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The Old Signal House

The Old Signal House

4.2
out of 5
Ratings from 26 reviews
96% of guests
recommend
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.1
Condition
3.6
Location
5.0
Value
4.2
Customer
Service
4.6


Sleeps 9 in 4 bedrooms
The Old Signal House is set in an exceptional location, off the beaten track, surrounded by open countryside with gated access to the coastal path where there are panoramic views along this spectacular coastline including St Catherines Lighthouse and Oratory. Set within ten acres of private meadowlands, adjoining National Trust Land, The Old Signal House is ideal for walkers & photographers

Great Location needs tlc

Review submitted on Thu, 09 Nov 2023
3.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
3.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
The location and the size of the property are excellent and can not be faulted. What really let's it down though is the standard of cleanliness, dusty skirting boards, build up of dust and fur under sofas, kitchen cupboard doors needs a good scrub.
We didn't let it effect our stay as the house was just a place to sleep and have the occasional evening meal.
Beds are ok, again showing signs of wear and pillows need replacing.
Overall we still had a great time and would still recommend to people.

Would you return?
Yes perhaps a summer return to enjoy the outside a bit more!



Beautiful Location but House in need of TLC

Review submitted on Thu, 05 Oct 2023
3.3
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
2.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
2.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
5.0

In great need of TLC outside and in. Needs a Deep Clean. House looks very sad.
Under sheets stained.

Would you return?
No





Island Holiday Homes replied 198 days ago
Thank you for taking the time to review your stay. The property has been exceptionally busy holiday home this year with back to back bookings and always has a deep clean prior to the start of each season. We hope to welcome you back to the Island again soon.

Should have booked 2 weeks!

Review submitted on Thu, 31 Aug 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This well equipped cottage has plenty of room for everyone to all be together (mealtimes) or have their own space (outdoor seating & access to the Coastal Path). What an amazing collection of books throughout the property.
The younger members could walk to Blackgang Chine while the older guests enjoyed time to relax indoors and outdoors - we all loved the Games Room!
Fresh bread (and much more) is available from Norris's in Niton and there are plenty of places to choose for eating out.
Everyone agreed this was one of the few cottages where a large multi generational party could comfortably stay for 2 weeks.
Thank you.




Amazing Location

Review submitted on Mon, 08 May 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Very much enjoyed our stay at The Old Signal House - the house was huge and perfect for family and friends



Great Family Holiday Stay

Review submitted on Fri, 28 Apr 2023
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Excellent rural location close to the coastal path. We all enjoyed our stay and had a great time. Good facilities.



Brilliant stay

Review submitted on Thu, 06 Oct 2022
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Lovely location, with some great walks, very hilly and beautiful scenery
The property was cosy ,but definitely needs an up grade as its very tired




Spacious house in amazing setting

Review submitted on Thu, 04 Aug 2022
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The house is in an amazing setting within a meadow with a short walk to the beautiful views on the coast path. The house was well equipped with everything you need and had loads of space for our family trip. Good location within a short drive to lots of nice beaches. Would recommend.



couples cycling week

Review submitted on Thu, 30 Jun 2022
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We were 4 couples each with our own bathroom which was perfect. Lovely open space to eat and be together. We all have grown up children but all agreed what a lovely place it would be to bring children, we described the house as robust, needing TLC but we thought it added to its charm. No need to worry about precious items. We walked into the village via the coastal path to both pubs which were fab. The mattress in the master bedroom was way too soft for us and oved to a smaller room. There is a fab drying room perfect for drying your wet items. It was so tranquil, the Wi-Fi was good and good mobile reception. If you cycle the roads were perfect and the cyclist had a lovely time.



Lovely location

Review submitted on Wed, 22 Jun 2022
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Near the coastal path, with sea views, this large property was a hit with three generations of our family. Peaceful and relaxing, with everything you need, we will return.



Great Location.

Review submitted on Sun, 24 Oct 2021
3.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
3.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
The location was very impressive and the building itself interesting, very big rooms, excellent heating but on closer inspection the building needs some TLC, the linen was
Spotless but some of the pillows stained and the beds were uncomfortable, some of the appliances need looking at and for the size of the living area the TV was a tad on the small size, however we enjoyed the stay and would go back again




Our Autumn Break at the Old Signal House

Review submitted on Mon, 11 Oct 2021
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
There were only 4 of us (ages - lively 69,70,71 and not so lively 95) and we selected The Old Signal House specifically as it was all on one level with every room ensuite so we had loads of space. Whilst we thought it is probably time for some refurbishment (particularly the kitchen, eg oven mitts and new oven and hob pans ) it in no way detracted from our stay. In any event you couldn't ask for a better location and the views and cliff top walks were stunning.
We must make specific mention of the staff at Island Holiday Homes (IHH). They were always responsive to phone enquiries and even helped us organise a wheel chair! Our oldest member lost an item very dear to her but only realised when back home in Devon. Once again the staff at IHH went out of their way help and not only found the item but also arranged for it to be returned.
It was a delightful week for all us and we enjoyed every minute.
Once again, a big thank you to all the IHH staff!




Would we return? Probably.

Review submitted on Sun, 19 Sep 2021
3.3
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
3.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
2.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Location almost perfect, Cleanliness questionable in part, such as sticky tables, cobwebs and dirty windows. Furnishings tired, not refective of the price paid. Maintenance, lacking such as external doors not openable, showers blocked or shower pipes leaking. Overall, disappointing in part but ticked the location requiement fully. The negative points noted, did not spoil our holiday and aim,but a little landlord money needs to be spent.



Old Signal House

Review submitted on Mon, 06 Sep 2021
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Loved the place , location was great , spacious and games room was a real bonus for the children and adults . The property could do with a n update but we loved it .



Such a shame!

Review submitted on Sun, 08 Aug 2021
2.3
out of 5

Guest doesn't recommend this property
Cleanliness
2.0
Comfort
2.0
Condition
2.0
Location
4.0
Value
2.0
Customer
Service
2.0
Despite its lovely location and good size living environment, The Old Signal House is extremely worn and tired and this is really disappointing considering we have paid over £2000 for one week. We enjoyed our holiday and spent our week making memories, but we had lots of concerns over cleanliness and maintenance of the house.
The entrance carport is in dire need of cleaning. I have photos of this and the dirty windows; the wasps’ nest and the spider webs etc and it is a shame I cannot upload them here. I will try to add them to Tripadvisor, so please take a look before booking. The games room is terribly rundown, as is the outside of the property, which is a long way off the video promoting this house on the websites. The settees are also way passed their best in the living room with all of the springs gone, which made it difficult to relax in the evenings. The house is marketed as accommodating 9 people, although I would argue that the 9th bed is only really suitable for a small child on a mezzanine level. We put up with the woodlice and spiders throughout the house, but the windows are covered in finger/hand/face prints and had clearly not been cleaned for weeks. This is a concern with Covid safety.
I’m not sure how often you review or view your properties and it is a concern that you take no responsibility for this misinformation. So I would urge you to investigate further to prevent future families facing the disappointment we have. We contacted the agent, Island Homes, whilst we were on our holiday who simply passed our complaints onto the owners who agreed that the house was in need of more maintenance and said they would be replacing the settees at the end of the season. This clearly didn't help us! Seeing as though there was a complaint about the settees in October 2020, I am not convinced that this will happen. Accepting our 'constructive criticism' is no compensation. This was also the response from the owner: 'We accept that some parts of the property are looking a little tired, but against that the rent reflects value for money for a very large light house, all en suite, in a really exceptional location.' This is suggesting that because the rent was lower than other 4 bedroom houses, we should just expect and accept that it isn't up to standard! Island Homes took no responsibility for the complaint at all and continue to market the house.
However, some other reviews on this house claim that they 'love' it and want to return and I'm pleased for them. We clearly expected to stay in the house as it appeared online in the pictures and video and I want anyone who is booking this house to appreciate that it is far more rundown than is being suggested in this media.




James Cooper replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you, Leah. When you emailed me you did acknowledge that all the bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms were perfectly clean. I am sorry you felt the Carport was not up to scratch; the property sits in the middle of a large open field and it does get dirty from dust thrown about during harvest. Your other comments are not reflected in the Visitors Book at the property which, as you will have seen yourself is full of warm reviews, or indeed the 2021 published reviews. Because the Old Signal House is so reasonably priced for what it offers, people come back and back year on year ; eg the clients booked next week [a fortnight booking] are on their 5th annual visit. Two new 2021 clients have already re-booked for 2022. People say they really like a place you can kick off your shoes and relax. Out of the last 40 bookings, yes, we have had one review suggesting we should replace the sofas. You can never hope to please everyone; but to react to just one, when many people have said the sofas are so comfortable is just a knee jerk reaction. We accept they are not in their first flush and we plan to replace them in the coming year. That said, I do accept we must do better with the car port, and I agree, salty and dirty windows [with such fine views out] are just not acceptable. I am pleased you enjoyed your week in spite of this. Thank you for your feedback. James

Our stay at the Old Signal House

Review submitted on Tue, 06 Jul 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
What a find! The house was perfect for our group, ranging in age from two to seventy-two. Having all on-suite rooms was a real bonus. What we really appreciated most of all, however was the wonderful location. Positioned in the middle of a wildflower meadow which was full of wild orchids, plus being positioned on the coastal path, what more could you ask for? The views were just stunning and could be enjoyed indoors as every window had its own view. We hope very much to be able to visit again.



An excellent stay in the Old Signal House

Review submitted on Mon, 21 Jun 2021
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Signal House was a wonderful location for us, located in a beautiful meadow overlooking the sea, with easy access to the costal path and Niton, The Old Signal House has a lovely open planned lounge/dining /kitchen area perfect, for a relaxed time with the family, with plenty of outdoor space to sit in the sun. There was the added bonus that the Utility room was great for drying wet clothes and swimming towels.

The Island Holiday Homes' team were really helpful in booking a ferry for us and particularly in rearranging the return ferry journey when there were problems the ferry company.




Last ditched one week break before Coronavirus Winter..

Review submitted on Mon, 28 Sep 2020
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Wonderful, bespoke accommodation and location. Very quiet until the storm that came in on the penultimate day (make sure you grab a bedroom on the east side - away from the front door!). Wonderful sea views and sunrises. Very secluded - Waitrose delivery man 'well I've lived on the Island twenty five years and I didn't know this was here!' Very well equipped kitchen-wise. Two graters anyone? But we did miss or couldn;t find oven gloves. Not that we did any 'proper' cooking but we did use the grill..
There were very minor housekeeping things - some lights didn't work and the bathroom extractor. in the 'master'. Some external doors were a little difficult to open. But brilliant that all keys fitted all doors. And appreciate it was near the end of the season (end September). Had a 'one-off' issue with the alarm one night that was extremely annoying for those it woke up but was acted on immediately when reported the next morning (fixed on a Sunday which was great).
So yes, we loved it. Would stay again. Highly Recommended.
P.S converting such a building so well must have been a challenge. Hats off to the architect.




Our second visit to this beautiful spot

Review submitted on Sun, 20 Sep 2020
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The location is what drew us back to this unique holiday venue. We are able to take 2 dogs (3 on our first visit) and you literally step out of your accommodation on to open land leading to the beautIful coastal path for morning walks. The nearby village has everything you need, great pub recently refurbished and around the clock, well stocked small supermarket.
The Old Signal House is ideal for large families or groups of friends and is a comfortable, warm holiday home where dogs and people can relax after days on the beach. We all love it there and will return for a third holiday in the future.




Peaceful break

Review submitted on Sun, 16 Aug 2020
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Accommodation was excellent, with plenty of space for everyone. Location was perfect and handy for the coastal path. Easy walk to the village pub.



Peace and Tranquility

Review submitted on Wed, 04 Sep 2019
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Our stay at The Old Signal House was just perfect. The location is stunning and in such a unique position. A lovely walk via the coastal path takes you to the nearest village of Niton which was a little gem. We sampled Joe's Bar / Post Office for some fabulous pizza and beer, also tried the Buddle and the White Lion which were both very good. The latter we went for a birthday meal and had an excellent night. The Old Signal House itself is a restoration of an original telecommunications outlet which has been restored superbly. The bedrooms all had ensuites which were contemporary and clean. The living area benefitted from stunning views and opening out onto a private field which all 3 dogs loved. The kitchen area was well equipped with plenty of utensils and crockery etc. There was a great BBQ area and plenty of chairs and table on the extensive decking. There was also a well equipped games room and bodyboards which came in use when we went to nearby Compton Bay. All in all a fabulous place to stay and do hope to return.



Lovely property

Review submitted on Sun, 11 Aug 2019
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Lovely unusual property, isolated (but there are 2 homes in the building) with fabulous views and walks. The bedrooms are nice, each with there own bathroom. Beds comfortable and clean. The kitchen could be better equipped and a bigger fridge or a fridge for drinks would be useful.
The TV was a bit fiddly but we got it working. The garden is huge and it would of been nice to have a mowed section to sit in but not a problem.




Fantastic location

Review submitted on Sun, 30 Jun 2019
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Had a wonderful,peaceful holiday here and thank you to the owners for allowing 3 dogs. The furnishings were not brand new and the place felt lived in which made it more relaxing. The views are amazing and outdoor space
surpassed previous holiday lets. Bathroom facilities excellent loads of hot water all the time. Kitchen well equipped. The pillows could do with an upgrade but all in all a great place to stay.




Substantial House on the Prairie.

Review submitted on Wed, 04 Jul 2018
3.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
2.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
The condition of the Living Room Curtain Linings made us think twice about sitting outside. We Love IOW. Thank you



Owner replied more than 1 year ago
Glad you love the Isle of Wight we do too. The property is in a very sunny location and the lining of the curtains was on our list to do and these have now been replaced. Once again we glad you enjoyed your stay on the Isle of Wight.

Second visit to this property

Review submitted on Mon, 11 Jun 2018
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
We stayed here 4 years ago and chose the property again as it is ideal for large groups of people. All bedrooms are en-suite which is a real plus. The location is fantastic with lovely walks just at the boundary of the property. Whilst some of the kitchen contents could do with updating, we were really pleased to find that the games room is now finished with table tennis and pool.



Great location. Generally very comfortable. A few things could be better.

Review submitted on Wed, 14 Jun 2017
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Instructions need updating. We had to help visitors to adjoining Morse Cottage find their key box because instructions not accurate. Hot water supply not very reliable and instructions to re-set it out of date (reference to control panel being opposite a red sofa that isn't there any more).
No guidelines about what should go into the recycle bin. Outside furniture not up to standard of indoor furniture. TV extremely complicated. Given cost of property I think it should be replaced with something simpler. No scales in kitchen.
However, we had a very good time despite being unlucky with the weather and these relatively minor reservations.




Good family holiday.

Review submitted on Sun, 05 Jun 2016
4.3
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This property was in a lovely situation and ideal for us with 6 adults 6 children and a dog as we had Morse Cottage as well which provided lots of space for everyone including the games room which we all enjoyed. It was a shame that even just part of the grass was not cut as our grandchildren love football and would have been safer than on the gravel.
We could have had much better BBQs and therefore did not use them.
The shower in the room by the front door was difficult to use and in the well equipped kitchen the dishwasher needs sorting out. Control knob loose and cutlery basket was broken so cutlery fell through it.
A tumble dryer would have been useful.