Little Berwick Cottage

We loved our stay at Little Berwick Cottage.

All instructions were clear and accurate. The facilities were great, it was lovely and warm and everywhere was lovely and clean. The beds were super comfortable with extra blankets, the towels were large and fluffy and the extra little touches, such as a basket of logs, a welcome hamper and milk, were very helpful. We very much look forward to staying again when visiting friends in the area.

Our party (5 adults, 2 children and 1 infant) have just returned from what was meant to be a week long stay at Little Berwick Cottage.

Unfortunately our holiday was cut short after 3 days due to several issues. The main concern was serious enough that we contacted Sykes directly. To their credit, they handled our complaint swiftly and issued a refund the day after we left. However, the other issues primarily related to cleanliness and were disappointing. Upon arrival, we had to clean the kitchen before using it. There was a long black hair on top of the freezer, a dirty oven hob (as noted in previous reviews) and black dog hairs on the kitchen windowsill. The kitchen itself is tired and worn, which could be overlooked if it were clean, but it wasn't. The living area was spacious for a large group but the decor is tired and hadn't been dusted in a long time. Dining chair seat pads had crumbs and food bits on, and the fireplace was covered in old burnt bits and thick dust. We had to hoover ourselves due to having a toddler in the group. Give that check in isn't allowed until 5pm we expected the property to be freshly cleaned but due to the level of dust suggested otherwise. The bathroom upstairs had hairs on the floor and over the bath. The curtain behind the bathroom sink was broken and barely hanging on (a problem mentioned in a review in July and still hasn't been addressed). The bedrooms were slightly better although the bedroom drawers needed hoovering out before we could use them, there were black dog hairs on bedding in double room and cobwebs were present in all rooms. The cottage is in a great location and beautiful from the outside it has the potential to be a lovely holiday home but the lack of cleanliness and attention to maintenance let it down massively. With improved cleaning routines and some updates to tired furnishings, it could be a great place to stay Until then we wouldn't return. Having to leave early and find alternative accommodation was a real disappointment, especially for what should have been a special family holiday. After reading other reviews upon returning home, it's clear that these issues are recurring and unfortunately, nothing seems to be done to fix them.

Returned yesterday after a Monday to Friday stay with my husband children and parents and 2 dogs It was one of the best cottages we have stayed in and we visit twice a year and have been for over 20 years Lovely quiet location Beautiful quaint cottage Spacious Lovely garden to play in and secure for the dogs Plenty of parking Clean and smelt fresh My husband has returned saying he has had the best night sleep in the beds in a very long time to the point he has even ordered the mattress used We will be back and for longer

We enjoyed our stay very much, location is wonderful, great beaches near by, especially Liked Hive Beach, a couple of minor niggles, no storage for dry goods, had to use the kitchen table, I understand space is limited But a bigger fridge would have been nice, Would defiantly recommend

We arrived at the cottage.

It was really charming to look at from the outside. The inside was totally different poor maintenance and the cleanliness was well below par. After a long journey upon entering the cottage my brother went to the downstairs toilet but had to fix the toilet seat not a good start. The wine glasses had been put back on a shelf which was coveted in bread crumbs.My sister in law and I went upstairs to look at the bedrooms but on the way up we were greeted by toe nail clippings on the stairs. The sink in the upstairs bathroom had not been cleaned properly. The draw curtains behind the sink were hanging on just two hooks the rest of the hooks were broken they were too long and got soaked at the bottom when the sink was in use. It should have a blind. The rooms had not been dusted for ages. The shower downstairs constantly goes hot and cold on you. It smells of a fusty damp in the downstairs shower room as the washing machine in the corner has not been cleaned and wiped out A draw curtain in the middle of the lounge/ dining room has got all cleaning equipment behind it vacuum mop etc? The cushions on the settees have got loads of feathers coming out of them.seat pads on the dining chairs are terribly dirty my sister in law would not sit on them. Considering on the day of arrival you can not get into the property until 5pm it should be clean and respectable. None of us went on holiday to start cleaning as soon as we arrived after a long journey. We certainly will not be going back there. The maintainance is falling behind badly and the poor cleanliness is not acceptable. It,s a real.pity as the cottage could be so charming inside and out.

We absolutely loved the beautiful thatched vottsge and the quiet location with beautiful sunset views.

I grew up in Dorset with my sister but now live in the USA so it was a lovely family reunion. Very thoughtful of the owner to leave us a local welcome pack and milk. Much appreciated. House was well equipped. Great layout. We loved the garden and my sister’s dog was happy and secure. It was spacious and the beds were comfortable. My only niggle was for the money you pay you for an holiday let rental you expect certain minor repairs and cleaning to be done. I would speak to the management company. The toilet seat downstairs was completely broken. Not ideal when 8 of us and only two toilets. This would be inexpensive to replace so was strange it was left like this and previous reviews also mention this. They only provided 2 small toilet rolls for the whole week for 8 people which also felt stingy. The cleanliness was not great. We found a dead mouse in the cupboard. I had mouse dropping on my bedroom floor! The window sills/skirting boards needed a good clean and there was a lot of hair in the shower drain that we removed.

Beautiful chocolate box cottage in a very peaceful location but great access to lots of amazing beaches and places of interest.

There was 9 in our group 6 adults, two children and 1 infant and we didn't fill on top of each other as very spacious. The garden is a lovely size and very dog secure. It was lovely to of been able get get 4 generations together under one roof. Only negative was some bits of the kitchen a little tired, kettle handle not complete but still usable. Downstairs toilet seat was loose and large table in sitting room was very wobbly. But overall these were miner things and did not impact on our family reunion

When we arrived the cottage was lovely and warm and cosy and welcoming.

We had been left a delicious hamper with tea, coffee and biscuits from the local area and a pint of milk in the fridge. A really lovely touch. The sitting room had plenty of seating for 6 people. The bedrooms were lovely, and comfortable beds with really nice pillows and duvets. The location was perfect. We did a fantastic walk from the cottage to the beach and back via a lovely restaurant called the Lemon Tree where we had lunch. The only negatives were that the cottage could have been cleaner and the electric shower was terrible. There was clump of hair in one of the bedrooms. A dirty cleaning cloth on the landing, a sock left in a bedroom and a sticky mark on the sofa - maybe from a dog or small child? If the shower was replaced and it was a bit cleaner then we wouldn't hesitate to book again.

The photos really do not do full justice to the property, so much bigger than we expected.

Had read previous comments about cleanliness which in our opinion were completely unjustified. Our only comment would be the lack of a broom/vacuum cleaner. Would return.

Thank you for letting us enjoy your beautiful cottage.

We have had a lovely long weekend with family visiting areas around Burton Bradstock. The cottage was lovely and warm. The welcome pack was enjoyed by all. We hope to return in warmer weather so we can spend more time in the garden and appreciate the views.

The level of cleanliness is totally unacceptable.

I don’t expect to find hairs in the shower, food in the sink, the bin in the kitchen doesn’t look like it’s ever been cleaned, the tiles behind the hob were thick with grease. We had to wash crockery before we could use it, there wasn’t enough toilet roll for 8 people for 3 days, no dishwasher salt so dishwasher therefore won’t clean properly It may have been Halloween, so assume all the cobwebs were left deliberately It’s a real shame as it could be a delightful cottage; however, our stay was tarnished by how dirty the place is. Presumably there is a professional cleaning contractor in place - if so, they should be replaced or if not, then one needs to be put in place.

Beautiful looking cottage with lovely garden.

Plenty of parking for three cars. Very well equipped in the kitchen with plenty of crockery. Nice and warm from the electric heaters. Comfortable seating in the lounge and beds were also very comfortable. The only downside was the hot water. Although we kept the water heater switched on we never got more than barely luke warm in the kitchen and bathrooms - certainly not enough for a bath, unless you like bathing in very cool water! The electric shower downstairs did supply hot water but the flow was inadequate, but we got by for the week. Overall, the cottage was very charming. Cleaning could be improved a little but we accepted it is an old cottage and a lot more difficult to clean than a modern property. We did enjoy our stay and it is in a great location but it wouldn’t be a cottage we would return to because of the water situation.

We loved the house and it's position.

It was in such good order, warm and cozy. The garden is lovely. / I have left written notes in the property about the need to replace the top positioned immersion heating element in the HW Cylinder without which only mildly tepid water is produced from that particular kitchen-controlled circuit. / All our party roasted under the 10 Tog duvets. Some 5 Togs plus blackets in v. cold weather would have better suited us. (10T is surely impossible for summer visitors). / The kitchen lacked any cupboard space for our food stocks but we managed by reorganising cupboards to squeeze in our stuff. We would stay again if another opportunity arises next year. We loved it.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful cottage!

The garden was the perfect place to sit in the morning (when it wasn't raining!) and the evening. The kitchen was well equipped and ALL working - I didn't have to read a manual to operate the cooker. There was plenty of crockery, cutlery and pots and pans (ALL clean) and, incredibly, a teapot! (A tea-cosy would be the icing on the cake but I understand that things go missing) We loved sitting there for breakfast being able to float between garden and kitchen! There was plenty of room for all 6 in the living area to chill, eat and cosy up in the evening. The beds were extremely comfortable and bedrooms plenty spacious for everyone, again, all clean and fresh. The bedroom downstairs was perfect for my dad, with the bathroom right next door. I adored the space in the upstairs bathroom but everyone else preferred the shower downstairs!?* I didn't understand either! But best of all was the ease of the heating. Dad could have his radiator on and adjust it himself. We could all have ours off in our bedrooms but keep the living area at a comfortable temperature. I even loved the location. Yes, a car is necessary but a short drive to the coastal path and beach for the dog in the morning was a dream, and 10 mins from main shops was so convenient. You have done an amazing job - we all loved it! Thank you

Lovely accomadation.

Lovely complimentary tea/coffee biscuit pack. Perfect family holiday. Only noted problem. Prior customers had left freezer door ajar. Causing a build up of ice. Would have defrosted but bought frozen food with us.

Enjoyed are stay, a lovely cottage,would stay again

We stayed at Little Berwick for a long weekend.

It's a lvoely cottage in a great location where you're really well-placed to explore Dorset and the coastline. It's very old, so full of character. We were two families, 8 of us in total, and it was perfect for what we needed. The garden was beautiful and is a sun trap in the late afternoon and evening. The only negative we had was that we found it difficult to get a constant temperature in the shower, and we tried all the usual things we could think of, so it may need looking at - or, if there is a knack to it, it needs to go in the cottage info folder.

The property was a bit dirty when we arrived, but the overall complaint was the cluster flies.

These had gathered around the windows in the living room and in the folds of the curtains in the main bedroom. The property clearly has a known issue with these flies, as they had (full!) fly traps on all the windows. The fact that no one had been in to clear these traps and deal with the build up indicates it had not been cleaned for a while - you could not miss them. Instead, when we drew the curtains we were presented with 2/300 flies swarming the bedroom and house. We rang Sykes to ask for help or alternative accommodation. No help was offered and only a much smaller property was sort of offered, but only with manager approval. In fact we were told if we wanted a refund or the option of moving property we would have to remain in the house that night. The only assistance offered was help to clear them in the following day, but we had to remain in the property that night. So we spent the first 2-3 hours of our holiday clearing flies while the kids got upset. A truly shocking start to our holiday with even worse customer service. The following day someone did come to the house to clear the traps, but left fly debris all over the bedding and no additional fly traps were left. We again messaged to ask for these and for someone to provide clean sheets. These calls were ignored for the rest of the week, so we had to take a trip to the supermarket to buy washing powder to do it ourselves at 7pm! The only positive was we were offered a 50% refund, however this took nearly 2 weeks to arrive. Conclusion: The house and location is nice, but let down by a poor cleaning regime, especially where there is a known issue with flies. Sykes are useless and could not care less about their clients once they have your money. I will not be returning to one of their properties in the future and would advise any holiday let owner to avoid using them.

We had an enjoyable stay and the weather was outstanding.

The only minor problem was that the key box was difficult to use.,

We all had a wonderful stay at the Little Berwick and would definitely return.

It was a lovely cottage in a really good location. All we would say is even though it didn't put us off was that it could have been dusted a bit more to get the cobwebs cleaned up as there are a lot around the cottage, that being said the bedding, towels and cleanliness as a whole was good. All in all a great holiday

Lovely cottage in quiet countryside Would enhance the property with a modern downstairs shower room Dining table top unsteady so not kid friendly New toaster in kitchen is required Beds very comfortable We enjoyed our holiday stay

Lovely New Years stay!

Beautiful cottage in a good location. A great base for exploring Dorset. Great facilities- everything we could need in the kitchen. High chair may be useful for future guests (the foldable travel types so easier for storage). Some parts a little tired, but we expected this from an old cottage. Really comfy beds which makes a big difference! Small touches like soap were a bonus. Beautiful log fire and cosy lounge - perfect way to spend a New Years break and plenty of space for two families of 4 (one in travel cot). Pictures don’t clearly show the dining table and do it justice. There’s a great round 8 person table in the lounge - we had thought there was only one smaller table in the kitchen so it was a nice surprise! Overall a lovely cottage, steeped in history. Thanks for a lovely stay!

Problems with this Cottage.

EVERY cupboard, lift up seats in the kitchen dining area, chests, packed with unnecessary blankets, 36 large glass tumblers, lamp shades all just piled in on top of each other - no order whatsoever. This means that apart from wardrobes there is nowhere for a tenant to store things. Imagine my horror when looking under the downstairs beds I found it packed with laundry bags - some clean linen and some dirty linen - initially I piled them into the downstairs shower - but realised that one shower and bathroom for 8 would not do. All were put into two green wheelie bins which I dragged into the garden so that they would not be taken by the refuse men. There was a lot of mold behind the two bedheads in the downstairs room. My husband went out and purchased some mold remover which entailed not using the room for two days to allow the smell to evaporate. There is mold in many places around the house and I would recommend that the house be Deep Cleaned by a reputable cleaning company at least twice a year. The present cleaners do not deserve to have a job - dirty wainskirting etc etc I could go on. Sad because it is an attractive property.

It was a lovely cottage so cosy and warm would go back in a heart beat did not want to leave close to so many nice places a cottage to fall in love with

I did give my initial feedback on day 3 of the holiday.

The cottage is in a lovely location and is a lovely place. The garden is a great place to sit out in. The interior of the cottage was a let down. The place was unclean, from the kitchen to the bathrooms and right through. We had to was the kitchen utensils, cutlery, pans and dinner set etc before using. The whole place had a tired and neglected look about. Thankfully the bedding and towels were freshly laundered. Whilst we did not let it stop us from enjoying our holiday, we could of done without it at the start. What I did like was there was enough sitting for us all to sit and enjoy dinner.

The cottage was fantastic and in a great location.

It had everything we needed. The children loved it, particularly the garden. The kitchen was well stocked with all necessary equipment. We all had a great time. Thank you to the owners.

We really enjoyed our stay at the cottage.

Great location. Fantastic views from the garden. Very comfortable for adults and children. And safe for young children. The only thing that would make the cottage better is recycling facilities.

DELIGHTFUL LITTLE COTTAGE

Lovely cottage.

Any issues were due to the storms that chose to stay at the same time as us! The company and owner were really helpful and responsive. Comfortable, warm, well placed for exploring the coast, well equipped. We had a really good stay.

VERY SLOW TO SORT OUT BOOKING PROBLEM TOOK 2+ WEEKS TO GET A REPLY.

WHICH FOR ME SPOILT THE HOLIDAY.

The kitchen was rather small especially had there been 8 of us.

Curtains need rehanging and the freezer is in desperate need of a defrost . My main concern was that the property mentioned a cot which we requested. This turned out to be a travel cot in need of a good clean. Had I realised it would be a travel cot I would have taken my own. Also I had confirmation that there was a highchair - there was not. The particulars should state ' travel cot' just to be clear.

Beautiful cottage, lovely location.

Shame about the cleanliness in places. Cottage could do with a little tlc and maybe a new oven and hob. There were a couple of other issues which we have taken up direct. But overall we had a lovely time, it was a well needed break and would certainly recommend the cottage to others. Thank you

Some small details in the cottage needed attending to: No lock on upstairs bathroom Curtains hanging off broken hooks.

Dripping cold tap in upstairs bathroom A flat baking tray in kitchen for putting pizzas etc in oven would have been useful.

Had a very enjoyable stay at the cottage, which was comfortable and very well equipped.

We particularly loved eating dinner on the patio in the late evening sunshine. The only small grip was regarding the upstairs bathroom which is advertised as having a shower. In reality this was a basic showerhead connected to the tap, which you had to kneel in the bath to use. I wouldn't consider this a shower and I think its slightly misleading to advertise the property as having two bathrooms with showers.

Having stayed in this cottage before, our expectations were very high -but they were met.

A very comfortable cottage in a rural setting with loads of character.

Ideally situated within easy reach of local attractions.

I really enjoyed my stay at this cottage, it was in a great location - rural but in easy reach of shops, beach, restaurants and town.

Coming from an urban environment the peace and quietness was wonderful and the pretty garden was a pleasure to sit in.

The cottage was ideal for our family of eight and we had a lovely week.

The garden was perfect for al fresco dining and there was plenty of room for the children to play. If we had to mention a downside it was the small, but very high, bed in the downstairs bedroom which proved a little tricky for an elderly lady!

This is a lovely cottage and suited our needs perfectly and the bedrooms offered a lot of flexibility.

The wood burner was lovely to have burning in the evening. It was refreshing to have plenty of cups, saucers, pots and pans for all of us (as often bigger properties don't).

The location and general look of the cottage met our expectations however there are certain aspects which could certainly be improved.

The cleanliness of the cottage being my main complaint. I do not expect to have to clean a microwave, kettle and oven before I use it ! The oven hob needs updating as it takes hours to cook . Spiders and cobwebs do not bother me but a dirty shower curtain does . Overall the cottage is lovely however just needs some tender loving care and a cleaner who cleans All that said the beds are comfy - bedding creased but that is a minor issue . Also no torch in situ as stated in information lucky no power cuts were experienced. All that said yes I would stay in this delightful cottage again .

We had a really lovely time, the weather was perfect, and the cottage all that we expected, the boys (children) really enjoyed the garden.

Only one thing we found to mention (not complain) was that the lighting in the lounge, as the evenings drew in it was always quite dim in the evening. Apart from that minor problem, every thing was perfect for all of us, and would recommend the cottage to anyone.

Cottage met our requirements from point of view of space, comfort and situation but was disappointing in that it was generally not very clean.

The worst of that was in hidden areas such as behind and under furniture which was all the worse as we had a 21 month old toddler with us and obviously he was playing on the floor and quite inquisitive. Also TV reception was hopeless which I reported by email mid week but nothing was done. The internet, whilst usable, used to 'drop out' quite regularly and could not be relied upon for anything important.

Cosy cottage in a great location, with fantastic local pubs with great food.

Not sure why the kitchen door hasn't been fixed. If we had not read the previous review , we would also have locked ourselves out as the bottom dead lock suddenly drops.

Beautiful cottage in idyllic setting.

Nice secluded garden with country/farm views. Plenty of room. Bedrooms well-presented with comfortable beds and nice bathroom. On the down side, sofas very low and uncomfortable, shower room overdue for renovation to bathroom standard, kitchen cupboards and draws in need of attention -drooping doors and loose drawer fronts. Major problem with French doors in kitchen, where lower bolt could unexpectedly drop and prevent door opening at all from outside. On arrival, having unpacked our car we locked the main door leaving the key in the lock, planning to go out later. We explored the house and went outside to explore the garden via the kitchen by unlocking the french doors with the key. The door opened easily since the top and bottom bolts were not apparently set. After closing the door to avoid flies and wasps entering and walking around the garden we found that the door would no longer open. After careful examination we could see that the door was completely jammed at the bottom and would not open any way. We called Sykes in Weymouth at 3.15 pm and Angela arrived at 5.30 with a duplicate key which could not be used because a key was left in the main door lock. After failing to get out a locksmith she broke a small pane in a front window, unlocked the window to gain access and let us in. Once the french door was unbolted at the bottom, the door opened easily and hard closing did not replicate the problem. The locksmith/glazier arrived on Monday at 2.30 to examine the window and door and returned an hour later to reglaze the window. Although he could not repeat the bolt problem he recommended always carrying a main door key when in the garden. Later in the week the tendency for the bolt to drop recurred. We assume that Sykes has warned subsequent guests. Clearly this was a property fault, and not caused by us.

A really lovely cottage in a beautiful setting on a quiet road with views across the Dorset countryside. To call it a cottage suggest that it was quite small - but our party of six adults felt relaxed and never cramped and the downstairs bedroom was a real help for one of the older members of the group. We would highly recommend this cottage - stayed April 2015.

Delightful cottage and wonderful time had by all. Beautifully looked after cottage with the old charm mixed in with modern. Everything to a high standard. We would all love to return! Stayed February 2017

The cottage was a perfect fit for us. A wonderful quiet rural location off the beaten track but still close to everywhere we wanted to go. Very relaxing environment. Wonderful farm shop just up the road. Lovely accomodation-very comfortable but the red settee was interesting. Brilliant parking as we had 3 vehicles. We would love to have stayed longer. We all loved it! Stayed April 2017

The cottage was excellent and the location was great, central to everything we wanted to see and lovely and quiet. The local pub, the Crown is fantastic and very welcoming with excellent food. Stayed June 2017

Lovely thatched cottage with goodsize bedrooms and bathrooms. Excellent dining spaces and kitchen equipment. Beautiful garden. Excellent wifi. Ample parking for two cars. Very well located to explore the Jurassic Coast. A visit to Durdle Door was the highlight of our trip - stayed July 2017

A lovely Cottage in an excellent location, had a lovely holiday thank you. Stayed August 2017