“We felt that there should have been a choice of either a king size bed or twin beds which could be put together to make one king size bed.”
The headboard could be fixed to the wall to accommodate this, although we would have preferred a more solid one, as the bars were rather uncomfortable to lean back on. Not ideal for someone like myself who suffers back and leg trouble on a permanent basis. The bedside tables could have been bigger too. We felt that more crockery and cutlery would have been an asset too. To have the crockery available all the time, we would have had to run the dishwasher every night, which my husband was loath to do. The kitchen table was rather small too. Outside, I think the steps by the Hot Tub could have been more stable, perhaps fixed to the outside of the Hot Tub to make it easier for people to get in and out, which would benefit those with mobility difficulties (as already mentioned), but on the positive side, it was lovely using the Hot Tub to relax after a busy day.
On the credit side, the owners Frank and Kay Chapman were very helpful, and grateful for the feedback given above. They were very good about it when we had to contact them quite late in the evening to advise of our arrival time.The cottage itself was in a very good location, once we got the hang of where to turn off from the A39 (St. Kew Highway) and we found it extremely easy to get to the places where the rest of our family were staying. We particularly liked the spacious bathroom and lounge.
However, if we were to book Swallow Barn again, with all due respect, we would prefer to book directly with Frank Chapman, rather than go through Helpful Holidays. This is because we did not approve of the way the money was taken from our account and the extra Administration Fee etc that became payable to the agency. The E-Mails implied the money would be taken whether we liked it or not. We know Helpful Holidays meant well, but we did feel that the restrictions due to COVID-19 that were 'clapped' on us were a bit excessive. For instance, not allowing us to have visitors - the places the rest of the family were staying at, didn't have these restrictions, perhaps because they are independently run, but still taking the necessary precautions in relation to COVID-19. So we could visit them with no problem, but they were forbidden to visit us, which we felt was unfair, just because it would mean them going through the house to get to the garden. I understand that this was part of the Guidelines Helpful Holidays had issued to owners of properties under their management and consequently those staying at the properties. Of course, if we returned to Swallow Barn next year, it is likely that the visitor ban would no longer apply. These things caused a lot of worry and upset to me, considering that I am Autistic, and do not cope well with pressure or change to routine (as I have been forced to do, thanks to the mask Law, even though I am exempt.) When I spoke to a lady at the agency, they were very understanding of my circumstances and said there was no reason why people couldn't visit us. It was only because the garden is enclosed, hence visitors having to go through the house, that we were not allowed to have any visitors, but I didn't know that until I spoke to Kay Chapman and it was mentioned in an E-Mail from her husband.
- Frances-Mary, July 2020
Thank you for your feedback following your stay at Swallow Barn. We
have taken a look at the steps up to the hot tub and, although we have
had no other guests mention the steps, which are secure, we have now fixed a bracket at the top connecting the steps to the hot tub. With regard to the beds, we do not advertise twin beds as being an option at the property. We are sorry that you felt there was not enough cutlery, we have not had any other guests mention of this before and so did not feel it was necessary to supply more. We encourage our guests to raise any concerns during their stay when the opportunity exists to deal with the matter. Again, we thank you for your feedback and were pleased to hear that you enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub during your stay.
Property Owner
