Lakeside Holiday Homes

There was no hot water from the first day, and the problem was never fixed. With six people needing showers and only one power shower, it was a real inconvenience. The maintenance man was nice, but clearly didn't know what he was doing. After a week without hot water, we asked for a later checkout than 10am and were told no, because they were booked that evening. With check-in at 5pm, they could easily have let us stay until 11 or noon. It felt like they only cared about the next booking once they'd got our money. We also didn't like the house layout: having the living room upstairs seemed quirky for about ten minutes, then became a pain when carrying things up and down. It's a good 20-25 minute walk to the bridge into the main town, and parts of the road felt unsafe to walk, especially with young children. You'd need to drive everywhere, and parking in town isn't great either. I'd recommend finding somewhere nearer that has the basics, including running hot water. The hotel a few minutes away was the only saving grace.

There's plenty of space, though you might need to do some cleaning depending on your standards. Pay for the electricity you use and leave the place as you found it, and management are fine.

We had planned to stay at these homes for New Year's Eve, but cancelled because of the serious situation in Ireland and the growing number of cases from the new variant. Lea said we'd only get a small refund and couldn't offer a voucher. I was appalled by how the company handled it. During a global pandemic, when circumstances can change quickly, I expected a more understanding cancellation policy. They clearly don't care about guests' health. Future guests should be aware and only book if they're absolutely certain they can go, because the refund policy is disgraceful.

We were disappointed by how the company handled our booking, and won't return or recommend it. We booked several houses for a week over Easter 2020 for a family get-together. COVID restrictions forced us to move the dates several times, and each move brought a considerable price increase. There was no refund option, so we felt backed into a corner. In my opinion, it was unprofessional and bad business. We stayed in Dunmore East, where the houses were well located near the golf course and a 10-minute stroll from the village, with lovely restaurants and walks nearby. But at the start of the holiday season, the houses weren't well prepared. Outside, they looked scruffy, with dirty windows, weeds in the gutters, and paint badly needed. Inside they were functional but tired and also needed painting. They weren't well equipped, with no towels or hair dryer. One had no hot running water and a broken heating system, and basic checks had been missed, including a bulb missing from the sitting room. With some effort and care, the houses could be lovely. As they were, and given how we were treated, it was disappointing. We book three or four houses for a week every year, but won't be coming back.