“The apartment has beautiful ocean views, you can see sunrise and sunset.”
It is warmly decorated and well furnished. I booked via Sykes Cottages who are a proactive management team and if you call them they respond quickly to any issues (slow on the whatssapp comms though). Those are the good points to report. I’m afraid my list of issues following my stay is long. My arrival was the most stressful ‘check in’ of any short stay I’ve ever experienced. Being in the thoroughfare on the marine parade has its attraction, but as a non-local I think it’s so wrong that the property advertisement and welcome pack do NOT make it explicitly clear that there is no vehicle access anywhere near the property. Language in the arrival pack: “small car park, with a clock tower in the middle… you may be able to unload from here”. But that car park is a continuously used very busy parking area, with very low chance of free spaces on arrival. It’s also 250 yards from the property, which is a hefty walk if you’re needing to offload more than one suitcase or box, let alone the paraphernalia which comes with a seaside holiday. If you drive along the access road intended for retail deliveries, passing parking reserved largely for disabled badge holders, you then risk being confronted by council operatives insisting you move/turn back or you'll be ticketed. The ‘residents permit’ parking provided is a near 15mins walk away from the property. Again no proper warning of this fact before you book. Beyond this, be advised that because the property is above multiple shops, cafes and restaurants, there is noise and disruption at all hours. The bedroom glazed windows are very poorly fitted at the top, with a large gap at the top of the window. It feels and sounds like the window is always open. From 4.30am you can hear large recycling bins being emptied into trucks full of glass bottles smashing on impact. From 6am-8.30am various retail trucks arrive offloading produce, some with loud ‘vehicle reversing’ sirens. From 8am two cafes below start to cook bacon and hotdogs and the smell is very strong into the apartment all morning. When I arrived, the glass protection panels and the windows were covered in seagull droppings which had been there for some time. I get seagulls are a pest. But surely regular cleaning of the glass/windows should be part of the rental upkeep? The couch (which others have complained about) is indeed uncomfortable, worn, shredding and very tired. The bed has very deep body indentations on both sides highlighting the mattress is old and/or has never been flipped as a good way to manage high usage. I asked for a late check out on my departure day knowing the property wasn’t rented that day nor the following and was flatly denied. Apparently an ‘owner’ policy and not that of Sykes Cottages. Considering the effort it takes to leave the property and pack up my car which is parked some distance away, it was an incredibly unhelpful end to what should have been a more restful experience. The in-property folder states simply that refuse bags can be left ‘at the back’ of the property and nothing further. I wasn’t able to locate any ‘back’ nor anyone who could advise, and had to take the bags elsewhere once I left. Later discovered more detailed guidance to locate the bin area is buried in the emailed paragraph entitled ‘Collecting your Keys’. Too late. Finally, front door to the building is permanently open all day as the key code lock as been broken for some time and Lyme Bay Lets or whoever owns/runs the building has ignored the issue for some time (this is all stated in signage posted on the door). However it then gets locked overnight - so does that mean, because of the key pad issue, if you come home later you can't get in?! Not ok. Hope someone takes on board these points.
Thank you for your detailed feedback following your recent stay. We’re very pleased to hear that you enjoyed the apartment’s location, furnishings, and wonderful sea views, and we also appreciate the time you’ve taken to share areas where you feel improvements could be made.
To clarify, there is in fact vehicle access right up to the property via Marine Parade for the purposes of dropping off and picking up luggage, so there’s no need to walk from the car park with your belongings. The apartment is a front-line beach property, which is clearly shown and stated on our website. With that prime location does come some of the usual sounds and activity of a busy seaside town, particularly in peak season. That said, the property is fully double-glazed throughout, which helps to minimise disruption, though some external noise and cooking aromas are naturally unavoidable in such a vibrant central setting.
With regard to the seagull droppings, the windows are cleaned on a regular basis, though being on the seafront it is an inevitable challenge. Seagulls are very much part of the local environment, and while we do our best to manage this, it’s something that all coastal properties have to contend with.
On the point of furnishings, both the sofa and bed are high-quality items and were replaced less than two years ago. We do appreciate, however, that comfort is very much a matter of personal preference and we’re sorry they weren’t to your taste.
As for late check-out, we always try to accommodate requests wherever possible, but our housekeeping teams work within a strict six-hour turnaround window to ensure properties are thoroughly cleaned and prepared for new arrivals. During peak season especially, this isn’t always feasible, even when the diary appears less busy.
Your comments regarding waste disposal signage and the front door lock have been noted and will be passed on to our housekeeping and property management teams for review.
We regret that some aspects of your stay did not meet your expectations, but we hope the fantastic location and views helped you enjoy your time in Lyme Regis overall.
Property Owner
