Lockmans Cottage, Arddleen

I'm mystified by the 5 star reviews and agree with the 2 star review that the cottage has been put together as cheaply as possible. The bed is a small double not a kingsize. The mattress is not comfortable although I accept mattress firmness or not in this case is personal preference. The bedding was dreadful, cheap and crumpled, with an too small, illfitting worn sheet that felt rough and 'bobbly'. I'm not expecting 400 count Egyptian cotton sheets although a lot of places advertise this but I do expect bedding to be at least as good as I would have at home i.e. M&S quality. The towels were small and barely thicker than a tea towel. I'd be embarrassed to provide bedding and towels like this to guests at my home, let alone charge paying guests. Initially we had no hot water in the kitchen. Holly advised there is a switch to turn it on behind the microwave why would we look there? The hot water should be switched on ready for guests, or there should be instructions in the welcome folder where to find the switch. There were no dustbins or recycling boxes at the property. Other guests seems to have solved that problem by taking their recycling home with them! The kitchen is minimally equipped i.e. no saucepan lids. One guest bought items they needed and left them for other guests. It's not clear which areas surrounding the property belong to the cottage. There is a front garden described as 'fabulous outdoor space' and the photos imply it is the lawn area with a picnic bench. However a local woman who parked outside the cottage told me this was a public area. She was rude and, as she left, took a photo of our car. It was an unpleasant situation that I found threatening. If these areas are private then perhaps a sign would avoid other guests having the same scenario. I am sorry to leave such a negative review, something I have never done before. I hope the owners take on board this feedback. The cottage rental market is very competitive. They have a unique cottage in a stunning location, peaceful and quiet. It could be spectacular but they need to up their game.

Lovely cottage lovely walks along the canal in a very quiet location so not ... Lovely cottage lovely walks along the canal in a very quiet location so not for people who want a bit of night life everything was catered for only downside was the bathroom was small but its a cottage we managed looks large on the picture so be aware overall we had a lovely stay and would go back

We had the most perfect long weekend at Lockmans Cottage! It was easy to find following the directions sent over by Holly and Zak the owners a few days prior to our booking. Holly and Zak made us feel very welcome with an Easter basket full of goodies and even some treats for our dog. The cottage is absolutely beautiful inside and out and was really clean. The views from it are stunning and you can see for miles. Its such a peaceful setting which is just what we wanted. We made use of the full kitchen whilst we were there which we really liked. Another thing we really appreciated was that the beds were super comfortable! We are already looking at dates to book again. Thank you Holly and Zak x

We absolutely loved it here with our dog for 3 nights! The canal walk to The Horseshoe pub was ideal and the sunrisessunsets were beautiful. Obi loved the dog treats and the bottle of Prosecco was such a nice touch. We felt so at peace here and cant wait to come back! Thank you Zak and Holly x

We were looking forward to staying here for the weekend for my birthday. The advert showed a cute cottage in its own grounds however, the stay was really disappointing, as the accommodation is not as advertised by the holiday company. It is listed as a single cottage in its own grounds, which is not true. The property is part of a larger home which the owners live in. While the cottage is not accessible by them unless coming through the front door, it is not as remote as we were led to believe. The house is small. It does not have a groundfloor bedroom as stated in the listing the bedrooms are located on the first floor. It also does not have a kingsize bed as listed. It is a small double and not overly comfy. Heating is via electric wall heaters, so it is impossible to regulate an ambient temperature. It was cold when you arrived back in the evening, as I didnt feel comfortable leaving them on while we were out for the entire day. There is only one shower room advertised as a bathroom and shower room. It is tiny and cramped, with a toilet seat that doesnt fit the toilet or is incorrectly fitted and has no heating safe to use. There is a small electric wall heater, which is rather dubiously placed next to the shower. Towels provided are also very small, more like hand towels, and only one each. The living room is small but well presented. It was really offputting having the toiletshower room practically in the living room, though. The kitchen is fairly well equipped, with essentials, decent units, and cute duckthemed dcor. The washing machine refused to cycle, saying it didnt have sufficient detergent no matter how much I put in. This was a minor inconvenience but not a big issue. Views from the windows are stunning, and it was lovely to see the sheep and lambs in the morning while making a cuppa. Downside there are no window furnishings in the kitchen, toilet, or upperfloor landing, and as people regularly walk past the property this was also offputting, especially when we returned from a day out on Sunday to find cars parked in the drive of the property. Such a shame, as we rented this for my birthday for a relaxing weekend away, and it was anything but. The surrounding village is lush, with plenty of shops, etc., and Newtown isnt far, which has lots of takeaways and coffee shops. The property feels like it has been put together as cheaply as possible and feels somewhat unfinished in areas, but this could be because it feels new to the rental market with inexperienced owners. Not many positives, sadly. Prosecco was a nice touch, the owners left us alone, the views are lovely, the sofa was comfy, TVs were decent and easy to navigate, and its dogfriendly. Sadly, all the negatives ruined our weekend away, and for that reason we wouldnt return to this property and gave it a low rating. Had the letting company been honest, we would not have booked. Wouldn't use Sykes again for this reason.

Lockmans cottage was very clean and in a lovely peaceful setting. It was a good base for visiting other towns in the area. Was lovely to meet Holly who kindly brought us some dog treats around. The only thing missing for me personally was a mirror in the bedroom where I could sit and dry my hair. This isn't a criticism, just a helpful comment they may like to take note of. Other holiday cottages we have visited have always had a bedroom mirror and small chair. Otherwise, a lovely place so many thanks

Excellent. We had such a restful stay in Lockmans Cottage. The location is peaceful, view delightful and furnishings tasteful. We tried some of the restaurants highlighted in the information pack and they were first rate. Thank you for the suggestions. Booked our return before we left.

A really cosy cottage in a beautiful location. We had a lovely time, and many thanks to the owners who made us feel very welcome

Wonderful cottage. Very peaceful. Next to the canal, muddy at this time of year. Made to feel very welcome with a bottle of proseco waiting for us when we arrived and dog biscuits for our dog. Beautiful cosy cottage. Very well stocked. Would definately stay here again

We had an excellent relaxing few days at this lovely quite cottage only wish we could have stayed longer.

Set in a beautiful location, idea for nature walks along the Montgomery Canal. It's tranquil and a lovey place to stay if you want to recharge your energy. Pets are allowed. The cottage is very clean and bright, a lovely little place to relax, we really enjoyed it and hope to return next year. It's easy to find and if you need to get out there are plenty of places to visit close by, we loved Powys Castle! Close to Oswestry and Welshpool too. We highly recommend this cottage. I just forgot to bring a hairdryer and couldn't find one at the property. There is a washing machine, but you'd have to bring a portable washing line but apart from that it'd perfect, comfortable beds, it smells nice and fresh, everything feels new, cosy and warm in the evening and the shower is nice and hot. We even found a nice bottle of Prosecco to welcome us in the fridge!! The host is very friendly on the telephone, thanks for letting us stay x

A lovely cottage sett in stunning setting very quiet and Tranquil, lovley walks ... A lovely cottage sett in stunning setting very quiet and Tranquil, lovley walks , very clean and comfortable can't fault it

Lovely property in such a peaceful location. Cottage was spotlessly clean and tidy. A great hideaway but handy for so many local attractions.