Since deciding to adopt a rescue dog nearly 4 years ago I've found that my holiday requirements have changed somewhat. This may also be due to the fact that I'm getting old and am something of a homebody, but now when I am planning my holidays I don't go straight down to the local travel agents looking for sun, sea and the other (well, the bloke would be mortified for a start!), instead I have started to look a little closer to home.
Around 4 years ago my would be parents-in-law stayed in a cottage on the Norfolkcoast with their beloved family pet. Before adopting a dog I was concerned about leaving a dog in kennels when going on holiday, but the bloke convinced me that we would be able to have holidays with the dog aswell, and so Spencer's fate was sealed and he was duly adopted!
So, having finally moved into a position where we could afford holidays again I started to look around at cottages that could be hired and would accept dogs. And so when surfing the internet I stumbled across
Welcome Cottages, and I've never bothered to look elsewhere since.
The website-------------------------------------
www.welcomecottages.com
I have to admit that stylistically the site certainly isn't up to much (I live with a graphic designer!), it looks fairly content heavy, yet its really easy to use.
You can search for cottages by area in either the UK, Ireland or France and then you can refine your search further by specifying dates, prices, do you have pets, do you have children, do you want a garden, to be near the sea, be near a pub etc etc. Once you have selected your options the site will throw up a number of cottages that suit your needs. The cottages nearest the top of the list will suit your needs better than those further down the list.
(If you have stayed in a particular cottage before and want to go again then you can simply enter the property code).
-----------Choosing your cottage----------
Cottages are graded from comfortable to lovely and you can generally find internal and external photos of your accommodation so you can see for yourself what you are getting. I have to say that so far I have agreed with the ratings and I find the photos really useful. Unfortunately some properties that may just have been added to the website won't have as many photo's.
You can search by area, price, number of nights, specific dates, number of occupants and by amentities, i.e. you have pets, you need a cot, you want pubs nearby.
If you have access requirements then the details will usually indicate whether there are steep stairs etc.
--------Making your booking----------------
Once you have selected a cottage then you are ready to make your booking. This can be done over the internet or on the telephone. Either way you are still subject to a booking fee (£24), so I prefer to actually talk to someone. The booking line is not a premium number which is always a bonus and is usually answered straight away.
Internet booking
This is incredibly easy to do. You simply follow the booking pages which as usual will confirm your details, ask if you want to take out insurance (I never take out their own insurance as my own annual holiday insurance covers breaks abroad). You will then be asked for payment details and confirmation will be sent to you. You can choose to pay the deposit and then pay off the rest of the holiday around 8 weeks before the commencement of your holiday. Personally I hate thinking that I owe anyone anything and I always pay upfront.
Telephone booking
I have always found the staff to be incredibly helpful and they have never tried to push the insurance on me. Again you will be asked for your details and asked to make a deposit payment. You can then choose whether to pay the balance now or closer to the holiday date. I find that this is a good opportunity to ask a few questions about the property if I'm unsure of any of the details, and I always like to double check that they will allow dogs at the propery I have chosen.
----------Booking confirmation--------------
Having made your booking you will be sent confirmation in the post. This will include the payment details, cottage details and the details of the owner of the property usually together with some directions to the cottage. I have always found the travel instructions to be very useful and detailed, much better than AA directions!
You are then advised to contact the owner of the property (their contact details will be included in the confirmation letter) to arrange collection of keys. Again the owners I've spoken to have always been lovely and will go that little extra for you.
--------------Your holiday------------------
I have found that the cottages live up to their descriptions, gradings and photo's. I've been in an annex to the owners and have been given fresh eggs every morning and been allowed to use their own gardens and take stuff from their fridges. Owners who allow dogs in their properties are very thoughtful and will leave towels and drinks for your dogs etc.
Each property will have a comments book that is always an interesting read and will usually give you ideas for your holiday. And most properties will have details and leaflets about the area in which you are staying.
I have always found the standard of cleanliness to be excellent (I'm one of those who tidies hotel rooms and inspects tops of cupboards etc!).
I will continue to use this website time and time again as I am constantly pleased with the standard of service and the standard of the property itself.
Prices can be fairly steep over New Year and in the height of the school holidays. For instance a property for 4 that will cost around £250 before easter will cost £200 more in the summer months. But generally speaking I think that this is a really cheap way of seeing the countryside and seaside and is ideal for families, couples and groups alike.
Go on - explore our beautiful countryside!!!!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I have used Welcome Cottages on a couple of occassions, and they are really helpful. Only the last place we booked through them was haunted! (Really - heavy furniture re-arranging itself!)
alleycat01 23.10.2006 21:45
Great review and one I will definitely bear in mind for next year!
Fuzzy98 12.10.2006 12:05
I'm allergic to the countryside - start having panic attacks if i get stuck in a field and can't see any form of civilisation... Still, it's a great review and nice to know there are cottages you can hire that allow pets :-) Sarah xx
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Advantages: Easy booking process and professional to deal with Disadvantages: They don't inspect the properties themselves and rely on owner descriptions
Pip2002 28.10.2009 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Welcome Cottages
Advantages: Easy booking process and professional to deal with Disadvantages: They don't inspect the properties themselves and rely on owner descriptions
Pip2002 28.10.2009 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Welcome Cottages
Jul 31st, 2006
(Aug 1st, 2006)
exceptional by (2%):
very helpful by (98%):
