The Old School House

This is the second time we have stayed at The Old School House in Piddletrentide.

It has proved to be an exceptional accommodation which has maintained the standard well since our last stay about one year ago. It is in a very quiet location, which is well-maintained inside and outside. Everything you could require from bedding, to implements in the kitchen, are there for your use. However, if you are of an age above around sixty plus, then you must bear in mind those stairs, Those stairs turn a full 108 degrees at the halfway point and the headroom is very limited. Going up, not so bad, but coming down, a careful hold onto the handrail is reccommended. This is a beautiful and comfortable place to stay. And is highly regarded by my wife and I.

My daughters and I really enjoyed our stay at the Sykes Cottage!

Everything was very clean and well appointed and the cottage itself is quite spacious for a family. The beds were comfortable as well. We enjoyed many activities in the area. A highlight was the hairy cow/highland cow experience just down the road and Corfe Castle. We would certainly share again should we return to the area!

Firstly, if you have any mobility issues I wouldn’t go here.

The stairs are steep and winding, and you can easily bang your head as you’re coming down. This really should be mentioned in the listing. When we arrived, we noticed an unpleasant smell. It turned out that there had been a wasp nest under the floor and throughout our stay we had wasps coming up through the front door mat and dying there. We hoovered them up a few times. I think we should have been informed of this before we got there and had the opportunity to cancel or relocate. The smell, while not unbearable, wasn’t very pleasant. I would also recommend taking spare toilet roll and tea towels or kitchen roll as these were in short supply. The double mattress in the master bedroom could do with being replaced as it was very soft and you could feel the springs. Also, there was nowhere to hang clothing. The radiator in the ensuite bathroom was leaking and the toilet was exceptionally low. The main bathroom has a good strong shower. The kitchen was a lovely size and well equipped. We used the open fire one night and although it says there is no wood supplied, there was some available. However, take some kindling and fire starters. We managed to sit outside for a coffee as it was a very pleasant day, and I can imagine it would be beautiful to sit out there in the summer when it is warmer. All in all, we enjoyed our break but felt that maybe it was a bit lacking in certain areas. Agent from Dream Cottages kept in touch with what he was going to be able to do about the wasp problem and told me to call him if we had any other concerns

The accomodation was very good and in an excellent quiet location.

The property was clean and comfortable. The facilities were good and in the main, well maintained. Shortly after our arrival however a plumber arrived and explained that the cleaner had reported that the toilet in the en suite was not flushing. He took a look at the problem and said that a new part was required and it would not be possible for the repair to be carried out until the Monday, two days later. It was not repaired on the Monday and we called the management company (being approximately no 20 in the queue). After being in this long queue, eventually the person I spoke to called the plumbing company and was told they were still waiting for the part. The repair was not carried out within the whole week of our stay, which was most disappointing. Our main issue was the long queue to speak to someone at the management company, not being kept informed of the reason for the continuing delay and us having to go the whole week with one of the toilets out of action.

The accommodation was first class .

Very clean and comfortable. I can’t think of anything that could have been added. We were 3 over 60 friends and a dog . The location was central to drive to anywhere in Dorset. My only criticism would be that the use of the larger garden has conflicting information and the pub shown in the photos , The Thimble Inn (highly recommended ) is 2 miles away with very little or no footpath. Would suggest you have food in on a Monday as seems there are very few places open.

A very well equipped and comfortable accommodation.

A very welcome supply of biscuits, tea and coffee were available. A full length mirror in the main bedroom and mirrors in the others would be useful. Location was good for walking but not much else around without a drive. Unfortunately the pub which would have been in walking distance was closed. We used the Poachers, which had a good menu and was very welcoming.

The old school house was a delightful cottage residence having all the facilities for an enjoyable stay - the sitting room was cosy for evenings and the kitchen was spacious and clean.

All bedrooms were of good size and comfortable. The garden caught the morning and evening sun !

Really enjoyed our week at The Old School House.

Spacious for two. Property as described. Yes, the staircase could potentially be tricky to navigate for less mobile travellers but we had no issues (I'm 5ft 3in, and Mr is 5ft 10in). We loved the history and character of the house. We enjoyed sitting in the garden for our meals as the weather was fabulous, but the kitchen is a generous size and would have been just as pleasant. We had absolutely everything we needed. There is a pub in Piddletrenthide but only open Friday evenings, there is a great pub in Piddlehinton, The Thimble, which is a 5 minute drive away, but it is very popular so book in advance. A little further afield is The New Inn, Cerne Abbas, worth a visit for food, or a drink and a stroll around the village. The house is within an easy drive of Dorchester, Bridport, Weymouth, Corfe Castle, Lulworth Cove, Bovington Tank Museum, Monkey World, Swanage Railway, Lawrence of Arabia's resting place and some of the most beautiful countryside. I'm sure there are some fabulous walks nearby but it was a week of rest for us on this occasion. Would stay here again without hesitation. Hoping to return in the winter to try the log burner and hunker down.

Lovely clean and tidy property, spacious, can feel a little cold at times but there are two log fires to keep you warm if required.

The stairs are a challenge for taller people but you learn very quickly that they are not so high. Great location for walking and some good pubs to check out, The Royal Oak at Cerne Abbas is worth a visit and only two miles away

This well appointed cottage is marred by the narrow, low ceiling semi spiral staircase.

It would not pass any building regs today and makes this place unsuitable for people with walking disability and/or tall. It is a true safety risk. At the very least you should make this clear in your advertising. If we had known this when booking, we would not have completed the booking. As for Dream Cottages who apparently maintain this place , they are a joke.From two weeks before our stay, we tried multiple times to contact them without success. We asked Sykes to contact them, and they too were unable to contact them. The guest information book urgently needs updating. Waste collection needs to be addressed. On arrival, the bin was full. A notice attached to the fridge, told us to put rubbish out on Wednesday evening( Christmas Day!,,,) for lcollection on Thursday morning. That did not happen. Arrival arrangements need to be improved. Arriving at 4pm as instructed, light was poor and it was quite difficult to find and open the key box. Once done we went to the front door but was unable to insert the key. We discovered the key was for the kitchen door not the main front door…all in worsening light. Better instruction and some lighting would help enormously. The local village store were extremely helpful and to be recommended for orders on arrival.

Thank you for providing us with everything we needed for a lovely family holiday.

Great stay in a Lovejy house it was everything and more we could ask for , lovely village shop they couldn’t have been more welcome and good tea / coffee would recommend the Thimble Inn for food we went there both Sat / Sun great weekend and catch up with friends !

Wonderful kitchen diner and little readnig room.

. Spotlessly clean and comfortable. Lovely garden. We are plannning to return! There us a super pub in the next village of Plush called The Two Pheasants. Things for improvement though : The stairs and landing were a nightmare with bumped heads. The ensuite shower room needs a shelf to put things on and a shower .mat as the foor is very slippery. The ensuite bedroom needs some clothes storage and proper bedside cabinets. We didn't discover the 2 cupboards of books until searching for a black bag as we were leaving. Should be mentioned in the info folder.

Overall we were satisfied with the property.

The only maintenance issue was that the fan in the en-suite bedroom did not work. We had one major concern however, and that was the stairs. Our party included an elderly and less able person, for which the stairs proved very difficult. Having researched past feedback given by previous occupiers it appears that this has been a regular and pointed issue. We realise that this is a structural issue that cannot be easily remedied, but we feel that this issue should be clearly expressed in the description of the property by yourselves. We would not have booked this cottage if we had been aware of the difficulty that the stairs would present.

Very comfortable cottage in a good location about 20 minutes away from Dorchester.

Clean and well-presented, there was everything here that you would need for a holiday.

We really enjoyed our stay.

The property is very well equipped and comfortable. Super kitchen and comfortable armchairs and beds. Thank you

Lovely cottage, clean, well equipped and ideal position to sightsee the south of Dorset.

Just a couple of points, in the en-suite bathroom the shower base is not slip proof so could do with a mat for safety, could also do with dual shower head to be able to rinse down tiles and glass, and a squeegee to wipe off excess water. Change the mirror over the wash basin to a cabinet as there is nowhere to store toiletries. In the family bathroom the shower head needs descaling as the water only dribbles out.

Lovely property in a beautiful area.

Very comfortable and with a full range of conveniences. Very likely for enjoy, plus.

We absolutely loved our stay at The Old School House.

It was well equipped and full of history. Lots of room for us and our dog. Walks from the doorstep and a wonderful pub not too far away.

The listing needs to be updated to reflect the fact that the village pub and shop are not open and apparently haven’t been in a while.

It beggars belief that the owners were unaware of this and it was disingenuous, at best, not to have the listing accurately reflect the current situation. Additionally although clean on the surface the cottage could certainly benefit from a deep clean throughout. The manual went to great lengths to explain, when and where the dustbin should be be left for emptying which we complied with, however is it to much to expect that at least one replacement bin bag be provided. Complying with the instruction for bin collection mid-week ensures you will be in need of one. Although the cottage is quite well situated and relatively comfortable there are no welcoming touches, as has been our experience elsewhere. Throw away packs as per the standard service station don’t quite measure up and no starter pack for the wood stove without easy access to one (as mentioned village shop closed) sends entirely the wrong message

What a lovely place to stay!

A shame that the local shop and pub were closed but it’s not too far to Dorchester for shops and a pub in the next village. A great house, all the amenities you might need and very comfortable for everyone! It was a little hard to find it as the lane sign is covered by plants. The only thing I would keep in mind is the stairs are quite steep for youngsters and older folk, and there isn’t a stair gate to stop little ones climbing (we had a 21 month old). I’d stay there again in a heartbeat though.

Really lovely cottage, clean and comfortable.

Previous reviews list a few issues, but we found the beds comfortable and didn't feel the need for long mirrors, hairdryers or wardrobe hanging space in the bedroom! The stairs are narrow and low ceilinged, I probably wouldn't take a small child or elderly relative here, otherwise just duck, it's charming. Wifi very good, DVD player doesn't work. We would highly recommend this place.

What a lovely well positioned property.

The house was beautiful, lots of character and history. The neighbours were very friendly and we couldn't have asked for a more friendly village setting. Dog walking just outside the door, 3 nice pubs within walking distance and a small shop for those forgotten essentials (the local sausages they sell are to due for!). We really enjoyed our stay, kitchen was well appointed, have everything you needed (might be worth mentioning in the description that it does in fact have a small freezer, wish we had known before hand). Only issues we came across were the stairs, very windy and difficult for my ageing Mum, also the low ceiling height as you went you went up the stairs meant the first few days we all bumped our heads multiple times!. Lounge was very comfortable, need a new TV remote, the volume buttons didn't work properly even with new batteries. With regards to the bedrooms, they were a good size, only one has a wardrobe but we utilised the landing cupboard hanging space which was really useful. The beds were fine but the mattresses were a little lumpy and soft, leading a few aching backs, also the duvet in the master bedroom was lumpy and the duvet cover had a 4" rip down the seam where the duvet kept coming out. All in all, we had a fabulous holiday and will definitely be using this property again.

Lovely holiday.

The Old School House was very well presented and prepared for us. Kitchen very well equipped and focal point of the house. Wi-Fi brilliant and tv reception strong. We are very happy we chose to stay here. Improvements we would suggest - we all banged our heads coming downstairs - could some padding be put on wall? Could a wardrobe be put in double bedroom? Full length mirror would be useful. Bathroom needs shelf above wash basin. Single beds are very soft. These are minor points, The overall experience was very positive and we would go again! Coast easily accessible and car parking fine. Thank you.

The only minor criticism I would make is that the pickup day for the bins is inaccurate since our rubbish wasn’t picked up.

Hot water arrangements are a bit confusing. Otherwise, we had a lovely time and enjoyed the cottage very much.

The Old School House was lovely.

The kitchen was well-equipped and spacious and the chairs and beds were comfortable. The showers were modern and efficient. We were surprised, however, to find nowhere to hang clothes in two of the bedrooms and no mirrors in those two rooms either. Rubbish disposal was a problem. We were asked to place all our waste in bags in the wheelie bin and take that out to the road on Thursday evening. The wheelie bin was already almost full when we arrived and, although we squeezed some of our rubbish in and put the bin out on Thursday evening, it had still not been emptied by the time we left on Saturday, so we could not empty the rest of our rubbish from the kitchen bin, and there were no black bags to replace the one that was in the bin when we arrived.

We had a very enjoyable time in the cottage with the dogs, lovely house, great walks and helpful neighbors.

My main criticism is the quality of the beds and bedding, the mattresses were all too soft and the pillows and duvets were cheap ! Also the sound on the TV wasn't good. Other than that we had a good time.

Lovely cosy cottage.

Great kitchen. Most things provided. Beds comfortable. Good touch to provide books and DVD's, but DVD player old with scart connection which Smart TV did not have so unable to play DVD's. A mirror in the double bedroom for drying your hair would be nice. Used vacuum to clean but very low suction so not much use.

The Old School House was lovely and we really enjoyed our visit.

The house was warm and comfortable and the location was super with footpaths everywhere. The walk up and over the hill to Cerne Abbas was a favourite for us. The Thimble Inn a couple of miles along the footpath was smashing, dog friendly with really good food and friendly staff. The 2 pubs actually in Piddletrenthide are closed so that information needs updating to avoid disappointment. We’d definitely consider returning here and we certainly recommend this house - thank you

This is a charming, spacious house with lots of character in a quiet village location.

We found it quite clean and well equipped for our needs. The staircase might be difficult for some people - you have to duck halfway up and it curves at a sharp angle near the top like a spiral staircase. We found the drains in the shower of the main bathroom and the basin in the on-suite partially blocked, which has been mentioned in other reviews. There are a few minor inconveniences - nowhere to put anything down in the ensuite so a shelf above the basin would be useful, as well as soap dishes on the walls of the two showers. There is a hairdryer in a drawer in the master bedroom, but it would also be convenient to have a dressing table with mirror to dry your hair. The location of the house is perfect for getting out and about. Most places we went were about 30 minutes away. We would be happy to stay here again.

Lovely walks from cottage around the village.

Unfortunately both pubs in village were closed which was disappointing. However the Thimble Inn just down the road was lovely great food, nice beer garden. You can walk the footpath through fields and green lanes easily within about half an hour, lovely off road walk too n dogs welcome. Cerne Abbas up the road lovely village too for a visit

Really lovely cottage, very clean and cosy.

Just a couple of items that were not cleaned.

The cafeteria left in the kitchen still had coffee in it were it was not washed after the last people who stayed there. The garden furniture had not been cleaned for sometime especially the one table, and there was birds droppings all down the back of all the garden chairs. Everything else was very good.

Upstairs -----the facilities are of a high standard but the lay-out is "quirky" egs:-doors open onto other furniture door from shower in bathroom onto toilet main bedroom, it is necessary to enter the room and close the door to reach light switch!

Downstairs-----insufficient crockery and cutlery sink and shower in en-suite were blocked Stairs ----mention needs to be made of their difficulty,I feel.

Beautiful property and quiet village location.

Needed to be flexible to get up and down the stairs to avoid banging your head. Not noted on the property description. Wasps from a nest in the loft are getting into the bathroom. Village shop closes daily at 3.30pm and the pub is currently closed (September 2020). I appreciate this is out of your control. Rubbish is collected fortnightly not weekly, advised to put wheelie bin out each week but may be in vain. Also if you are the second week then there will be less bin space for your rubbish.

Lovely week away.

Cottage very comfortable.

We have had a lovely week in The Old School House!

It's a big, quirky old property with lots of fascinating history and the 4 of us have been very comfortable there, the place would accommodate 5 easily with room to spare. The kitchen is huge and the facilities very good indeed, a huge range cooker, lots of pots and pans and a large utility room with good quality washer and dryer. Plenty of hot water to fill the lovely big bath and when it dropped chilly on an evening the central heating kicked in and warmed the house nicely. The location is great too- 30 minutes to Poole, less to Weymouth and lots of lovely eating pubs within 10 minute's drive. (The pub in the village looked shut unfortunately) Other reviews have said the house was "unclean" - we found the kitchen and bathrooms spotless. The rest of the house may have been slightly dusty, windowsills and skirting boards etc but it's an old house, in the country with beautiful leaded windows, some dust/cobwebs are inevitable. Some of the linens looked a bit tired and the decorative cushions/throws for the beds were all stowed away rather than laid out to make it look nice however all in, we would definitely stay there again, we loved it! Thanks to the owners for a lovely cottage.

The DVD player didn’t work (a cable was missing).

Also, we are not convinced the property was as clean as it should have been. We noticed in the information folder that it asked you to leave the property clean and tidy. If this was the extent of the cleaning that was performed before we visited (I.e. it was supposed to be done by the previous visitors) this may be why it lacked in some areas (I.e. under the bed in the main bedroom there was fluff and a plastic bag - presumably left by previous occupants).

Nice location.

Plenty of room. Quiet area.

Didn’t feel that we should have to go and buy salt and rinse agent for the dishwasher.

Also, would have been useful to know about local shopping. Deliberately didn’t bring things because wanted to support the local economy. The village shop was very good but understandably for such a small shop didn’t stock fresh vegetables.

Only a couple of minor things, there was no hairdryer and only 2 wine glasses.

Some of the information about the village was out of date, e.g. there is no longer a bus service and post office only on Monday afternoon. This however did not spoil our holiday and the property was beautiful.