Lovely location Stunning design, though poor maintenance lets it down 3.5/5

We enjoyed our stay at El Ray despite the high winds, spring tides and weather warnings! The house is amazing in it's design and location and the outlook is stunning, but a few things let it down. The bed was really uncomfortable and left me with back ache, the bed linen was clean, but not high end as you might expect for the price of the rental. The lighting in the hall and the bedrooms is low level which means you can't really see what you are doing if you have shoes to put on and bags to unpack. The bathroom need a bit of attention, with a drippy shower and not hygienic with a wooden slatted floor in the shower and wooden walls. There is black mould here and there. The kitchen was lovely and had everything that we needed except a microwave, which would have been useful, though not essential. There was also a bottle of wine and some doritos for us which was a nice touch. The living room was spacious enough for two of us, though the seating was not that comfortable and could do with replacements. The doors to the deck still have not been fixed despite this obviously being an issue for a year or more. We were informed of this, and as it was April we didn't feel that it would be a problem. It still would have been more convenient however to have them fixed. There was also no visitors book to sign. Despite my comments, we still enjoyed our time here and this is a truly lovely place to stay, but please take on board the comments here and from others in the past to make it a wonderful experience in the future.

Paula Jardine-Rose | 11 April 2024

Great stay in El Ray 4.8/5

Have been to Dungeness a couple of times. It's a place like no other and El Ray fits right in. It feels like it's at the end of the world but that's all part of the charm on Dungeness. The cottage itself was warm and comfortable. A family of 4 with plenty of space and decent living area and kitchen. It's right on the beach and slightly further away from where it gets a bit busier. The instructions to find it were clear and it benefits from being on a private road. It's a short walk to a couple of local pubs and cafes including the great Snack Shack. Definitely recommend.

Mark Hadayah | 08 April 2024

Beautiful location but El Ray falls short of expectations with poor maintenance. 3.8/5

We were looking forward to staying at El Ray. We have stayed at Dungeness many times and love it there. We decided to splash out on El Ray even though it was one of the more expensive options. I did see that there was a note to say the sliding door was not working but would be fixed by the end of August. Since we were staying in September that didn't cause me any concern. Overall we had a great holiday and the house is in a fantastic location. The wow factor when you walk in is brilliant and the views are great. It has been well designed -The bedroom window is at the right height to look out when you are in bed. The two inner courtyards work well to provide a way to open the windows and retain privacy. The picture frame of the front of the house is spectacular. The kitchen is beautiful. But there are issues and if this a luxury holiday let it fall short of the standard you expect for the price. The sliding doors to the deck and beach are not fixed. When you are actually in the house, you realise that this has a huge impact on staying in the house. Instead of having the fantastic effect of hearing and feeling the fresh sea air when you are in the sitting room, and just stepping out onto the deck, you have to go out the front door at the other end of the house, carry your books drinks etc and totter over the shingle to sit on the deck. When you want to top up your drink, go back round, remembering to take of your shoes (thats the rule) to go to the fridge and pick up the drinks, and return. This house was designed to showcase the connection to the landscape and you cant access it while the doors are broken. The sun shone only for a coupe of days but it was incredibly hot with the doors shut. The other facilities are also showing lots of wear and tear. The shower didn't stop dripping so the shower floor was always wet and slippy. The Dishwasher has the wrong king of handle behind the stylish ply facade so you cannot get it open. It would not have been hard to either fit a dishwasher with a recessed handle so you can grasp it or even a dishwasher then opens the door at the end of the cycle. I'm not sure why there is no ice compartment in the fridge. This is a house on a beach and cold drinks with ice in is not too much to ask! Perhaps I am wrong and El Ray was not listing itself as luxury accommodation and things being a bit 'off' is to be expected. Maybe its a funky beach house to kick back and relax in the beautiful landscape. Well, then I would expect a few less rules and a bit more practicality and comfort. I saw the previous comments about the sofa and I would agree. Its at the end of its life and difficult to see how 4 adults can sit comfortably. There is no mirrors near the power sockets to use the hairdryer. The beds are not very comfortable. The coat hooks in the lobby don't work. The floors are scratched, the hangers fall off the designer hooks. I will stop there. It could all be fixed and the house could be returned to its original condition and then I would say its somewhere very very special. We loved staying in this house but I would not consider staying there again unless the doors are working so that you can actually benefit from the unique design of the house.

Julia Armstrong | 02 October 2023

Amazing location 3.8/5

I’ll start with with the good. The location is amazing. It’s right on the beach and looking out on it and watching the light change is fabulous. The sunsets over the power station were incredible. The train nearby was a great day. The property needs some TLC though, it’s clearly been designed for style over practicality. For this price (which apparently was a ‘discount’ because the glass doors didn’t work meaning you couldn’t enjoy the terrace-It was still £450/night) I expect a welcome pack as a minimum, There are no extra such as tea bags or milk (just an open packet left from previous guests). Literally the only things left are cleaning products. I expect shower gel for this price point. The sofa is small and so one of our group always ended up on a beanbag. There’s room for a good sized one so a shame it’s a not great 2 seater. The toilet leaks and clearly has been for a while as the floor’s going black. I got a wet foot in the middle of the night which wasn’t ideal. I have no idea why one room has nowhere to hang anything (except a coat hook on the wall) Parking is limited and you have to reverse out down a narrow shingle track. Overall this should be an amazing rental but the touches that go to making a great holiday home just aren’t there.

Martha McGowan | 15 August 2023

Beautiful location 4.3/5

El Ray is stunning to look at and the location is breathtaking. The facilities inside as great and the two bedrooms made our stay very comfortable. There was plenty of hot water and the fire made the lounge area lovely and warm in the evenings. The only downside to El Ray is the parking. I do think they need to invest in the infrastructure for the parking for guests especially as you can only reverse out to get back onto the main road. We did not feel confident that our vehicle could reverse out of the space allocated with the shingle driveway. A neighbour also advised me that serval other guests had also got stuck there recently. I do think some renovation work is needed to the house as there is clearly a problem with condensation and water coming in as the interior wood around some of the windows is black which just makes the place feel less luxurious. I do think this lack of attention to details do impact on how guests feel especially as the rental price is high.

Emily Whitebread | 19 December 2022

El Ray Dungeness Beware 4.3/5

El Ray looks like what it says on the pictures and if you want an unusual place to stay in Dungeness it ticks most of the boxes. Great Views , Isolated and a really interesting design. There is however a BUT. The access is treacherous. On the face of it it looks simple you drive up to the door park and you are there. However although the owner provides detailed instructions- which involves reversing back 40 m - difficult in the dark as I discovered IF you diverge from the track you get stuck in the famous Dungeness Shingle. I did and we had to call the AA out to pull the car free, and then remove all the tyres to get rid of the pebbles. Why this problems has not been addressed I do not know as I have not been the only casualty. It was an expensive and time consuming addition to my stay. So great place but drive with great care .

Roy Simpson | 13 October 2022

A stunning house in a stunning location. 4.8/5

This visit to El Ray was a birthday present for my husband. My daughter and her dog joined us. The house is stunning architecturally and in a perfect location, right on the beach. We were not disappointed on entering the property as it is just as amazing inside as out. The railway carriage kitchen and decor is fabulous! It was lovely and clean and remained warm. We did not need to use the underfloor heating for our entire stay and lit the log burner mostly for its drama and comfort. We were very lucky with the weather and sat outdoors, enjoying the sun. We were also lucky to experience a storm on the Friday night - exhilarating! There is so much to do in Dungeness. We visited Hythe on the light railway (wonderful), ate at the The Pilot (yummy fish & chips), climbed the lighthouse (not for the feint hearted), ate at The Snack Shack (a must as fabulous fresh fish) and walked through the RSPB nature reserve (beautiful). It is not a cheap place to stay and could perhaps benefit from having some shower gel, milk and basics for visitors. Bloom responded quickly to our messages and queries. We would love to visit the area again in this or another Bloom property.

Belinda Jeffries | 13 October 2022

El Ray 3.8/5

I booked El Ray as a surprise birthday present for a keen walker and bird watcher. I knew the location and position of the house having been to the area before and loved it. The house is quirky which is one of its charms The kitchen well stocked for 4 people, lovely views and access to the pebbles. But on the downside. The sofa is in need of replacement as it is not very comfortable and looks very old, one of the mattresses is so so hard that if 4 were staying it would mean a very uncomfortable night for someone. I think overall it is overpriced - arrival time was 4 (although we were informed we could have an earlier arrival that afternoon it was too late for us as I had booked lunch on the way) and out by 10 - making our 2 night stay quite short. Also more information would be welcomed, both for the house and surrounding area. We could not get the DVD player working there was very little in the way of instructions and a phone call to the contact did not help. We have stayed in and returned to many many cottages over the years but I think El Ray will be a one off visit. It makes it hard to recommend this to others, the area yes I would but with many other properties available in the same area not this particular one. I hope this is helpful to both owner and agent.

Guest | 01 September 2022

Wonderful and unusual place to stay. 4.5/5

Mind-blowing sunrises, very cool accommodation. Private outside space was a real bonus. Can't wait to go back.

Harriet Warner | 23 January 2022

Amazing views, unique experience 4.7/5

You either love or hate Dungeness. To me it’s bleak and beautiful and it’s a fantastic place for birdwatchers like me. El Ray is a stunning property with magnificent views. You could spend all day just gazing from the huge windows over the vast expanse of shingle beach to the sea beyond. Sunrise & sunset are spectacular. If you are lucky and have a clear night, the stars are beautiful to behold with little light pollution. Locations and properties such as these don’t come cheap, but they are unique and if you want to stay somewhere different, this is for you. It’s the sort of place you wish you could retreat to whenever life gets on top of you. The huge wood burner soon heats up the living room and is very cosy when the wind and rain are battering against the windows. Bad weather almost adds to the experience. WiFi is surprisingly good. The place is well equipped but a few extras would in my opinion benefit El Ray. You won’t find complimentary toiletries, there is no microwave and only a DVD player with no smart TV. A welcome pack with local walks, attractions, restaurants etc would also be appreciated. We found the mattress in one of the bedrooms to be thin and uncomfortable so moved to the other bedroom which was much more comfortable. These are minor things though and I would highly recommend staying here. The host Sophie is friendly and easily contactable should you need anything. I hope my honest review is helpful.

Donna Joyce | 10 December 2021

A real tonic by the sea 5/5

We and our 13 months old dog had a wonderful short stay. It’s a magnificent house from the location to the big design and the elegant small touches. Very comfortable and tastefully furnished. Inner ‘courtyards’ very useful with the dog as was the long lead so we could all sit out on the decking and admire the beautiful sunsets. Dungeness and the Marsh are stunning locations, and the Iast few hot days of summer helped. Just the sound of sea and gentle breeze to listen, aside from the occasional tannoy announcement from the power station. El Ray is now definitely on our short list of places we would return to in the future.

Yvonne Court | 25 September 2021

Our stay at El Ray 5/5

We loved our stay in this beautifully designed, unusual house with the most spectacular views. The kitchen within the railway carriage was particularly well appointed. We will come again!

David Appleton | 17 July 2021