Sykes Cottages Reviews

Name: Sykes Cottages
Address: Sykes Holiday Cottages Lime Tree House Hoole Lane, Chester
Rating: 1.20

1.2 Rating 1,492 Reviews

4 %

of reviewers recommend Sykes Cottages

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.2

Based on 1,492 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.1 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult
Returns Process	Could Be Better

Phone:

0124 435 2059

Location:

Sykes Holiday Cottages Lime Tree House Hoole Lane
Chester
CH2 3EG

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Sykes Cottages 4 star review on 6th January 2025

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 17th November 2024

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 8th November 2024

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 2nd November 2024

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Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Booked a cottage that on arrival we found was having inside building work done and we had not been advised. Sykes were extremely unhelpful and we were told that they could not give us a refund it was up to the owner as we had made a contract with them Sykes were only the agent, even though the photographs on Sykes web site were completely different to the actual cottage as the cottage was infact a building site. We have now lost £798.00 pounds!!!!! Disgusting Never ever book with the company as we have been scammed completely by them.”

Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 19th April 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Disgusted at being fobbed off with their ‘answer phone’ service, telling one that your call is important to them, then left on hold 30mins, then 20 mins, then another 30 mins on two separate days. Booked holiday last year to Snowdonia, but due to Covid wanted refund. No, wasn’t allowed a refund but offered to change to a date in 2021. Due to the ongoing worry about Covid, decided would like to re-arrange booking to a cottage within England. Have rung, have e-mailed, no response. Because of worry that Sykes would take the rest of our payment due 30 April, had no option but to hit cancel button. Now out of pocket by £150. Will strongly consider taking them to the Small Claims Court. Their customer relations is appalling.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Booked in 2019 for a holiday in April 2020. I was forced into changing my dates or lose all my money so changed the date to May 2021 but again I can't take the holiday . I payed in full in March 2020. Today sykes still hold my money, I am on day 31 of the 45 days sykes say it can take to refund. By the time 45 are up sykes or the owners of stones throw Marazion will have held monies not rightfully theirs for 13 months.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Never pick up the phone... ever... currently on day three and at 3.5hours on hold...”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Booked holiday for early June 2020 was cancelled dew to covid re booked for same week 2021 I now had to cancel myself spent 50mins on phone waiting for agent to be told I would lose my £44 deposit plus £150 cancelation fee which they took from my account. customer service nil star ratting nil.d”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Be wary of this company. We paid a substantial amount for a holiday only to be emailed a couple of hours later with claims that the owner was doing work to the property so they had cancelled our holiday. We have phoned twice asking for a refund only to be told finance have a backlog. We have asked for confirmation of our refund by email twice and not received it.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Basically just don't use this joke of a company, you won't ever get a refund from them”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I made a booking and am entitled to a refund. It has been a full month since the refund was requested. They keep telling me it can take up to 45 days. Be warned before you give them any money you will be chasing them for months if you change plans.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Cancellation due to a massive hike for 2022 I had no choice but to cancel as the wedding that we should have been attending had been postponed for the second time due to the ongoing Covid 19 situation. Wedding due to happen in 2021 before the change on 21st June..... I emailed Sykes to ask for guidance in this situation....none forthcoming! I was directed to the change dates.... which I did look and the dates for 2022 were unbelievable, over £200 to £1300 over and above original price for the dates in 2022. I emailed Sykes again for guidance at the price hike...no response at all! Now I am having to pay for the pleasure of booking a cottage in August 2019 (for June 2020) and pay the deposit for a failed rental which amounts money for old rope! Total lose £277 just for picking the wrong company... The first lockdown not our fault, Sykes charged me to change it.... The wedding that we were due to attend 2021 has been postponed to June 2022. I have found this process unbelievably stressful, I will never ever go through this kind of booking system again! How foolish was I. My husband was totally shocked at the original £632.00 for a holiday cottage, roll forward to 2022 you can imagine his response to £1044 or £1942 depending a Thursday or Friday arrival day! this all smacks of sharp practice by the company. We shall still attend the wedding in 2022 and are staying in a Guest House that includes a Scottish Breakfast every day with no washing up! I have not had to pay a deposit and can cancel up to 4.00pm the day before!!!! So my advice is never go near this company. So sad really......”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Brilliant at taking your money, awful at repaying. Just received a reply to my complaint . Full of corporate jargon speak and saying it could take up to 45 days to process a refund. This is corporate highway robbery. Warning to all. Do not go for the automatic paying the balance option.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Absolutely appalling company!! We had booked for 10 girls to stay in a cottage for my hen party (already moved twice) we had already paid in full and due to go on 5th March. Obviously due to covid restrictions we were not legally allowed to go. Went online to rebook and was absolutely gobsmacked at the price that they expected us to pay on top of what we’ve already paid. They were asking for another nearly £1000 on top of £1200 already paid 😳 hardly fair when none of this is our fault. So we couldn’t justify paying that amount for only 2 nights, they said they would give us a refund, but have to wait up to 45 days!!! How am I suppose to re book my hen party when you have our money?!? Everywhere is getting booked up and we are left with nowhere to go. How does a refund take 45 days, quick to take your money, very slow to give it back. So angry. Will not be using Sykes again!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“The worst company on this planet. Ask holiday owners to refund customers then keep the money themselves. They asomanipulate Trust Pilot!”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Really disappointed - we booked our holiday with friends for the 8th March for £1159 before the government guidance was released. We’ve now been told to move the dates, and we won’t pay the admin fee, but the cost of the other weekends in May (including the weekend before) is £1,440. We’ve been told we have to pay the difference The call handler also couldn’t tell me if Sykes or the owners had put the costs up by so much Very disappointed. I even bought COVID insurance which I will now look into claiming against”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Dont even bother trying to contact Sykes - they will not answer emails if you try to contact them via phone it is a pre recorded message at the end of it they shut it down Sykes do NOT wish to be contacted when you have an issue and boy do we have an issue with Sykes! They cancelled our holiday due to covid but would not refund our money of £800 the only option was to rebook costing another £400 for the 1 week. I got in touch with CMA and they got Sykes to return monies to customers ??unfortunately we couldnt get ours refunded because it had been rebooked for a later date. They really are a shambles to deal with. after reading some of the other email written by other Sykes customers it brought a tear to my eyes it is absolutely disgusting how Sykes are ripping people out of their hard earned money. I hope CMA get involved again and bring Sykes to book I give Sykes 0 yes 0 stars as to the questions below Sykes do not answer”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I am a cottage owner with Sykes and I feel they are exploiting customers with their pricing policies during the pandemic. I plan to remove them as my agent so I can offer my customers better booking flexibility at a fair price.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“We have booked our hokiday on the low deposit scheme for November 2021 for 14 nights We have had to change it a few times due to covid and the fee of £30 ech time is a bit steep!! I have been trying to contact sykes about changing our property as my osteoarthritis in my knees and hands has got worse , I am registered disabled tooand my partner has been diagnosed with chronic fatique syndrome. Making his joints very sore too The property has a spiral cast iron stair case and the bedroom in the tight eaves of the place!! We want to change to another proprty but just cant get hold of the company!!! NO email address Phone call cuts out saying tget are too busy I am rather annoyed at the lack of communication options Plus sykes have the terms & conditions on low price bookings they want you to pay a steep cancellation fee Can they please answer theur calls or provide a email address asap”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Beware anyone who might be tempted to move a booking because of COVID restrictions - we were due to share a property with friends in early May and now can’t - a refund won’t be forthcoming. If you use the ‘change your dates’ option via your account you will be charged far more for the new week than you would if making a fresh booking - in our case that was a difference of £106. Sykes already charge an amendment fee of £30 so why are they loading the rental fee as well? Could it be they’re capitalising on the pandemic and happy to rip off their customers? Take photographs/screenshots of the price differential and complain. The CMA sorted them out last time and needs to get involved again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I've tried to contact Sykes about my booking but cannot get hold of anyone, an automated voice tells you if you need to change your booking date do it online then phone goes dead. We've used this company before with no problems but this time it's been terrible customer service. I will think twice before I ever use them again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Like others on here, I have been a loyal and regular customer of Sykes Cottages for a few years and was always really pleased until this last booking. Booked a seaside barn for May 2020 and due to Covid restrictions was given the opportunity to rearrange dates, so moved it to May 2021. Due to a number of factors including Covid restrictions in place until at least mid June meaning I could not travel and go anyway, and my partner having no income through a small business that has been closed for most of 2020/21, all of which were beyond my control, I was hoping to honour that original booking but defer it to a future date, rather than just cancelling it. I was told I could submit a request to move the date, and when I went online to complete that, the same week and same barn next year was over £300 more, for nothing! An extortionate cost for a self catering week in north wales, that I was not prepared to go ahead with. Not doing this however, meant cancelling and losing all of the money I had paid previously because they give NO refund. So either way, I lose out financially, and zero sign of any customer service, compassion or understanding. Total disregard for my personal circumstances, the impact of a global pandemic, and instead hiking prices in an attempt to cash-in on people desperate for a break, with booking terms & conditions that enable this daylight robbery and poor experience. I feel sorry for the losses that businesses have experienced, I am one myself, but you don't recoup your losses by shafting loyal customers who are struggling in extraordinary circumstances. Sadly l was left with no option other than to cancel and lose all of my hard earned money paid to Sykes, and no support or understanding from them, so I will not be using them again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I booked a holiday with Sykes for June 2020, which I was unable to take because of the Lockdown. I emailed the company to see what was going on, they sent me a mail to ring them I was not offered a refund, but was told it would be easier to rebook. I rebooked for 2021 (at a higher price) but since then we have relocated to with in 3 miles of the of the cottage we had booked. After numerous phone calls to see if we could either change the booking, or a least have Sykes vouchers, we have been told NO and we will lose the deposit on the cottage if we cancel this is what they want us to do and how they make money As a pensioner, this is a huge blow to me, and I cannot understand why Sykes will not do anything to help me (actually, I DO know why, it’s easy profit for them). I have been a long-time customer with Sykes, but after this experience, I will not be booking with them again. The rating should be 0 they are a shower company.Don’t waste your money on them .”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

Sykes Cottages is rated 1.2 based on 1,492 reviews