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
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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
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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
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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
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Company details
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!
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Contact info
United Kingdom
- www.sykescottages.co.uk
4.3
Excellent
188K reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
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excellent accommodation
excellent accommodation, helpful hosts and beautiful countryside.
21 August 2026
May use AI-assist with repliesRead more
At Trustpilot, it's all about human content. This business can also access our AI-assisted response tool which helps them draft replies.
The British Travel Awards doesn't have shortlists but ....
Sykes Cottages is running adverts on Facebook saying that it has been "shortlisted" for three award categories in the 2026 British Travel Awards. This suggests that Sykes has been through some kind of selection or judging process and that other companies have not passed the test.
The fact is that the British Travel Awards doesn't have shortlists (or long lists for that matter). All that Sykes has done is pay an entrance fee for each category, just like the other companies in the competition.
Why would a reputable company try to mislead its customers and gain an unfair advantage over its competitors?
UPDATE FOLOWING THE MISLEADING REPLY FROM SYKES COTTAGES
I haven't misunderstood the processes used by the organisers.
1. Individual companies nominate themselves for British Travel Awards and pay a fee to do so.
2. The organisers of the awards check that a company has entered an appropriate award category and (where appropriate) which size category they belong to. But that isn't creating a short-list.
3. There is no other process that can reasonably be described as being "shortlisted".
If there were a shortlisting process all other companies that appear on the public voting forms would say they have been shortlisted. But they don't.
FURTHER UPDATE
This is what Google's AI search says about the nomination process - no mention of shortlists.
"The nomination process for the British Travel Awards involves a structured system where travel companies submit their own brands to be listed on the public consumer voting form.📋 The Entry StepsApplication submission: Leisure travel providers apply online via the official BTA website, selecting their desired award categories.Nomination fee: Companies must pay a fee to be officially listed on the public voting form.Validity vetting: The BTA panel reviews applications and checks corporate websites to ensure legitimacy.Industry cross-referencing: Panel members verify applicant standings with established professional travel bodies such as ABTA, ATOL, AITO, and CLIA.Size grading verification: For size-specific awards, the panel reviews submitted corporate data or relies on market presence and SEO metrics to correctly categorize the company."
24 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.
We would like to clarify that nominations for the British Travel Awards are determined by the awards organisers and that companies do not simply self-declare themselves as shortlisted.
In accordance with the British Travel Awards process, categories are established by the organisers and eligible companies are included within those categories for the public voting stage.
The term "shortlisted" is used to reflect that Sykes Holiday Cottages has been selected by the British Travel Awards as a nominated company within the relevant categories and is therefore eligible to receive votes from customers and members of the public. The awards themselves are decided through the voting process conducted by the British Travel Awards, with winners and rankings determined by the votes received.
We take our advertising obligations seriously and always aim to ensure our marketing accurately reflects our participation in industry awards and recognition programmes. We are sorry to hear that you misunderstood the nomination and hope this clarifies how the British Travel Awards function in future.
Kind Regards
James
Sykes Cottages
Can’t contact them
This all based on their customer service. Long story short, they are impossible to contact. They do not answer the phone, the email box is unattended and the whatsapps sit unaswered for days. To rub salt into the wounds you get bombarded with emails getting you ‘excited for your stay’ and saying that they are waiting on hand to help if there is an issue.
———
In response to your reply, I understand that Whats app is not 24/7 but you are taking over a day to reply to each message. It is impossible to have a meaningful conversation with you. Why do you not have an email address? I have no intention of hanging on for the best part of an our to talk to you on the phone.
24 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Thank you for your review.
We're sorry to hear that you've been disappointed with your experience when trying to contact us. We appreciate how frustrating it can be when you need assistance and feel that you're not receiving a response as quickly as expected.
We would like to clarify that our WhatsApp service is not a 24/7 channel and response times can vary depending on demand. For urgent enquiries, we would always recommend contacting us by phone, as this is the quickest way to speak with an advisor. We can confirm that our phone lines are currently open and available to assist customers.
We're also sorry to hear your comments regarding our email communications. While our pre-arrival emails are intended to help guests prepare for and enjoy their stay, we recognise that they can be frustrating if you are waiting for assistance with an unresolved enquiry.
We appreciate your feedback and will ensure your comments are shared with the relevant teams for review.
Kind Regards
James
Sykes Cottages
Booking process very straightforward…
Booking process very straightforward and no issues
20 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Liam, thanks so much for leaving a review. We are so pleased your booking process was straightforward and you experienced no issues. Thank you for your valuable feedback!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Excellent communication
Excellent communication, cottages are good value for money and of a really high standard, descriptions are very accurate and the booking process is simple to use.
13 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Wendy, thanks so much for leaving us a review! We're so pleased to hear you had a great holiday and found our cottages to be great value and of a high standard. We hope we can welcome you back with us again soon!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Location was good ,booking process was…
Location was good ,booking process was quick and easy
13 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Michael, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! We're so pleased you loved the location and found the booking process quick and easy. Thank you for your feedback!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
The property is tired looking and could…
The property is tired looking and could do with a freshen up. The property could also do with accessibility ramps to avoid using the steps throughout.
19 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Gary, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We appreciate your feedback regarding the property's appearance and accessibility and will pass these comments along to the property owners.
Kind regards,
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
A fabulous stay
We had a fabulous stay and the booking process and contact with the owner all went very smoothly.
13 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Gail, thank you for this lovely review! We're so pleased you had a fabulous stay and that both the booking process and communication with the owner were smooth. Thank you for your kind words!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Good availability and no surprises
19 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi John, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We're glad to hear that our availability met your expectations and that your experience was straightforward. We appreciate your positive feedback!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Booking all went very smoothly very…
Booking all went very smoothly very happy with the cottage would love to return one day, and we were very well informed with information and where abouts of the cottage thanks for all your help.
12 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Ade, thanks so much for leaving a review! We are so pleased to hear your booking went smoothly and that you were very happy with the cottage. We would love to welcome you back one day!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Nobody available to help
We needed to get clarification on an issue to do with the cottage. The chat line was stationary and I waited for hours without a response. Then at the end of business it just dumped me because nothing had happened. I couldn’t get any response from you whatever I tried.
We will now look for a company who has real people available to help with questions and problems.
20 August 2026
Sycamore Cottage in Foolow was a lovely…
Sycamore Cottage in Foolow was a lovely place to stay. Was nice and quiet. Cottage comfortable with access to the garden and pond which was a pleasant place to sit and have coffee. Easy access to all the places we wanted to visit and an excellent pub 2 minutes away with good food
20 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Mrs Cardinal, thanks so much for leaving us this lovely review! We're so pleased you enjoyed your stay at Sycamore Cottage and found it nice and quiet. We hope we can welcome you back again soon!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Lovely cottage with everything we…
Lovely cottage with everything we needed. Lovely location. But parking was fun!
20 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Mr Brown, thanks so much for leaving us a review. We're delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay and found everything you needed in a great location.
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Horncastle Lincolnshire
The location, the absolutely gorgeous cottage and it's garden. Ideally situated for antique hunting. It's the 3rd time staying in the Hangman's cottage and we will be back again.
8 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Tanya, we are so happy to hear you enjoyed your third stay at Hangman's Cottage! It's wonderful that the location was ideal for your antique hunting. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Lynn, we're so glad to hear that the booking process was straightforward for you. We appreciate your feedback!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Awful experience as I have been trying…
Awful experience as I have been trying to make a complaint regarding our stay. The company do not seem bothered to listen
20 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Thank you for your review.
We're sorry to hear that you have been left feeling disappointed by both your stay and the handling of your complaint. We understand how frustrating it can be when you take the time to raise concerns and feel that they have not been listened to or addressed to your satisfaction.
We take all customer complaints seriously and aim to review each case carefully based on the information provided. We regret that, on this occasion, you have been left with the impression that your concerns were not given the attention they deserved.
If your complaint remains ongoing, we would encourage you to continue corresponding through the complaints process so that the relevant team can fully consider the issues you've raised and provide a response.
Kind Regards
James
Sykes Cottages
Provide your feedback on BizChat
Fantastic cottage
Fantastic cottage, great area, a mop would’ve been grand for cleaning after the beach, but if that’s the only niggle then my miserable self is happy 😆
20 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Chris, thanks so much for leaving a review! We're so glad you enjoyed the cottage and the area! We appreciate your feedback regarding a mop; we will pass this along to the cottage owner.
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
Great cabin modern cabin.
Great cabin every a you need and great location. 6miles from Lincoln but fllt you were in the middle of nowhere.
19 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Steven, thanks so much for leaving a review! We're so glad you enjoyed your stay and appreciated the cabin's amenities and peaceful location. We hope we can welcome you back again!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
This is the first time we've needed their help and it was very lacking.
Had a very disappointing stay with significant issues. Sykes website directs you, during your stay, to contact them by WhatsApp. Did that next morning. After one day of their no real response they closed the ticket. I reopened it, still no response.
They are very good at moving the problem on until you give up.
We are still waiting for them to respond a week later.
Had several good stays in Sykes properties before, but this is the first time we've needed their help and it was very lacking.
16 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.
We're sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the support you received during your stay. We appreciate how frustrating it can be when you report issues and do not receive the response you were expecting.
We would like to clarify that our WhatsApp service is not a 24/7 support channel and response times can vary depending on demand. For urgent matters reported during a stay, we would always recommend contacting us by phone, as this is the quickest way to speak directly with an advisor and seek assistance.
We're also sorry to hear of your experience with the messaging service and your perception that your concerns were not addressed. This is certainly not the level of service we aim to provide, particularly when guests require support during their holiday.
We value your previous bookings with us and are disappointed that this experience has affected your confidence in our service.
Kind Regards
James
Sykes Cottages
Great accommodations and location at a…
Great accommodations and location at a brilliant price
20 August 2026
Reply from Sykes Holiday Cottages
Hi Steven, thanks so much for leaving us a review! We're so pleased you enjoyed the great accommodations and location, and appreciated the brilliant price. Thank you for your feedback!
Kind regards,
Rachael.
Customer Care & Resolution Team
Sykes Holiday Cottages
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