The Granary, PETERCHURCH

Rated 5/50 by Greggya26 on 11th March 2019

Rated 3/50 by Rachel C on 31st May 2015

"We chose this cottage as a base to visit the Hay Festival. The cottage was a little dissapointing. The cottage was clean enough on the surface but if you looked closer it needed a good spring clean. I am aware it is a cottage in the middle of the countryside, so expect some spiders/insects etc but there were so many spiderswebs on the ceiling and walls. A hoover or long handled duster would have sorted them out! These are complaints that have been left in other reviews (which sadly we didn't read before booking!) so not sure if the owners have taken this on board. The attention to detail is lacking. There is no hanging rail/wardrobe in the bedroom, no bin in the bathroom (there is one in the bedroom). Considering the cottage faces a holiday let for 10, a blind at the fairly large kitchen window and at the bathroom window (both face the other holiday let), the bathroom window is frosted but a blind would be good for people who want more privacy. The toilet handle was dodgy from the start of our holiday and then broke. We decided not to tell the owner a) because we were on holiday and didn't want to be bothered with plumbing issues, and b) because these kind of things should be checked and kept on top if by the owners. It was simpler just to flush the toilet using the flush mechanism inside the cistern. The cottage was fine as a base for Hay Festival as we were out early ish and back late ish. It was not a cottage that personally we felt we could spend time relaxing. There are good points! The cottage is in a beautiful setting with gorgeous views. It was quiet ( the family in the 10 person holiday let were quiet and kept themselves to themselves) and we slept very well. The bedroom is the best bit of the cottage and the bed very comfortable! There were House martins nesting, and it was lovely to watch them going about their business finding food and sorting their nests out. The shower was excellent and very powerful. We would probably not choose this cottage again personally but I am aware that lots of people have found it to be a lovely cottage and have provided good reviews. We still enjoyed our holiday and our first visit to the area. "

Rated 4/50 by A FlipKey Verified Reviewer on 29th August 2013

"Friendly owners helped make our stay very pleasant. Peaceful surroundings and the use of the gardens made our stay relaxing. Hay is within easy reach so we were able to visit the festival all week."

Rated 5/50 by Clare H on 1st November 2012

"We had an idyllic break in this gorgeous part of the country. The owners were on hand but unobtrusive and we bought lots of lovely eggs. This was a great base to explore the local area; we visited the Mappa Mundy and the chained library, both of which were fascinating. We'd definitely go back - it was wonderful waking up to the sound of birds and sheep and nothing else!"

Rated 4/50 by Undertones on 26th October 2012

Rated 4/50 by Undertones on 26th October 2012

Rated 2/50 by Petey321 on 30th May 2012

"Thank goodness, for the sake of other unsuspecting guests, the description of this property has been amended and it now says it is adjacent to another holiday let.. At the time my partner and I booked the Granary ( I can not accurately say the exact date ) there was absolutely no mention of another holiday let anywhere near it., especially not such a huge one. The only thing mentioned was that it was close to the owner's property, which did not concern us. We were so desperate to find a stand alone, peaceful retreat that we scrutinised the literature over and over again before booking. It was of the utmost importance to us and we certainly would not have overlooked such a vital detail. We did not miss the mention of another holiday let because it was not there, written in the description! Neither was there any mention of the meadow being shared either, which would have obviously alerted us to other holiday makers in the close vacinity. Even now the details have been updated, it might be an idea, just to totally clarify how close these properties actually are, to add an extra photo to the gallery. This could be taken from the front of the little Granary, illustrating how severely limited any privacy is, especially as the doors and windows are directly opposite from each other. I feel only then can future guests make a truly informed decision before booking. Now on to the condition of the Granary itself. Lovely as it could have been, it was dirty in several areas. The beam in the bedroom actually looked furry there was so much thick dust standing up on it. You couldn't miss it so goodness knows why it hadn't been cleaned. Cobwebs hung like lacy garlands from the wall at the top of the stairs, dust on the heated towel rail was so visible you could have written your name in it and there was grime around the base of the taps. The shower area wasn't too bad but there were still several pubic hairs in the base which obviously were not pleasant to contend with. Some of the plates and dishes still had crumbs sticking to them and a lot of the cutlery was dirty. The cutlery tray looked like it hadn't been washed for a while too. It was disgusting. My partner was so upset she was in tears and neither of us felt relaxed until we had cleaned the necessary areas ourselves. Everything (we didn't attempt the dust on the beam or stairwell) cleaned off with ease so this only served to indicate that the cleaning regime was obviously lazily carried out with no attention to detail. Yes, we could have mentioned the lack of cleanliness to the owners. The main reason we didn't was because they were really lovely, having driven out to meet us when we couldn't find our way there through all the country lanes. Not a brilliant reason I know but, as we were just beginning our holiday, we didn't want our week to start with a confrontation and, possibly, subsequent awkwardness. Above all though, the need shouldn't have arisen in the first place - the grime was self-evident and everywhere should have been spotless. There is no excuse. Guests should not be put in a position where they have to point this out, possibly resulting in a bad atmosphere. It is a basic right for a paying guest to be provided with a clean place to stay. It doesn't have to be the height of luxury, just clean. We filled in, in great detail, the feedback form provided by Syke's when we returned from our holiday and even sent it via recorded delivery so they were certain to receive it. Not a word did we hear back from them. Absolutely nothing. Great customer service! Maybe they're only interested in positive feedback. Although, it's strange because I notice there is a response from them with regard to another negative review on Tripadvisor.They appeared to respond very quickly to it too. Amazing that! Maybe, as the negative comments are being expressed within the public domain, rather than privately, they have to look as though they're listening. Whatever the reason, we will not be booking through Syke's again, or recommending them to anyone either."

Rated 2/50 by A Holiday Lettings Verified Reviewer on 21st April 2012

"The property was not quite as described. It was stated that there is off road parking for two cars. There was no allocated parking made available to us and we had to park next to property on the road which was shared by the owners, their neighbours and noisy farm vehicles in the evenings. The property was not very comfortable apart from the bed which was lovely. It was sited opposite a converted holiday let barn belonging to the same owners, which sleeps ten. The occupants (6 adults &2 children) that were there at the same time as us were noisy and were not friendly and also very dominant in as much as they hogged the picnic tables and recreational area which was unfortunately supposed to be shared. It would have been nice to sit in the peace and quiet in the evening sunshine. They spent a lot of time walking past our let trying to find signals on mobile phones. The let could have been cleaner; there was little privacy from the barn as there were no curtains or blind on the window facing it. The kitchen cupboards were not very clean and neither was the cutlery. Mugs were stored upside down leaving stick rings on the shelves. We had an invasion of ants in the kitchen. The bathroom smelt badly of mildew and the sink plug did not seal. There no proper wardrobe although there was a small cupboard in the boiler room with just 2 hangers. In fairness, the owners were lovely and friendly. We wanted a little "get away" for some peace and quiet but we did not get it here, which is a shame as the views from the let were fantastic."

Rated 2/50 by Relaxed33 on 16th March 2012

"I stayed at the Granary with my partner a couple of years ago and, although I didn't think to review it immediately, have since thought I ought to warn anybody who is looking for somewhere quite secluded, away from other holiday lets. That is what we presumed we were getting, judging by the cleverly taken photos. Yes, on one of them, you can see what looks like the side of a farmhouse but, beyond that, it looks as if the Granary is set on a quiet country lane with just the one neighbour. When we arrived there were two families with young children already ensconced in the huge holiday barn directly opposite the little Granary let, just metres away. There was no privacy as both front doors opened across from each other and the windows too were opposite. Now, don't get me wrong, I really like children, indeed I work with thirty of them, but when you have googled, 'quiet, secluded, stand alone self catering' you do not expect families in such close proximity. In the details it also mentioned a meadow with picnic bench which indeed there was but it said absolutely nothing about it being a shared area so whenever we thought we'd have a pleasant evening drink out in the fresh air, admiring the glorious scenery, we had to contend with rowdy games of cricket or football. The families were perfectly lovely but it was nothing like the photos or information suggested. The accomodation itself was bright and adequate but I ended up cleaning some of the things before I felt we could use them and phoned my daughter the first evening in tears explaining that I had had to wash the cutlery and some of the crockery as it was stained. The stairwell walls and the beams in the bedroom were covered in cobwebs which would have been easy enough to clean off with a long handled brush. The towel radiator in the bathroom was absolutely covered in dust, so much so that I could have written a message in it. The wash basin had grime around the plughole and I cleaned this off easily with a cloth and cleaning spray so obviously no effort had gone into cleaning it previously. The shower tray still had several pubic hairs in it too. The other thing that let the place down was the dated bedroom furniture and the mirror was so tarnished you had to move your head around to get a full view of your reflection. The Granary is in a beautiful setting scenery wise but I think it should be advertised fairly so no more unsuspecting guests are faced with a large amount of neighbours when they had been after some peace and solitude. The owners are obviously making a tidy profit from the huge barn conversion alone so surely they could afford to update some of the furniture in the Granary and definitely fork out for a competent cleaner. After all, cleanliness is a basic right when paying to stay in a holiday let. I did fill in the questionairre stating all the above to Sykes Holiday Cottages but had absolutely no feedback from them. That clearly shows how highly they care about their customer satisfaction and, needless to say, we won't be using their 'services' again."

Rated 5/50 by Tom And Eileen Carey on 15th September 2011

"The Granary is in a perfect location for visiting many of the historical attractions in the area. It is in a beautiful area. The hosts were very welcoming and helpful. We had everything we needed. Nothing would please us more than to be able to return."

Rated 4/50 by A FlipKey Verified Reviewer on 9th February 2011

"A lovely quiet rural spot. Very welcoming owners. Very cosy & comfortable for the snowy weekend we spent there. Snug comfortable sitting area, spacious bedroom & bathroom & a well equiped kitchen - what more can you ask for. Only initial problem was a cold draught under the front door which a movement of a carpet sorted but perhaps could be seen to."

Rated 5/50 by A FlipKey Verified Reviewer on 5th November 2010

"This was the perfect size accomodation for me & my husband in an ideal location for exploring Wales and Hereford. The Hay Bluff and Waterfalls in Wales are a must."

Rated 3/50 by Tillymint on 24th September 2010

"We had a really enjoyable time but think the cottage could have been a little cosier. It had a very basic feel to it. The living room didnt make you want to sit in it for long and the bedroom seemed to offer a more cosier atmosphere. Perhaps a good idea would be to have the bedroom downstairs. The owners of the cottage were lovely, very welcoming and hospitible. Nothing was too much for them. I could not have told them that the cottage was a little stark as l wouldn,t have wanted to upset them as they are lovely people and did their utmost to make sure we enjoyed the time spent there, which we did. It was a very good base for that area. The garden and surrounding walks were brilliant. We enjoyed the circular walk from the cottage very much."

Rated 5/50 by A FlipKey Verified Reviewer on 13th July 2010

"We loved the clever conversion of this unique cottage, complete with circular staircase. Truly Tardis-like, with good-sized bedroom and kitchen, which was very well-equipped. The owners were very friendly and helpful. The location (in deepest Herefordshire) was so beautiful and peaceful, and yet convenient for Hereford, Ross, Hay and abergavenny. We hope to return."

Rated 5/50 by A FlipKey Verified Reviewer on 17th December 2009

"Fantastic self-contained cottage in a beautiful valley close to Hay on Wye and Herefordshire villages. The couple who own the cottage are lovely and on hand to help."

Rated 5/50 by A FlipKey Verified Reviewer on 17th December 2009

"we were very well received and the owners were very helpful ensuring an enjoyable break. the home was very comfortable and there was no shortage of equipment. the location is very rural but close to hay on wye and you do not have to tracvel too far for some good walking. we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would recommend to anyone wanting fresh air and quiet."