms and got in a bit earlier on arrival. Only few constructive niggles we noticed (or had) were, the property could do with a good spring clean, ie high level/lights, under sofas etc. plus some minor DIY maintenance, blown bulb in bedroom, the only clothes hooks hanging off wall etc, clean/oil garden furniture etc. really just all the smaller details, clean the extract fans, sort the shower leak and bath panel as this has also clearly also taken a beating. We also found both single bed mattresses too soft, I ended up doing a week on the sofa which was more comfortable in the end. TV signal was pretty useless, be worth investing in a smart TV nowadays, and we couldn’t get the drier to work on any drying cycles so had to use the heating more. A shelf or clothes storage in front bedroom would also be ideal. Local pub was okay for a drink, never tried the food. All fairly quiet in late Autumn but suspect noiser in summer months from pub goers.

  Reviewed by John4.1★Oct 2024

• "We had a fantastic time at crab cottage, lovely clean cosy cottage with everything you need, this was our second stay and we will be back in the future for a third stay!"

  We made use out of the hot tub and there’s a pub literally a minute down the road. We would highly recommend crab cottage. Thank you so much :)

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Oct 2024

• "My family and I had a wonderful week at the crab cottage."

  Everything and everywhere was spontaneously clean. The area is very quiet, a beautiful restaurant-crab and lobster is a stone throw away. Hot tub was a cherry on top. It was like being home away from home, if not letter. We would definitely stay there again. The owner was a phone call away. I would give a 10

  Reviewed by Gertrude5.0★Oct 2024

• "We have stayed before and just love, LOVE Crab cottage."

  It’s cosy but spacious, clean and welcoming and - the walk in shower is gorgeous. Location makes it easy to access anywhere on the island, but still get away from the crowds, which is very much us. Parking is easy as there is space on the property. It’s close to the Bembridge shelf which ensures either stunning sunrises, long strolls on the beach or a prime spot to watch ships come and go (with numerous benches on viewpoints to choose from). Finally we tried The crab and lobster Inn at the end of the road, and we were not disappointed. Highly recommend this cottage but book in early as it is HUGELY popular in Summer and rightly so. We will definitely return. Thank you again for such a wonderful stay. ❤️

  Reviewed by Helena5.0★Oct 2024

• "We had booked the cottage prior to the couple of recent negative reviews, so were somewhat concerned about things already mentioned regarding cleanliness and general upkeep."

  Some of the points seem to have been actioned as there was a welcome pack provided. The cleanliness of the cottage was good and I believe much of the cleanliness issues previously reported are down to tenants not cleaning up their own mess. There are a few stains, bumps and scuffs, as well as dusty lights but these are to be expected in a house for 6 people. There was however sand in the hot tub as had been previously mentioned. The hot tub cover also needs a lifting frame as its very difficult to put back on without two strong adults. The cottage listing states all power and fuel included in rent. I plugged in my Hybrid car to top off the battery. As it’s a Hybrid charging over a 13A trickle charger, it costs appx £3 to fully charge over around 6 or 7 hours. I received a text from the owner shortly after arrival asking me to make an additional financial contribution toward charging. Rather than argue the issue, I stated I would take the car off charge without delay which I did. I also asked if the hot tub could be cleaned due to the sand. Within a few minutes, Justin, the owner was at the door, clearly extremely agitated and annoyed. He looked in the hot tub and told us if he emptied it we wouldn’t be able to use the hot tub for 2 days until it heated up again. I said I was surprised it was handed over in this condition as it had been mentioned in the previous reviews. He stated he didn’t even read the reviews! He said he was angry we had taken the liberty to charge the car without consent and was demanding I pay him for this. He said he was so annoyed he wanted us to leave and he would refund us as he had “loads of money”. Despite this statement and display of avarice, he again asked for money for the minimal charging the car had already had. I offered to pay him 50p which I felt was fair for the time period and the fact I had already agreed not to charge the car further. I pointed out to him that where a separate charge for vehicle charging is required, that this is normally made clear in the listing. He again asked us to leave, it was “his house” and he could “have us out if he wanted”. I told him we weren’t leaving and I suggested he went away and calmed down. He did leave at that point and later, in an attempt at damage limitation, sent a text apologising for getting off on the wrong foot which was a slight understatement. Surprisingly, despite me telling him clearly we were not leaving, he again stated he was happy to provide a refund if we weren’t happy. He also again offered to empty the hot tub but that the sand not being present couldn’t be guaranteed. I replied saying we were not wanting to leave or have the hot tub emptied. We were only two guests in a house catering for six, which cuts the fuel bill by two thirds straight away. Add to this the three beds not in use and associated laundry, his approach to the situation was somewhat shortsighted. This incident tainted the holiday from the off and was completely avoidable.

  Reviewed by David3.1★Sep 2024

• "Very good location, brilliant property."

  Facilities were great and hot tub was an added bonus. Kitchen was fantastic and very clean. Definitely stay there again!!

  Reviewed by Angela4.7★Aug 2024

• "The cottage is nicely situated, just a stones throw away from the Crab and Lobster Inn, one of the most popular pubs in the area."

  Cottage is spacious - big enough to not have 6 people getting under each others feet during the stay, though 4 people would find it more comfortable. The en-suite shower is easy to use and rooms are clean, though hooks on doors in the bathrooms would be handy. The fridge freezer is big enough for 6 people and having immediate cold water and ice machine in the freezer is nice. Parking is adequate for 2 cars, being on the end of the road with a wall directly opposite means there may be some precision parking required, as it could be a little tight for larger cars. The lounge area can seat 5 people comfortably. The other chairs in the dining area are not comfortable enough to sit on for any length of time. The patio and hot tub is great to use on a summers day, or evening, but the tub did not appear to be maintained particularly well during the stay. The house did have a rather unpleasant chemical smell upon arrival that took a couple of days to disperse by opening the windows and doors to circulate the air. A convenience store is within walking distance, just a 10 minute stroll away. Visitors will undoubtedly need to use this as the cupboards were bare. Having stayed at a lot of places on the island over the years, I have to say this is the only one that hasn't at least provided a welcome pack with some basics for the stay. Simple things such as a small carton of milk in the fridge, or some washing up liquid and a couple of dishwasher tabs, even salt and pepper and additional refuse sacks I don't think would be too much to expect for what you are paying and is standard for holiday lets. Another review on here mentioned prosecco and chocolates, maybe that was for a special occasion, as we literally had nothing. Attention to detail can make someone feel more welcome, put the accommodation above others, and entice more people to return if they feel they have been looked after, especially if they have travelled a long way. 5pm check in is a little later than most cottages on the island. Fortunately, the island has plenty of things to do. I can see no real justification as to why it needs to be this late though. For the cost and location, you are (just about) getting what you are paying for, but with a little more attention and a couple of minor additions and improvements this really could be an oustanding place to stay. As it stands, it just falls short.

  Reviewed by Roy3.4★Aug 2024

• "Although we loved the look and location of the cottage, unfortunately, we found the property to be in need of a good deep clean on our arrival."

  There was a lot of dust around that had clearly been there for some time, especially on areas like the lamps, light fittings, radiators, skirting boards, bed frames, around the windows and around the toilets etc. There were also lots of signs of wear and tear around the house, which just made it look unappealing and was disappointing given the potential this cottage has. These included stained sofas and cushions, numerous dirty marks and cobwebs on the walls throughout, broken zips on pillow protectors, warped wood on the side of the bath and the light coloured carpets were in need of a clean. The kitchen needed a thorough cleaning, cupboards had crumbs in them, the fridge had food stains, the trays in the oven were dirty and the cutlery tray was full of dirt and crumbs (not nice when you are about to use said items). The cottage is advertised as having a washer/dryer but unfortunately it didn’t appear to be able to dry the clothes as every load was wet after putting it on a drying cycle. It also left lots of lint on our clothes, as well as all around the rubber seal. Not sure if it just needs some cleaning maintenance? It also had been kept with the door closed and the smell emanating from it and the cupboard under the stairs where it’s located, was quite pungent on arrival (a hot wash with some soda crystals and this thankfully removed the smell). I’d like to point out here that the property is advertised as having a ‘utility’- I would not class using the cupboard under the stairs as a ‘utility’. There is no outside washing line, this would have been very welcome during our stay as we had nowhere to dry our wet washing except for a couple of small clothes horses (a struggle between 2 couples). There was only a dustpan and brush/mop and bucket to clean the floors, no vacuum or even a broom, which would have been helpful during and at the end of our stay. The outside table and chairs are in desperate need of a sanding down and staining and there is no parasol to shade you if you decided to use them when it’s sunny (we didn’t for that reason). The hot tub clearly hadn’t been cleaned before our stay because there was sand in it and the cover for it was starting to deteriorate on the underside. We found the bedrooms to be quite small, perhaps this is the reason for no storage aside from small wardrobes in them? We had to use the twin room for extra storage space (this room had neither wardrobes nor drawers in it) so we effectively ended up living out of our suitcases for the week. There were also only a handful of hangers between the 2 wardrobes, which caught us out a bit so we had to lay some of our clothes on the unused twin beds. The bathrooms only had small towel rails, so we struggled to dry our used towels after showering/bathing. The cottage was very hot inside (25C) even when outside it was only 17\18C, opening the windows and the patio doors didn’t do much to bring the temperature down (especially upstairs) so bear this in mind during hot weather, you’ll need to bring a fan with you if you struggle with the heat. This cottage has the potential to be a 5 star holiday let but all of the above lets it down and considering the cost of renting it for the week in peak season, was a disappointment to all of us staying. On the positive side, the sofa’s were comfy, the range oven was great at cooking things quickly and evenly, the location fantastic (the food at the ‘Crab & Lobster Inn’ down the road was very tasty) and the owners were responsive when there appeared to be a leak in the bedroom coming from the ensuite and when requesting the code to the key safe.

  Reviewed by Gemma2.5★Jun 2024

• "We had a lovely time, cottage had everything we needed."

  All the beds were very comfy and sofas were relaxing. All the information provided was great and very useful and correct. The only things that could be improved which did not affect our holiday but is feedback, maybe a few more blinds/ curtains around the house for privacy. The location is amazing, with the beach so close and the lovely pub down the road. We will be back, thank you!

  Reviewed by Katherine4.7★Jun 2024

• "Great cottage in a fabulous location the house was lovely very comfortable and was a home from home."

  The hot tub was excellent thank you to Karla and Justin for a lovely week in your lovely cottage xx

  Reviewed by Tracey5.0★May 2024

• "Our tremendous thanks to Karla for a wonderful "Home from Home" stay at this beautiful house in a brilliant location, so peaceful and secure, and less than an hour from all the best things about the Isle of Wight."

  Everything about this property is perfection, even for a group of 3 as we were, we had a loo each, and 2 bathrooms! Fantastic! A refreshing break for us and we will be back definitely!!

  Reviewed by David5.0★May 2024

• "Crab Cottage was just perfect for the 3 of us."

  Beautifully situated and cottage decorated thoughtfully too. Warm feel with lots of homely touches. Good quality quilts, pillows, bed linen and towels provided. Owners were on hand to answer any questions or queries and were very responsive and friendly. I only have positives about the accommodation but having drawers in the bedrooms would have been helpful as no where to keep items/ anything, other than hanging in wardrobes. I understand this was possibly to maximise space but locating drawer units inside the wardrobes would have been very helpful. Emailed Sykes a couple of weeks before we started our break away to ask a question, I never had a reply!

  Reviewed by Lynn4.4★Oct 2023

• "Great location."

  Could do with some hooks on the doors as struggled with drying towels and no drawers in any of the bedrooms. Only minor points. Overall we had a fantastic stay.

  Reviewed by Damian3.4★Jul 2023

• "Had a great holiday crab cottage was fantastic highly recommended best part of the holiday was coming back too the hot tub."

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  Reviewed by James5.0★May 2023

• "Lovely cottage, on arrival the friendly owner came up and introduced himself, we had a lovely surprise on the table for us some chocolates and a bottle of prosecco, the cottage was very clean and had all the essential items that we needed, the hot tub was amazing, we really enjoyed our stay and would definitely come back again, perfect family holiday, thank you so much again for letting us stay!"

  :)

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Mar 2023

• "Couldn’t fault the owners they were on hand and very helpful in increasing the ..."

  Couldn’t fault the owners they were on hand and very helpful in increasing the hot tub temperature Crab cottage was lovely and upon arrival was quite clean apart from 6 inches of dust on all the skirting boards otherwise a lovely stay

  Reviewed by Linda3.4★Sep 2022

• "Superb situation for aces to beach with younger children."

  A well designed cottage enabling 4 adults and two children to explore the whole island.

  Reviewed by Joy5.0★Aug 2022

• "A great stay at Crab Cottage overall."

  Owners very responsive. Some extra storage/hooks/shelves in the bedrooms would be useful. In the kitchen, we were a little short of bowls and small plates so had to keep washing them up. Some salt/pepper would also have been appreciated. The folder of information about the appliances was not very user friendly. Eg. We would like to have known all the symbols on the cooker!

  Reviewed by Nicholas4.7★Jun 2022

• "We had a great week at crab cottage great location for beach and local shops hot ..."

  We had a great week at crab cottage great location for beach and local shops hot tub was enjoyed by the grand child and his parents the property is very spacious and is very equipped for a family to enjoy

  Reviewed by Sharon5.0★Apr 2022

• "Crab Cottage was absolutely fantastic."

  The hosts are super welcoming and helpful. The cottage facilities were great. It has a well stocked kitchen, very comfortable lounge and bedrooms. The hot-tub is fantastic, and in a great little garden perfect for bar-be-cues. The village of Bembridge is lovely, lots of nice little shops and restaurants, and Crab Cottage is within in a short walk to the beach. I would definitely recommend a stay here

  Reviewed by Natalie5.0★Apr 2022

• "Fabulous property, fabulous location, loved the flowers and treats on arrival."

  The hot tub was amazing at the end of each day. Will definitely return.

  Reviewed by Sharon5.0★Mar 2022

• "We absolutely loved our five night stay in Crab Cottage."

  We have stayed in several self-catering properties over the years and I can genuinely say that this is the nicest property we have ever stayed in! We are two retired couples. We appreciated that there were two bathrooms, with wonderful showers. The beds were comfortable. There was plenty of space for us. The Wi-fi was excellent. The owner's gift items were also much appreciated. Everything, including the location just two minutes' walk from the Bembridge coast and a very nice pub, was superb.

  Reviewed by Lin5.0★Mar 2022

• "This was a really enjoyable holiday in an attractive and very well furnished property."

  Everything is provided to make a really comfortable stay. The property is in an excellent location with the beach and pub just a short walk away and shops nearby as well.

  Reviewed by Ann5.0★Sep 2021

• "Amazing cottage and location, me and my family loved it."

  Karla the owner was wonderful too..

  Reviewed by Paul4.7★Jul 2021

• "Crab Cottage is a great holiday location."

  It’s proximity to the beaches, not to mention the local pub and shops, was a big plus, and we found so much to do in the immediate locality we almost regretted hiring a car. The cottage itself was comfortable, very clean and well appointed. There’s only one however, which is to point out a lack of storage for clothes etc in the bedrooms. But don’t let that put you off. It’s a great choice!

  Reviewed by Veronica4.4★Jun 2021

• "The house is ideally situated for lovely coastal walks, has a lovely pub restaurant within walking distance and despite its closeness there is no noise."

  The house is well equipped and is extremely clean. One minor thing to be aware of is that whilst 2 out of the 3 bedrooms have wardrobes in them there are no cupboard / draws in the bedrooms. Perhaps some portable hanging shelves could be placed in the wardrobes. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this house and the area of Bembridge is wonderful we hope to return soon

  Reviewed by Lin5.0★Jun 2021

• "A pint of milk, tea sugar and a packet of biscuits would be greatly appreciated, as with other holiday lets."

  The house was extremely clean and a few toys were enjoyed by our 3 year old grandson. Would have loved a some garden furniture to sit comfortably reading a book or hopefully take in the rays. However having been to Bembridge for 40 years, this house is our list for the future. Thank you house owner

  Reviewed by Jeffery5.0★May 2021

• "This is more of a home than holiday accommodation, we were mostly very comfortable."

  This is a home with style, I particularly loved the kitchen and bathrooms (love that en-suite shower!). Unfortunately, the master bed was a bit too low, which was ok with me, but too low for my husband. This is why I couldn't give full Mark's for comfort, sorry... If it's possible to push the single beds together, this cottage is somewhere we would love to stay again in. The area is very close to the sea and there are lots of footpaths, but there are a lot of houses in the area, and a very busy pub at the end of the road, so it can get a little busy with cars, but it's not at all noisy.☆☆☆☆☆

  Reviewed by Stephen4.4★Sep 2020

• "Fantastic service from start to finish."

  Crab Cottage was beautiful and exceeded all expectations. Will definitely be using you again and looking forward to coming back next year. Thank you!!!!

  Reviewed by Amanda5.0★Aug 2020

• "Crab Cottage was a beautiful place to stay, in a fantastic location close to the beach."

  And not far from Bembridge village. We also enjoyed the hot tub. We really enjoyed walks along the beach, such pretty shoreline. Cottage was modern, well designed, nice & light and very clean. We had a relaxing stay.

  Reviewed by Timothy5.0★Aug 2020

• "There was a lack of storage in the bedrooms, some drawers or shelves would of been useful and some hooks on doors or somewhere to hang the towels."

  Was disappointed by the cleanliness of the cups, cooking utensils and barbecue too. The garden furniture also could do with either maintained or being replaced.

  Reviewed by Sarah4.1★Jul 2020

• "Crab Cottage is a beautiful property, fully equipped for a lovely relaxing holiday."

  The owners were very welcoming on our arrival. Bembridge is a lovely friendly village. The beach and Crab and Lobster pub are located at the end of the road. We would definitely recommend Crab Cottage and can't wait to stay here again.

  Reviewed by Vicky5.0★Mar 2020

• "A lovely cottage right by the seaside."

  The place was so welcoming and had all mod cons, especially liked the fancy fridge! The shower was great and the place was spotless. The interior design is beautiful and the local touches of artwork were appreciated. We hope to return soon.

  Reviewed by Jenna5.0★Feb 2020

• "Excellent cottage, Great owners who will go out their way to make you stay a very special one."

  Definitely recommenced 100%. Can't wait to return and stay again!

  Reviewed by Martin5.0★Feb 2020

• "A wonderful stay."

  Crab Cottage is a beautiful property that was hard to leave. It was spotless and yet homely at the same time. We were welcomed by the landlord, and also given a beautiful orchid and some chocolates. Everything was catered for, towels, coffee, dishwasher tablets, handwash...the American fridge was to die for. My only criticism was that it could have done with a coffee table and maybe some cupboards on the wall in the kitchen, and maybe a TV that had access to Netflix. There is now a microwave, and the cooker is really easy to use. Contrary to some reviews, myself and my two friends found the beds extremely comfortable and I slept well. I honestly wanted to take Crab Cottage and transport it to London to live there forever! One of the only places I have stayed that looks exactly as it does in the photos. As it was November, we didn't go out much, but in the summer it would be perfect for walks along Bembridge beach and the Crab and Lobster Pub is literally around the corner. Can't wait to come back.

  Reviewed by Karen5.0★Nov 2019

• "Had a fantastic week at Crab cottage, a real home from home."

  Reviewed by John5.0★Oct 2019

• "Really enjoyed our holiday at this property, extremely well furnished, with high quality fixtures and fittings."

  Also very spacious and comfortable with lots of extra facilities.Situated in a very good location.

  Reviewed by Ann5.0★Sep 2019

• "Crab Cottage provides very good well located accommodation."

  It's Ideal for exploring Bembridge and its surrounds; which just happens to be our favourite place on the IoW.

  Reviewed by Geoff5.0★Aug 2019

• "Excellent cottage, excellent location!"

  Reviewed by Sarah5.0★Jun 2019

• "The cottage was absolutely amazing."

  All the facilities were as listed apart from we took our own BBQ and it turned out there was one there already. The only quibble was the front bedroom bed creaked a lot, and I mean a lot every little movement in the night and everyone was awake. Would recommend a new mattress.

  Reviewed by Hannah4.7★Jun 2019

• "It was nice to be greeted by the owner who was a very friendly gentleman."

  Also in the house were beautiful fresh roses and a large box of chocolates The house is very tastefully furnished and everything you need. Plenty of room for a family or in our case with 2 friends. We all thoroughly enjoyed the week and would definitely be returning and recommending to other family and friends. Thank you for a memorable week.

  Reviewed by Peter J5.0★May 2019

• "Crab Cottage is a newly built house and everything is sparkling new and spotless."

  Facilities are good and location great. The addition of the hot tub is a little extra luxury. We had a super week.

  Reviewed by Caroline4.7★Apr 2019

• "Lovely place with lots of extras such as coffee machine ."

  Only downside were the beds which were very uncomfortable and gave the adults back ache . Also would have been nice to have blinds on the patio doors as with no locks to the side gates anyone could have popped round and looked in. Also needed a microwave.

  Reviewed by Anthony3.8★Feb 2019

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