Non Smoking
In accordance with the terms and conditions, National Trust Holiday Cottages are non-smoking.
Old Cottages
Most of our cottages are well over 100 years old, have been renovated and refurbished to a high standard and are full of charm and character. However, they were built long before the days of damp proof courses and cavity walls so some may show signs of damp, particularly in long spells of wet weather.
We do our best to ensure that the background heating is kept on sufficiently to compensate, even when the cottage is empty. Condensation can be alleviated by opening windows and allowing the air to circulate. If you have any concerns please talk to the Contact Centre staff at the time of making your reservation.
Due to the age of the buildings, size of some of the rooms and difficulty in getting furniture through small doors, windows and up stairs, not all bedrooms have wardrobes and therefore hanging space for clothes can be limited.
Access
Most of our cottages have car parking space/s close-by but, at some you may need to carry your luggage a short distance. Some cottages also have steep or irregular steps or footpaths to the front door which have been retained as an essential part of the character of the property. Others are in secluded situations and can only be reached by driving down an unmade track. If you are concerned about access, please check with the Contact Centre.
Barbeques
We recognise that outdoor living is a large part of a holiday experience, and are currently working towards being able to provide for Barbeques in our cottages. A few cottages may now have them available for your use, but many still don’t. Whilst we work towards providing barbeques, please be aware that due to the age and location of our cottages and the fact that we do not yet have specially designed locations or structures for them, Barbeques, whether portable or otherwise are prohibited due to the significant fire risk.
Bicycles
If you take bicycles on holiday, please do not take them into the cottage. Please note that bicycles are not permitted on the South West Coast Path.
Breakages
Accidents do happen to the most careful guests - from chipping a plate to dropping a glass of red wine over a new cream carpet! The cost of replacing or repairing damaged items is considerable, but it is just not practical for us to follow up all minor incidents. For that reason, we ask you to pay a non-refundable accidental damage charge of £10 with every booking, in lieu of having to lodge a damage deposit with us. This charge of £10 prevents you from having to worry about payment for any items accidentally broken or damaged during your stay up to the value of £500. Further details can be found in our Terms and Conditions clause 13.
Brochure Accuracy
The information and prices shown in our brochure and on our website may have changed by the time you come to book your holiday. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the brochure, website and prices at the time of publication, regrettably errors do occasionally occur.
Christmas
Due to environmental and health and safety regulations we no longer provide trees and lights in our cottages at Christmas time. Please do not ask for a tree to be sourced for you as this will not be possible. If you do decide to take your own tree and decorations, please ensure that you take them home or dispose of them in the appropriate manner.
Country Living
In the countryside, farming and other local ways of life may begin early in the morning and continue late into the evening. It is part of the rural economy and our countryside, so please be understanding.
Gardens
The gardens at holiday cottages are not kept to the same standard as those National Trust gardens open to the public and many have an area that has been left to naturalise.
Where garden furniture is supplied, it will be of a more conventional type, not sun loungers or recliners.
Messages
Please do not ask local contacts or the Contact Centre to deliver messages to cottage visitors unless they are urgent.
Mobile phone coverage
Due to the often rural and isolated nature of our cottages, there is often limited or no mobile phone signal available. If you have a concern regarding being contactable at your cottage (for health reasons, for example) then please make the Contact Centre aware when booking, so that they can discuss options and identify a suitable cottage location for mobile phone coverage. Some but not all cottages have a payphone available.
Photographs
A large number of our cottages have recently had sofas and armchairs replaced, and we may not have been able to update the equivalent photograph before going to press. It may be therefore that some cottages have slightly different looking interiors, we will notify you on booking.
Problems
Inevitably, problems can sometimes occur at a holiday cottage. We do ask that you always call us immediately to advise us of a problem. You will be provided with a helpdesk number to call which operates during reasonable hours, 7 days a week. We know that sometimes you don’t want to be disturbed when on holiday, but if we know of any problems we can often resolve them quickly, or provide solutions which mean that your holiday can continue without concern. If you don’t contact us, it can jeopardise your rights to make a claim (please see Terms and conditions clause 16).
Rural surroundings and wildlife
Most of our cottages are located in very rural surroundings, often within or close to designated areas of preservation and conservation. This may mean that some of them have protected species living in the vicinity, for example bats in the roof spaces. Bats are very unlikely to cause any noise or disturbance to you, and equally should not be disturbed. We have conservation teams looking after all protected species at our properties, and if during your stay you had any concerns, you should let us know.
Smoke Alarms
For those visitors that require it, a vibrating fire/smoke detector can be made available provided you advise us at the time of booking or for short term bookings, 3 working days in advance of your intended holiday date.
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