Stapleton/Parkgate Cottages

I recently stayed in the two-bedroom cottage for work. It was lovely, if small, but we’d planned to eat in and brought food, only to find there was nowhere to prepare it. There’s no kitchen, not even a small fridge or drinks cooler, so we had to leave the milk outside. That wouldn’t work in summer, and there’d be no way to keep drinks cool or make a snack. The room off the lounge is actually a huge bathroom. I’d have thought they could make it half the size and fit in a small kitchen. I know the listing doesn’t say there’s a kitchen, but I assumed that would be standard in a cottage. We ended up going to the nearby village for takeaway, and I think guests should be made aware of this.

In the end, this was just a place to sleep, and I found the stay disappointing enough that I’d go elsewhere if I returned. The bedrooms were nice and the bed was comfortable, but there were coat hangers and nowhere in the wardrobe to hang them. The huge bathroom looked luxurious, yet the rainfall shower wasn’t practical, its settings didn’t work properly, and the floor became very slippery. The extractor fan barely worked because there seemed to be no fresh air coming in, so leaving the door open was the only fix. Without a shower screen, splashing soaked about half the room. There was loo paper but no holder for the rolls. There’s basically no kitchen: no oven or microwave, just a tiny fridge, and the only sink is in the bathroom. There was a kettle and tea, as you’d expect in Britain. The front door swings into the walkway beside the couch, getting in the way when you carry bags in or out; it could have opened inward against the wall instead. There are curtains on every window except the upstairs hallway, so anyone in the car park can see you if you go downstairs for a drink in the middle of the night. That could be fun if you’re in the buff, I guess. With no kitchen or microwave, dinner on a Tuesday is a problem too. Most places are shut unless you want to drive to McDonald’s or settle for bland pub food.