Sykes Cottages Reviews

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

1.2 Rating 1,551 Reviews

4 %

of reviewers recommend Sykes Cottages

Company Reviews

Metrics

1.2

Based on 1,551 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

Location:

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

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 27th January 2025

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 17th November 2024

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Anonymous // 01/01/2019

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“Quite possibly the worst customer service I have ever come across. There is NO WAY of contacting them unless you want to make a new booking - go figure! I book and pay for rental cottages on my family's behalf. I have the Sykes account. They take the money out of my account. I cannot see the booking on the dashboard because when you book they ask the name of the lead person staying there and from there on in, they have to give Sykes permission to speak to the person who made the booking and who is paying for it. It took two hours on the website and on the phone ( the phone number of CS is NOT on the website, I had to search the net for it, to garner this nonsensical fact). It was perfectly obvious by the time I tracked down a human that CS KNOWS this is ridiculous but 'it's the way it is'. I will never book through them again and urge you to stay away unless you want to deal with chaos.”

Helpful Report

Posted 19 hours ago

“Very disappointing. Sykes cancelled our booking three and a half weeks after confirming the booking and when we were finally able to speak to someone after several collective hours ‘ on hold’ said the problem was with the property owner not correctly blocking out the dates in question as being unavailable. Mistakes happen but communication with Sykes was very poor and difficult and we are now left needing to make alternative arrangements at short notice. When we finally spoke to someone at Sykes they were very polite but seemed limited in what they could do or knew and the whole process was unsatisfactory albeit the blame may have ultimately been with the booking platform not being updated correctly . We shall never know.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 week ago

“Had to cancel our trip as my husbands overseas post has been extended past the dates of our trip. Couldn’t speak to anyone, the app just gave me a cancellation button. I then claimed for our lost money on the insurance but was told it didn’t cover this situation. AVOID SYKES AT ALL COSTS - APPALLING COMPANY TO DEAL WITH.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 weeks ago

“We’d booked a property for my fiancé’s hen do for her and 10 of her friends for June 6th. Everything was paid in full, I had all the information on how to enter the property etc. On May 28th I logged in to Sykes website to request the bed layout to be changed. Once logged in I saw I had a credit of £2600 on my account and the booking had been cancelled. I’ve had no correspondence from Sykes to say it had been cancelled, no email, text or phone call. I tried to contact Sykes but this seemed impossible. When you phone them all the automated messages say is do it online. I couldn’t do this as the booking was cancelled there was no way to raise anything against it. When I finally managed to get through to someone after a 30 minute wait in a queue, which kept saying it was a 9 minute wait, then 8, then 7, then 9 again and so on. The lady was very polite and apologetic and has raised a case and put in a complaint for me. So now I’m stuck with no property for 11 women who have activities booked in the area in 8 days time! It’s lucky I logged in to change the beds as if we hadn’t they would have all turned up on the 6th and had no where to go. I know things happen and go wrong but for them to not inform me it had been cancelled by the property owners and just hang on to my £2600 with no communication is awful. Plus the fact you can’t get hold of them if you have a problem is more worrying. So I’d say if you want to book a holiday I’d seriously recommend you go elsewhere!”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 weeks ago

“Have been trying to contact Sykes to speak to them regarding a specific question not covered by their robots! Have emailed, messaged, text and phoned twice (45 mins wait then the line was cut) How hard can it be to talk to someone? I have tried to message the owner of the property but don’t think those messages are getting through, probably until the balance is paid? I feel for the property owners as guests lose confidence in the booking system and possibly won’t do so again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 weeks ago

“Iv have been trying for over a week to cancel my holiday. Unfortunately due to a change of circumstances we can no longer afford to go. We have a payment coming up soon and obviously can't afford to pay this, hence wanting to cancel the holiday. I can press cancel on the app but unfortunately they are expecting me to pay £700 in cancellation fee. How on earth do I solve this? I have never experienced such poor communication, no communication back from them at all to be exact! Please can someone guide me”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 weeks ago

“I’m a holiday cottage owner and just had my holiday cottage trashed by Sykes guests. I appreciate that these things happen but I couldn’t get hold of Sykes for over 5 days. Appalling company. Avoid”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 weeks ago

“I confirmed via email and via a booking that we had a young baby with us and therefore needed a travel cot, which was available upon request. I then was sent a confirmation email 2 weeks before check in stating that we had no children with us. I tried to get confirmation that the travel cot would be available, since we did have children with us, and Klara from Sykes Cottages, who is our host, ignored my multiple messages and texts (if you ring they ask you to text instead and then they terminate the call). Since I booked through Plum Guides, they took pity on my and offered to refund me the cost of a cot and high chair and asked me to research them and buy one for next day delivery - I have a busy job so this was not possible at such short notice. It's not possible to get hold of Sykes Cottages in general or my 'host' Klara from Sykes - they are not interested in providing the goods and services they describe, they are interested in getting the booking and then washing their hands clean of communication. Overall a very time consuming and very stressful experience for what should have been a premium experience. I will not be using Sykes again, not recommending them, shameful.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 weeks ago

“Booked a lovely cottage and paid in full only to be contacted by owner - next morning - ‘it shouldn’t have been available - already booked’. Spent 24 hours trying to get a response or reaction from Sykes - no phone numbers to call and online, account chat constantly ‘unavailable’ or ‘very busy’. Terrible customer care service. Eventually spotted phone number 01244 356695 but even that is pot luck as waiting time INCREASES the longer you hold on! I’ve used them before but doubt I would again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 weeks ago

“Sykes cancelled my holiday in Cornwall for September. Sent alternate accommodation details but none of them suitable. Been trying to get my deposit back for days , customer service is atrocious.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 weeks ago

“Terrible telephone service. Impossible to follow unclear instructions given to navigate website, prior to which I’d explained I was dyslexic, called angry whist she raised her voice gradually . Unable to get a word in I explained I was ending the call and did whilst she was still protesting at her treatment! Close call, I’m pleased I didn’t book a property.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 weeks ago

“Sykes are easy to deal with when making a booking but their customer service support is shocking. I had a booking cancelled over an admin fee - i had paid in full but had to change date - and they cancelled it with a couple of days of sending me an email but didn't issue a refund of the full cottage payment. It took multiple calls being on hold with no answer, unresponsive to messages. They finally gave me a call back, apologised profusely and said it was unacceptable that my booking was cancelled and they would issue a refund. I am still waiting for it. Good booking service....terrible after care.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 weeks ago

“I had an issue with holiday property that was not immediate but made a complaint requesting a partial refund on my return. I sent so many texts, live chats etc. could not get to speak to anyone, and was in tears trying to sort out. Eventually a text arrived saying I would need to contact the owner direct. This had been going on for days. . I have written and of course no reply. I am now seeking legal advice. Do not use Sykes. I used a couple of times in the past and was fine.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

“I am trying to get hold of customer service and it is non existent! I booked a cottage a month ago and paid the deposit - the next payment is due and I received a text to this effect. But I never received a confirmation email. When I managed to speak to an agent - of course not customer service - they advised when I booked the agent took my email and address down wrong! So I never received a confirmation email - meaning I do not have the booking reference number! They could tell me this - but then wouldn't give me the reference number!! I have been on hold for 45 mins at a time, sent emails, whatsapp and facebook messges. I do not want to loose this property but I am totally stuck with NO help from Sykes. Any advice!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

“Impossible to speak to anyone at Sykes whilst on holiday and needing support/questions answered. For example no keys to open windows and it’s so hot we can’t sleep during this heatwave. No fan either. No replacement lightbulbs available. Phone number given just refers you to use the App Not everyone can or chooses to do this If companies provide a phone number to support with customer service they need to respond as required by customers whose money they gave happily taken. We stay in Cornwall every year, but will never ever use Sykes again. This is the first time we’ve used them. No reply at all to our call just automated message telling people to use the App. Can’t score how long reply took as nobody answered & no option to leave a message even.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

“Impossible to speak to anyone. In a queue where told 18 minutes wait to speak to someone. This time continually changed and after and hour of waiting it had gone up to 45 minutes. Had to give up. They only want to deal with you electronically and you have to wait days for a reply.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

“If you want to get in contact with anyone to make changes as it advertises, dont bother. They will never get back to you. The majority of their contact methods are automated and of no use.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

“Unable to speak to an actual person. The digital system in place is a joke. You are unable to get any response for hours and then the conversation stops. Very frustrating. What’s wrong with being able to speak to someone. Can only speak to a person if booking once booked it’s so difficult to get a response for issues”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

“No answer to telephone calls . Robotic answers. Will not confirm complete payment. The whole process has been a complete nightmare. We will never use Sykes again .”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

“Absolutely disgusting service they cancelled my cottage asked me to send booking info for my deposit refund I put booking reference number they sent me on booking only to be told it was wrong I have emailed sent texts and tried phoning,I have booked with them for years but never again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

Sykes Cottages is rated 1.2 based on 1,551 reviews