Front of property

Reviews of The Swiss Cottage, Shanklin

4 out of 5
The Swiss Cottage, Shanklin
10 St Georges Road, Shanklin, England

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 42 out of 58 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 58 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 58 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 58 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 58 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

John

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My sister and I had a wonderful time on our stay at the Swiss Cottage premises were very clean and well maintained, breakfast was excellent and there was lots of choice in the menu all in all a wonderful stay Christine couldn't have been more helpful.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024
Response from Keith Owner on May 16, 2024
Glad you had a wonderful time during your stay with us as I enjoyed our chats every day, so thankyou for a lovely review.Take Care Christine

8/10 Good

Maria

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Keith Owner on Apr 11, 2024
Glad you enjoyed your stay and enjoyed the horses!Take Care

10/10 Excellent

Lynne

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really lovely Keith and Christine couldn’t be more helpful, would definitely go back
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Keith & Christine on Oct 23, 2023
Hi LynneThanks for taking time for writing a review on us.Glad you 3 enjoyed yours stay and look forward to seeing you again.Kind Regards Keith and Christine x

10/10 Excellent

Sylvia

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Keith & Christine on Oct 6, 2023
To Sylvia & Michael Thanks for taking time to send us a lovely review. We are pleased you enjoyed your stay with us and everything was to your liking. 10 out of 10!. Take Care Keith & Christine x

10/10 Excellent

Judith R

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our hosts went above and beyond to be helpful and kept us well-informed. Our room was most comfortable. Breakfasts were served speedily and offered us choices eg it's been a long time since I had such excellent kippers. I loved the way our hosts would advise us of the flattest route to where we wanted to go! We left with warm feelings for our stay on Isle of Wight
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Keith & Christine on Aug 1, 2023
To Dear Judith & LowellThankyou thankyou thankyou!We had a lovely time with the four of you and I know Indiana, USA is along way away but hope you do come back to see us again.Kind RegardsKeith & Christine xx

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay
Excellent, they have really thought if everything . Parking was a bit difficult with it being tight
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Keith & Christine on Aug 1, 2023
Thanks Mark for taking time to give us a Excellent Review.Yes parking on the forecourt is a bit tight, as cars seem to be getting bigger and bigger!Cheers and see you again when your over!Keith & Christine

10/10 Excellent

Constance

Traveled with group, Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Swiss Cottage is a good quality, very clean well run Guest House/B&B. It is located close to public transport links and is within walking distance of the old town and esplanade/beach area. Keith and Christine have taken care to add little touches in the guest rooms like a bottle of water on arrival and a good selection of toiletries in case you had forgotten something. Our bed was very comfortable. We had everything we needed in our room and en-suite. The freshly cooked breakfast set you up for the day. We enjoyed a chat with Keith each morning at breakfast and if we wanted any help or information, all we had to do was ask. We would happily stay there again. Connie and John
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Keith & Christine on Jul 25, 2023
Well what can we say for such lovely people and wonderful comments. Wish all our guests were as nice as you!Take care Keith & Christine xx

8/10 Good

Vernon

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Half way between seafront and Old Village. Able to access seafront and restaurants easily. Need to reserve table for food most evenings at restaurants.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Response from Keith & Christine on Jul 4, 2023
Thanks Vernon & Dee for a lovely stay.Glad you enjoyed Shanklin Old Village and hope to see you again.Kind Regards

10/10 Excellent

Christine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023
Response from Keith & Christine on Jun 26, 2023
Thanks Christine for your great marking and a lovely stay.See you again

10/10 Excellent

Trevor

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very well looked after, very clean and friendly and an excellent breakfast 😃😃
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from Keith on May 17, 2023
Thanks Trevor & Jane for your lovely stay with us for a few days. Come back again soon.Kind RegardsKeith & Christine xx

10/10 Excellent

Trevor

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Keith & Christine on Sep 28, 2022
Hi Trevor & the LadsThanks for a great stay and pleased for your high rating of us.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Never Again.
Bar was not open and was told we were not allowed to take a drink into our room. The bed was awful...too low and felt every spring. Did not sleep at all well. Water far too hot in the bathroom and not showing any warnings of scolding water. Shower over the bath was on a mixer pump which either scolded you or froze you before a comfortable temperature was obtained. The shower screen was fixed to the bath making it very difficult to get in and out of the bath.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Keith & Christine on Sep 24, 2022
Mr & Mrs Spittlehouse (AKA Anonymous Guests)Thank you for leaving your short but negative 6 out of 10 review of your room, but not your overall stay with us?Your opening complaint was that our bar facility was closed. This is correct, as it is clearly stated on our website and as we explained to you. Since Covid we have not re opened our bar as we have not renewed our Alcohol Licence; therefore, it is Illegal for us to Sell, Serve or allow the consumption of Alcohol on our business premise, including guest’s rooms. You then complained about this and said it says ‘it was open and you can have a drink and bring drink onto the premise’ on Hotels.com? No, it doesn’t, we don’t even advertise the bar on their site and then went on to say you are allowed to consume as much Alcohol in your own home, true, this would be a Residential Property not a Business Property and Alcohol Licences are not required.Your bed was “awful” felt every spring! Nonsense, our mattresses are of the highest quality and very comfortable from Dreams and are Regulation Source 5 commercial mattresses, most certainly NO springs dig in guests. 99.99% of our guests (including the Hotel Inspector) have commented on how comfortable the sleight beds are and how well they slept, they are also not too low but you are in the minority of the 00.01% who have said otherwise!Scolding or Frozen Water? - The Hot Water temperature in all the bathrooms is set at Hospitality Regulation of 55-60C. As explained on your arrival in Room 7, you must run the hot water first, so the bath/shower pump underneath the bath kicks in and then turn the cold water on to reach your desired temperature out of the taps, then and only then lift the plunger for the mixer tap for the shower, which clearly you ignored.The shower screen in Room 7 and Room 6 are fixed to the Baths for 2 reasons: 1) to prevent the bathroom floors becoming too wet when screens are left open, 2) As a safety precaution, so that if guests accidently lean against the screen whilst bathing they do not fall out of the bath,Having the screens fixed does not impede the manoeuvrability into or out of the bath for the average person and thousands of accommodations/properties have screens.You may also recall as you were a last-minute booking and had our last room available, however, we did actually offer you Room 10 the Double En Suite, as we had an unfortunate cancellation in that room, so it was free but you chose to keep Room 7, as it was larger. So, if the water & bed was such a problem for you, why didn’t you come to us, like any reasonable person would of?The problem started when you arrived as you thought as you booked via Hotels.com that we were a 4 star Hotel, which you even stated that we had advertised as such. We most certainly do not, it is the booking sites terminology. Had you taken the time to read the full description of our property on their site its states ‘Private Host & Upmarket B & B’ (Their terminology not ours) an

10/10 Excellent

Andy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good little hotel, thanks
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 31, 2022
Cheers buddy and glad you had a great time at the Scooter Rally Weekend. CU again. Keith & Chris

10/10 Excellent

Nicholas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Melvyn

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 10, 2022
Thanks Melvyn for a lovely stay and your marking! All the very best.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 7, 2022
Thankyou whoever you are & glad you enjoyed your stay!

10/10 Excellent

Kenneth

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A great, friendly stay
Great hosts, nice rooms, grand breakfasts. All positives and no negatives.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Keith & Chris on Jul 8, 2022
Thanks Ken & Jane for taking time to review us and hope you enjoyed your mini break on the Island. Take Care.

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Incredible stay.
Wow, what an amazing, homely hotel. It felt like walking into a home with so many extra little touches that makes it so special. Keith and Christine and just so welcoming and will do anything to help. The room itself was exceptionally clean and tidy and plenty of room. The breakfast included each morning was ample and the selection available was very inclusive. Furthermore, they also both had amazing understanding of someone with 30+ allergies, and did everything to make it as inclusive as possible. As hosts both Christine and Keith were very welcoming and chatty, and were always helpful on where to eat out, or places to visit. But, they were also so lovely just to chat to, they are both such wonderful people and incredible hosts. When i return to the Isle of Wight, I most certainly be staying there again. I cant wait to return.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
Response from Keith & Chris on Jun 10, 2022
Morning Diane & Kelly Thankyou for such a lovely stay and for keeping your rooms so tidy! Yes its always a challenge when someone has so many allergies but with good communication we were able to resolve any concerns Kelly had. Look forward to your return visit so you can see the rest of the places on the Island you didn't get to. Keep well and safe. Keith & Christine

10/10 Excellent

Ian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A most peaceful time
All good, not sure how it could be much better
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2022
Response from Keith & Chris on Apr 13, 2022
Thanks Ian for being our first guest of the season and glad you had a peaceful time. We look forward to seeing you again. Kind Regards Keith & Christine

10/10 Excellent

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay for a business / sightseeing trip!
Really enjoyed staying here - really good rooms. Need to contact the hotel ASAP if you are arriving after 7pm though to arrange a late checkin fee.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Nov 2, 2021
Thanks James for our last stay of the season! Yes its always useful to read all the website blurb so you are fully aware of any properties policies before you arrive! Next time your down on business let us know. Regards Keith & Christine

10/10 Excellent

Sue

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Mini break
Visiting friends so very convenient hotel
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Oct 2, 2021
Hi Sue & Bob, Thankyou for your great marking on us! Please come back anytime as you will always be welcome. Kind Regards Keith & Chris xx

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Staff & service
Comfortable guest house / unfriendly owners
The guest house had everything needed for a short stay, the bed was comfortable and the breakfast was very good. Also very clean and tidy. The room was quite cold. The stay was spoilt by the owners who weren't particularly friendly and seemed more intent on making sure we followed their rules. We'd never seen a guest house with so many instructions for do's and don'ts stuck on everything.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Sep 19, 2021
Thankyou whoever you are for writing a review. However, we do take it personally that you felt that we were unfriendly owners & are insulted regarding your comments re Covid Rules. Personally, your review should be deleted! Maybe its more of a reflection on yourselves, as we always have great banter & a laugh with all our guests both by myself and Christine at check in & at breakfast service and are always on hand to advise guests of many of our great places to visit! In your opinion you say the room was quite cold but do you actually believe with the average temperature at 21 degrees in August we needed to put the central heating on during the summer months? Again, this is more about you, no other guests complained about being cold. As per guidance by the HSE, we kindly ask that guests leave the room well ventilated by opening the windows, as the risk of catching Covid 19 is far higher in enclosed indoor spaces where there is limited fresh air circulation! Whether you sleep with the windows open or closed is up to you! As far as others rules and do & don’ts are concerned, we take pride in the fact we are continuing to abide by WHO, Government & Visit England Tourism guidelines & recommendations by keeping ourselves & customers/guests safe & our livelihood intact with 2m distancing signs, hand sanitizer signs, washing hand signs, face masks signs, IN & Out of Dining room signs and anything to keep everyone safe from catching Covid, which is all in our Policies when you booked with us. We also kept the QR code up to collect customers details as the Government encourages us to continue to support the NHS test and trace system. All in all, we are in the Hospitality Business but we are endeavouring to keep the spread down the best we can, as it has greatly increased on the island from barely 2 cases a day to 90 cases a day because of tourist’s actions like yourselves. All guests have their own opinion about the current crisis but if you want to turn a blind eye and you believe that Covid 19 has disappeared and everything is fully back to normal and you are free to do what you like that is up to you but not when staying with us. Guests will hopefully ignore your petty opinions and read all the other glowing reviews, as we are not one of the Top 5 best places to stay on the Island for nothing!

8/10 Good

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 30, 2021
Thanks for taking time to review us. Hopefully you enjoyed your stay but cant tell with the marking of 8 and Good comment, so we hope all was ok for you during these Covid times? Hope to see you again next year? Many Thanks Keith & Chris

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
👍
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 20, 2021
Thankyou for the thumbs up, whoever you are!

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent location, close to beach old town, restaurants and Shanklin Chine. Pleasing hosts and decent room. Amenities provided in the room were all spot on. The parking can be tricky at times. Overall had a good 3 nights stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 14, 2021
Thanks for a great review on your stay with us and on Shanklin. Sorry you marked us down on the parking, as it can be a bit tricky when we are full and when everyone brings a car as we are only a small guest house and not a hotel but as long as guests follow our simple guide to parking on our forecourt, its a piece of cake! Hope you enjoy the rest of your stay on the Island. Kind Regards Keith & Christine

8/10 Good

Sean

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice stay, very clean and friendly
Had a lovely few days here with friends. The place is very clean. Owners very friendly, had a nice chat with them each morning over breakfast. Breakfast was really nice, i opted for the fresh fruit salad with natural yogurt with a full english which was cooked to percection. Theres s small fridge in the room with a complimentary bottle of water snd two small cans of pop. Yes overal a nice relaxing few days, oh an i managed to park each day on the car parking spaces outside even tbough i used the car each day to travel around the island. Shanklin is a great place do that. Keep an eye out for the local fox in the evening. Thanks both
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 12, 2021
Hi To My Welsh party. Thanks for taking time for your review. Bit disappointed its only a 8 out of 10 as not sure why you marked us down, as the comments say the opposite. Anyway as long as you enjoyed your stay with us that's the main thing! Take care keep safe Keith & Christine

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We thought it was well situated for amenities, and couldn't fault the cleanliness. The cooked breakfasts looked amazing with generous portions, although we opted for the fruit and yoghurt, cereal and toast. The room we stayed in was large and the beds very comfortable. The downside was the bar remained closed and drinks and food was not allowed in our room.. we could understand the covid rules in place and were grateful to adhere to them. I found parking a little tight but I'm a female pensioner so understandable. Keith always offered to help if I got stuck bless him.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 12, 2021
Thankyou for your kind review and we are glad you both enjoyed your stay. Yes during these changing times of Covid restrictions things are a little different this year with social distancing etc, so that is why we decided not to reopen the bar this year, as we only have 2 months left of the season, to keep everyone safe in our small lounge/bar but then to be marked down for it is a bit off, as you were informed of this fact when you booked! With 20 restaurants & 10 pubs all within 250 yards there isn't a need for it really! Hopefully we will be back to normal next year! However takeaways will still not be allowed in rooms nor alcohol brought in from outside, as that's against licencing laws! We have tried to make the best use of our forecourt for at least 6 car parking bays, as any space is at a premium these days but it does help if you can reverse a car! Ha ha! Anyway we hope to see you again real soon as you were a pleasure and fun to have stay. Best Wishes Keith & Christine xx

2/10 Terrible

Stephen

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Mar 14, 2022
THIS REVIEW IS TOTALLY INVALID! As per our Terms & Conditions during Covid we were/are only accepting guest’s bookings that have been fully Vaccinated to safeguard ourselves, our business and our other guests. This is clear on Expedia & Hotels.com websites under our Policies. We emailed this couple on 7th July to confirm their booking and also give/reconfirm our Covid Instructions & ferry details which they clearly ignored. This couple basically lied to say they had been vaccinated, as when asked for proof on arrival they couldn't produce any documentation, vaccination cards or phone NHS apps. They then got very abusive (which I won’t repeat), so we refused them entry for their stay, as is our right as Owners and they then walked out and Mrs Bluemore carried out shouting expletives whilst getting in the car. They were then fully charged for their stay as per Expedia’s T & C’s. Therefore, their opinions/marking of us are totally invalid and should be DELETED OR IGNORED, as all the other guests have abided by our Owners Rules and T & C's during these difficult times with the ongoing Covid Pandemic!

10/10 Excellent

Alan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Sep 19, 2021
Sorry we never saw this posted on the 1st August? But thankyou, 10 out of 10 is brilliant!

10/10 Excellent

Judy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Highly recommended
Great hosts. Excellent breakfast. Comfy bed. Great location.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Jul 23, 2021
Hi Judy & David Thanks for taking time to rate your fantastic stay with us. Hope to see you again the future! Keep Safe. Keith & Christine

10/10 Excellent

Laurie

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Jul 22, 2021
Thanks Laurie & Krista Thankyou for a great rating, so you can come again! We are glad you had a great time, as you were a pleasure to have you stay with us. Take care & Keep Safe Keith & Christine xx

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with group, Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Walking distance to beach and old town. Nice breakfast, spacious room size, clean. But the shower pressure isn’t good enough, sometimes hot water and cold water doesn’t mixed well.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Jul 20, 2021
Thankyou for your kind review on Room 7 which is a Large Double with a Bath tub. Sorry you had a problem with the mixer tap shower head above the bath tub, which we have added but we did say that you need to leave the shower pump plugged in the electric socket in the bedroom to regulate the hot water pressure, otherwise it is just tap pressure then, which can get affected by other users! Anyway as long you enjoyed your stay during these difficult times that's more important to us. Kind Regards Keith & Christine

10/10 Excellent

Claire

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent
Such a wonderful stay in this lovely guest house. It was my base for a week of walking. Felt like a home from home with added super delicious breakfasts. Fabulous hosts that cannot do enough for you. Highly recommend.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Jun 21, 2021
Hi Claire Thankyou for such a wonderful review and we are glad you had a lovely stay with us. Good luck in the future and we hope you get things sorted out! Kindest Regards Keith & Christine & the Dogs! x

10/10 Excellent

Sally

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Big thumbs up for The Swiss Cottage 👍👍👍
I received a warm, friendly, socially distanced welcome when I arrived. The en-suite room was spacious, comfortable, clean and bright. The breakfast was delicious but defeated me! Keith was particularly helpful with my ferry booking problem. I thoroughly recommend The Swiss Cottage. Thank you Keith and Christine🙂
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Jun 21, 2021
Hi Sally Thankyou for such a wonderful review and we are glad you had a lovely stay with us. Glad we managed to sort out your revised ferry for you and hope you got home safely! Kindest Regards Keith & Christine & the Dogs! x

10/10 Excellent

shaun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Short break in shanklin
An excellent well run establishment with lovely big clean en suite room and a wonderful cooked to order breakfast
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021
Response from Keith & Chris on Jun 18, 2021
Thanks Shaun for our first review of the year. Different times with Covid but we still do what we do best and serve the customers needs. See you again hopefully.

10/10 Excellent

PeterR, Teddington, Middlesex

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Keith and Christine are very hospitable hosts who made us very welcome. They always have a spotless and extremely well-run establishment, and in addition they have made the appropriate changes necessary for Covid compliance, including clear and sensible instructions to guests. The Swiss Cottage is well located close to the town and with easy access to the seafront. Our room was extremely comfortable and well appointed, and we particularly enjoyed the excellent cooked breakfast which had a good choice of options. We had a most enjoyable stay and thoroughly recommend The Swiss Cottage.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Oct 12, 2020
Thanks Peter & Sue It was lovely to see you for your short stay and glad everything we did regarding Covid restrictions didn't spoil your stay with us. Glad you liked Shanklin, our establishment and especially our breakfasts! See you again in better times. Kind Regards Keith & Chris xx

2/10 Terrible

t

Traveled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not a family friendly hotel
DO NOT BOOK THIS HOTEL if you are travelling with children as you will not be welcome. We had to check out 2 days early because we were made to feel so uncomfortable. DO NOT BOOK if you are not already a friend of the 2 owners because you will be an unwelcome stranger. DO NOT ACCEPT room 1 and a sofabed because the bedclothes were not fresh and I woke at 6.20am on Sunday listening to the toilet above my head being used. In hindsight we now question the cleaning regime for the bedding. DO NOT BOOK if you think the napkins at breakfast are there to cover your clothes. We were told they are for decoration only and not to be dirtied. DO NOT ACCEPT a room at the front because the paper thin white curtains do not shut out the light or the flashing TV from the flat opposite. DO NOT try to create space at the breakfast table by stacking plates because the owner will tell you off for making the back of the plates sticky. DO NOT BOOK this hotel if you would like a friendly welcome and information about the events on the island. DO NOT BOOK room 1 if you want to be able to close the bathroom door and use the basin because you will be banging your arm against the door. The towels never dried on the unheated rack. What a shame for the Isle of Wight to have this hotel listed as popular.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Oct 4, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to post your rather uncomplimentary review. Let me start by clarifying for you and anyone else who has booked with us via this booking site: WE ARE NOT A HOTEL as clearly stated we are a Guest House! Firstly, when we received your initial booking and subsequent emails that followed, in our Welcome email we clarified your booking as a Double Room for you and your son. You responded “A twin room would have been ideal but we have managed in a double before so this is fine if it is all you have; I am sorry I cannot pay for a larger room”. We advised that a twin was available but you replied ‘Is the twin room as nice as the double I cannot see the pictures on the site - same size, space etc?’ so we offered you the family suite as we felt that more appropriate to meet your needs at no extra cost which you replied ‘thank you for the room’. During your check in you said ‘that you did not require the sofa bed to be set up as the double bed ‘was adequate’ and your son loved his own room, however you still asked both me & Keith if we had a spare twin room! Day one you emailed us at 12:26am to say ‘would you mind terribly if I removed the small fridge? I thought there was a problem with the shower fan but it is the fridge that makes the continuous rumbling. Thank you’. We informed you to just switch it off! Day Two another email at 9.32am, to ask again ‘if you have a twin room with people leaving in the next few days, please could I change to that? I am not managing much sleep at the moment. You do not have one with a bath, do you? Thank you’. We informed we didn't now as we were fully booked. Day 3/4 you asked us to make the sofa bed up, which we did as this is intended to accommodate a child and not you, the adult. Day Five you left a written message ‘that you cannot sleep in this bedding as there is such a strong old man/animal smell on our linen’ is quite frankly down right rude and NO ONE has ever made such a comment as all of our linen/towels are sent out and laundered professionally at a high temperature as per Covid rules and ironed. You went on to say ‘It was too much sleeping under the toilet’. We assume this follows your comment that you were awoken at 6:30am by the guest above you flushing their loo, we find that comment astounding, as we will never dictate to guests as to when they can or can't use their own bathrooms facilities! Instead of coming to us personally with any grievance you may have had you simply packed & left after breakfast service and sent an email to say ‘Hello, just to let you know we have now moved’, which was a shock, as we had no indication that you were seeking accommodation elsewhere, as we treated you and your son no differently to those guests sitting around you. You were not Forced to leave. Our ‘friends’, at the time of your stay we had no personal friends/family booked in, we only had 1 couple who were regulars the remaining 4 couples were all first-time stayers with us via Expedia an

10/10 Excellent

Emile

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Just what the doctor ordered!
Thank you so much Christine and Keith for making us feel right at home (actually - more comfortable than if we were home). The proper breakfasts set us up for our days of exploring the beautiful island and scenery. The room was really well presented and the atmosphere was a delight. The only negative was that we had to leave at the end. Will definitely be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Sep 5, 2020
Thankyou Emile & Carla for such a lovely review and a lovely stay with us. Hopefully you will come back to the Island to explore it more after your short break with us as it will be a pleasure to have you stay anytime. Keep Safe Keith & Chris xx

10/10 Excellent

Charles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent Hotel
We had a very pleasant 4 night stay and tge hotel was very clean in all areas. Breakfast was excellent with good fesh locally sourced produce being used. Our bedroom Room 8 was fairly small and my husband managed to hit his leg on th bed end several times. That said it was all in all an excellent hotel with great hosts.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 31, 2020
Thankyou for a lovely stay & review. When you decide to come back, always check with us first, as we can then get you one of our bigger rooms but as it was a last minute booking unfortunately you had the only room we had left! Take Care & Keep Safe Keith & Chris

10/10 Excellent

Joan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
First time in Isle of Wight
The hosts are very welcoming and knowledgeable.You can choose what breakfast you want everyday.The hotel is in a perfect location as the bus stop 5mins and station about 10mins by foot. Coastal path is also very near. The room was spacious and very comfortable. Would stay here again
Stayed 11 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 31, 2020
Thanks Joan for a lovely review for your 11 night stay. Hopefully we will see you again when you come back for your 2nd trip to the Island. Take Care & Keep Safe Keith & Chris xx

10/10 Excellent

TrishandTroyWat, Wiltshire

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We enjoyed our stay with Christine and Keith. Their home was well-placed for both the town and the beachfront - only a few minutes walk. The breakfasts were lovely. They had to do set times for breakfast but this was understandable due to Covid restrictions. All in all excellent value for money. Thanks Chris and Keith!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 28, 2020
Thank you for a great review, it was a pleasure to have such a lovely couple stay with us & we look forward to seeing you both again in the very near future (without the Covid Restrictions!) Keep Safe Keith & Chris xx

10/10 Excellent

Lorraine

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We had a lovely stay at Swiss Cottage. The hosts are very friendly and helpful. Great breakfasts and comfy beds.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 25, 2020
Hi All Thanks for a great stay & lovely review. Hope to see you again when you visit the Island in the future! Keep Safe Keith & Chris xx

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Pleasant
Lovely stay. Great hosts.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 21, 2020
Thanks for your brief comments on your review. Glad you had a lovely stay & we were great hosts. Bit disappointed then to only get an 8 out of 10 when nothing seemed to be wrong with your stay? Keep Safe. Keith & Chris

10/10 Excellent

Pedro, London

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Keith and Christine were very nice and their place is great, the breakfast was very nice. The only downside for me was that the curtains let too much light into the room and I like a pitch black room to sleep in.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 13, 2020
Morning Pedro & Jess Thankyou for you constructive review. It was a pleasure to have you both stay with us. If you can see your way on writing one on Trip Advisor also that will be brilliant! There is a link on our website at the bottom of the page. As far as full black out curtains are concerned, we have always felt that although sunrise is from 6am they are not required as the the blinds & curtains are sufficient and as your by the seaside it is lovely to wake up on your holiday to the sunshine, dawn chorus, no traffic noise, no pollution etc! Take care of yourself & enjoy life to the full! Kind Regards Keith & Christine xx

10/10 Excellent

Floraine, Horley, Surrey

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Keith and Christine are very good at what they do. Very lovely and warm people that will make you feel at home. The breakfasts were always delightful and filling. The place was always clean and tidy. And the location is close to the beach and the shops yet very peaceful at night. My favourite part about this place is the attention to detail and thoughtfulness of the host. In my many years of traveling I have never seen a hotel with scissors on the table for you to cut open food packaging. Also, there were wet wipes and nail polish remover in our room. Even the safety measures in light of the pandemic was well thought of. We were very impressed. Thank you very much for taking care of us during our stay Keith and Christine. -Flo and Andrea
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 13, 2020
Morning Flo & Drea Thankyou for our second review of the year and what a lovely one it was! It was a pleasure to have you both stay with us and we both hope you continue your excellent work as nurses! If you can see your way on writing one on Trip Advisor that would be brilliant, you can go to our website for the link at the bottom of the page. Take care of yourself & enjoy life to the full! Kind Regards Keith & Christine xx

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Better than home away from home
Better than home away from home -- I don't pamper myself nearly as much as Christine and Keith pamper their guests! Their warm, inviting hostelry is perfectly situated on a quiet street with both the downtown shops and the beach close by, with the bus and rail stations just a ten-minute walk away. My room was pretty, modern, cheerful and bright, with loads of thoughtful little touches including every toiletry I could possibly need, and water and soda chilling in the little refrigerator for me. But the highlight was breakfast. Everything was tasty and, though I never had it, they do the full English breakfast, as well as lighter options. I stayed for five nights and wish I'd had longer, and I will definitely stay here again if I'm lucky enough to find they have a room available.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2020
Response from Keith & Chris on Aug 12, 2020
Morning Adrienne Thankyou for our first review of the year and what a lovely one it was! It was a pleasure to have you stay with us and we both hope that you eventually sort out your forthcoming trip and look forward to seeing you both next time! If you can see your way on writing one on Trip Advisor also that will be brilliant! Here is a link to the review site http://www.tripadvisor.com/UserReview-g190925-d255155-m15678-The_Swiss_Cottage_Shanklin-Shanklin_Isle_of_Wight_England.html or you can go to our website for the link at the bottom of the page. Take care of yourself & enjoy life to the full! Kind Regards Keith & Christine xx

8/10 Good

philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2019
Response from Swiss Cottage Owners on Sep 16, 2019
Hi Philip Glad you had a lovely stay and you saw the family on the Island. Come back and stay with us anytime as we enjoyed your company. Kind Regards Keith & Chris

10/10 Excellent

Deborah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly owners, comfy bed and amazing breakfasts
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Swiss Cottage Owners on Sep 9, 2019
Hi Deborah. Yet another Happy customer from Hotels.com. 10 out of 10 what can we say but really appreciate honest, nice and considerate guests staying as you can come back anytime and stay with us! Happy walking trails & well done for walking all around the Island! Best Wishes Keith & Christine xx

10/10 Excellent

Alan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our stay at Swiss Cottage was lovely. All the little extras in your room were brilliant. Location was exceptional. Close to beach and central to shops, bars,restaurants.. Hosts were very welcoming. Would definitely stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Swiss Cottage Owners on Aug 30, 2019
Hi Alan & Linda Thanks for another Excellent review over the Bank Holiday weekend where we had such a good & happy time. However, shame not all Hotels.com guests are as polite & courteous as guests like you two like Room 8! Please come again as you are more than welcome. Happy Trails! Keith & Christine

10/10 Excellent

Linden

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent choice of hotel.
Excellent accommodation and superb hosts. Fantastic choice for breakfast, very well maintained and the hosts obviously take a great deal of pride in the premises. Within easy reach of the town and old village and a couple of hundred yards from the beach lift. Highly recommended.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Swiss Cottage Owners on Aug 28, 2019
Morning Linden & Doreen Thanks for a most excellent stay with us. Im glad when you booked thru Hotels.com we managed to split off the Family Suite Double room off for you to fit you in. We do hope you had a safe journey hope and enjoyed your short break with us. Kind Regards Keith & Chris