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Suffolk Secrets Reviews

1.4 Rating 46 Reviews
7 %
of reviewers recommend Suffolk Secrets
Read Suffolk Secrets Reviews

About Suffolk Secrets:

We have grown to offer an unrivalled selection of self-catering cottages. Suffolk Secrets offers self catering holiday cottages in Suffolk. With over 270 selected cottages on the beautiful Suffolk coast, Suffolk Secrets is the no.1 holiday cottage provider in Suffolk.

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Phone:

0150 272 2717

Email:

holidays@suffolk secrets.co.uk

Location:

The Old Water Tower, The Common, Southwold
Suffolk
IP18 6TB

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Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Jane Brocklehurst
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Jane Brocklehurst
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Jane Brocklehurst
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Jane Brocklehurst
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Jane Brocklehurst
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Jane Brocklehurst
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Jane Brocklehurst
52
Anonymous
Anonymous  // 01/01/2019
I never took out insurance as it was a short notice book and paid in full but unfortunately my dog became seriously ill the day before and spent two day and a night at the vets. The company had no compassion and only after complaining offered as a good will gesture 10% which was an insult but I accepted just to end that side of my distress.
Helpful Report
Posted 6 months ago
Do NOT book with this company. They do not care if the accommodation is unclean when you arrive. And do not deal with complaints.! AVOID
Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
We rented Scapa Cottage for our daughter, her husband, and their baby. I noticed when they checked in, there were none of the common supplies most of us take for granted when checking in somewhere. No tea bags. No coffee. Not a sausage (no pun intended). The owner introduced herself and let us know to notify her if anything was amiss. Apparently the toilet was running and didn't flush properly, of which my daughter did notify the owner. Some time in there, the owner's husband "fixed" the toilet, but it was apparently running when they checked out because the owner gave my son-in-law a "why didn't you tell me it was still running", abrupt sort of accusation as they left. The young couple had gone to shingle street for a swim and got one of the cottage's towels (and a face towel) mixed in with their own possessions. And once more it was ourselves who got the: "we're missing a towel and face cloth, can you throw some light on this?" as though we had conspired to make away with their bath ware. My daughter insists the bedroom smell of BO, the place has poor circulation and obviously overbearing owners. So...don't rent this place. The owner is not nice in a real not nice English way, the place is very small and uncomfortably in the back garden off the main house, they don't provide anything, and there are much nicer places around for the money.
Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
My friends and I stayed at Cow Pasture cottage recently and were absolutely thrilled with every aspect of our break. What a gem of a cottage from the wonderful hosts Heather and Sue to the thoughtfully furnished rooms.....everywhere was beautifully and tastefully decorated. The kitchen was very well equipped and we wanted for nothing. Fabulous location within mintes to the coast and quaint pubs. Cannot recommend this property enough !!!
Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
We stayed at Beach Cottage in Aldeburgh over Xmas and the New Year. I will start with 2 positives - fantastic view and house was warm. - but that is where it ends. We rent holiday cottages 3 times a year and we have never stayed in such a fund down property. First thing we had to do was descale the kettle as we had bits floating in our coffee, and then clean the cooker as when we used it smoked and smelt of old fat. No dishwasher I know, but 2 tea towels for 10 days ? Details also say towels provided - we had buy towels as theirs were as thin as tissues, we are both slim but not big enough to wrap around us. The carpet in the front room was ver6 badly stained, and random pipes sicking up out the floor where radiators were previously fitted. The showers were all dirty, full of built up grime, which we also had to clean. No extractor fans in the bathrooms. Wallpaper badly stained and coming off the walls. Details on door said to hang coats up in the cupboard under t(e stairs, but full of deck chairs etc so could not even get to pegs. Rusty radiators in the bedroom. The most shocking thing, is the fact that all all the windows in the bedrooms downstairs are locked. In the details at the house they say this is for security reasons. - however in the front room upstairs their is an emergency key on the event of a fire. A fire is most likely to start in the kitchen up stairs - if this is during the night and it spreads downstairs a key upstairs is no good to help you get out. The whole house inside is tired, rundown, dark and dirty, and needs a good clean. We have raised a complaint, asking for a partial refund. Shockingly the owner is not prepared to offer anything, but Suffolk Secrets have offered us £180 - not a lot considering is cost £1800 for 10 days and we spent a lot of that time cleaning and buying cleaning products, but at least they have agreed with my comments after seeing the photo’s I provided. Please double check this property has been updated before booking in the future.
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 9th January 2023
Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
Used annually - A good selection of properties - Great communication - Perhaps could do without a text at 06:30 am on departure day !
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
What a complete disaster! Terrible terrible experience of what was described by Suffolk Secrets as luxurious accommodation “ beautifully presented “ turned out to be the holiday from hell. The cottage was scruffy, unkempt, unfit to stay in , cold and unsafe. Apparently owned by an interior designer from Chelsea ( who must be laughing all the way to the bank) On first use of the toaster the electrics blew and took out the heating, lights, dishwasher, washing machine, microwave and hot water!!! The emergency telephone number provided by SS was not in use so we spent the evening in the dark cold and unable to cook a meal. We left voice mails which were not returned and after searching for the fuse box in the dark went to bed early with hope that SS would ring the next day. We heard nothing despite ringing again and again. So after two days we were forced to return home and email SS with our complaint. They couldn’t give a damn, refused us a refund and told us it was the owners who were responsible… Might as well throw £700 down the loo .
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 2nd November 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 2nd November 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 2nd November 2022
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
Terrible customer service. The cottage was not clean and the table leg fell off. Customer service centre was useless (when they answered the phone). Myabe they'd have sorted out the table leg if I'd have spent my entire holiday on hold! Just don't bother with them. Useless.
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
T&Cs say - will transfer booking at owners discretion if booking needs to be changed. We couldn’t go on trip, cancelled booking. Asked for date transfer - we’d take any dates as we realise it was short notice due to covid. But NO. House owners declined our request. Kept the £1000 and were mean enough not to give us new dates. Just Greedy and Suffolk Secrets puts owners before paying customers and have no influence. There was room for compromise and working something out but it was a non negotiable NO. They had loads of space during the few months ahead during the winter according to internet. Horrible people. Karma ……..
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
Unfortunately the only thing we can do is write about the poor experience we had with Suffolk secrets as they have washed their hands of dealing with our complaint... ...If only someone had washed the cottage we stayed in during the last week of April 2022. We paid over £900 for the 'privelidge' of staying in Belvedere Cottage, Wenhaston, booked through Suffolk Secrets. On arrival on the Saturday (after the specified 4pm arrival time, presumably to give the housekeeper time to clean the property) we firstly had to get rid of the many big flies in the property. Then it became clear the property hadn't been cleaned for some time, most obviously due to the dust on the TV screen). Dust everywhere. We had to clean cutlery, pots and pans before using them. Dishwasher, oven, fridge all filthy. Splashbacks in kitchen had reminets of tomato juice on them, probably from someone cooking years ago. More faults with the place: Loose electric socket in main bedroom, roller blind faulty in main bedroom, radiator not working in lounge (which was wear thermostat was so heating was useless), annex door couldn't be locked, garden a mess with long grass and weeds everywhere, what looked like a the remains of a tree which had been chopped down and just left in the middle of the lawn, first aid kit out of date in 2020, extension plug in sunroom with 'do not use after DEC 2017 on it', skirting board coming away in dining area, windowsill loose in annex, garden furniture green with algae and rusting away. Just a neglected and poorly maintained property. We reported these issue to Suffolk Secrets the day after arrival. They replied promptly but said the cottage was owner managed and would be passing the complaint onto the owner. A housekeeper had been round on the Wednesday (we complained on the Sunday) but we were out as we hadn't been informed they were coming. We rang her and there was no reply until the Thursday. She said we were the first booking all year, which says it all. First booking of the year but property hadn't even been cleaned! Basically, nothing was done as it was too late anyway. After coming home we sent photos of the issues to Suffolk Secrets who said there was nothing they could do as the property was owner managed. So we rang the owner who put the phone down on us. Suffolk Secrets were the booking agent and took the money, including a £40 booking fee, but offered no recompense and just kept saying we had to take it up with an owner who wouldn't even talk about the issues. A complete rip off and we shan't be using Suffolk Secrets again.
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 16th May 2022
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
Extremely poor customer service. Raised a complaint which has been ignored. Avoid at all cost and book with a more professional company.
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
Suffolk secrets have an affiliate relationship with Expedia and their subsidiary companies Booking.com and Ebookers. We made a booking through Ebookers but, somehow, this information wasn't relayed to Suffolk Secrets and our holiday was cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. It was only luck that we found out before setting out on the journey to the cottage. Suffolk Secrets haven't returned phone calls, offered any real explanation or take any responsibility for the issue. Shambolic and very very poor service.
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
As others have described, very poor customer service, phones are not answered, problems are not resolved, refunds for stays in properties which are dirty & in poor states (e.g. 10b South Green, Southwold which is categorised as a 4 star property) are impossible to secure. Utterly disgraceful. It is a terrible shame that owners are still placing their properties with Suffolk Secrets. We strongly advise against using them at all.
Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
Suffolk Secrets were given notice of 7 weeks to cancel our reservation and still refuse to refund us despite these difficult times when we are unable to travel. If the cottage is empty no power will be used so it is pure greed to with hold out money. Every other company we dealt with including the Ferry understood out predicament and gave a full refund. We were intending to visit family who we have not seen for 20 months but are unable to travel. The staff were rude and calculating. Miranda Payne
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
Absolutely filthy Smugglers Cottage in Southwold and diabolical non existent customer service by Suffolk Secrets. Tried to contact someone for over a week via email, phone, online chat, online forms, and even instagram. We would never recommend or use this company or one of their filthy cottages again. If you are cautious of COVID do not stay here. Finger prints everywhere, dirty pots and pans, thick dust around and under the bed and absolutely filthy floors which resulted in either black feet or dirty socks. Give this company a MISS.
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
We stayed in Olivers in Southwold during August, 21. Despite supposedly being awarded a ‘3 star gold property’ the accommodation was far from this description. There were various issues with the accommodation - mould and dead flies on the bathroom ceiling, overgrown thorny bushes which tore my dress upon arrival, a stale smell of body odour in the main bedroom, chunks of dirt in the washing machine. On top of all this the mattress in the double room was horrifically uncomfortable. This was therefore our main complaint as this ultimately makes or breaks your holiday! After a sleepless first night in the accommodation, we asked if we could pay to move accommodation as the mattress was unbearable. It was a bank holiday weekend and unfortunately Suffolk Secrets did not see this as urgent and so were ‘unable’ to do anything about it until at least the Tuesday (we arrived on Saturday). After 3 nights of virtually no sleep, and no word from Suffolk Secrets, we had no choice but to come home. We have never ever left a holiday property early before nor have we ever encountered a company where the customer service is so poor. (In fact I don’t think I have ever left a bad review for a company before either!) Despite us having evidence of the previous guests complaining about the mattress, they said that a mattress is a personal preference! I would not recommend booking a holiday home with Suffolk Secrets - the way they have handled our complaint has reflected incredibly badly on them, they have also falsely advertised Oliver’s - we certainly will not be using their service again
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Posted 3 years ago
They do not reply to emails . Look at all the reviews before you book . Please for your sake.
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Posted 3 years ago
Absolutely horrified by the deterioration in the standards if this company. I have booked cottages through them for years and will never use them again. We stayed in Shrimpers cottage in Southwold. On arrival, not only has the shower and toilet are not been cleaned but there was actual mould growing in and around the shower. After waiting for 3/4 hour to get through to someone in the phone, I was informed that I would have to email the resolutions team. It took 8 days to receive a response and a further 7 to respond to my next email. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!
Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021 Suffolk Secrets 1 star review on 19th August 2021
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Posted 3 years ago
We stayed in Aldeburgh in self catering accommodation. The heating went off early and we were very cold and the heating instruction were incorrect and must have referred to a previous thermostat. It was impossible to have a shower as both shower heads needed changing or at least descaling. We contacted Suffolk Secrets to ask for their assistance and they promised to send someone round to resolve these problems. We waited in and no one turned up. We called them twice and had a very long wait and even went to their office which was closed due to the pandemic. Avoid using this agency for any accommodation as they are useless. They just take your money and do nothing. Read all the reviews before booking any accommodation with them.
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Posted 3 years ago
Suffolk Secrets were absolutely useless. It took a long time to get through to them and they promised to resolved the issues with our accommodation but did nothing and left us with no heating on a cold evening and with showers we couldn’t use. They promised to come over to replace the shower heads but did nothing at all despite numerous phone calls. Not fit to be a managing agency..
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Posted 3 years ago
Suffolk Secrets is rated 1.4 based on 46 reviews