Holiday Cottages In Ambleside

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Rachel - Verified booking

  This was our first trip to the Lake District and we had a fantastic time.

  We have fallen in love with the stunning scenery and will definitely return. We appreciate the cottage is old but it does need a good clean. We never normally leave reviews but felt this one was important to the owner especially if they are employing a cleaning company. The hand mirror and towel rail in the second floor bathroom were covered in dust on arrival. Throughout the cottage there were cobwebs and spiders everywhere including in the bread bin, amongst the cutlery, pots, pans, dishes, plates, glasses, corners of the rooms, around the windows, between the bannisters etc. On the one occasion when we chose to cook something in the cottage we had to clean the baking trays before we used them as they were filthy. The shower head and shower lead in the bathroom on the top floor were mouldy and needed a bleach. When we removed hair from the shower plug we were horrified to see what else came out - it was clear this had not been cleaned for some time. The toothbrush holder in the bathroom on the top floor was mouldy. We even found toe nail clippings on the floor which wouldn’t have been there if the cottage had been hoovered. There were tea stains down the wall in the bedroom. The boiler kept making loud banging noises throughout the night which woke us all up. There was a wasp nest outside the window of the main top floor bedroom which meant we couldn’t open the window as the wasps were swarming. Penny Red was in a perfect spot with beautiful surrounding views and close to the centre of Ambleside. It was on a hill called The Struggle which was fine for us but some people might find this difficult. It was a bonus having a designated car parking space. The cottage was well equipped with everything you need for a break in the Lakes but it just needed a thorough proper clean.

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• Willow - Verified booking

  We recently stayed at the penny red cottage, the cottage itself is described as being in the town.

  However it is not, it is a 5 minute walk from the town which for most that wouldn’t be a problem however the booking does not mention the massive hill you have to climb to reach the house. So a simple 5 minute walk into the town turns into a sweaty tired mess. So it would have been nice for a heads up in the description of the area on the booking. I was happy to find that the kitchen is decently stocked with kitchen equipment however the tap in the kitchen drips which is really annoying and there is no description on how to use the oven or washing machine so that took us 15 mins to work out. I was also very disappointed to find that the stunning double bedroom on the top floor with lovely views, the main light does not work so you have to rely on the bed side lamp to navigate yourself round the bedroom. The main disappointment of the house was the extractor fan in the first bathroom is broken. When the wind blows on the house it rattles and makes a ton of noise which is very distracting- sounds like a ping pong ball is bashing round inside. For a house that could comfortably house 4-5 people in the main seating area in the sitting room there is only 3 seats available a sofa and sofa chair, I didn’t quite understand this as there is enough space for a bigger sofa. But if 4 people turned up only 3 can sit down and watch some tv. Apart from that criticism the stay itself was lovely, it has private parking with a spacious gap, the bathroom and bedrooms are very clean and cosy with a nice view and the location is nice.

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• Elton - Verified booking

  Had a great week in Penny Red.

  It completely delivered on the cosiness the pictures suggested. The two large beds were super comfortable with quality mattresses and feather-down duvets, so we slept a lot and really well. And the main room was made up by the log burning fire. Overall the place just smacked of quality and some good attention to detail. The furniture - drawers, tables and side units - was all good quality, and the main bathroom was really stylish with underfloor heating and a towel rail that actually got hot. Both bathrooms had good showers, and having a bath was a treat. The kitchen was decent but there were issues with the toaster and main oven taking ages to cook things because they never really got hot enough. (Easy to replace a toaster but the oven is a slightly bigger problem.) Other little bugs were that, although it was really nice and cosy, the fire desperately needs serviced/repaired because the door and chimney seals are shot so we were tearing though fuel (Note: Dec/Jan booking). We ended up having to buy logs because the coal we took just wouldn't burn properly and didn't give off any heat. Not the end of the world but almost a disappointment. And one other bit of wear and tear that needs to be sorted out is that the shower head holder in the main bathroom is a bit loose and wobbly which meant the shower would sometimes drop down or flop around the place. Not a huge problem but was a bit annoying. Don't let any of this put you off though, because Penny Red is a really nice place and we would definitely go back.

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• Kate - Verified booking

  A lovely cottage in a super location.

  The cottage is cosy and spacious. The flagstone hallway and large cloakroom with drying rack meant we didn’t need to worry about muddy boots and wet clothes. All the bedrooms are comfortable and the sitting room with log burner is great for relaxing after days out walking. It’s right in the centre of Hawkshead so very easy to pop out for food, drinks and shops. I’ve never stayed anywhere before with so much gear provided in the kitchen. When staying in other cottages attempting to cook has been challenging, hacking food with bad knives and very minimal equipment available but here there is absolutely everything you could possibly need. The owners are very generous, so much is provided including coffee, oils, a bottle of wine and nice soaps. There are loads of walks from the doorstep with the possibility of increasing the range by using the bus. We didn’t move the car all week. The village pubs, restaurants and cafes have good food with imaginative vegetarian choices and some vegan options. While we were there the vegetarian cafe didn’t have a chef so had a very limited menu. The coop is open long hours and is fine for basics, although the vegan range is extremely small. Thank you very much to the cottage owners for a fabulous week.

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• Catie - Verified booking

  Information in email incorrect regarding key collection - needs updating as it is incorrect On a positive, the house is largeand spacious, and is in a lovely area.

  However it needs a deep clean There is dirt and dust in all corners of the house, cobwebs on kitchen window and light fittings throughout the house. Mould in bathroom. En-suite unusable due to smell of drains and the shower is either freezing cold or burning hot. The taps move when you try to turn them on. Main bathroom - flush on toilet kept not working - we had fix ourselves each time just so it would flush. Main bathroom is old and rundown with mold and dirt in corners of bath/shower. Springs have gone in the sofas so you sink when you sit down making it very uncomfortable. The carpets are dirty and worn in the lounge. In the kitchen the random mix of plates, cutlery, pots and pans need replacing or proper cleaning, they smell greasy as though they haven’t been washed properly. The shared garden would of been nice had it been usable, however as there has been no maintenance of the area for sometime, grass needs cutting, shrubs need trimming as they growing in to the house through the lounge doors, we couldn’t sit out there. In general it feels like whoever owns the property is only interested in making money and not giving customers a nice experience. For the money we paid this was very disappointing.

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