AIBU Holiday let owners big dog

[Justwantanicepeacfulholiday]

Just got back from a week U.K. holiday with DH and young kids. We booked a lodge on a small site which had 3 other cottages/lodges. We stretched our budget - it wasn’t cheap - because there was a pool on site and the advert showed masses of enclosed gardens, tennis court, shared washing machine and a hell of a lot of outside space. Perfect for kids to run off steam.

However when we arrived 98% of the garden was fenced off, and we were left with a tiny outside space that was in the shade all day long. No access to tennis court. I could get over that. Misleading advertising but not the end of the world.

We were given a quick tour with a stern warning not to walk near when they walked their dog as he’s a rescue and “is just about ok with kids and women but really not ok with men” with long stare at DH (whois honestly one of the nicest and gentlest men you’d ever meet).

This dog was a bull mastiff, a breed prone to aggression if it feels it’s family is threatened. It spent most the going absolutely nuts every time we left the lodge and walked to the pool or car, barking like crazy and running up and down the fence like crazy. The dog had free reign over all the rest of the garden and was separated from us at all times but in places the fence was was only about 3 foot high. I’ve seen Labradors clear higher fences! Dog also sat outside our window on several occasions staring at us. We were all terrified but did our best to stay calm and not show fear. It was so unnerving.

AIBU to think this is a totally inappropriate dog to have on a holiday let site that is clearly going to attract young families?

If you didn't book direct with the owner you need to go back to the booking agent
There's a local rescue currently being unsuccessful in finding a home for a very unruly dog the size of a great dane. I think you should at the very least write to the hosts and express your concern about a dog of this type being loose on what they've advertised as a relaxing space for guests, point out the potential risks. As for the incident with the washing machine I think you need to remind them that this was a facility advertised for guests and it's certainly not a great advertisement for their hosting skills. A friend's family runs several holiday lets on their farm and the hosting skills are a large part of what makes people return out of season and gives them a 5* rating

Are they advertising using their own website? I’d be tempted to email saying how uncomfortable you were the whole week and exactly why. I’d have felt threatened by that dog.

We stayed in an Airbnb last year and the property was separate from the owner’s house, but he obviously was used to using the drive of the Airbnb and had his very young dog with him. It kept coming up to ours and barking in his face and being a complete pita. I told the guy mine didn’t like dogs getting in his face but he did nothing so we’d just pop him in the boot quickly. Luckily, ours is extremely laid back (friendly spaniel!) but honestly, I was fuming, I didn’t want the hassle and I don’t think my dog should have been constantly harassed.

Fo me, it's the the presence of the dog that is the fault: it's the lack of appropriate control by the owners.

3 foot, single barrier fence is not enough and no dog should be left to run fences, barking like that. Apart from anything else it is not good for the dog. The dog should be actively managed so that this doesn't occur ans the fence needs to be of a size and constrution that the dog cannot see out to get upset. e.g. 6 foot, solid and with a series of shrubs or similar to provide additional distance/buffer.

YANBU - AT ALL. But why leave it until now? It’s a bit late imo. It’s like ordering a steak, eating it and then complaining you didn't enjoy it.

You ought to complain and find a way to leave an honest review, but you really should have spoken to the person who you made the booking with or the owner as soon as it became apparent that you weren’t getting what you’d paid for.

What platform did you book with? Firstly take screenshots of website. Then use your own photo evidence. Put together a clear point by point of what was unacceptable, don't be overly wordy or emotional. You need to report this to the booking platform or the overall lodge site owner or whoever you booked with.

Found the original listing (DH booked) and it had 3 glowing reviews - originalcottages - the first time we’ve used them. Reviews don’t look standard to me now I’m looking at it, they look like they are reviews chosen for the page rather than a full list of reviews. I can’t find reviews anywhere else.

I suspect they rescued the dog when they lived elsewhere. They mentioned where they rescued him from and it’s a heck of a drive to rescue a dog. They didn’t have local accents either, so I suspect they “retired” tp the country with cottages to give them an income. I might be wrong though.

Because we couldn’t afford to loose our holiday? Because it was the only week I could get off my insanely busy job? Because we would not have found an alternative in peak tourist season in very popular tourist areas?

I love dogs and we take ours everywhere. I would however find this extremely stressful (the lack of available garden would piss me off too). I’ve witnessed the most unlikely dogs getting over high fences and the fact that the dog didn’t jump is neither here nor there - you still had the concern.
I applaud the owners for rescuing the dog but this is not the right environment for it atm.
Fancy spending your hard earned cash on a holiday where you were terrified of moving about. Definitely NBU

Not sure if worth it, but maybe raise it with the place you booked through?

Yanbu at all. False advertising re the shared space, not allowing you to enjoy your house and garden, and dangerous dog left to roam around and be threatening.

I'd have complained to the owners in the first day. Did you book via them or via another site? I'd have complained to the site too - the sooner the better - then they can do something about the problems.

They have a frigging cheek. This is not their house; this is a business they are making money from. It's your holidays, and you want to be relaxed.

They sound entitled and bloody annoying.

You should have mentioned it when you were staying to give the owner the chance to rectify things (not that they probably would have) and then escalates it to the booking company for misrepresentation. Now all you can do is contact the booking firm and ask for a partial refund or do a review on tripadvisor mentioning the site by name. Or both.

This comes back to the fact that in everyday life in everyday things we do there are things that are viewed as a 'given'.

You would not expect to arrive at a holiday let to find a clearly dangerous dog to ruin your holiday. Whatever next - we all have to think of all the things we need to ask just in case!

You've said it's Original Cottages. Complaint to them (I would have done this at the time) and name the cottage on here.

Why would you have lost your holiday if you complained?

It’s shocking how passive some people are.

So you stayed the entire week and want to complain now? Too late.

That sounds awful, but you needed to complain more at the time.

Things like lack of access to sunny outdoor space and tennis courts are a big deal, as you paid a premium for them.

I think you'd be ok to name and shame on here or drop a few hints so we could google it. Find anywhere it's advertised so you can put in a negative review.

I think your mistake was not making sure you had read independent reviews before you went. It's a lottery if you don't do proper research. Why not complain to Original Cottages?

So you stayed the entire week and want to complain now? Too late.

I don't think so. It's not ideal but still complain.

Please talk to the owners about a partial refund then name the site on here so nobody else takes their children there.

I didn’t say don’t complain OP, I said why leave it until now to do it. It’s too late. The holiday has been and gone, you didn’t enjoy the space. I would’ve said something at the time, at least then the owner could’ve done taken steps (maybe) to improve YOUR stay.

You can complain- but what do you want? Revenge of leaving a crap review? An apology? Money back? The promise it’ll never happen again to anyone else?

If you complain direct then I’d focus more on the areas you could not access, that you paid a premium for and ask for a partial refund.

Honestly OP don't worry about the 'best' way to complain.

You didn't say anything at the time, 🤷‍♀️, so shoot you.

What happened still happened.

There was still a large intimidating dog barking at you non stop from across a small fence. There was still much less outside space available than you had been led to believe.

These holiday people deserve a complaint at the very least.

I would definitely still complain or leave feedback with the site you booked through - if only to alert them to the situation and maybe pre-warn others who might be thinking of booking there that there’s a big old nasty dog stalking the place.

I've looked at the Original Cottages website and yes! Those reviews are unbalanced. For all the evils about Airbnb at least the reviews have a chance to be brutally honest.

I have a holiday let OP and a (small) dog and I think you are entirely reasonable. I would have been so upset in your situation.

However I also don't think I'd book from that site. There were a lot of "Pools can be used by arrangement with owner" 😮. It seems very much so like someone said upthread: pay for the privilege of staying in my property but fade into the wallpaper if there's a chance I may be made aware of your presence!!!!!!
I would definitely complain, you're not going to stay there again, nothing you have said is untrue and you will let other potential guests know stuff you wish you had known before booking.

YANBU OP. I'm petrified of mastiffs after being bitten by one as a child.