Meet The Owner - Dovedale Cottage

For over 25 years, Cornish Horizons has been successfully letting holiday cottages throughout Cornwall. Not only are we committed to offering the highest possible levels of customer service to our guests, we also strive to maintain a friendly, yet professional service to all our homeowners.

We recently asked the owner of Dovedale Cottage, Liz Kotulski a few questions about us, our service and what she thought about letting her property. Here’s what she told us:

What made you choose Cornish Horizons to be your agent?

I’d come across Cornish Horizons when booking my holiday last year and so they were one of three companies I approached to register my property with. They came in miles ahead of the other two and have advised and guided me every step of the way from risk assessing to pricing and marketing to catch any end of year holiday makers.  They have fantastic connections with loads of businesses throughout the South West and are able to offer me loyalty discounts at a huge variety of outlets.

What have you enjoyed about our services so far?

I have to say I’ve enjoyed my property manager Sophie’s unwavering enthusiasm for my property the most. She is so pro-active and always puts a smile on my face when we talk. She clearly loves her job and that enthusiasm is definitely contagious. The photos she took of Dovedale are amazing and I’m looking forward to working on my second property with her.

What was it that first inspired you to start letting Dovedale Cottage?

I’ve had a successful career in the music industry in London as a Tour Production Assistant and Agency PA so knew that since moving to Bristol, a conventional desk job wouldn’t suit me.  I’ve always felt a pull to the West Country so after a five day break back in Sept 2016 at Gooseham Barton Riding Stables in Morwenstow I decided that I would have a go at the Holiday Let business myself.  I started my property search in N. Cornwall straight away as I wanted to be close enough to Bristol to catch the ‘Long Weekenders’.  I completed on Dovedale in March 2017 and now live in the property of my childhood dreams and get to live out the frustrated Country Interiors designer in me!

What have you found challenging about setting up the property ready for letting?

With a rural property, your priorities are always shifting as you never know what you’re going to wake up to.  The wooden cubicle shed has flooded twice, it teems with rain when you plan to mow the fields and the wind always seem to pick up dropping leaves on the freshly swept yard ahead of guests arriving!  I’m a big fan of country interiors and a big challenge for with the Holiday Let business was knowing when to stop shopping for the rooms.  I had to pull myself back from furnishing the rooms to my taste with my ideal homely comforts and remember functionality, practicality and suitability for guests.  I like to think I’ve achieved the right balance.  I have quite high standards and would hate to think that my guests feel like they’ve been ‘fobbed off’ with tasteless second hand furniture or cheap bedding.

If you have a holiday property, or are considering letting, speak to the experts. We are holding another of our meet the experts drop in sessions from all four of our offices (Padstow, Fowey, Looe and St Ives) on Thursday 14th September, between 3-5pm.

For more information, visit www.cornishhorizons.co.uk/about/meet-the-experts. If you’re unable to make it, feel free to contact the property team anytime for an informal chat on 01841 533331.