Coast & Country Cottages - Salcombe

caroline H.

Don't book a holiday with this company!! Its a nightmare to change your booking date despite giving 8 months notice. You can't talk to someone, the phone options when you call them are frustrating and it takes ages to speak to someone. You have to add their app to your phone, then set them up on Whats app to message the company, they take days to get back to you. They are totally useless, though there is no trouble when they want any money from you. Avoid this company at all costs.

Olivia W.

We had a holiday booked with Coast & Country for September 2024. We booked back in June, and 1 week before we were due to travel down, C&C sent an email to tell us the home we were staying in would have scaffolding up. After a few phone calls trying to speak to someone who knew what was going on, we established that the scaffolding would cover the property, entrance, porch for the entirety of our booking and work would be taking place all day from 8am – 4pm.
We appreciated that it was down to the home-owners poor organisation that this was happening, not C&C, but we felt like C&C being the ones to sell us the holiday had a responsibility to try to make the situation better, offer some sort of solution if possible. I presumed they would be interested in trying to help their customers and want them to have a nice experience.
I had a call with someone who told me that the home owner had offered us the holiday home for a lower price or we could cancel for free, the same person confirmed this on the phone twice the day I was told. We had the evening to think about it and then I called back the next day to confirm that we would take the reduced price option. As much as it was last minute stress and not the best communication, we didn’t feel too bad about the situation at this point.
When we called back the next day we spoke to someone different on the phone, and I clearly stated what we wanted to do and requested an email to be sent from their end confirming all the details. Who we spoke to confirmed everything I said and agreed, all sorted. However shortly after the call I received an email with something completely different on. I called back yet again to ask why something random had been sent over when I’d clearly outlined what option we wanted to go for.
I got through to someone different again, this time the person I spoke to said she had no record of what we’d been told. She was very short, and un-interested in helping, so I asked for the issue to be escalated to a manager. I also have a very expensive booking for next year with them, I expressed how this experience didn’t fill me with confidence continuing to use them and introducing them to the new customers coming with me. She told me that I could not escalate and it didn’t matter about my other booking as it was nothing to do with this issue. She became more short and spoke over me several times, to the point where I ended up crying. It’s so disappointing to be treated like this when you’ve given a company a lot of your money, you’ve booked with them for 17 years, and you feel sentimental over it as your parents used them before you.
I called back one more time to try to speak to someone different to see if they would behave differently. They did, they listened to me, and reassured me they would escalate this, that the phone calls would be listened to, and that their manager would call us back once investigated. I decided to cancel the holiday on that call as it felt like it had been ruined, and I didn’t want to give them any of my money if could help it. Instead we booked with another company. This was on the 31st August and I have had no emails, no calls, no contact from C&C.
I won’t be booking with them again and I would recommend you don’t either. It feels like nightmare to get through to them, especially when you have to go back and forth with an issue. They don’t keep track of what they tell their customers. They’re not interested if you’re happy or not. If one of their staff makes you cry they don’t think it’s an issue enough to speak to you about it and apologise.
I believe C&C was a brilliant company at one time, maybe it’s the introduction of combining with Sykes cottages that changed things.

Sarah G.

Absolutely appalling customer service experience. I booked through Sykes (their parent company) but had the misfortune for the property to be managed by Coast and Country. We arrived to find the property hadn't been changed over. When I tried to reach the out of hours number it didn't work. When I eventually reached them the next day they were unresponsive. Despite promising to get back to me, they did not. They have failed to resolve the issue or apologise. I definitely would not recommend booking with them.

Ricky B.

Be very careful when dealing with Coast and Country Cottages. I paid a deposit for our accommodation 11 months in advance. Just as I was about to pay the final instalment they cancelled our holiday as the owner had sold the property on. The new owner did not want to let the property out. The contract protects Coast and Country and clearly they were compensated by the new owners. We however were merely offered the opportunity of booking one of the few remaining (poor quality houses) that did not meet our needs. Company couldn’t care less that we had been cancelled. They couldn’t even offer a small sweetener for causing us so much grief. Not even a small discount for the following year. I will never use this company again as they have no idea about customer service. It’s just about them getting their commission.
Out of interest we booked with Forest Holidays and stayed in a Forestry Commission log cabin which was much better.

Danny J.

All very automated - not a great customer experience

Nice properties, but if you're looking for a personal, friendly and informative service, look elsewhere. Plenty of other companies providing better and a less pricey service

Evidently a company going through the motions of being taken over by a larger entity - it's all admin, automated emails, reminders, notices, rules & regulations etc. Important stuff I 'spose, but not really nestled amongst any niceties or offers - received my check out instructions the morning after I arrived at the property hoping that I'd had a relaxing break!

Other comments on here ring true about the general way these guys do business

Keith C.

Coast and Country Cottages unilaterally cancelled our fully paid booking just 3 weeks before our planned holiday, with no satisfactory explanation. Their approach was offhand - customer support has gone downhill since Sykes Cottages took them over. Alternative accommodation was offered - but it was ten miles away from Salcombe, so useless. We found a reasonable (but pricier) alternative ourselves, - no thanks to CCC. We have been a regular customer of theirs since the last century but they will have to improve greatly to retain our business.

James H.

Had a lovely stay at one of their cottages back in 2019, the cottage itself was brilliant. Unfortunately they decided to keep back £50 of the deposit to pay for a deep clean as they alleged we had been smoking in the property and that as a result all the furniture smelt of smoke and needed a deep clean. Absolute RUBBISH!! Yes cigarette butts were left in the bin, however they were not smoked inside the property AT ALL... it would be difficult to smoke in there with the smoke detectors present. Sent several emails and letters to coast and country and received no response at all. Not impressed. Booking ref 3B36N-19-EN

suzy P.

I've used Coast & Country Cottages for several years now, and have always had a brilliant experience. Their properties are always of a good standard and their team based in the area have been helpful whenever we've had (minor) issues. I would be happy to recommend to anyone.