Unique Homestays - Newquay

Olivia H.

Another very Disappointing Experience at ‘Serpentine’ (Reflections) in Cornwall

Unfortunately, our stay at ‘Serpentine’ (also known as Reflections) in Cornwall was a very disappointing experience. I highly recommend reading both this review and others before deciding to stay here.

Our stay did not meet the price point or reflect the advertised photos. We encountered multiple issues during our time there, including:
Rising floor tiles throughout the property.
Stained laundry that was not up to standard.
A broken BBQ that made it impossible to enjoy the outdoor amenities as expected on arrival
The housekeeper still on the property when we checked in at 6:30 PM putting together a new BBQ
A lack of basic amenities that were advertised but not provided.
Upon arrival, we noticed that the property didn’t have many of the features that were promised, such as working electric blinds (they remained closed for the entire duration of our stay, leaving the rooms without natural light).
We also experienced a significant roof leak on Saturday night, further compounding the frustrations.
The property feels in need of some maintenance, love and attention.

For the price we paid, we expected much better quality and service. Unfortunately, our experience at ‘Serpentine’ was far from what was advertised, and we would not recommend staying here. Unique home stays did their best to achieve a refund from the owner, however the owner lacked compassion or understanding and offered us a 10% reduction. This left us feeling taken advantage of. Please use your hard earned money wisely and do not choose this property.

Maria E. L.

A Disappointing Stay at Four Hundred Summers – Not Worth the Price

I was genuinely excited about my stay at Four Hundred Summers, a property listed on Unique Homestays, but unfortunately, the experience fell far short of expectations — especially considering the premium price paid (£1054.20 for 5 nights, after applying nearly £200 worth of loyalty points).

From the first day, I noticed a woodlice infestation in the bedroom. While I understand countryside homes may attract some insects, finding up to 15 of them crawling on the floor daily was distressing and unacceptable for a luxury property. I reported this to the owner, who assured me they were harmless, but no action was taken throughout my stay.

Other issues included:
• A wooden hot tub that we couldn’t use due to limited firewood. We were given only one basket inside and one in the potting shed. Any additional logs were locked away. I ended up buying my own logs just to use the fireplace.
• A leaking tap in the bathroom that created a constant dripping noise.
• Half-used toiletries on arrival, which were only replenished after I chased for them.
• A small dead mouse in the garden — unpleasant, regardless of the rural setting.

Despite submitting videos and photo evidence, Unique Homestays declined to issue a refund or meaningful compensation, offering only reward points I do not intend to use again.

I’m sharing this review to help other guests make an informed decision. For a brand that markets itself as a provider of exclusive and high-end stays, the service and response were deeply disappointing.

Jane S.

The most amazing holiday of a lifetime, creating the most special family memories. Quality house, grounds, annexes, games room, gym, swimming pool, sauna, hot tub. Quality fire pit, surrounded by amphitheatre. Outdoor kitchen with stunning facilities. House filled with more than you can imagine, Quality being the key word for everything. Surf boards and amazing art all around the house..... overwhelming in all aspects, including the views to sea and godrevy lighthouse.

Ellen P.

I would sadly mirror the other recent 1* reviews.

We just left a stay a night early. It was overall fairly underwhelming, the space was very dark, the items they listed as things they provided weren’t in fact provided.

Items that were unique features turned out to just be annoying or uncomfortable features and the cleanliness standards weren’t where they should have been.

Additionally, being sent a text to say that we should take our own rubbish out on the last day?! Surely that’s part of the housekeeping charge and the extortionate cost. In future we’ll stick with air bnb. No longer worth the cost.

louise B.

We so enjoyed our holiday booked through Unique Homestays. Everything about the holiday was Perfect! The house was absolutely delightful. We hope to book again very soon.

Erin P.

You pay a premium for a rental and it is not worth it! Beds were uncomfy, house extremely hot and everything need a bit of TLC! I got charged for sleeping in another room £175 in the house which should have been ‘locked’ for one night, as I couldn’t sleep in one of the other bedrooms due to it being uncomfortable (bearing in mind I’m 7 months pregnant). I offered to pay for cleaning of the room but they insisted taking £175 from my deposit. We also changed the dates and they charged us £30 admin fee….money grabbing company, not a premium service….avoid at all costs

James

We stayed at 'Aquila' on the bank of Haweswater in the Lake District and had a fantastic week. The property was great and the walking and the scenery were breathtaking. This is a very peaceful area of the lakes.

Catherine S.

We’ve recently returned from a week long stay at the Brandy Thief and were blown away by the location, sea views and gorgeous interiors of the property. The cottage was beautiful and one of the most comfortable properties we’ve ever stayed at. It had everything we could possibly need and more. It’s been finished to a very high standard with beautiful furnishings and decorative items. There are historic photos in every room telling a story of the cottage and local area which is such a nice touch and add to the ambience of the cottage. We loved waking up to the sea every morning and being able to hear the waves crashing when we opened the window. The owner, Tina, was so helpful both before and during our stay, giving recommendations and suggestions to us. The village pub is a short walk from the cottage and is worth a visit (or 3) when staying at the cottage. The food was good and the staff welcomed you in like a local. Usually when our holiday comes to an end we find that we’re ready to return home, but not this time. We were very sad to leave the Brandy Thief and could easily have stayed for longer. We hope to return one day.