Under the Thatch Reviews 98

A wonderful holiday in an idyllic location. A remarkable environment with comfortable beds. Perfect and we would throughly recommend Wendy.

Fantastic few days in Donegal with our kids. I think we have found a wee gem at the Red House...such a beautiful cottage in an idyllic location. If you're looking for a clean, cosy and luxurious base for you're Irish adventure then this place is ideal. Can't wait to go back!

Easy to follow instructions, well detailed info. Used before and never had a bad word to say about them or the properties they promote.

Really easy to use, honest descriptions and certainly where we stayed exceeded expectations by some way.

Ffin Y Parc 3 Snowdonia - stayed for 4 nights and was really looking forward to it. We flew in from Australia and as soon as we arrived we could see the neglect.
Rusted outdoor seating that you couldn’t sit on for fear of staining your clothes plus they looked hideously uncomfortable.
Lots of pot plants all over the place but none had plants in them - just very tall weeds.
Red wine ( we don’t drink), homemade vegan brownie and a pouch of nice coffee was all the hosts supplied. No sugar, Tetra Pak of milk…
The lounge was very small and very uncomfortable. It had an old woollen blanket full of moth holes over it.
There was one pump soap - none in kitchen and no soap for for the shower.
We were not given the information with Wi - Fi code until the following day.
The toilet seat is broken.
The bathroom cabinet was broken ( one door missing).
A washing machine but no airer to hang clothes which made it impossible to dry clothes.
The heavy quilt was suited to winter not summer. The hosts bought us a sheet in case we needed to use this instead of heavy quilt ( we did).
The front door was tricky to lock. We went to bed in the end with it unlocked. Figured it out the next day.
The bed was comfortable but don’t like feather pillows ( my problem). There was a massive amount of dust under the bed, not good for someone with a dust allergy. No broom was provided.
You have to leave a light on in the lounge so you don’t fall down the stairs if you need to use the loo during the night. They are steep stairs and the walls are painted black. It would have been a much better idea to provide some stair lighting.
The surrounding grounds are very nice, the drive up is lovely, but we found our time there uncomfortable and annoying.
We moved on to our next accomodation which was a third less of the price we paid for Ffin Y Park. It is immaculate with so much thought and effort put into beautiful accomodation. Everything to make you feel like you’re at home, which has only served to highlight the deficits of Ffin Y Parc 3 Snowdonia area.

They need to ensure even at peak times, in fact especially at peak times that there are available people to carry out emergency repairs or better still do not rent out a property that has no usable blind in a bedroom, and ensure safety checks are carried out before the guests arrive. Upon arrival the blind in the bunk bed bedroom was found without a pull cord and wedged up with cardboard as it did not fit the window frame gap, which did not feel safe as the large window was imme diately above a bed where a child was sleeping. When the blind fell off the wall the 1st morning, I was disappointed that no one could come until the following day as we had booked a 3 bedroom property and now only had 2 bedrooms that were usable as we could not sleep in the summer without any blinds or curtains at the window. I did ask for a refund for 1 night as I felt our stay had been compromised by only having 2 out of the 3 bedrooms usable, combined with the fact I felt the property was not as clean as I would expect, specifically food left under the kitchen cabinets and a used tissue found in the bedroom drawers. Sleep is a large part of a holiday and having no curtains or blinds in a bedroom does significantly impact a holiday. No refund was granted. I had hoped that UTT could send someone to provide a temporary window covering for example, a stick up blind for example. I did appreciate the contact from Under the Thatch, however I was disappointed that it was left to the owner to find a repair man and that was not available until the following day, leaving us without any covering for the large window. I have rented with Under the Thatch for over 14 years and have never needed an issue to be resolved with a property. But I had not realised that it was down to the individual owner to arrange repairs, I had assumed wrongly that UTT would have help
available as that was the company I booked with. Eventually my husband was able to re wedge the blind up using more cardbaord and get it to hold in place, so as we only had a 3 night stay I chose for the repairs to be carried out the day we left as opposed to interrupting our only full day. I was just disappointed that the blind was not fit for purpose upon our arrival and it was down to us to find a temporary fix for our 2nd night in the property.

Its easy to see availability dates and to tick the boxes. Once you book, they send you an email asking you to pay, threatening to release the dates for others if you do not do that within the hour. Likely you have paid already on the web page when they do that. Hence you get a second email thanking you for the payment. I was hoping to also get an explicit booking confirmation. This could be easily fixed!

Just a great spot to spend time.
Birds, beach, tides in and tides out, wildflowers, great walks. Loved this cottage. Would return in an instant if able.

Perfect secluded dog friendly cottage near strumble head in pembrokeshire. The description and photos were perfect. Although it could sleep 8 people the details were honest in the fact that there was only one bathroom so would ideally suit 4-6 people. Our group consisted of 4 adults, one young child and a small dog. The room layout was ideal. There was a small garden with gates so it was perfect for allowing the dog to potter outside, and picnic benches for us to eat and relax. We had clear instructions on how to find the cottage which was very useful. Whilst the phone signal was not great the WiFi was good.It was only a 10 minute drive to a beach and a short walk to the lighthouse. St David's was a 30 minute drive and there were many other lovely places to visit nearby. It was so peaceful and quiet and the whole process was very smooth.

We'd had been part of a group who had previously stayed in Granar, so we knew what to expect, but it was a great experience. The cottage is very comfortable, beautifully furnished and met our needs.

Markwells House is a truly special place. We had a family weekend away with 8 people and 2 hounds. We all enjoyed every inch of the house and the exquisite and thoughtfully curated gardens, which give a nod to formality and touches of wilderness, creating special little areas where we could find each other snoozing in the brilliant heat wave. (I have to give a shout out to Kim and team as they do a beautiful job.) The house and the way it's furnished with such care, a real eye for detail and storytelling make this home a real gem to stay in. We felt utterly spoilt! The bedrooms are each lovingly different. The area is idyllic, with amazing views of the surrounding countryside - replete with the birdlife, bunnies and even a pair of boxing hares (met naturally with the obligatory "Here, Hare Here...") Comfort and style - relaxation and restoration in one perfect property. The house was equipped with absolutely everything we needed, and Amy, the wonder, was super helpful and lovely from the beginning to the end if we had any questions. So, pretty much the perfect stay! We will be back - we promise

The website UTT makes for many evenings poring over dream houses and locations.

Fantastic accommodation in peaceful setting. UTT are responsive. Would book with them again.

Stayed again at an Under The Thatch property, last one was less than a year ago and the first nearly 20 years ago. Full of character and comfort at the same time. Quality is pretty much guaranteed at the properties so can book with confidence. Booking is quick and easy online, and telephone help is personal and prompt.

We have used UTT for over 10 years and as our family had grown and requirements changed UTT have been able to provide all we needed - and in beautiful places where we have made special memories. Their systems are efficient, and importantly for us the cottage owners seem to enjoy working with them. Highly recommend.

The capel is a lovely space in a beautiful location. We were welcomed by some roosters and hens as well as a couple of geese and ducks. It’s a peaceful location with many walking (or running) routes if you’re happy to go up and down a lot of scenic hills. Our host was very amiable and thoughtful. I would recommend it unreservedly.

Bwthyn Trehilyn is a beautiful cottage set in glorious surroundings. All the facilities are provided. We were fortunate to have lovely weather and explored south Pembrokeshire taking in St Davids, Abermawr beach, Solva and our favourite place, Melin Tregwynt. Underfloor heating was great and having access to Netflix was a bonus. Wifi worked well. Parking was great next to the cottage. Plenty of walks nearby. Couldn't comment on the onsite shop as the door wouldn't open. However, the cottage does need a refresh. The beds are way too small and uncomfortable. Sofa's are past their best and dirty. The cottage needs a deep clean.

We loved our stay at Bwthyn Tresinwen, Strumble Head. It's a beautiful, cosy and quiet cottage, just a short walk from a lovely cove and Strumble Head. It had everything we needed for a perfect holiday. Despite appearances from the outside, it's huge and so many bedrooms! It’s like a Tardis. There is a lovely little garden to enjoy morning coffee or evening drinks, whilst listening the birds. So peaceful. It’s a brilliant spot for exploring the Pembrokeshire coastal path. We were lucky enough to see so many seals on our walks. Delightful and highly recommend.

Under the Thatch cottage rentals: we've just returned from an easter break in an Under the Thatch cottage. We've probably stayed at 10 cottages now, mostly (but not exclusively) in Wales. We've never had a complaint. The cottages are beautifully restored, lovingly decorated and homely - and always in incredible locations. Many of them are dog-friendly, and our dog loves them! Couldn't recommend them highly enough.

Our recent stay at Fin y Parc 2 was nothing short of a disaster. We were there because of building work at our own home and had no alternative accommodation. On Sunday morning, my wife received an electric shock while switching on the toaster, which caused all the sockets in the house to cut out. With a 6-month-old baby who needed bottle sterilisation and formula prep, this made the property completely uninhabitable.

The host was away in Manchester and showed zero urgency or empathy. No solution was offered, and their main concern seemed to be the next guests arriving — not our wellbeing or the fact that my wife had been shocked by faulty electrics.

To make matters worse, we'd already reported a leaking toilet on Friday and were simply handed towels to mop it up. The general state of the house did not match the website photos — there were patches of mould throughout and a general sense of neglect.

We tried contacting Under the Thatch on Sunday but got no answer — just an answering machine and a text saying someone would get back to us the following day.

We were forced to check out early and spend £220 on last-minute alternative accommodation. After three days of back-and-forth with Under the Thatch, they refunded just one night (£105). That means, despite everything we went through, we’ve ended up £115 out of pocket.

We are in utter disbelief at how we've been treated — no accountability, no meaningful apology, and no real concern for guest safety or experience. We’ve stayed with this company before, but after this ordeal, we will never use them again. Completely unacceptable.