Clos de Vaul Creux

We arrived on Sark after booking over a month ahead. We were receiving automated emails about our arrival and every time we tried to call it said she was already on the phone. No one was there we were left stranded on New Year’s Eve with no where to stay she refuses to give us our money back. We arrived during check in time and someone else on the island informed us she had left a week prior. Due to it being NYE basically everywhere was closed and we had no way off the island.

It was a unique stay in a totally magical place of peace and relaxation. Everything was so beautifully decorated for Christmas, the room was great. We absolutely enjoyed the breakfasts. Leigh met our every wish and we can't wait to come back in the summer and enjoy the fantastic garden as well!

The host was in contact and made us feel very welcome. The room was spotless and thought given to anything we may require, like cold drinks on arrival, a charging cable, that we may have forgotten and even postcards to post home. We loved that the coffee provided was ground with our own carafe and kettle in the room. The garden was so relaxing and full of life.

Open arrival we were made to feel quite unwelcome, it was almost as if we were an inconvenience staying in her hotel. The owner had emailed me 2 days before to say I hadn’t paid for our evening meal, so I paid online immediately, and upon arriving she promptly told us she was not doing us an evening meal because we hadn’t said what we wanted, even though we hadn’t been asked or sent any kind of menu. We were refunded our meal money minus £10 admin fee, for a dinner that was never going to happen anyway. Our luggage transfer was not organised even though she had told us check out time, and she knew the boat times but made us feel bad that she hasn’t organised it the night before, when she too busy telling us off for arriving at 4pm, and not 2pm. I would recommend checking other places to stay.

Hostile and unwelcoming from the get go I cannot express how deeply I feel that you should avoid this place. The room is nice if a little cramped and opens onto the lounge / restaurant. There is also no door on the toilet so say goodbye to any sense of privacy. However that is where the exceptionally few niceties stop. The manageress is clearly weary from hosting and should do everyone a favour and just stop. It’s like staying with a strict elderly relative who you dropped in on unannounced, not someone you’ve paid £140+ a night to host you. She has done her very best to ruin a romantic weekend away. She locked an internal door, accused us of having done it, and left a slice of bread and croissant on the floor with a note. When we called her both by phone and shouting “hello” into the house we were ignored, only to find more doors locked proving she had been in the house the whole time. The following day we were lucky enough to get breakfast, but she snapped at us constantly, basically threw the plates down. Told us we could have eggs when we were “ready”, when we asked when that might be she said when we had finished the rest of our food. Then threatened to stop serving us altogether. She also expressed anger that we had not forewarned her that we were vegetarian. The booking system did not ask and in 2023 Im not in the habit of calling ahead and “warning” of my diet. She looked out three mouldy logs which slugs had made their home whilst also telling us to enjoy an “evening by the fire”. When I asked where I could get more should we need it, she said she would bring them in as needed. Spoiler - no more logs arrived. Doesn’t take a wilderness expert to figure out that that’s not enough to last more than an hour, let alone two nights. If you do find yourself in the unfortunate position of having wasted money and booking here, seek refuge at the Belair where there are friendly faces and a warm - unlimited - fire to enjoy an evening around. When not out walking the cliffs we hunkered there to avoid any uncomfortable interactions. Too uncomfortable to stay in the place we had spent hundreds on. She should be ashamed and either employ someone who knows the meaning of hospitality to run the house for her, or quit entirely. I wish her positivity and healing to recover from whatever event in her life has lead her to be so bitter. Had this been my first trip to Sark, I would never return. Luckily there are many sarkees who are grateful and deserving of your custom, I urge you to seek them out.

Great location, friendly host and staff, comfy bed, really clean room, fab breakfast and amazing steak dinner. What more could you ask for?! Thanks to Leigh, Denise and George for making us feel so welcome. We will definitely return on our next trip to Sark.