Helen - verified booking

"Lovely light airy open plan eco house.Practical things which could be acted on to make it even better - 1 Toilets didn't flush properly. Water constantly trickling through so took hours to refill after use. Awkward when whole party trying to leave together. Please sort the toilets out!2 Recycling instructions - there were none, which for an eco pod which makes much of its green credentials is poor. There was one green wheely bin - no information about whether this was for glass and cans, or paper and cardboard, or all together, and whether waste should be presented separated out or commingled. No food waste bin at all. Where does the residual waste go? When are collections? No excuse for an eco pod not providing recycling instructions.3 Provide better quality loo roll. The starter set of one roll per bathroom provided was one ply which is cheap, and the eco pods are not. If it's recycled then say so. If not then splash out on the sort of quality people usually buy at home. 4 The children were uncomfortable about sitting on the balcony because of the peacock poo. Could this be cleaned up more often?The boats - the pedals don't work well on the pedalled, put us off this year."

Rebecca - verified booking

"It's hard to say what the best thing about Bowden is: braving the wind to stand on the private beach at midnight on Christmas Eve; cooking Christmas dinner with red squirrels feeding outside the window; sitting in the conservatory watching the sky get dark across the beautiful grounds; running your hands over the banisters, lovingly restored with 24 coats of varnish; chatting to Peter the owner over coffee; piling into the living room with wine, cake and board games... The house is historic, majestic, magical and beautifully crafted, with space for a large extended family group to eat together and play together, or to spread out over several rooms for a variety of activities. A minor drawback is the disparity between the sweeping grandeur of the first floor and the servants quarters on the second floor: bedroom and bathroom arrangements need some negotiation to keep all group members happy! It was a privilege to be the first guests for Christmas 2017 and to feel that we honoured Peter's vision of bringing his beloved family home back to life for a new chapter in the house's history."

Ken - verified booking

"Fantastic venue for a big get together for a special occasion and/or holiday. Hardly a cottage!, a mansion with facilities to match. The photos on the website are brilliant, but cannot and do not do Bodwen justice. We arrived in wonderful weather, which helps of course, but it is a lovely house and grounds beautifully and lovingly maintained. Our party of eight adults and two small children, six and three, all loved it. Almost all of us were new to the Isle so we explored but you could easily just spend your time enjoying the splendid facilities on offer and the extensive gardens. The hosts are warm and generous and attentive. I have run out of superlatives!"

Arthur - verified booking

"Lower scores reflect mainly an extremely small bedroom with a standard double bed that we were unable to walk around partly due the the sloping ceiling.Other things are that there is a washing machine but nothing to dry or iron clothes on or an iron. The garden as yet is not as described an enclosed area, so un- suitable for a dog.The owners are very helpful with a few welcoming essentials (& a bottle of wine!) & with an initial problem with the internet."

Colin - verified booking

"We had a lovely stay and the apartment had all we needed. The apartment is furnished to a high standard, with top end bathroom and en-suite. The parking wasn’t really an issue if you use the parking app as the whole esplanade is the same zone, we had a space every day and on our last day moved the car opposite as always spaces available in the mornings. All round a great place to stay."