Pentire, on the coastal path

Pentire was well equipped and comfortable. We enjoyed watching the seagull chicks on several neighbouring roofs. The village of Polruan was very picturesque, the views of the coast were lovely, and the walk to the ferry was not to be rushed.

It would be better if we could park close to Pentire, but our car wasn't suitable for the rough road. The local carpark (£30/wk) was fine, but the walk to Pentire didn't favour wheeled luggage.

Had everything we needed.

great location convenient to shops brilliantly equipped kitchen double oven etc sea views and lovely walks on coastal path.

nothing

The cottage was in a lovely location and was only a short walk to the car park. We were left clear instructions on how to gain access to the cottage and a welcome folder was left with useful in formation.

Unfortunately when we arrived the cottage was very cold and felt damp, even though we were told that the storage heaters had been left on for us so it would be warm on arrival. On the second day when we had contact with the host, she asked us not to overuse the plug in heaters as it was costing her a lot in electric bills (£30 in 24 hours) and to use hot water bottles to keep the beds warm, even though only one was provided. Unfortunately the storage heaters were not sufficient and the property remained cold, which with two young children this was not ideal. Due to this we had to keep the heater on in the kids bedroom overnight to keep them warm. The coal that was left for the fire was damp along with the matches which made it impossible to light. Also the wood for the fire was left in the shed which made it damp and unusable. Upon arrival we noticed black mold marks on the wall in the main bedroom next to the window and mud around the bottom of the toilet. I took photos of this but didn't send them to the host as it was late when we arrived. The second day the fuse blew in the shed making the washing machine unusable. I messaged the host who was quick to respond and told us to check the fuse box. Even after flicking the fuse this did not solve the issue as the socked had been damaged through damp so we used an extension lead from the cottage to fix the issue. By the time we had solved the issue it was late and didn't message to inform the host (with it being Christmas Eve). On the last day of our stay I took more photos of the damage caused by the damp and sent them to the host. On doing so she not only blamed us for all the damage but also called us bad parents for having a young child in that environment. In hindsight I really wish I had sent the photos on the same day, but I did not want to start off our holiday on a bad note and deliver bad news to the host as nothing would have been resolved at that point.

Polruen is a quaint village facing Fowey with a reliable bus and ferry service and helpful, friendly locals. The key safe access to the property and internal night lights worked well. The double bed was comfy and use of freezer, washing machine and tumble dryer was appreciated.

Access to the property is by foot only (road repairs outstanding) and the area is poorly sign posted. Directions provided were inadequate. We arrived at dusk and it was dark by the time we located the property and unloaded our luggage etc. Not a good start. The picture shown is of the rear of the property and the garden is so overgrown that you can't spot it from a distance. The property needs a good tidy up and deep clean, the windows, kitchen but particularly the patio and outside areas. Weeds & stingers are growing all over the patio and around the outside of the property. The view from the patio attracted me to this property but sadly in it's current state we felt unable to relax outside. The Wifi instructions were out of date but thankfully a phone call to the host in France resolved the issue. Our biggest problem was the lack of hot water. We were advised the problem had been resolved before our arrival. Sadly, it had not and we spent our week with no hot water for the kitchen and bathroom sink. There is an electric shower in the bathroom. On reflection, we were disappointed the hosts made no offer of compensation for the lack of hot water.

Once we had located the property which was not easy, the keys were easy to find. The property is up a steep hill and although only 10 minutes down to the village was quite an effort back up. If you have any health issues this might be an issue.

The bedrooms and bathroom needed a deep clean. There were hairs everywhere, the shower head was dirty and it felt generally grubby. A Welcome pack would have been very much appreciated as the shops shut early we couldn't even get a cup of tea, just some longlife milk perhaps.

The location is superb. There are steep areas to and from the harbour but all very pretty. Car parking at the harbour is at an absolute minimal so walking there is best. The cottage is lovely. There were some queries which we discussed with the owner by text and she was receptive and helpful. As the road directly to the cottage is unsuitable for most cars, we used the car park as recommended and it is yards away from the cottage. Good amount of sunshine to the patio area and it was interesting watching the cruise ships arriving and leaving, along with other types of vessels to the sailing boats and little passenger ferries. We saw a couple of low flying helicopters and light aircraft, so there was plenty to watch and see. There is not a lot of nightlife in the harbour unless you are lucky enough to go when the regattas are on, but we were looking for a quiet, restful holiday and that is what we got in beautiful surroundings with amazing views of the sea and the harbour. .

It all depends where you stay in Cornwall as it covers a huge area and some of the more popular family attractions were a good drive away.