Sign up to FREE email alerts from Wales Online - Anglesey News Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

It was supposed to be an idyllic getaway in the Welsh countryside to help a family with a recent breast cancer diagnosis.

But a family of 10 say they had to abandon their Easter holiday after just three hours due to the "disgusting" state of the cottage they'd booked.

According to booking site Sykes Cottages, the large, five-bedroom property is a "magnificent detached retreat" which is "perfect for families".

So Kellie Rice, 33, booked the cottage, which didn't have any customer reviews at the time of booking. Mrs Rice says she felt reassured that by booking through Sykes, a major holiday cottage booking firm, they would help should any problems arise.

Mrs Rice told North Wales Live: "We booked the cottage back in July last year. We booked it because my mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer and we wanted a family break away.

"We went with Sykes - the cottage had no reviews at the time but we thought that by booking with them we'd get a bit of reassurance."

(Image: UGC)

So the family booked Bryn Hyfryd in Trearddur Bay, Anglesey.

"But as the year went on, lots more (negative) reviews started popping up," said Mrs Rice.

"We contacted Sykes about our concerns and they said it was 'teething problems' and reassured us that it would all be fine and not to worry."

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

The family of six adults and four children under the age of eight made the journey from Merseyside as planned on Good Friday - a journey which Mrs Rice says took over four hours due to the bank holiday traffic.

Mrs Rice said her mother-in-law has a low-immune system due to her cancer treatment.

They arrived but claim the cottage was far from the "family-friendly retreat" advertised.

(Image: UGC)

She said: "We got there, opened the door and we were hit with this damp smell. We went to open the fridge to put the food we'd brought and it was just disgusting.

"The children were outside playing in the garden while we started to unpack, and they saw that one of the windows in the summer house was smashed in, with glass all over the floor. It was just dangerous, with shards still sticking out from the frame.

"The oven, it was absolutely disgusting. We spent over £200 on food for the weekend but there was no way we could have cooked anything in it."

(Image: UGC)

(Image: UGC)

(Image: UGC) (Image: UGC)

Mrs Rice and the adults in the party claimed it wasn't just the kitchen that needed a clean.

"When we started looking around there was patches of mould and damp on the walls," she added.

"The shelves in the games room had a thick layer of dust. So we called Sykes again and explained that it hadn't been cleaned before we arrived and it wasn't in a fit state. They told us to go out for a bit and they will sort something out. We went to the beach for a few hours."

But Sykes called the family back to say there wouldn't be time to clean the property and that the booking could be cancelled.

(Image: UGC) (Image: UGC)

The family had paid £770 for a four-day stay. Mrs Rice said Sykes were only able to offer one other property in the area at a cost of £1800 for the weekend. But she says they weren't willing to cover the additional cost.

"The only other ones they offered weren't even in Wales. Two in Ireland and one in Norfolk. I understand it was a bank holiday and they were busy, but we had nowhere to go and they had our money tied up in the booking.

"It was 6pm on a Friday, and by this point they told us there was 'nothing more they could do' so we had no choice but to pack up and tell the kids the holiday was cancelled.

"The kids were devastated. But there was no way we could have stayed there. It was filthy. My son has a bad chest and my mother-in-law is recovering from cancer treatment.

"Thing is, we're not after compensation. We just wanted a clean house to stay in like we were promised when we booked. But because the only other place that was available was more expensive than what we had paid so they weren't willing to help.

"The customer service has been awful from start to finish and it's been a horrendous experience. I just want to make sure no other families go through what we went through."

A Sykes Holiday Cottages spokesperson said: “We were sorry to hear about the Rice family’s experience and have provided them with a full refund.

“We did everything we could to offer the guests alternative accommodation, but properties in this location were fully-booked over the Easter bank holiday so this wasn’t available on this occasion.”