Avalon

31 Customer Reviews

• "Loved the island so easy to get around on the great bus network ( their app is helpful too) and so much to see, the needles especially and everyone on island so polite."

  cottage warm, spacious and beds comfy and it is well located but the big downside was the cottage not clean. We spent 1st two hours hoovering and mopping.. the mop was dry so had not been used recently hence grubby floors and hoover seems full hence not picking up.

  Hi Stephen We are glad that you found Avalon to be warm, spacious and the beds comfy but were very sad that you felt that the house had not been properly cleaned. We contacted our cleaning company as soon as we saw your review and also had numerous conversations with Sykes. We were only sorry that you did not inform Sykes at the time of your stay so that something could have been done whilst you were still there. Moving forward we have decided to finish with our current cleaning company and have now signed up with a new cleaning company to start the new season next year which we are really excited about. We really do appreciate your honest feedback and hope that you can see that we listen and take action when it is needed. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Stephen3.4★Oct 2024

• "A delightful three-bedroomed house in Freshwater IOW."

  Well placed for local services and shops. A lovely garden and terrace which offers attractive outside space and seating areas. The kitchen was large and comprehensively equipped with all that one would normally need. A dining room and two other reception rooms offered a spacious layout and comfortable seating. Beds were comfy, nice shower room and plenty of wardrobe space. Overall a pleasant and comfortable stay with good communication with owner.

  Hi David Thank you so much for your lovely comments. We are so thrilled that you enjoyed your stay. We really appreciate you taking the time to post your review. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by David5.0★Sep 2024

• "Lovely house."

  Had a bit of trouble with the bottom oven not realising it was gas as the top oven was electric, maybe mention that in the instruction booklet. Well equipped and comfortable house. We enjoyed our stay and would return and would recommend it to family and friends. Thankyou to the owners.

  HI Jeanette Thank you so much for your feedback. So happy to hear that you had a lovely stay and would love to recommend and return! Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jeanettr5.0★Sep 2024

• "The place was better than the description and photos in my opinion."

  The one thing that came up time and time again was the steepness of the drive. It is steep, but it is absolutely fine for most cars, including a large family car to be parked there. We would definitely book this place again. It was just what we needed. All the extra things available such as a high chair, stair gate and beach toys were so thoughtful! Thank you for a lovely family vacation!

  Hi Rahel Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. We totally agree with your comments about the drive. We have a big family car and have never had a problem. Thank you for your comments re the photos. We will endeavour to update the photographs of the new bathroom and widened driveway in time for next season. Wonderful to hear that you would book again. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Rahel5.0★Jul 2024

• "Clean, homely, light, spacious and well equipped with lovely garden."

  Well positioned for Needles, Tennyson House and Yarmouth but not that far a drive to other places. Shops and supermarkets in walking distance. Would recommend.

  Thank you so much for your lovely positive feedback. Glad you had a great stay at Avalon. Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by John5.0★Jun 2024

• "We had a great stay at Avalon enjoyed our holiday but felt the place could do with a spring clean especially the kitchen."

  Parking is a bit of a problem and it is difficult to park any where else I would also like to add that I was very disappointed with Sykes no customer service cannot speak to anyone on the phone very poor

  Hi Anita I was very sad to read your feedback particularly given that we had been in text contact. If you had needed to get in touch with Sykes and were unable to, you just needed to have contacted me again and i could have helped. I will take up your comments re the 'spring clean' with Sykes. Thank you. Re the parking, we have a big car and the drive has been very recently widened. We reverse onto it approaching from the Clayton Road end. Had you not wanted to park on the drive, Clayton Road is perfect and is only a minute away. The last contact that I had with you was your message which read 'Great time, thank you' so I had no idea that you were dissatisfied. Kind regards Michelle Property Owner

  Reviewed by Anita3.1★Jun 2024

• "The major problem was the steepness of the driveway, and having to reverse in ( owner's suggestion)."

  As the cottage is just behind the village centre, the limited space on the road was often occupied by shoppers, and on a couple of occasions, we could not even acces the cottage driveway and had to park away from the cottage in an adjoining side street. We did observe that adjoing properties had near level driveways !. The cottage did have everything we needed, but as the only toilet was upstairs, i would certainly think it was not suitable for those with limited mobility. In addition, upper level access was not easy due to differing stair levelsand bathroom access during the night was not easy . A small nightlight with motion sensor would be a good idea as this would be cheaper to run than leaving the hall light on all night. Plus, it could be switched off during the day. Another suggestion would be a child stair gate at the top of the stairs for sfaety reasons when families with younger children stay. A minor niggle - on reading the comments from other visitors to the cottage, we noticed mention of a Welcome Pack - there was none!.We did have an issue with the bathroom ( minor and not reported ). I would mention that on our return home, i had received an email from the cottage owners, actually mentioning that a) the driveway had been widened, and b) the bathroom fan did not work and was awaiting repair. It would have been helpful if a note had been attached to the bathroom door mentioning this fact.

  Dear Janet Some time ago we amended the description of our property to inform potential visitors of the perceived steepness of the drive. The house particulars also state that it is not suitable for anyone with limited mobility. The house description makes it clear that there is one bathroom in the property situated upstairs so I am surprised that you were not aware of this. We have never heard of anyone not being able to access the house drive and certainly in all our numerous visits have never found this to be the case. Very glad to hear that the house had everything that you needed. There are in fact three plug in night lights situated upstairs in the bedrooms and on the landing. If anyone had moved the landing plug in light, it would be located in one of the bedrooms. There is a stair gate in the understairs cupboard. I was sorry to hear that you did not see the email that I had sent you until your return. This was sent to you prior to your stay. We assumed that you had read this . Time and time again we have had wonderful feedback about Avalon. You need only read the the other guests comments who stayed in the previous 2 weeks to yourselves. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Janet3.4★Apr 2024

• "Great location for ferry at Yarmouth with walking facilities in Freshwater and ..."

  Great location for ferry at Yarmouth with walking facilities in Freshwater and close also to Freshwater Bay and stunning coastal Military Road, just perfect

  Hi Heather Thank you so much for your lovely comments. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Heather5.0★Apr 2024

• "Perfect, quite simply one of the best UK holidays cottages we have ever stayed at."

  Credit to the owners, they clearly care about it. Would definitely stay again.

  David Thank you so much for your fabulous comments. We are thrilled that you had such a wonderful stay. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by David5.0★Apr 2024

• "We had a really lovely week at Avalon."

  A really lovely property and everything that you needed. Very clean and comfortable. So close to all amenities and a short ride to the beach

  Hilary Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. We are glad that you enjoyed your stay. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Hilary4.7★Sep 2023

• "We had a lovely week in this great & well equipped house."

  We particularly enjoyed the lovely garden, comfortable lounge, the fabulous kitchen and the cool garden room. Thanks to the owners for the milk, biscuits & starter pack that we found waiting for us on arrival - all very helpful! We visited lots of great places including… The Garlic Farm, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Shanklin Chine, Monkey Haven, Osborne House, West Wight Alpacas (Walk an Alpaca), Alum Bay and Chair Lift, The Needles, Tolland Bay and Yarmouth. All these places are recommended! We also enjoyed great meals at the Red Lion (Steak & Ale pie especially good), delicious fish n chips from Rainbow Chippy (both of these places are within walking distance of Avalon). A few things to be aware of if staying at Avalon. Parking The drive is steep (c 12 degrees uphill towards the house) you will need a reliable handbrake and a smallish car to be able to park on it safely. Our Captur just fitted - it is c 1.8m wide by just over 4.1m long. Anything longer than this would stick out onto the pavement. Larger cars will need to be parked elsewhere. Rubbish and Recycling You may want to check with owners for latest position but here’s our understanding following a conversation with the owner in July 2023. A cleaning company collects rubbish from the black wheelie bin only. Although you may find a green wheelie bin marked ‘recycling’ next to it, please ignore it and use only the black bin for all waste including anything potentially recycleable. To recycle anything such as glass, plastics, tins etc, you will need to find public facilities at supermarkets, car parks etc. Stairs These are quite steep and the treads are quite shallow. If like me, you are over 6ft, you’ll probably need to duck to come down the stairs without hitting your head. These 3 points are here really to help manage your expectations/planning. Avalon is lovely and quiet, well equipped and convenient in its location. Freshwater has a nice feel and there are some very interesting local shops. We would be happy to stay here again ourselves. We can recommend Avalon as a splendid place to stay for your holiday!

  Hi Dave Thank you for your feedback. We now have the facility with our cleaning company to recycle which is great news and just as it should be in 2023. Noted about the drive. We have a large Mazda which slightly overhangs onto the pavement and have had no problems or complaints but yes, it is a little steep. Thrilled that you would be happy to stay again. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Dave4.7★Jul 2023

• "Only negative comments was that the driveway was only just big enough for a small vehicle and the other area recommended was very busy if you arrived back late evening."

  The house was very well equipped and had everything you needed.

  Tim, thank you for your feedback. We are glad that you found Avalon a great place to stay. Regarding the driveway, we have changed the property description to now make reference to the driveway which can seem steep if you are not used to it. Many thanks. Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Tim3.8★Jun 2023

• "We had a really lovely stay."

  The property was an ideal home-from-home providing us with everything we needed. It was a really super base to explore the whole of the island. The only negative was the driveway which is steep, short and narrow and somewhat of a squeeze; having to jump out first with the children before my husband reversed up each time was a bit of a nuisance - but at least there was parking! We hope to be able to return to the Isle of Wight one day and wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

  Thank you for your comments, Sarah, and we are thrilled to hear that you would not hesitate to stay at Avalon again. We have amended the property description to make reference to the driveway. Thank you. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Property Owner

  Reviewed by Sarah4.4★May 2023

• "Avalon is a fantastic base from which to explore the Island."

  We found it to be clean, comfortable, spacious, well equipped and beautifully decorated. A second toilet in a house of that size would be a useful addition, but that is a minor point. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

  Davin Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. We are glad that you found Avalon to be a super place to stay. We very much appreciate you taking the time to write. Kindest regards Michelle and Andy Hollingsworth Property Owner

  Reviewed by David5.0★Apr 2023

• "This was our second stay at Avalon, we enjoyed our holiday."

  Avalon is a home from home, comfortable and the perfect location for walking around west wight. We had a minor technical issue that was dealt with by the owners very quickly. Already booked for next year.

  Reviewed by Lynn5.0★Oct 2022

• "We really enjoyed our stay."

  Thank you.

  Reviewed by Pauline4.7★Jul 2022

• "We passed on some issues and hopefully useful suggestions to the maintenance company hoping they will benefit those staying here in future."

  We also would like to return as the property was comfortable and central to the West Wight area we like walking. Although the shopping area looks a little tired it offered every type of shop we could want. It was great being able to pop out to get whatever we needed and be back within 10 to 20 minutes. We didn't use the car from arrival until departure. The cost of the ferries is the only thing that has stopped coming to the island as often as we would have liked.

  Reviewed by Graham4.4★May 2022

• "Had a marvelous stay."

  ....definitely recommend

  Reviewed by John Ronald5.0★Mar 2022

• "Lovely spacious and well-equipped house in a really handy location."

  Reviewed by Eleanor5.0★Oct 2021

• "The cottage is lovely, really chamring and well-thought out - very well- equipped and clean, the garden pleasant and well-kept and a boon for us, who are older and have recently both been ill."

  The great drawback for us - which, after a couple of days coping with it, actually limited our willingness to drive out, was the very steep and quite narrow driveway. This debouched onto a two-way traffic road, with a stream of traffic coming in from the one way system at the top of the the road. Level roadside parking was impossible because there were never spaces and there was a car parked outside the cottage, never moving, for the entirety of our stay, its wheels on the white lines marking the driveway entrance, further reducing visibility when backing out. We didn't appreciate its steepness from the photo and it was not mentioned in the description. Perhaps it should be?

  Reviewed by Carole4.4★Oct 2021

• "There were no instructions on how to use the oven, and it needed a clean."

  Apart from that everything was perfect.

  Reviewed by Christine5.0★Oct 2021

• "Great house, great location, very well stocked."

  Loads to do. Beautiful beaches, everywhere clean people friendly. Recommend to couples and families all day long. Worth the money? You bet.

  Reviewed by Neil5.0★Sep 2021

• "It was our first time in the Isle of Wight and our stay at Avalon largely contributed to make this trip perfect."

  The location is ideal, a short walk to the closest beach, shops, pubs etc. The house is lovely, very well-equipped, spacious and benefits from a large secluded garden. The owners left many useful notes and documents, very thoughtful. You might want to bring a sleep mask, or portable blackout curtains, as the bedrooms’ ones don’t block the light. We are definitely recommended Avalon and will go back without hesitation!

  Reviewed by Audrey4.7★Jul 2021

• "We did mention in the visitors book that there was no two pin bathroom plug for shaver/electric toothbrush, and would agree the driveway is very tight for a family saloon or larger."

  The property otherwise was very comfortable with adequate facilities and relaxing, with a south facing rear garden which was enjoyable on the better weather days.

  Reviewed by Peter4.4★Jun 2021

• "Having had to move the dates twice due to 2 lockdowns it was well worth the wait."

  Avalon was lovely and a lot bigger than it looks in the photos. The furniture, bedding and towels etc were all very good quality. Avalon was clean and tidy on arrival with tea, coffee, milk and biscuits waiting for us (nice touch). We were so lucky with the weather it was great to come home mid afternoon and sit in the lovely south facing garden. Also spent time in the sun lounge listening to music on Alexa. Had a text from the owners to see if we'd arrived safely and to let them know if there were any problems, again a nice touch. We didn't have a problem with the drive at all! We felt so at home at Avalon that we booked for next year while we were still there.

  Reviewed by Lynn5.0★Apr 2021

• "A lovely house, equipped with everything you could need."

  A nice touch was the additional bits like chairs and windbreaker to take to the beach etc. A good location, in a nice village, highly recommend the breakfast in the Salt loaf cafe.

  Reviewed by Helen5.0★Sep 2020

• "I thought the location was very suitable for our short visit to the IOW, the house was clean and well suited for or family."

  We were also able to park our 4x4 on the drive way too.

  Reviewed by Oliver4.7★Oct 2019

• "Sadly the shower had mould growing in the grout."

  Very off putting having to shower .It certainly needs to be kept clean. Dish washer hadn't been cleaned, food from previous occupants laying on top of the filter. Also greasy finger marks on all appliances ,and dirty waste bin in the kitchen.

  Reviewed by Sue4.1★Aug 2019

• "Avalon was a credit to the owners."

  The house and the facilities exceeded our expectations. Giving recommendations based on what their own kids loved doing on the IOW was genius. It was a great guide for us. Our teenager was very impressed with Avalon, which is saying something. The weather wasn't great, but Avalon was such a spacious house that all 5 of us could do our own thing without disturbing the other when we didn't feel like venturing out. We would stay here again without s doubt. Close to both Compton and Freshwater beaches. Shops/pubs a minute from the house. What more could you want?

  Dear Mrs Hayfron-BenjaminThank you so much for the lovely feedback. It made our day reading your comments! This is exactly what we have tried to achieve. So pleased to hear that your teenager was impressed too! Great to hear that you used our boys recommendations as your own guide- did you try the sea-glass hunting?! We are delighted that you would come again, and very much hope that you do at some point in the future. Thanks once again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Mary5.0★Aug 2019

• "The house was exactly as on the photos, however the parking could be an issues ..."

  The house was exactly as on the photos, however the parking could be an issues if more than one car is used, also the drive way is very tight if in a large car and it can scrap the valance if not careful also the garden needed the grass cutting, and an extra sun lounger would be helpful, however that said it was one on the best properties we have stayed in and would have no hesitation in booking again it is a credit to the owner

  Dear Mrs Sullvan. Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. It is great to know that you enjoyed the house, and we really hope you come again at some point. You may see in a response to Mrs Wilkinson on the Avalon page on Sykes, that we have improved the width of the drive by removing the bush that was on the corner. We feel this has made parking a lot easier now. Regarding grass cutting, we apologise for this, this should not have been the case. We have tried to organise our gardener to attend every 2-3 weeks, but it seems a week too late in your case and we are sorry. You will be pleased to know though that we have added a second comfy sun lounger to the facilities on your advice!! Many thanks again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Dawn5.0★Jun 2019

• "Whilst it wasn't an issue for me."

  The steepness and shortness of the driveway should be mentioned in the details. Those with large cars would find it almost impossible to park on the drive and the street itself is full of parked cars, so parking could be challenging.

  Dear Mrs Wilkinson, thanks very much for the feedback. We just wanted to let you know that we have taken measures to widen the driveway by removing the heather bush that is visible on the photo of the driveway, which we feel has made a big difference. Obviously we are not able to change the gradient or depth of the drive, but as a reference for others it can fit our own fairly big SUV comfortably. We very much hope that you enjoyed your stay however, and hope you may enjoy another holiday at Avalon at some point in the future. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Emma5.0★Jun 2019

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