Banner for Sykes Holiday Cottages

Sykes Holiday Cottages Reviews 

188,390
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.3

While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more

To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more

Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 8,560 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently praise the beautiful locations, stunning scenic views, and exceptionally comfortable accommodations that truly make their holidays special and memorable. Many visitors also mention that the booking process is extremely simple, efficient, and always accompanied by clear and timely communication. Some reviewers were not happy with the lack of customer support and assistance provided after completing their initial reservation. Other consumers noted occasional maintenance problems, missing equipment, or minor cleanliness oversights inside some of the properties. Despite these specific drawbacks, most people still appreciate the overall value and charm of their stay.

What people talk about most

Location

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of location, frequently describing their accommodations as being... See more

Booking process

Customers had ambiguous experiences with the booking process, reflecting a wide range of differing opinions.... See more

Facilities

Clients share ambiguous opinions on facilities, as experiences vary significantly between stays. Many... See more

Quality

Reviewers mention positive feedback about quality, noting that the accommodation was spotless and well... See more

Holidays

Consumers find holidays to be a hit or miss experience with wildly varying outcomes. While many reviewers... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Stayed two nights in 6Kirkstyle Biggar Lovely accommodation However a couple of minor points of observation Pubic hairs on bathroom shelves Dust in lounge, smell of pets , Dish washer tablet... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

A quirky layout with kitchens both upstairs and down. Crockery and cutlery needed washing again before it could be used on the first evening. No dishwasher but three washing machines, and three f... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A large rambling house which we had fun finding our way around but an ideal one for the family party of 12 over 3 generations. Spotlessly clean on arrival, just a shame we had forgotten to check on t... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Good but too many emails which is annoying from sykes. Lapwing is amazing 2nd visit very clean well equipped,friendly owners looking forward to going back, only fault area around pod not suitable to h... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. #8 of 9 best companies in Cottage
  2. #10 of 10 best companies in Cottage Rental
  3. #16 of 19 best companies in Self-Catering Accommodation

About Sykes Holiday Cottages

Written by the company

We're a holiday cottage rental agency with over 30 years of experience. We represent 22,500 holiday homes available across the UK and Ireland.

Our range includes cottages with hot tubs, sea view apartments, log cabins, luxury retreats, over 12,000 pet-friendly properties and much more.

You can always be safe in the knowledge that every one of our holiday homes is up to our exacting quality standards. At Sykes Holiday cottages, we help travellers make memories and experiences, and make staycationing simple for guests with quality accommodation and 'on holiday' customer service.

Our award-winning team, being recognised for our expertise with over 30 years of experience in UK holiday letting, ensures you’ll have round-the-clock support, whenever you need it, helping you find your dream getaway.

See all holiday homes

Search over 12,000 pet-friendly holidays

Search over 3,000 hot tub breaks

Search over 1,900 log cabin stays

Search over 1,300 luxury holiday homes

Looking for a last-minute break? With discounts on 1000s of holidays, with some even offering same day check-in, you could be relaxing on your getaway sooner than you think!

See all late deals


Contact info

4.3

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

188k reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

At Trustpilot, it's all about human content. This business can also access our AI-assisted response tool which helps them draft replies.

How this company uses Trustpilot

See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.

4.3

All reviews

(188,390)

8,304 reviews in the last 12 months

Write a review
Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The barn was a lovey holiday clean and…

The barn was a lovey holiday clean and very comfortable. Jonathan was a great host.

12 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Phyllis, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We are so pleased you enjoyed your holiday at The Barn and that the host was great too! Thank you for your kind feedback.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Seamless experience

Seamless experience - but A LOT of marketing emails if you don’t unsubscribe

20 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

H there, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We're happy to hear you had a seamless experience, and we appreciate your feedback regarding our marketing emails.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Lovely cottage for hot weather

Lovely cottage for hot weather, attached to a farm , next to a field of sheep and lovely views in Peak District from windows. Walking distance from two pubs and cafe in Edale. Didn't use railway, but station there would allow visiting other places without a car. Lots of walks from the cottage - did 10 miles one day.

20 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi there, we're so pleased you enjoyed the lovely cottage and the beautiful views of the Peak District! It sounds like you made the most of the location for walks and exploring Edale. Thank you for your wonderful feedback!

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Legitimate properties, but extremely poor processes and ethos

It is a legit booking site, however we were left without hot water and support our entire holiday, with the owner and Sykes ignoring our messages/emails. Their policies are poorly communicated (such as dog policy), yet there's an expectation to follow rules which haven't been shared. They allow contractors (sadly, not to do with fixing the hot water) to randomly enter and visit your holiday house without consent or forewarning - which is concerning when holidaying with children. Critically, they do not actually post your/a review on a property if it's negative (they edit it significantly, so it loses all meaning and purpose for future guests consideration). It's clear as they build their brand, they want to only keep the "good" rather than the real, and, at present, they prioritise owners over customers.

15 August 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Lovely quiet location with comfortable…

Lovely quiet location with comfortable accommodation, and as you are on Anglesey, you are never very far from any of the major attractions and many lovely less well know ones too. Superb views of Snowdonia from the garden. Our primary recommendation is the helpfulness of our hosts Arwel and Debbie who were always accessible but never intrusive. Anglesey has become a firm favourite and when next we visit, we will look to return to Plas Marchog.

19 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Mr Preston, thanks so much for leaving this lovely review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the lovely location taking in the amazing views of Snowdonia. We look forward to welcoming you back to Anglesey!

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Stress free from beginning to end kept…

Stress free from beginning to end kept us updated and would definitely book with Sykes Cottages again .

19 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Jane, thanks so much for leaving us a review! We are delighted to hear that your experience was stress-free from beginning to end and that you were kept well-informed. We look forward to welcoming you back again!

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Easy booking easy access to property

Easy booking, easy access to property

10 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Sheila, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! We're happy to hear that booking and accessing our property was easy for you.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

positive experience

easy to use website..once booked emails confirming all details clear and concise/instruction emails for property clear and well timed prior to trip..whole booking process simple and professional/great selection of holiday cottages throughout the Uk

19 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Paul, thanks so much for leaving us a review! We're so pleased you found our website easy to use and the booking process easy. It's wonderful to hear our communication was clear and well-timed. Thank you for your kind feedback.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Beware of booking with Sykes

Beware of booking with Sykes. If anything goes wrong they are horrendous at customer service. They give pat AI responses, twist the truth and basically dont care about customer service or feedback.

21 May 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Let down by Sykes Cottages

Having used Sykes cottages for many years we were badly let down in 2026. Our holiday booking ended up being cancelled at short notice due to a query over payment. My bank account showed an over payment (as 2 payments had been taken within 2 days). Finding a person to speak to took hours, as there were only chatbots and forms on the website. A person we did eventually speak to said a payment had not been received on their systems despite me sending a screen shot showing my account payments. We asked them to look into it, as we had appeared to have overpaid and it was worrying that they seemed to have not received it. They assured us our booking would be held. 3 days later our next contact was a cancellation notice and we lost the booking. Trying to contact the company to speak to a person is extremely difficult and after a further morning of trying, we eventually spoke to someone who confirmed the cancellation. We were extremely disappointed and asked for all our payments to be refunded. They did refund the cost of the holiday and the amount we had overpaid. However they retained over £100 as the booking fee, despite our objections. So we were left without a summer holiday and paid a booking fee for what?
In all aspects this was such a poor customer experience that we will not use this company again.

30 May 2026
Unprompted review
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We're sorry to hear about your experience and appreciate how disappointing this situation must have been, particularly as a returning customer who has previously booked with us over many years.

We understand your frustration regarding the payment query and the difficulty you experienced when trying to contact us to resolve the issue. We also appreciate how concerning it would have been to see payments leaving your account whilst being advised that a payment had not been received on our systems.

We're sorry to hear that, despite your efforts to provide evidence of payment and seek clarification, the booking was ultimately cancelled. We recognise how disappointing it must have been to lose your holiday arrangements, especially after being advised that the matter would be investigated.
We also regret that you were dissatisfied with the outcome regarding the booking fee. We appreciate that, from your perspective, this added to the frustration of an already difficult situation.

Your comments regarding both the handling of the payment query and the accessibility of our customer service channels have been noted, as we understand the impact this experience has had on your confidence in booking with us again.

Kind Regards
James
Sykes Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant venue for extended family time

A large rambling house which we had fun finding our way around but an ideal one for the family party of 12 over 3 generations. Spotlessly clean on arrival, just a shame we had forgotten to check on the code to cancel the alarm! Right by public park, so the smallish private garden and hot tub area was ample outdoor space. Took us 24 hours to find the hidden cutlery drawer in the kitchen! Interesting places to visit: Iron Age Hill community, cheese making, and heavy horse farm, all within easy reach.

7 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi John, thanks so much for leaving us a review! We're so glad to hear you had a lovely family gathering, it's wonderful you discovered the interesting local attractions, there's so much to do nearby! We hope we can welcome you back again soon.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Henhouse

COTTAGE WAS PERFECT

19 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Mr and Mrs Scott, thanks so much for leaving us a review - we're so glad the cottage was perfect for you!

Kind Regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care and Resolution Team
Sykes Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We had a great holiday in lovely…

We had a great holiday in lovely accomodation and a beautiful setting.

24 July 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Theresa, thanks so much for leaving a review. We are so pleased you had a great holiday in our lovely accommodation and beautiful setting. Thank you for your wonderful feedback!

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We had been to the cottage at South…

We had been to the cottage at South Milton on one previous occasion, so we were well informed on the provisions there. Nonetheless the information on your website was up-to-date, and the booking system is very straightforward. The payment reminder is appreciated, and the whole information and booking system is easy to use.

12 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Elaine, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We're so pleased to hear that our website information was up-to-date and that you found our booking system straightforward and easy to use. We appreciate your kind words!

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great property with extensive gardens…

Great property with extensive gardens for the kids

12 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Tony, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We're so glad to hear you enjoyed the gardens and that they were a hit with the kids! Thank you for your wonderful feedback.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Lovely place everything we needed

Lovely place everything we needed

7 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Margaret, thanks so much for leaving a review. We're so glad to hear you found everything you needed and enjoyed your stay with us! We appreciate your kind words.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Flat stank

Reading the reviews (after our trip!) it’s clear that your trip could be a hit or miss. If everything about the property is perfect, then great. But and it’s a big but, when there’s issues, that’s where the failures are in this company. As a host myself, I know there’s times that things can go a little wrong which is out of your control but it’s all about how you deal with it and caring about your guests. With Sykes, things don’t get dealt with, you can’t speak to anyone and if you do, it’s such an impersonal response. This is inexcusable when you’ve paid a lot of money for a holiday and they couldn’t care less. With our issue - a decaying dead pigeon outside a bedroom meant this room was unusable - the stink was horrendous. The carcass was in an area that we couldn’t access to remove it (at the bottom of an enclosed alcove and we were in a flat on level 2) but the property manager could have done and they could have put preventative measures to discourage the roosting pigeons that were causing a filthy and unhygienic mess in the first place - the response we got was “outside the boundary of the property not our problem”. Actually, it was on the boundary.
Like I say, it’s hit & miss, probably depends on who owns the property - it seems lots of people have positive experiences - you just won’t read about the ones that don’t as they won’t get published on their website it seems.
I think Airbnb is a safer bet as they publish all reviews.
PS if anyone has read this review we stayed at St Saviours, Flat 3 Padstow
It was fine except for the bad stench of rotting carcass

16 August 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

A quirky layout with kitchens both…

A quirky layout with kitchens both upstairs and down. Crockery and cutlery needed washing again before it could be used on the first evening.
No dishwasher but three washing machines, and three fridge/freezers!
No instructions on rubbish disposal and recycling.
On the plus side great outdoor facilities and hot tub, and good location for zoo and city centre access. Great local pubs - Huxley Arms.
We had a great time but with a little more care and attention it could have been so much better.

19 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Adrian, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We're so pleased you enjoyed the facilities, hot tub, and location, and we appreciate you bringing the issues with the crockery, lack of dishwasher, and rubbish disposal instructions to our attention. We will pass these along to the cottage owner.

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Used sykes a few times now.

Used sykes a few times now and never been disappointed. Just stayed in a beautiful cottage in the Cotswolds.

12 August 2026
Sykes Holiday Cottages logo

Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages

Hi Nigel, thanks so much for leaving a review. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed your stay in the beautiful Cotswolds. We hope we can welcome you back again soon!

Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages

The Trustpilot Experience

Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.

We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.

Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.

Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.

Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.

Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.

Take a closer look