Penny Plot Cottage

We loved it.

..but...if you are after luxury this is not for you. Spotlessly clean, except for stained sofas and carpets and well equiped with everything you need. Lovely soft white towels and immaculate comfy beds. No smelly drains as reported in other reviews. Front room is nothing like its pictured in the description, everything is much smaller in reality. Garden is great for dogs except the rickety gate needs securing, and the open gateway to the overgrown area had no gate so we parked our van in front to avoid inevitable doggy escapes. Hell of a hike from town but thats pretty much the same of anywhere when staying in Lyme Regis. Would be 5 star if it had a really good makeover. Difficulties getting hold of Sykes when we had queries before arrival.

Lots to comment on, firstly the wooden entrance gates are failing apart the wood is rotten.

There seems to be two parts to the garden. One section is not secure for smaller dogs, there is a gate that seperates the two but it cannot be closed. Entering the cottage the curtains have damp marks on them, and the smell of must is quite overpowering. It is clean, but very dated, needs quite a lot of money spent on the cottage. The carpets need a deep clean and the settee has marks on it. The bedroom door jams, and there is a hole under the sink in the bathroom, which is very small. The kitchen is well equipped. I do feel this property is not up to the standards a holiday rental property should be. It is at the top of a very steep hill/road. We left the property early, would not stay again.

Very dated, tired and top or a steep hill!

Ok. Where to start. The property is well equipped and generally clean. The small hamper was a nice touch. The beds were comfy but the whole property is very dated, the gates had to be wedged closed with a brick to keep the dog safe as they are rotten. The sofa and curtains are dirty. The space beyond the garden is completely overgrown and should be gated off to prevent dogs wandering in there. Whilst we are both very fit, there was no mention of the steep hill to get to the property. The smell from the drains while we were sitting outside was disgusting. Would not return unless serious money was spent on it.

Fabulius!

We loved our stay. A great little cottage in a beautiful setting, I will never get tired of the stunning view from the garden. The cottage had mostly everything we needed; a washing machine would have been perfect but as the kitchen is small I'm not sure where it would go? Despite that, we had everything we needed in general, it was clean and comfortable, the kitchen well equipped and the shower was great too. I would definitely go back (we even got used to the steep climb up the hill). Thankyou for a lovely stay.

We arrived at the cottage to be immediately met with a strong, unpleasant smell of damp throughout.

Despite opening all windows and doors, the smell only slightly improved. The living area, which has large windows and patio doors on two walls, had curtains covered in black mould — rising up to a foot from the bottom. This environment triggered an asthma flare-up for my wife within minutes. And this was during a dry spell — I can’t imagine how much worse it would be in wet weather. The cottage appears neglected and in need of proper maintenance, ventilation, and a thorough deep clean. It’s hard to believe the property is being regularly inspected. In its current state, it simply isn’t suitable as a holiday let. The main entrance gates were difficult to close — possibly due to water damage — and would be even more difficult in wet conditions. Half the garden is overgrown and inaccessible, with no fencing or gate to prevent dogs from wandering. We even saw a badger pass through the area, suggesting access points that could pose a risk to pets. Although the location is within walking distance of town (for those comfortable with hills), this does not make up for the overall condition of the property. We had booked for five nights but left after only two due to the damp smell, mould, and general lack of cleanliness. This completely disrupted our holiday plans. The bathroom is also very small and poorly designed, but could be improved with some refurbishment. This cottage could be a lovely place with some care and investment — but in its current condition, I would not recommend staying here. If you’ve already booked, I’d strongly advise contacting the agent to check the condition before your arrival.

Amazing location apart from the steep hill.

Cottage needs a deep clean furniture, curtains and the pans were filthy. Bad smell from drains in bathroom, windows need a clean bath peeling, gates falling apart. Don’t appreciate being asked to strip the beds on departure. The hamper is a nice touch, but doesn’t make up for the problems with the cottage. We have stayed in cottages before, we wouldn’t recommend this one to anyone and certainly wouldn’t return.

Lovely cottage - a bit dated, but that gave it a rather quirky character.

Comfy beds, lovely sofa and well equipped. Great to have a garden for the dogs and lots of garden furniture. Good location. Lovely town with lots of restaurants, pubs and cafes. Only gave it 4 stars because there was no mention of the fact that the cottage was at the top of quite a steep hill. Great going into town, but coming back was a little challenging!!

Charming cottage in a great,quiet location.

Everything for a relaxing break but could do with a refresh .. although some aspects added to the overall charm. Super location with dog friendly garden and surprising sea views. Highly recommended.

A sweet cottage in a good location.

I enjoyed having a garden for the dog and it was easy to explore Lyme Regis and beyond from the cottage.

Very disappointed with the complete lack of response, or even acknowledgement of our messages prior to arrival.

The AI answering system leaves much to be desired and the answer of "a customer support response shortly" is entirely fictitious, The property itself was "rustic" but everything worked and the location was quiet, secluded and peaceful. Nice comfy beds.

The property as fantastic views of the bay but it is a steep climb from Lyme regis taking 20 to 25 minutes.

The property is clean but needs updating.The bath was peeling and the settee as stains on it .We found the single beds uncomfortable and feel the property is overpriced for what you get The welcome pack was lovely and much appreciated . We struggled getting the gates to the property closed as they are rotting an d stones used to keep them closed.Also the old metal window frames in half of the property caused condensation and these doors wouldn't open. The kitchen was well equipped but very small. Would not recommend unless improvements were made.

Extremely disappointed with this property, & would not recommend, or be using again.

There were cobwebs everywhere, & the place was full of wasps, dead ones that had been there a while as were stuck to the floor, as well as many live dopey ones, mainly in the kitchen, dining area, bathroom, & bedroom, & looked to be coming from the cupboard behind the door in the bathroom. My poor husband spent most of our few days there constantly hoovering them up! Not what I anticipated when I booked this, hoping for a relaxing surprise short break for his birthday. This place was described as 'rustic'. No, it's neglected, run down, & in desperate need of updating! Especially the old metal framed windows that constantly poured with condensation. The bathroom windowsill was literally a puddle. Also disappointed to find single beds here, although this was my fault for missing this on the listing. The only good thing was the lounge, which was clearly a newer addition to the property, although the sofa was stained which was a bit off-putting. Oh, & there was also something quite large scratching around noisily at night in the roof space above the bedroom! I'm just glad the weather was amazing, & we could get out of the place during the day. & that I'd only booked 3 nights here, & not a whole week! This could be an amazing little place with some money spent on it, as it's in a lovely setting, peaceful, & a lovely view of the sea. Until then, it's a big thumbs down from me.

It was warm and welcoming on arrival .

It was well presented and well equipped. We thought the welcome pack was delightful touch so thank you. We enjoyed our stay and appreciated the view over Lyme bay. Though it disappeared in the mist some days. The poor WiFi connection was a downside but overall an very good holiday for us.

Beautiful and convenient location with sea views from the property.

Very comfortable and well equipped. Dog friendly garden and off road parking. Please be aware that this is a two person property and has a small bedroom with two (comfortable) single beds . If i had any criticism it would be that the decor and facilties are a little tired and dated . However i would definitely book again if i was staying in Lyme Regis

This property is far below the normal standard of Sykes.

It got colder so we turned the heating up but it started to bang. Looking in the house guide, we found a section on heating which showed that the heating was last serviced in May 2022. The boiler sticker confirmed the same. As the service engineer is also responsible for checking alarms, we assume these had not been checked neither. For safety we checked PAT testing and found that these were dated April 2022 and re-test should have been done 2023. We were concerned also that there was no fire blanket/extinguisher. We did find them eventually hidden behind the kitchen door. If there had been a fire in the kitchen, who would think to close the door to find them? Apart from these major safety issues, the bathroom smells with black mould around the toilet outlet and bath seal. The undersink cupboard cannot be used due to damp and grime. If an extractor fan were to be fitted, this would relieve the situation and also stop the water running down the windows making the window ledge un-useable. A mirror that could be accessed would be helpful as the one behind the toilet is not lit or easy to use and too far away from the shaver point. Although the cleaning was efficient, perhaps a bit more thought as to the basics for a vacation. No oven gloves, no scourer, no towel for the kitchen, only one tea-towel. A kitchen roll would be nice, as would some cleaning cloth for the bathroom. I honestly thought that paying over £700 for a holiday let would offer some level of comfort, safety and cleanliness. I look forward to your comments

*lovely view*saw squirrel, ginger cat and dear

We had a lovely short stay with our two dogs.

The cottage was perfect ,clean and the welcome bag of goodies was much appreciated. We would definitely like to come again.

The property is lovely could do with a update In bathroom.

Really enjoyed our stay and are looking forward to going back.

My husband our two dogs stayed for a week.

It was so relaxing.The cottage is very quirky.We loved it and there was a big enclosed garden area for our dogs to play.

Lovely cottage but needs some updating very small bathroom Bedroom very small beds that were not comfortable Great views out to sea Would be good if the meadow was gated from the garden

We have stayed at Penny Plot Cottage before and enjoyed our stay.

I would point out a couple of observations regarding our stay from 1 - 10 June 2024. The cottage is dog friendly which is brilliant. However, when we stayed there previously, our dog was a few years younger. She is now 14 and has arthritis. My advice to anyone taking an older dog, please take runners with you as our girl struggled to get up on the hardwood lounge floor and walk on it. I have a mobility impairment so the fact that the cottage is a bungalow is ideal. However, I am lucky enough to be quite slim and the bathroom is relatively small. Anyone who is of larger proportions may find using the bathroom a bit difficult as there is a relatively small space between the toilet and bath. The property was clean and well maintained. It could perhaps benefit from updating. It took us a while to work out how to use the cooker as it is quite old. The kitchen is well equipped. However, it wasn't obvious where some equipment was kept and it would be helpful if it were. For example, I spilt sugar on the kitchen floor and looked everywhere for a dustpan a brush and couldn't find them. A couple of days later, I moved a door that had been left open and found a large brush plus dustpan and brush. All in all, it's a lovely place to stay. Very quiet, private and picturesque and the garden is not overlooked by neighbours. The garden is secure and our dog loved it. I recommend this cottage and would happily stay there again in the future.

The cottage is in need of updating.

Facilities are limited (no washer/dishwasher) There was a musty smell but we found the cause (mop left in cupboard). The bedroom is tiny and beds uncomfortable. I would not recommend walking into town unless you are very fit! The garden was lovely and great for the dog but could do with a patio.

The cottage was lovely.

Fab views and very clean. The only thing that was a bit annoying was that the tv only showed iplayer.

Lovely long weekend with my wife & 2 dogs in this cosy cottage.

It had everything we needed, enclosed space was great for our dogs. The views from the property are beautiful. Thoroughly recommend. Getting into the drive was quite tight so would recommend taking a small car which we did.

Our second time at penny plot and we enjoyed both trips but we noticed the need for maintenance this time for some reason.

Generally the property is clean but the bathroom needs updating and some new pillows would be a good start. Handy location for town and private enclosed parking is a benefit. The property is warm comfortable. We would probably go again but would like to see some investment in it first.

Penny Plot Cottage is a roomy, clean, holiday home, for two people.

Everything worked well for us and we have only positive things to say about it. There are great views to Golden Cap. We had a lovely November break, the weather was kind to us and Lyme Regis is a great destination. It may not suit everyone though, as it lies atop a steep side road, and the walk out from the town, although not far, is uphill all the way (but easy on the way in).

Good points: The beds were very comfortable, the heating worked well and the water was nice and hot with excellent pressure.

The cottage was very clean and the view was lovely. The welcome pack was generous and much appreciated. Bad points: The windows streamed with condensation due to the very out-dated metal window frames and single glazing. The sitting room was cluttered with an enormous obsolete settee and a huge coffee table which we had to climb round to get through the room. The paintings were dark and depressing. The door handle to the bedroom jammed and it could not be turned from inside the room, so it would be possible to get locked in that room if both occupants were in there at the same time and the door had been closed. The outside of the property is depressing with derelict, moss covered outbuildings and a completely overgrown ‘meadow’. Rusty metal chairs against the wall add to the feeling that once the property might have been lovely but has been abandoned long ago.

I usually score 5 stars for sykes everytime I use them but on this occasion I feel very disappointed.

The cottage was filthy with thick hair and dust in-between the bed slats and other areas of filth, so I called the company who were overseeing the cottage the Lyme Bay Team. It was a Sunday and they were closed so we ended up having to clean the cottage ourselves as we had no other choice and couldn't leave it like that and feel comfortable. I complained to sykes who informed the owner but as I'd apparently not given them the chance to clean it while I was inside the property i was not going to be getting anything back as a good will gesture, that's because I'd been put in a position where I had to clean it myself. I didn't really want the good will gesture but an apology would have been appreciated. We provided photos to prove how filthy it was, over £1000 of our hard earned cash to have to go and clean months of built up dirt from a property that has cleaning contractors located on the next street. So disappointed as all our other cottages were immaculate. Sofas uncomfortable, views and garden lovely.

WE FOUND THE COTTAGE VERY PICTURESQUE, HOMELY & HAD EVERYTHING WE NEEDED FOR OUR STAY.

IT'S ALSO VERY CLOSE TO LYME REGIS & OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN THE DORSET AREA. WE COULDN'T HAVE WISHED FOR MORE. OUR WEATHER WAS AWFUL, BUT THERE WERE RESTAURANTS & TAKE AWAYS ETC & ENTERTAINMENT WITH TV & VIDEO SO ALL NEEDS COVERED. WE TOOK OUR TWO DOGS WITH US AS THE COTTAGE WAS DOG FRIENDLY. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ANYBODY INTERESTED IN STAYING THERE.

This is a charming cottage, situated on a high vantage point with fabulous views.

It has a lovely garden and provides a quiet, relaxed experience. Although the cottage itself is a little 'lived in' it is still comfortable and functional rather than luxurious. A nice welcome pack of local goodies awaited our arrival. Note: the walk down to the sea is easy, the walk back up less so! Take a torch if you walk back in darkness.

Property overall fine but unfortunately lounge furniture very uncomfortable.

And a note to drivers with a large car entrance is very tight

On the whole we had a lovely stay at the cottage and the positives certainly outweighed the negatives.

On the positive side the cottage was plenty big enough and was in a marvelous elevated position with lovely views of the sea and cliffs, the garden was so peaceful to sit out in and we enjoyed many hours in the late afternoon in particular in the garden. Both our dogs enjoyed the garden as well, it was so nice that on one of the days we decided to relax at the cottage for most of the day. The shower was powerful and it was very nice to use and very refreshing. Negatives were more annoying than deal breakers but some could be addressed I think. One difficult one though would be the entrance from the very narrow lane into the property, we decided to bring our Astra rather than our Electric SUV as we didn't want the hassle of charging, and am so pleased we did as I think getting a car larger than an Astra/Focus into the property would be very difficult. Getting out at the bottom of the lane was also quite difficult at times as there are cars parked on the main road at the bottom both left and right and this made for a pretty hairy exit on occasions. There were 2 sections to the garden, one section was very overgrown and it was difficult to see how secure it was for the dogs, it would be really helpful if this area was gated off. One other point on the garden, one of the garden chairs collapsed as the bolts had come undone, this could have been dangerous for an older person, I did leave a note as I couldn't find any tools to repair it other than finger tight, I think the garden furniture could really do with replacing if I'm I honest. Whilst the view from the lounge was lovely and to sit and be able to see the sea was very nice, we come from Leicester so it was a treat for us, however the furniture in lounge really wasn't comfortable and this I think would put you off spending too much time there as it wasn't relaxing. I would say the bedroom was small and the 2 single beds narrow and its a shame the room doesn't take a double bed but I guess its clear when booking its single beds but again not the most relaxing sleep. We had a lovely stay at the cottage overall and whilst we wouldn't go back to Lyme Regis or the cottage we had a nice holiday.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit!

Lovely cottage and great location.

We have been to Penny Plot several times.

We appreciate its simple layout and peaceful ambience. We know that the owner wants to have the big area wildlife friendly but we actually appreciated it when it was more of a grazed field than a wild meadow. There were a couple of odd things, though. Firstly, the TV has a very restricted channel range. There doesn't seem to be any FREEVIEW channels, just the terrestrial channels and their offshoots. Also the WIFI service claims that the server cannot be connected when you try to access most websites. Both of these things look like deliberate settings controls. If the owner wants to restrict access to some TV channels and websites then that's their choice but if that is the case then I think it would be fair to mention that in the catalogue listing and if not then maybe it could be put right?

A lovely quite location.

The house is really quirky and fun. Perfect for our two little dogs with lots of space to run around safely. The house needed a little updating, but if you have dogs then it’s perfect. It’s only 0.7 miles from the town and is an easy walk down to it, but a really hard climb coming back! You do need to be fit if your walking it! We would definitely recommend the house. Fossil hunting around Lyme Regis was great fun. The drains often smelt, but we eventually found out that if you leave the bath and sink plugs in then the smell went away!

Lovely cottage, but cottage and property would deserve more regular maintenance.

We loved this cottage it was private and lovely to sit out a bit of a hill walk to the town .

The beds were comfortable but the furniture was very uncomfortable or I would of given 5 stars would stay there again as we loved it .

Penny Plot Cottage is in a lovely position but is let down by comfort and maintenance.

Specifically, the living room seating is uncomfortable, the heating was barely able to maintain a comfortable living temperature as the cottage insulation is not up to standard; there are also issues with aging kitchen appliances and needless issues like mouldy bathroom curtains. It was appalling that Lyme Bay Holidays think it’s acceptable to not heat the cottage prior to arrival when the outside temp was -5 degs - it took over a day to get warmth into the property. In general, Lyme Bay Holidays bombard with unwanted emails of rules and regulations, yet fail to deliver a service that warrants positive comment. We have stayed at Penny Plot a number of times as it is convenient to visit an aging Mother living in Lyme; the cumulative experience of these visits means we are unlikely to book again.

Very comfortable and well maintained.

We read the previous comments and whilst we acknowledge that the property was a little dated, we found it absolutely perfect for us, the only drawback was the lane leading to the property, too many potholes!

the entrance was a bit narrow but we sorted it by the 5th day. The privacy and out look was superb. Our dog loved it! We would definitely come again.

Beautifully situated cottage.

Quiet and secluded with even a view of the bay. The house keeping team were fantastic as the property was spotless. We only just managed to get the car (a Ford Focus) through the gates so anyone with a larger car wouldn’t manage it. Also some of the pot holes in the Lane need to be addressed

Needs some tlc.

Curtains especially, kitchen ones do not fit and living room ones need re-hanging. Beds really clean and comfortable, but bathroom clean but tatty. Living room furniture also tatty and not very comfortable. On the plus side plenty of books to choose from, a good information folder and a very nice goody bag. Overall okay but nothing special.

Hi thank you for the opportunity to give feedback.

We did report a smell which appeared to be coming from under the sink in the bathroom, it did go away but was very unpleasant for a few hours. It’s a lovey cottage but could do with a little updating, and TLC to the doors and windows. Nothing come in our way of a lovely week in Lyme Regis .

Very clean, oldy worldy which we like but may not be to other peoples liking.

A lovely place, our dog was brilliant settling in and so say both of us - Mark and Sandi x We felt very safe and secure at the location - the homeowners we met were very friendly and it is clearly very dog orientated. IDEAL FOR US :)

The washing up liquid bottle was empty but we brought some ourselves, luckily!

Also, on our first visit, about 4 years ago, the big lawn (south east) was neatly cut and was really enjoyable to sit and walk in. I know that it's a good thing to have wild areas and we have one at home ourselves, but we enjoyed the property more when this was a big lawn rather than a wild meadow.

We feel the property could definitely do with some updating.

The seats in the lounge are not very comfortable. Also the bins for the refuse could be marked more clearly. Seats for the garden would be an asset. The position is excellent allbeit a testing walk from Lyme uphill. The friendly seagull tapping on.the window did make us smile.

The sofas etc weren’t very comfortable Everything else was lovely And in hot weather very cool and comfortable Setting is wonderful and garden wildlife oasis Even had Roe deer peak in at us

Penny plot is a lovely little,hideaway,very private.

quite a steep walk out of Lyme Regis but can be done .could do with some outside seating and a table to enjoy any good weather we may have

We enjoyed our holiday at Penny Plot Cottage which is situated in a lovely, secluded position with views across to the Golden Cap.

We felt that overall the cottage could do with a little TLC and updating.