Caecrwn

The location was the only real positive for us. We found the cottage’s hygiene and maintenance far below an acceptable standard, and this holiday accommodation was a disaster. We felt uncomfortable and disappointed, and didn’t feel listened to even after trying to show and explain the problems. We would give the fixtures and fittings less than 3 out of 5. We raised points 1-7 with the owners while we were there. The owner came to clean the toilets and shower, but left the green mould and the filthy, unhealthy toilet brushes and holders. We also complained about the smell from the hot tub and the state of its filter. We were told it was fine to use and that pressing the button would clear the error code. The welcome information said it would be checked daily between 10 and 11am, but after that first visit there were no further checks during our stay. We have a lot of experience maintaining hot tubs through personal use and my work as a Senior Engineer. In my view, it was not in satisfactory working order, and the offensive smell and water that wasn’t hygienically clean made it unacceptable to use. When we went to wash ‘baby’ clothes, we noticed the washing machine and dryer were unhygienic and showed photos to Rosie. She dismissed our concern and said they use them every day. She said she was running late and asked us to raise the cleaning with her partner if we wanted it done. Looking around the rest of the cottage left us dismayed. We couldn’t believe it was the same place with such outstanding reviews, though we later found a more relatable one on Google Maps appendix ). The 5pm arrival time takes a big chunk out of the holiday, especially when guests have to leave by 10am. It’s hard to understand why the property isn’t ready in a clean, acceptable state. After both owners were dismissive and unwilling or unable to fix the cleanliness issues to an acceptable standard, any further conversation felt futile and uncomfortable. We couldn’t move elsewhere, so we got on with the holiday and used the cottage just for sleeping. We ate out every day instead of enjoying our usual plan to cook together. We’ve provided photos to show what we found and to help other families avoid the same standards. The listing photos seem to have been taken some years ago and don’t reflect the current condition. We don’t know whether Skyes holidays visit places before advertising them, but note that their terms say owners must leave properties clean and maintained. The standards didn’t match the price, and the cottage fell below basic hygiene and maintenance expectations.

Brecon has plenty of good places to eat and drink. We liked The Thai restaurant and Brecon Tap, and there’s a big Wetherspoons too. The cottage itself is lovely and spacious, warm, comfortable, and beautifully decorated. We spent 8 days there with our dog and enjoyed every minute. It had pretty much everything we needed, though I couldn’t find ovenproof dishes. I’d brought one with stew for our first night, so that worked out. The hot tub was gorgeous on cold evenings, and towels were provided. Bring a woolly hat! Dave and his lovely wife did all they could to make our stay happy, and went above and beyond to keep us safe in the snow. The beds were really comfortable, and EV charging was handy. Caecrwn is perfect, don’t hesitate to book. We’ll be back, and can’t wait to return. 😁

The countryside around the property is beautiful, and having access to the outdoor space was a real plus. Still, the stay left us underwhelmed as a couple on a staycation, and the price felt high for the experience. I’d call 4 stars generous, though 3 would probably be a bit harsh. We arrived for the 5pm check-in and the cottage didn’t seem ready, despite apparently having been cleaned before our late arrival. The hot tub was green and smelled like stagnant water. There was also a strong sour smell in the kitchen, which turned out to be a bowl in a cupboard containing what looked like human vomit. Bring your own basics, including salt, pepper and sugar. There were only small amounts of kitchen roll and toilet paper, with no replacements. For the price, the place felt limited, disappointing and poorly equipped. If you’re happy to pack the car like you’re going camping, though, it could work well.

The area is beautiful and made it easy to unwind. We had a great week at Caecrwn cottage with our family of four and the dogs. The owners are lovely people.