Tan Y Gaer

PLEASANT, 3.5 stars We had a good weekend here. It gave us a central base in Aberystwyth, and worked well for our family's complex social needs. The house was clean, with fresh sheets, comfy mattresses, good showers and plenty of hot water. The pool and hot tub were clean, with exclusive access 24/7. We stayed when it was too hot for the beach, so the kids had something to do and the adults could relax. The secure garden was good for the dogs, and WiFi and smart televisions helped us unwind together. There was spare sanitizer for keeping the pool and hot tub clean. The place is comfortable, but dated and worn, and has lost its Luxury feel. It must have been stunning in its heyday, and the old pictures show it at its best. Now it's a comfortable, rough-around-the-edges bungalow that needs modernising and more care. We couldn't get the outside sauna to turn on, and the games shed wasn't fully working, with incomplete sets and no cues for the table. Still, it was a pleasant stay and ticked the boxes for our trip. The pool and hot tub exclusivity are what make it, but the property needs some love and attention.

Where to begin? The property has loads of potential, but it doesn't feel loved or cared for. We lasted 3 days and came home on the 4th. Cottages.com were absolutely brilliant, very professional and helpful, and sorted refunds very quickly. Their staff are a credit to the company, and this hasn't put me off using them. The hot tub was filthy, with yellow water that hadn't been cleaned during changeover. After we complained, the owner sent two men to top it up and add chemicals, but they didn't clean or refill it. There was a hard black line of dirt around the water's edge. We were afraid of bacteria, so didn't use it, and didn't use the pool either. It was cold, not heated, and we had to sweep rubbish off the pool-room floor. We brought our dog, and the garden was secure, but there was fresh dog poo and some that looked at least 3 weeks old. I complained to the owner, but nothing was done. The kitchen socket didn't work, and the plates, cups, dishes, baking dishes and saucepans were dirty. The dishwasher had pasta, vegetables and fish bones inside, so I had to clean it before washing the pots. Some kitchen cupboard handles were missing, large pieces of worktop covering were missing, and there were burn marks. The hob was greasy, so I cleaned it, but none of its sections worked. The owner sent someone to confirm that, duh, but said nothing about when it would be fixed. There were no bin liners or oven gloves, and only 1 tea towel. The bathroom sinks had no plugs, only the bath, which made washing difficult. Thank goodness I took face cloths. The lounge coffee table's glass top wasn't secured and slid around. The side table was filthy with dust and spills. I complained to the owner, but nothing was done. There were burn marks on the main bedroom carpet too.

NICE LITTLE PLACE It's a shame the house was freezing when we arrived, the hot tub was cold and the swimming pool was empty. It took almost 2 days to fill the pool, and there was no pool heating. If we'd known, we'd have asked for a refund and gone elsewhere, since that was advertised and the main selling point. The property could have been better prepared. The bathroom shower tray is damaged and covered with sealant, and the kitchen window is damaged. Based on other reviews here and on Booking.com, these problems have been going on for around a year, with the damaged pool the main issue. Owning half the town and a hotel is all well and good, but some holiday lets need to be brought up to a better standard. Replace the pool liner and heating equipment. We had a dog, and the staff member who sorted the hot tub left the back gate wide open. They also put so many chlorine tablets in the hot tub that 4 of us ended up with rashes and burns. When I inspected the filter, there were 2 large tablets in it. Good job we got in before our 13-year-old did.