J9770GEmelaniet
June 2021
Ceilwart Cottage is a lovely old cottage with charm and character, set in pleasant grounds with far reaching coastal views. It is well provided with furniture and linen, however it is very sparse and empty. At the time of visiting, just after the easing of Covid restrictions, it was understood that many items had to be removed and this was made clear in the listing. However, cushions were provided but all the shelves and cupboards were bare and there were no ornaments. The Aga is old fashioned and there is no hob, and it proved impossible to cook a pan of pasta. There was a microwave, kettle, toaster and teapot but no cafetiere/coffee maker (although this was provided after requesting). Washing up liquid and dishcloths were provided but no tablets/powder for the dishwasher (although these were provided after requesting). Self catering is therefore quite a challenge, unless you just rely on the microwave, and opportunities to eat out are limited.
It is up a very steep lane some distance from the sea, making an eagerly anticipated walk to the beach almost impossible and quite lengthy. The access drive necessitates the opening and closing of two large gates either end of a field of sheep. This was mentioned in the listing and was not a problem for us but may put some people off, especially as there was the inevitable sheep poo underfoot meaning careful selection of footwear. There was also a lot of long glass at the bottom which covered the car and one's clothes with grass seed as it was impossible to avoid.
The cottage was generally clean with an initial impression of spotlessness. Whilst the important areas relating to Covid were clean, there were a lot of fingerprints all over the glass doors on both floors, there were quite a lot of cobwebs, the edges of the carpets had evidently not been vacuumed for some time (dead woodlice, etc) and, in some cases the central areas of carpet had bits of fluff and hair and there was a small accumulation of hairs in the bath plughole. The shower over the bath only produced scalding hot water which could not be altered.
The garden was totally overgrown and almost impossible to use or enjoy and the sun loungers were very dirty with what appeared to be an accumulation of algae and/or mud which could have easily been removed by cleaners.
Barmouth only has one small-medium sized Co-Op supermarket and one Spar convenience store. Both the butchers and bakers have ceased trading. There are some pubs and takeaways but hardly any restaurants. At the time of visiting, just after the easing of Covid restrictions, everywhere had to be pre-booked (so many were already full) and hotels were only serving residents. The food at the picturesque George III pub at Penmaenpool was disgusting and service poor.
The cottage is good value if there are a group of you but expensive for just a couple. Due to the stairs and additional internal steps and nature of the garden it is not suitable for very young children. Although there is a ground floor bedroom and shower room, it is not suitable for anyone who cannot manage a few internal steps, and there are no grab handles or other helpful features provided anywhere. Most of this is made clear in the listing.
Overall we had an enjoyable time, helped by initially good weather. The owner of Ceilwart was very friendly and chatty, although preoccupied with a potential house move, and kindly sent on a few items we accidentally left behind.
The owner is aware of many of the issues mentioned here and is intending to rectify them. However, I can only speak as I found.