The booking was easy using the cottage.com site and I achieved the price advertised.
Before arriving they ask you to call the owner for information on the collection of keys and so that they have an approximate arrival time. Check in is after 3:30 pm on the day of arrival.
We arrived approximately 4pm and was met by Shaun. He then introduced us to his partner Angela. Both were very friendly and welcoming. Shaun has a very talented mother in law who bakes the Bara Brith cake (a truly moist, totally delicious and more-ish fruit style loaf cake) to welcome you to the cottage. This was accompanied with a bottle of Towy Valley Apple Juice brewed exclusively for the Maesydderwen Holiday cottages, both of which were equally tasty! For you tea lovers, they also provide a pint of milk for that first cuppa!
They showed us around the cottage and how to work the heaters etc....
Shaun then ran through the welcome information booklet, in which gives suggestions of places to eat and walks to go on. We then were shown the hot tub and how to operate it. They then left us to get settled and I went straight for the Bara Brith!
We stayed in Kite Cottage which is the last cottage in the row, (or the first depending on which way you look at it). The cottage is modern and is fresh and very clean! As you enter Kite Cottage, on the right is the shower room. This is neat but plenty roomy for one person. to the left is the bunk room. This has a wardrobe with drawers and a bedside table with drawers. Plenty big enough for the purpose of sleeping, and I had to drag Jack out to enjoy family time, he was more than happy to chill in the room. Then you enter the open space living area and kitchen. The lay out is great. There is plenty of room for 2 x 2 seater sofas, coffee table, dining table with 4 chairs. There is a TV on the wall and a free standing electric heater. Off to the left of that area is the double room with bed. This has plenty of storage space and has views out the rear of the property. Out side there is the hot tub, seating area and they can provide you with a BBQ, if you want to cook and eat alfresco. As it was a treat for my Birthday, I had no intention of cooking, so declined the offer of the BBQ.
The hot tub is a 4 seater. It is heated to 40 degrees and has massage jets in each of the tub like seats. There is also a waterfall feature and a mood changing light feature, or you can have it on steady of the colour of your choice. I went with my 14 year old son and 10 year old daughter. Children under 5 are not allowed to use a hot tub. There are safety instructions on the outside wall of the cottage, which are easy to understand. The owners provide plastic cups for use in the hot tub as, for health and safety reasons, glass is not allowed. My son is almost 6 ft (already), I'm 5'7 and my daughter is 4' 6 and there was plenty of room inside the hot tub. We loved the hot tub! It was a rainy few days, but that didn't put us off using the hot tub!! Fantastic!
The kitchen is fully equipped, so if you were stopping for a longer stay, which might include actually cooking something, you would have no problem here. Microwave, toaster, cooker....It has it all.
The heaters are electric, which work very well. there is a airer in the shower room for you to dry costumes on, as it was raining a lot, I used the heated towel rail in the shower room. You are not permitted to cover the heaters, again for your own safety. If items of clothing need drying, you are welcomed to use the on site laundry room.
Even though you are in a row of cottages, the outside area is very secluded and private. There is no curfew on the time of usage of the hot tub but they do ask that you are courteous to your neighbours. Of course!
The beds are comfortable and I slept very well.
Local amenities are a short drive away and we found an all you can eat Indian buffet restaurant in one town (around 25 minute drive). Here you will find the Tesco Extra too. In Llandeilo, you will find 'The Chippery' chip shop, an Indian and Chinese take away. There is also a co op here.....(I also tried the Spar,,,but that was a bit of a let down).
The location of the Cottage is great! It is secluded and getting a phone signal might prove a little difficult, but they have WIFI, and it works! Much to the happiness of my kids. They have a park area, which includes a hammock and a trampoline. It is close to days out, there are two castles within a few miles in both directions. We visited Dinefwr Castle, purely because I'm a member of the National Trust. If I was to go for a longer visit, I sure would visit the other attractions of the area. I enjoyed driving on the country roads and the views all around were spectacular.
Check out time is 10am on the day of leaving....that was the only downside....leaving!! I didn't want to go!
All in all, Kite cottage was welcoming, clean, comfortable, quiet, indulgent break for my birthday. A great find, which I will be visiting again! Thank you Shaun and Angela! xxx