Unit 1 Dove Farm Barns

We’d arranged travel and paid deposits for food nearby, so having to cancel our New Year’s Eve plans was a real disappointment. My friends and I had booked the place for a couple of nights back in July, then just a week before, the host said it was double-booked and cancelled because someone else had booked it. I don’t believe that explanation. There was no apology or suitable alternative accommodation offered. I wouldn’t recommend booking here. The host gave us no reason to think they’d help if guests ran into any problems.

We stayed for a few weeks on a short-term holiday rental, and the accommodation and help were second to none. The setting is fabulous, and the property has outstanding attention to detail. A quick thank you to Steve and Donna, who own Dove Farms Barns, for making the stay so enjoyable.

The cottage was very clean and in a lovely location, but we wouldn’t return because the space and bathrooms didn’t work well for our group. We booked unit 2 for 16, though there were only 12 of us, and it still didn’t feel like there’d be room for four more. These cottages seem better suited to four people each. Some bathrooms had baths with hoses instead of proper showers. The hoses were too small to use without splashing water around, and there weren’t enough shelves or hooks to keep toiletries and clothes dry. There was limited storage in the bedrooms for a stay of several nights, and with showers being shared, the drains blocked quite quickly. The kitchens were cramped with about four people in them and weren’t well equipped for a large group, with too few matching plates. They’d be great for small parties, but the practical issues make them unsuitable for groups of more than four.

AVOID. The host cancelled our New Year’s Eve booking just a week before we were due to stay, saying the place had been double-booked even though we’d booked in July. I don’t believe someone else had booked it. My friends and I had already arranged travel and paid deposits for food nearby. The only offer was separate accommodation that would split up our group. They did nothing else to help, offered no compensation, and dealt with us rudely. Don’t risk booking a holiday here.