Whitsand Bay Fort

Great week here booked via Airbnb. Location a bit out of the way and no shops within walking distance but it’s manageable. Pub/restaurant and swimming pool on site, and steep cliff path just over the road. Actually built on an old fort! The lodge was huge but the oven didn’t work which scuppered us a bit.

Great week here booked via Airbnb. Location a bit out of the way and no shops within walking distance but it’s manageable. Pub/restaurant and swimming pool on site, and steep cliff path just over the road. Actually built on an old fort! The lodge was huge but the oven didn’t work which scuppered us a bit.

Could have been an amazing experience. However: When I first emailed a request for 'one room for one person for tonight' the receptionist responded with an email saying she didn't know what I wanted (?) Then apparently went home! When I arrived to enquire about a bedroom fir the night i got a very frosty response from the manageress who felt afronted that i'd walked in the open door asking for a room when they were infact closed. Her response was 'we're fully booked'. This of course was not at all true. It turned out most bedrooms were actually unoccupied and available. She must have felt sorry for me or something because she reluctantly asked me back inside and when she 'checked' to see if she could find room for me she actually found one ( or a dozen!)!! Once i was allocated a room, i was told it was £80 but when I said no way, it was discounted to £60, which I paid but later discovered the rooms were advertised for £50. The 1st room I was given had no working lights. The 2nd room I was given had a pretty strong amonia type smell, which I initially attributed to very strong washing powder. Given all the issues in getting the room I didn't complain but i was woken by the very strong smell in the night and tracked it to the smell of drainage coming up through the plug holes. Closing the bathroom door and peming the outside door for a while lessened the smell and allowed me back to sleep. The smell was really strong when the bathroom door was opened in the morning. Surely previous occupants must have reported this? The internet write-up says breakfast is included in the roomrate - it is not, infact the cafe does not open at all in the mornings. What was good though was the bed, it was extremely comfortable. The tea and coffee supples were plentiful. The room was clean, warm (with thermostatically controlled heaters), of ample size with an open wardrobe/dressing area. The shower was easy to use, open walk in type, with plenty of hot water, cleaning supplies and towels. Views from the bedrooms are amazing! All other staff encountered were brilliant!