Unique Homestays レビュー 

October 2024. Property in Cornwall called Serpentine

We travelled from N Ireland to spend a week at the above property. We are in our late seventies. Our son and wife and two grandchildren age 6 and 8 joined us travelling from London.
We had a successful holiday in October 2023 at a property in co Kerry using this company. We could not fault anything.
This experience in Cornwall was in stark contrast. We chose the property with encouragement from UH who assured us it was suitable for all of us.
Two full days of our week were spent trying to rectify the problems we were presented with. We assumed the standard would meet the high requirements of UH. They state each property is visited and approved by a team member. It is clear this level of scrutiny is inadequate. As a guest UH state “ you are afforded some of the finest hidden gems in the world and offered to truely embrace the province.
On the night we arrived at 6pm it was dark. There was no wok to make a stir fry. Only two of the 7 burners on the gas hob worked and one was barely a flicker. The grill did not work and one of the three ovens worked.
In the dark it was still obvious that the huge semi circle of picture windows were dirty.
We reported this to UH the following morning. The house keeper and her partner came and were unable to fix the cooker . They said it had not been working for some time. They suggested using the microwave but didn’t know how to work it. We could not work it either. The house iPad with instructions turned up several days later under magazines in a drawer, it was out of charge. The house keeper said she would arrange for someone to repair the cooker. Nobody turned up during the week despite more phone calls to UH. The house keeper said the owner was hard to contact and rarely at the house. We had planned to eat at the house each evening as the children were too young for late nights. It also looked like a property we would be more than happy to be in each evening.
On the night we arrived there were no kindling sticks and only two logs in the basket , we were unable to light the wood burner.
The hot tub was cold.
The welcome hamper described as luxury, consisted of supermarket produce ……sliced white bread, Branson pickle, butter, cheddar cheese, packet of 4 scones out of date, some biscuits, no items showcasing Cornwalls local luxury products..
The following day the window cleaner cleaned the windows which were indeed filthy.
UH advised that basic essentials would be in the property.
The following items were not provided.,
No dishwasher tablets
Fairy liquid empty
No washing up brush, a previously used scrubber/ sponge
Herb/spice containers all empty
No salt and pepper grinders
No cooking salt
No apron
One oven glove. For one hand. Dirty.
Glasses cheap and flimsy
No sturdy drinking glasses for children
No salad bowl !!

Toilet sistern in master bedroom running continuously.
Sink in master bedroom would not empty. Housekeepers partner came to fix it.
No instructions for hot tub.control panel stuck down with duck tape.
Master bedroom bedside lights so inadequate unable to read in bed . Housekeeper to bring stronger bulbs. Did not happen.

Of extreme importance are the safety issues relating to this property, none of which we were made aware of at the time of booking.
1 Dangerous steps from the raised bed in the master bedroom. There is no reactive lighting to warn of two sharp slate steps down, or no handrail. My wife fell in the night forgetting there were steps to negotiate. She was lucky not to have sustained life changing injuries.
2. There was no outside lighting at all. The house keeper said it had been damaged in the floods and had not been sorted. There are four steps on the wooden deck which runs round the front of the property. Again no handrail and no lighting making this extremely dangerous.my wife had to press herself against the wall to descend these steps safely.
3. No lighting down steep steps to the hot tub and no handrail.
This property is built into the side of a cliff with a steep drop down to sea level. In particular,for elderly people and children to have no outside lighting functioning and no handrails , it has the potential for a serious accident to happen.

There was no outside furniture available as shown on the website. No BBCue. Nowhere to sit. Weather was hot.

We felt the reporting of all of the above did not receive appropriate response. We had no way of contacting the owner. We have accepted £700,their “final offer”,as compensation, wholly inadequate, in no way compensates for these serious deficiencies. Be warned, in spite of UH actively promoting this property with outdated and inadequate knowledge of its condition, if things go wrong they will offer no support. They claimed simply to be an intermediary.

Little Inka is a superb addition to Unique Homestays. Wendy and Tom as hosts were superb, discrete yet welcoming. The accomodaion is amazing and for couples wanting privacy and silence, you cant go wrong.

Awesome. Beautiful property, flawless management of my booking and admin. Massively convenient EV charging. Lovely bacon, sausages and other wonderful bits on arrival. I did a 4 day retreat by myself, walking, doing yoga, cooking and reading before the hard work of 2025. Most grateful. Thank you!

The most stunning property with incredible attention to detail : kitchen equipped for every type of cooking /baking/ blending ; incredibly comfortable beds (you don’t want to get out of!! with beautiful linens ); bathrooms stocked with luxury brand products and gorgeous white fluffy towels and just the most amazing view with super easy access to the beach.

We were really impressed by Unique Homestays - and Little Inka in particular. We wanted somewhere quiet and private to relax over Christmas, having had a really hectic end to the year. Little Inka turned out to be like a private boutique hotel! It was super-cosy and felt high-end without being over the top. W+T (the owners) were really friendly and welcoming, taking us to visit the alpacas :) And Unique Homestays were very helpful and supportive.

Location was ideal. Space and facilities were perfect for our family of seventeen. The owners were responsive to our requests. Great welcome hamper perfect way to start our holiday week.

Having visited the UK regularly for decades, always using homestays, Beauport in Newton Ferrers proved to be the most outstanding accommodation we have experienced by a considerable margin. We love character cottages & Beauport oozes character but with that delicate touch of modern refurbishment that makes the experience comfortable. To us it was perfect in every way. It ticked every 'comfort' category: beds, pillows, duvets, sofas etc. The decor & furnishings reflected great taste. The kitchen was the most comprehensively equiped we have ever experienced. The arrival hamper generous with the inclusion of a fabulous arrangement of fresh flowers. We could find no area to fault.

Amazingly helpful Company where everyone contributes to the overall experience.
The most fantastic property off the scale amazing.
An incredible spot on the Lizard in an historic building which upholds the incredible history and is furnished accordingly.
Everything you could possibly want or need is provided.
Yoga on the roof terrace at dawn was something I will remember always.

We have been clients of Unique Home Stays since 2018 and we return time and time again due to the quality of their properties. Their website is informative and easy to navigate. It also features members of the team and it is nice to see who you are dealing with.

An added bonus is that if you are unsure of which property to choose there is always a member of the team who has visited personally and can guide you on the perfect choice.

We have used other companies over the years but we have been disappointed and they do not offer the same standards and experience as Unique Home Stays. Each of their properties is indeed unique and of high quality.

Our most recent stay was our fifth with UHS at Charlotte's Folly in Shropshire where we stayed in a beautiful cottage surrounded by woodland and a lake. Perfect for dog walking. In addition, we were able to see Hansa which is in close vicinity. It looks like an idyllic retreat and is on my wish list.

I cannot recommend this company highly enough and would encourage anyone to take a look at the website and book one of their properties. They will not regret it.

We spent an idyllic weekend at Idlewylde in Mid Wales. The accommodation was excellent and exceeded expectations, very quirky with a lovely remote setting

Just stayed for an truly magical week in Gwendolyn,Cornwall. The weather was changeable but we chose this property knowing that if it rained all week it would be a great excuse to stay in and enjoy this beautiful property. Having read all the information given, I found Unique Homestays to be very clear on what is included in your stay and what you can expect and was not dissapointed. The housekeeper was on hand immediately and resolved a small issue with the TV within an hour and was very accommodating. I would not hesitate to use Unique Homestays again and we are already considering a visit to The Fable which also looks incredible !

Stayed at same property for ~4 times. Always reliable and professional handling of booking, payment, and quick turnaround times when there were questions. The property has stayed fresh and luxurious over the years and at each stay there were pleasant surprises. Overall, at least for our chosen propery and booking agent we can only say positive things.

The properties I’ve stayed in with Unique Homestays have always been outstanding, both in location and in the style. I’ve used them 3 times so far and have always been wowed by the quality.

We stayed at The Limit in Cornwall in August and had the most fantastic week. The Limit is a beach hut that has been updated and it sits right at the back of the sand dunes at Holywell Bay. With a view of the sea in the distance from the decking, we spent many a relaxing afternoon in the hot tub watching the golfers on the course next to us, and watching the kids sliding down the sand dunes on their sand sledges.

The Limit has been modernised and updated with luxury linen and very good quality kitchen equipment and everything you could possibly need is there, even with it being a small space. The only slight oddity is the fact that the bedroom/bathroom is in a separate building next door so you do need to go outside in order to reach it, but this only adds to the uniqueness in my view. The bed and pillows are like sleeping on clouds and believe me I am fussy about the quality of my sleep - I usually take my own pillows everywhere on overnight stays but I genuinely did not use them this time.

UniqueHomestays were very efficient, the booking process was very quick and easy and the amount of useful information provided was outstanding. We were given not only directions and access instructions, but also recommendations from the owner of places to visit and eat and on arrival we found a cream tea laid out for us and treats for the doggie.

I would not hesitate to visit The Limit again and I will definitely be booking more holidays with UniqueHomestays. Their service is very efficient, effective and professional.

Thornemead Castle was a spectacular venue in which to celebrate our Golden Wedding with our extended family. Inside, the spacious and beautiful rooms were delightful, and the grounds were perfect for all the children with endless games equipment. The owner was on hand for any queries, and had prepared so many welcoming treats for us. We all had a wonderful week.

Our stay at Viola exceeded anything we were expecting. Our family, from 9 years to 77years, had the most fantastic time. There were so many things to do while we were there we hardly ventured away from the house. It has the most amazing views, glorious flower beds and our spaniel thought the ducks and birds were fascinating. My grandson loved the boat on the lake. The large swimming pool was enjoyed by both children and adults. The F1 and golf simulators were well appreciated.

The house itself is immaculate and is equipped with everything anyone could wish for. We loved the Conservatory and enjoyed many breakfasts sat outside it on the terrace overlooking the lake. We were incredibly lucky to have a sunny week so the majority of the meals were taken outside but we did have one dinner catered for by a caterer recommended by the company which was amazing.

I must also mention Sharon, the Estate Manager who was so helpful both on our arrival and throughout our stay. If anyone is thinking of staying at Viola I can assure them they will have a fantastic time. It is the best holiday property I've ever rented and I doubt it can be beaten.

We stayed at Lime House Cottage in Ireland, Kerry as a little mini moon retreat after our wedding and all I can say is WOW!! It was fabulous, so beautiful and relaxing. We had our dog with us and she loved going for walks around the ground. It was really easy to get into the local town and beach. Our host was so lovely she made everything so easy for checking in and checking out. The cottage has everything you need from a washing machine, dishwasher, TV, cooker, Wifi, outdoor fire pitt and so much more.. but is so remote and relaxing to read a book or have an amazing bath with outside views. Shower pressure was amazing too the whole experience was incredible and we will definitely rebook. I would highly recommend this cottage it is amazing!!! Thank you for letting us stay we will be back.

Lovely house; well appointed. Good weather makes the property - lovely gardens and pool to enjoy. Cafe across the road is excellent for breakfast, lunch etc. Good location for access to Babbington, Newt, Bruton / Chapel etc

Excellent level of detail provided online on the property and personal, responsive service from the representative.

Wonderful experience. Very responsive and friendly. Chic and upmarket properties.