Sheena's Dartmouth Chalets

We had enough of the hassle by the end of the stay and won’t return. Maybe it would suit someone on a very tight budget who has several days to figure things out and read all the instructions. The bed was comfortable, and the kids liked the bunk beds, but overall it was poor value for ease and comfort. The chalet looked clean on the surface. When something fell behind the bedside table, I reached for it and my hand came back dusty, so I took a photo. The angle was odd because I was just retrieving the item, not crawling around looking for dirt. With two young kids, we were out exploring all day and came back tired. We cooked, played a board game and went to bed. Later we spilled crumbs in the kitchen, needed a broom, and found the floor inside the cleaning cupboard was dirty too. I took a picture because by then we’d had enough and wanted others to have a balanced view before booking. The chalet isn’t big, so why not clean all of it? I didn’t edit or enhance any photos. The marks in one picture were almost comical. There was clutter and wear around the place. The furniture and decor were poor, the door frames needed paint, and there were splatter marks in the main bedroom. Light switches weren’t where I expected them, including in the second bedroom. The site also needed maintenance in December, with chain fences broken. We stayed in cold December weather and never got the place properly toasty like we would with central heating. Our feet were always cold, though it did get warm enough. The electric meter cost far more than the estimates we’d been given. We’d emailed ahead to check whether the stated electricity usage was still accurate because a 2023 review said the cost was much higher than expected, and we wanted to know how many coins to bring. Paying by coins isn’t usual for most holiday lets. The meter worked the first evening, then briefly started rejecting coins. The owners said they hadn’t had that problem before, but I’m mentioning it in case it happens to someone else. We were careful with the meter and shower, we’re not brutes, and we didn’t say we couldn’t understand the instructions. It was just too much faff for us. The shower was weak and temperamental, and took getting used to. It wasn’t as simple as turning it on and getting going like our shower at home. I tried to make it warm enough, turned the dial past its highest setting of 10 and around again to 4, where it wouldn’t go any further. If that happens, start again. The owners said they hadn’t had previous reports of trouble, but for us it wasn’t easy to use. I went in with high hopes because the listing photos looked good. The owners’ response mentioned that they had been at the chalet a few days earlier and it hadn’t been particularly cold, but December weather varies from day to day. When it’s cold, electricity costs more. I don’t see why that earlier visit is relevant. We should be able to review our stay without being attacked, accused of editing our photos or having desperate motives. My husband’s review was much harsher, but I wouldn’t let him post it.