Verified review
4/10 Poor
Tamara
20 July 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy
Disliked: Communication
We stayed in Hoopoe Cottage. While I appreciate that Barton is under new ownership, our experience was disappointing.
Before we even arrived, our booking had been incorrectly recorded for the wrong day (fortunately my husband phoned to confirm). We'd also arranged an early bag drop (no issue there) and were told the hot tub would be lit before our return from the Overberg Explorer.
When we got back, there was no cot despite confirming one and the hot tub was ice cold because the fire had gone out. We had to get that (and the inside fire) going ourselves using very wet wood. About an hour later a cot arrived - broken, with missing and damaged supports, so we had to wedge it between the bed and wall to make it safe-ish for our toddler.
The pressure pump outside the bedroom window was also leaking constantly before the pipe burst completely at 10pm, leaving us without water. The farm manager came to help, but my husband ultimately had to fetch his own toolkit from the car and make a temporary repair himself.
The hot tub was only warm enough to use at 11:30 pm. It was lovely once it got there, but hardly the relaxing evening we'd planned.
The wine tasting the next day was pleasant enough, but the atmosphere among the staff felt subdued.
Despite everything, there was no apology, no follow-up and no interest in asking how our stay had been. It's a beautiful property with huge potential, but there are significant operational and hospitality issues that need attention.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026