Gwillen

Lovely stay as always - we come back every year

Our family party of 6 had a brilliant stay at Gwillen despite the appalling weather.

The view of the wind-whipped waves was fantastic, and we all gravitated towards the conservatory and the seating area just outside it to read our books and look up occasionally at the storm outside. There was plenty of comfortable space to be together but not on top of each other. The children's room in the attic was good for yoga and meditation. The house was warm and welcoming upon arrival. The kitchen was well-equipped although the cafetiere seems to have gone awol - worth replacing please. It is a good ten minutes down the cliff path to the beach so you need to be fully mobile, but this was not a problem for us. We enjoyed the cafes and shop, and had an ok meal at Catch. We will be back.

beautiful views, spacious accommodation, kitchen well equipped.

only downside is the sofas, blue one in particular which is a bit well worn and could do with replacing. dining room chairs very flimsy and squeaky and need a cushion for comfort if sitting for any length of time. however we would definitely recommend staying there for the views and space, peace and quiet, and lovely beach.

A beautiful house with stunning views in one of favourite destinations, thank you and we hope to return very soon!

The house was filthy, the shower fell off the wall and hit one of our children in the head whilst showering during the first use, and when the plumber finally came on the evening of our last day there, he taped the shower head to the wall.

.. The other shower we were left with (for a family of six) was mouldy and the tiles were coming away from the wall. The windows were filthy inside and out, the kitchen cupboards had a dank musty smell, the carpet had large stains on it (likely dog wee) the cobwebs were haunted house worthy and the blinds in the bathroom were covered in black mould.

Great property.

Fabulous view that takes your breath away. Spacious and comfortable lounge, diner, kitchen. Comfortable bedrooms. Kitchen could be a little better equipped. Some kind of shade structure in the front garden would be appreciated for sitting out on sunny days. You need to be reasonably fit to walk to the beach and back from the property. Steep in places. Not really doable if you are taking more than a backpack to the beach. All in all a magical place and great property. I would return.

You're paying for the location and views here, which we understood when we booked.

The house itself is fine, but could really do with some renovation, especially the bathrooms, dining room chairs and sofas. Some confusing, contradictory messaging around bins, but think we got there in the end. The washing machine wasn't working, but we called Sykes and they spoke to the owner and got it fixed after a couple of days. So yes, a somewhat shabby house, but more than made up for by the location and the views, and the short 10 minute walk down to the beach.

Avoid A2B taxis - they rip you off.

The house itself was lovely. Beach was awesome and only a 10min drive to Newquay town centre

There’s no doubt that Mawgan Porth is one of the most beautiful spots on the north coast of Cornwall.

Beautiful sunsets, caves, waterfall and rock pools at low tide, not to mention a really safe beach to surf. We absolutely love this destination. Gwillen is in a lovely spot high up overlooking the bay with beautiful views. It has the quaint charm of an old property with modern touches. All linen, and towels were clean and the beds super comfy however a few furnishings let the place down. Hence dropping a star, the attic room for children has no blinds on the windows, my son was awake at 5.30 most mornings as the sun was blaring in and the room became super hot too and that was before the heatwave week! We managed to make shift a drape over one of the windows but it didn’t work that well. The sofas are old and uncomfortable to sit on and the dining chairs are falling apart. Having said all this, coffees in the conservatory and the spacious open plan area made for a nice relaxed feel. The walk to and from the beach is not for the faint hearted, small children or those who have mobility issues. Turn tight out of the apartment and go past the super expensive new builds - you’ll see a track that takes you along the top to the bedruthan steps, the walk to the bay with surf boards and beach bags is doable but tricky to say the least! If going down at high tide you have to walk across the top around the bay before dropping down as the steps will be covered in water. Sykes were amazing with their communications, there was a mix up with our booking (on our side) and as a result, part of our family had to arrive later. We called Sykes a few times to try and negotiate a deal for the extras nights we requested however the owner did not want to free us a cheaper right as they were holding out for ah extra booking. The day before we left I noticed Gwillen was still available for the nights we needed so I called Sykes again and they called the owners straight away but they wanted to hold out for a 4 night booking and we only needed 2, so the price was for 4 nights. We were gutted to say the least as we really wanted to stay those extra 2 nights. All in all it was a wonderfully relaxing holiday and we would highly recommend Gwillen to an active family or group, we had a truly lovely stay.

It is a beautiful property with a stunning view!

We found the information about the rubbish to be a bit confusing as there are 3 different instructions. We also couldn’t find any spare bin bags or the clear bags for recycling. It would have also been nice to have had some blinds in the upstairs bedroom. Otherwise a wonderful stay!

An excellent holiday let in a stunningly beautiful location.

Attention needed to sink tap in main bathroom. No water flowing through!

Gwillen was a comfortable house to stay in beautiful views everything was clean & handy for beach just a few things could be improved on the shower cubicle could have a mat inside as it was very slippy when stood in not very safe at all & some basic spray for cleaning kitchen worktops & toilet cleaner the house keeper cleared up the problem with bin bags no yellow bags were left out the bag in when we arrived was black so we bought bin bags (black ) that we carried on using so bin wasn't emptied but once I'd rang house keeper she told me were bags were kept so that information needs to be changed in booklet dining room chairs not very comfortable

Lovely Property, comfortable with a lovely view.

Situated down a private road means it is quiet and there is a lovely coastal walk with again amazing views of the beautiful Cornish coast. Cleanliness was great and beds really comfortable. Highly recommended for a peaceful, active, energetic, beach or walking holiday. Loved it!

Property was lovely, however, there were a few issues.

. The sofas were uncomfortable and needed refreshing. One of the kitchen chairs had a split where a leg was starting to show. Bedroom 1 had a broken door handle which was lying on the floor in the hallway. I had one issue which I rang and left a voicemail to on the Saturday evening. I had no response!! The issue was a mouse which ran across the living room!! I didn’t pursue this as we had a dog with us which made addressing the problem difficult. But, why leave a number to contact if a response isn’t forthcoming. The house provided everything I hoped for regarding location and view. I would recommend as issues were minor but I feel caretaker should have returned my call!!

This was the second time that we've stayed here and look forward to doing so in the future.

We absolutely love the views and the area. I understand some renovation work is due to be completed shortly and suggest that the sofas need an overhaul as they are getting a little uncomfortable.

I spoke to the owner during my stay and explained there were issues with maintenance but she informed me they were aware of problems and the cottage was due for a refurbishment this Oct (2023) The cottage has amazing views on the side of the hill over looking the beach.

I would say breathtaking, especially with the fantastic sunny weather during our stay.

Great location, there are a couple things that as landlord ought to be addressed: Shower controls Blinds in conservatory Dining room plastic chairs Would’ve been nice to have bigger mirrors Also the manual is out of date as to restaurants/ pubs etc and would be nice for holiday makers to have accurate listings Otherwise we loved the location and our time in Cornwall Thank you

Great location, the views are absolutely stunning.

It’s perfect for coastal walks and only a 10 minute walk to the beach. The property is exactly as described, the rooms were clean, with comfortable beds and decorated nicely. The kitchen is also well supplied. Lots of linen and towels. Definitely recommend. My very few criticisms would be it’s lacking in a personal touch, for the money we paid we had only 2 toilet rolls (for 8 people), and there were very smelly rubbish bags left by the front gate from the previous people. The information inside (in the booklet & on the wall), was confusing and a little contradictory. When leaving, another neighbour chastised us for leaving the bags out the front which wasn’t a very nice end to our weekend break away. A little welcome pack would have been fabulous and would have set this place apart. Overall, very happy however.

Very comfortable house with stunning views

The house was clean, comfortable and nicely furnished, and had the most spectacular view over the beach and bay.

We all enjoyed our stay. When we arrived we found a door handle broken off one of the sitting room doors, making the door unusable, it would have been helpful if a note had been left to say that it was being attended to as I felt obliged to contact the housekeeper to inform her of the problem as I did not want to be accused of causing the damage. The controls on the shower in the shower room need some attention as there was no easy temperature adjustment , usually a shower conrol would turn one way to increase the temperature and the other way to decrease it, but not so with this shower - warnings were issued before use! We discovered one of the dining chairs was broken underneath when we checked them all following, on one chair, a loose screw causing a wobbly leg and somone sliding to the floor - we alerted the house keeper. Finally, it would have been nice if the salt pot and sugar container had been refilled.

Your advertisement does not make enough of the absolutely wonderful views and the convenience of wonderful hostelries for good quality food and drink at the bottom of the hill.

As to improving the experience. :- The mirrors are too high on the walls and too few. A full length mirror in the bedrooms / dressing areas would be great. The beds were very comfortable could do with some upgrade to the settees.

A brilliantly situated house for amazing views and beach access.

The house is comfortable and had everything we needed. The house was clean and nicely decorated. Some areas are probably not as up to date as some cottages we have stayed in (e.g bathrooms) and there were quite a few cobwebs around the ceiling areas. However, this didn’t adversely impact our stay. Clarity around recycling arrangements would have been helpful as there was conflicting information in the house.

Unfortunately my case had been closed without resolution so that means I don’t have access to my case or the help centre so this is my only option to voice my concerns.

Reference no heating for one night/ day of no use of cooker for 3 days. I booked the holiday in good faith with Sykes and therefore the owners wanting to see maintenance reports is irrelevant to my compensation which actually was suggested by Sykes. I would expect Sykes to have a customer service recovery plan in place for such cases & how that is dealt with owner is not my concern. No reflection on the team who I have spoke to who were great at updating but seem to nothing have the authority to issue compensation. A gesture of one night refunded would have been a step in the right direction especially as I am a returning customer. Hopefully this can be approved quickly and then the case can be closed and a negative perception reversed. Thank you

It’s all about the view!

A fantastic location. Well thought out sitting room kitchen and conservatory. Could sit and watch the tide come in and out and the weather change all day! Beautiful sunsets. Good facilities loved the Nespresso machine, log burner, outdoor shower and the place to hang wetsuits. Thanks for a wonderful stay!

The location was amazing and it was so lovely to have such a great view of the sea we looked forward to having are coffee sat looking out at the view , the coast path is 2 mins from the house which was great to get down to the beach , the house was warm and the beds where comfy apart from the double bed also the double room was a bit small and had a funny smell in it , the twin room down stairs when we arrived had lots of dust hanging down from the ceiling so I had to clean that as my son has asthma , a lot of the ceilings where the same in most rooms and cobwebs and dust behind the wardrobes as well the main room door handle was hanging off when we arrived so we could not shut the door this house really needs some maintenance to smarten it up a bit and a good clean , also the windows are very dirty , the gardens are lovely and the outside shower was very handy when coming back from the beach and it’s lovely and peaceful there as well the showers in the house where good as well lots of hot water, a nice house but just needs some TLC then it would be perfect

Lovely family house with great views.

It's cosy, comfortable but not scarily "homes and gardens" smart, which makes it a relaxing stay with teenagers and dog, and our second at this property. Well equipped kitchen for proper cooking. The wetsuits and bodyboards are very welcome, as are the board games and paperbacks. NB the garden perimeter is not secure, if you have an escape minded dog in tow.

Fantastic views ,great house just need a little maintenance and TLC.

Shower is too small …lovely position near the Bay

Thank you for a lovely stay at “Gwillen”A beautiful cottage with everything you need.

Very comfortable & spacious. Lots of lovely hot water for showers. Just one little “gripe” - the windows in the conservatory were extremely dirty. Our son soon located a bucket & with the “magic “ of Fairy Liquid cleaned both inside & out - 20 minutes later - WOW - the views were amazing. Well worth the effort. Thank you again for a fantastic holiday. We will certainly recommend Gwillen to our friends & family. Pat White. Banbury. Oxfordshire.

The only thing to improve would be the minute quadrant shower cubicle, there is room for a larger one, I dropped the soap and had to open the doors to bend down to retrieve it!

I am by no means an obese person. It is not helped by the control system which extends into the cubicle a long way. The property suffered from an awful lot of cobwebs, between ceiling beams, behind wardrobes etc.

Was disappointed that despite prior report the Children’s room in the attic space was too dangerous to use!

No locks on hatches into the eaves and Hot water storage. Our children were 20 and 42 months old and would have been in danger of electrocution, burns and stuck in the roof! A loose window sill and floor splinter were reported on arrival but no action taken! Given the weather during our 21 day stay a tumble drier would have been appreciated! The garage spaces were filthy and too small to use! BUT….LOCATION, LOCATION LOCATION. Kids enjoyed the walk down to the beach, under close supervision, and we greatly enjoyed our stay!

Loved the property.

Brilliantly equipped and well looked after. Location was fabulous, though would note it was in Trenance, rather than Mawgan Porth itself. No glass recycling container available so we used a bag.

Absolutely delighted with this property.

Ideally placed with fantastic views. Excellent value would definitely recommend and will be staying here again

The property was clean, instructions clear.

Good living space. The bedrooms are a good size and it’s in an ideal location. Some of the equipment and fixtures need a bit of attention or replacing but overall. A lovely place. We had a great week with two adults and 3 teenagers.

Hired it for family get together.

Fantastic location and views. Very, airy, light and comfortable. Will certainly be returning. (A few tiny bits of maintenance needed such as several lightbulbs needing replacing, the shower holder in main bathroom needing fixing, but nothing that spoiled our stay). Thanks

Wonderful house with outstanding views!

Comfortable, unpretentious AND with an outdoor shower! Light and spacious with everything we needed. So lovely to be able to wander down to the beach - in the morning for a delicious sourdough loaf from Cornish Fresh, in the afternoon in wetsuits with bodyboards, or in the evening for a quick drink at the Merrymoor! We will definitely be back!

Gwillens location was brilliant.

marvellous views and great coastal walks. Everything you needed in the cottage. The conservatory overlooking the bay was a key feature.

We had no hot water on arrival and called the number given number on Saturday morning.

The lady said she would call a plumber but in the meantime to turn the emersion on. This eventually gave us hot water and we left it on all week as we never heard from them. We were told to leave all towels, linen and tea towels in a bag outside the front door but this bag did not exist that we could see. As we could not get in until 5pm for extra cleaning measures I expected the house to be a little cleaner and the above issues should have been rectified. However we did have a lovely week and would like to return one day. Maybe a little welcome pack would be nice as well, as previous cottages we have stayed do this and it’s a nice touch.

Great position overlooking Mawgan Porth bay, the cottage had a good welcoming appeal, once you were up the fairly steep uneven path.

The main bed was very comfortable, the heating was good once you got the hang of the timer and thermostat, although the house was fairly draughty - partly due to the windy weather conditions during some of our stay. The Tv was very slow in responding to the remote controller, sofas were a bit tired and I found uncomfortable. I think the dining chairs could of been of much better quality also. I was amazed that there were no utensils for the wood-burner.

Great location and the property is very comfortable.

One or two minor issues with the property, mostly due to its age, but nothing to detract from the holiday overall which was great.

Only criticism would be lack of recycling.

Intend to book again

This is a very good property with lots of good points if a bit stingy in the provision of soap, tea towels, toilet paper etc.

for eight people. The most serious fault with your listing is that there was no mention of the very steep and uneven entrance which you normally put in your description to make it clear that a property is not suitable for less able or disabled clients. It spoiled this holiday for my wife who is disabled. Please ask the owners to do something about the curtains which are sticking badly on their runners. There is an occasional odd smell in one of the bathrooms.

We had a great week and enjoyed staying at Gwillen.

It was generally very comfortable and well equipped. The location is stunning. My only suggestions would be firstly around the lack of recycling facilities which seems a real shame. I’d also suggest supplying a cafetière/ hob espresso maker in case people don’t want to use a Nespresso machine.

Remarkable view over Mawgan Porth Bay with 10 min access to the beach down a direct though steep path.

Sitting in the conservatory watching the tide come in and out, walking down to the beach and having a gorgeous fish supper with the sun setting on the water, glorious coastal walks.

... this cottage was everything I had hoped and more for my 60th birthday treat! Thank you so much for a wonderful holiday in a perfect setting.

A fabulous place in an outstandingly beautiful location