“I was not going to give a review yet they asked for one (email) so as they ask I will give what I hope is a fair and honest assessment.”
First of all I am sure if you stay at pudding cottage you will have a good time. Just be wary of their 'housekeeping deposit' system. We go to a lot of cottages and hotels. Last November and December we stayed at three cottages. This was our third cottage, 2 with Sykes I think, the other a NT which are always brilliant, as are landmark ones. So. OK, we arrived on the 17th when it was cold, very cold, remember that cold spell? Not a fault yet took 24 hours and lots of wood to warm the cottage yet that was OK. I broke a plate which again was my fault and a pain. Not used to the type of electric hotplate and trying to see how each one works accidentally left one on and then distracted by an elderly pooch left a plate on a hot hotplate, ahh picked it up and it cracked and my fingers sizzled. It was in a nice loacation although next to run down ugly farm buildings yet generally OK. my gripe though was the after effect of a misdemeanor of mine. Sadly a elderly pointer of ours, over 13, her mother and grandmother both died at 10 so she has done well. Yet she has deterioated over the past few months and indeed we nearly didn't go to the cottage at all. So our stay was overshadowed by her. (You may consider my review coloured by this and I am aware of this and trying to be even handed). She was wobbly and we had to shadow her all the time, the kitchen floor was very shiny and she couldn't walk across it so we had to be very careful (again no fault of cottage). We had 2 nights when we thought we would leave early in the morning and on the second we did. This was the day we were due to leave anyway and we left early straight home to see the vet. (We saw the vet who knows her well. It was touch and go yet we tried another drug to add to the ones she has and this has certainly perked her up. She is on the home stretch though), Anyway, my misdemeanor. We have stayed at many cottages and we have four dogs. Yes, poop. Lots of it. Every cottage we have stayed at we have meticoulously picked up. Its part of our regular routine all day very day! My only mitigating circumstance apart from the anxiety on the old girl was we left on the 21 Dec, shortest day. It was dark by 4pm the day before and we left in the dark. We didn't pick all the poop up, we forgot to go round in the morning as were anxious to get to the vet. So yes, our sin and we were and are very sorry about this. Embarrassed and upset indeed. No excuses. However, I was not too happy about being scolded for it. Ok we can live with that, eat humble pie but then to be charged a 'housekeeping' charge of £30 for it seems a bit steep. How much does a housekeeper make an hour? For a job that would take say a max of 20 min, maybe a lot less, £30 is a pretty good rate. But the reall concern was that they were able to take the £30 out without our authorisation which makes me think they must have our card details after the transaction when we purchased the stay. They have a sort of a breakage deposit which is in my view dodgy, certainly makes me think about using them again (we won't), yet this was for an unpleasant task and not under the T&Cs; of breakage. And £30 seems excessively high. I know hotels can keep card details for a period yet can companies like these? That I'm not happy with this as I don't think their deposit covers this. and would certainly colour who and how we book our next (We have one already in March, yet that is at a hotel we have stayed at before).
Summary
- Three bedrooms: 1 x ground-floor twin, 1 x queen-size, 1 x single
- Ground-floor bathroom with bath, walk-in shower, basin and WC
- Kitchen/diner
- Sitting room with woodburning stove
- Underfloor heating downstairs and electric radiators upstairs with woodburning stove
- Electric oven, grill and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, microwave
- Smart TV, DAB radio, CD player, iPod docking station, WiFi
- Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
- Travel cot available
- Off-road parking for 2 cars
- Enclosed gardens, lawns, patio, patio furniture
- Three well-behaved dogs welcome
- Sorry, no smoking
- Shop 3.2 miles, pub 0.4 miles
- Note: In-keeping with the period of the property some of the door heights are lower Note: Sorry, no unaccompanied teenagers
- Note: If you wish to bring a dog please inform us at time of booking
- Note: There will be a welcome gift of food and beverages on arrival
- Note: Please make sure children and animals are supervised at all times.
The property
This beautifully restored self-catering holiday cottage is chock-full of interest and charm and has that all-important wood burning stove. There is a large open plan kitchen/dining room in a new extension; whilst the sitting room, bathroom and bedrooms are all in the period part of the cottage, dating back over 400 years. There is a twin on the ground floor, plus a king and single bedroom on the first floor. Outside, is a large garden, mostly laid to lawn, to relax in and parking for two cars.
Ground Floor
The main entrance is a door to the rear of the property, which leads into a small hallway followed by the kitchen/dining room - where there is space to leave your outdoor coats and boots.
Kitchen/Dining Room
This large open plan kitchen/dining room has a characterful dining table made from a 400 year old front door seating five - with three chairs and a bench for two. The kitchen area has an electric hob and oven, a dishwasher, a microwave, a tall fridge freezer, and a washing machine. There is an original period window that looks through from the dining table to the sitting room and double doors opening to the patio for easy outside dining.
Sitting Room
The main feature of this room is the wood-burning stove set into an inglenook fireplace. The original Suffolk brick floor and oak-beamed ceiling have been kept to create an atmospheric place to relax in the evenings. The room's furnished with a wo leather sofa, a soft leather armchair and 39” Smart TV. There is also a stereo system with DAB radio, CD player and an iPod docking station.
Bedroom One
Kids are sure to enjoy this room with walls painted to resemble beach huts and colourful soft furnishings with twin beds, a bedside table and lamp, a dressing table with a lamp, a chest of drawers, and an inset wardrobe with beach hut door.
Bathroom
This beamed bathroom has a bath and separate shower, a hand basin, a heated towel rail, W.C., and a window giving natural light.
First Floor
From the sitting room is a slightly steep, angled, an original oak staircase leads to a small landing with doors to the remaining bedrooms.
Master Bedroom
This room has beautiful original wide oak floorboards and beamed sloping walls. There is a queen-size bed with matching bedside tables and lamps, a walk-in wardrobe, a chest of drawers and dressing table.
Bedroom Two
A single bedroom with a full-sized single bed featuring original oak floorboards and an oak-beamed sloping ceiling. There is a dressing table with drawers, and hanging space on the wall.
Outside
There's ample space for ball games and relaxing in the enclosed garden, primarily laid to lawn, with a patio furnished with a table and six chairs, plus off-road parking for two cars.
NB: Some door thresholds are 5 ft 4
Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £100.
View on map
About the location
WESTLETON
Saxmundham 6 miles; Southwold 9 miles; Aldeburgh 15 miles.
Westleton is an idyllic village near the Suffolk coast, nestled between Southwold and Aldeburg and offers all the attributes you could hope for in a Suffolk village, with a village green complete with pond and ducks. The village is easily accessible from the local train station at Darsham approximately two miles away. The village has a store, a bookshop where you can also enjoy a tea or coffee whilst browsing, an old fashioned garage, as well as two pubs, The White Horse Inn and The Westleton Crown, one of Suffolk’s best traditional inns where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate held their first wedding anniversary. Every August, Westleton hosts the infamous Barrel Rolling Fair where contestants have to roll barrels down the Village Green using a pole, and the men have to roll the barrel back up the hill too. Barrels are supplied and all are welcome to join in! The local Emmerdale Farm Shop and Butchery as well as a tea shop is approximately a mile away. The area is a haven for nature lovers with Westleton Heath National Nature Reserve, Dunwich Forest, Dunwich Beach with its famous fish and chip shop located on the beach, and the RSPB Minsmere, all close by. The town of Saxmundham, 6 miles away, is located on the River Fromus, in the heart of Suffolk’s Heritage Coast and is well serviced with independent shops, supermarkets and a train station, as well as art galleries, a weekly market and a farmers’ market.
Note: Sorry, no unaccompanied teenagers.
Note: If you wish to bring a dog please inform us at time of booking.
Note: Please make sure children and animals are supervised at all times
This property offers the following short breaks:
- Winter
- Off-season
- Last minute
- Christmas
