Cumbria Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Felicity - Verified booking

  I am not a fan of publishing negative feedback when issues remain unresolved, however given the time frame passed since our stay and lack of meaningful update from Sykes I feel I have been left with no choice.

  We chose to stay over the Christmas period for a week. Indeed this was the first time that we have ever stayed away from home over Christmas. Positives: communication prior to stay, initial impressions of the cottage, amenities, lovely welcome pack and level of dog friendliness of the accommodation, which aside from some of the steps (mainly the uncovered ones from the dining area to the kitchen which one of my dogs had real difficulties with) really is unrivalled over anywhere else we have stayed. Negatives: upon arrival we noted a completely loose kitchen plinth laying on the floor, a leaking downstairs ensuite radiator and that Sky was not working on either Smart TV. I reported these issues on that first evening via the Sykes app. Non of these issues were an emergency so did not warrant a call to the emergency number provided, and I assumed Sykes would be in contact the next day. This however did not happen despite me contacting them on numerous occasions via the same message thread chasing an update and being mindful that given our stay included both Christmas day and Boxing day there was a good chance that staffing would be at a minimum. Cleanliness - whilst the cottage was generally clean, by the first morning my dad reported to me having to clean the upstairs shower tray due to it being blocked with hair and other detritus that would have caused it to overflow if left unattended. Oven - on Christmas day we were cooking a full meal and as such used both gas ovens. The oven to the right kept going out while we were trying to cook, leading to us having to swap items around to ensure everything was cooked properly and a delay in our meal. Outdoor area - there is a real lack of lighting on the courtyard particularly by the two steps leading down to the back gate. There are signs that the slabs become slippy when wet, however treatment of the green algae will assist significantly with minimising this. There are also signs for hot tub maintainence, however to our knowledge it was only attended to once during our stay. Sky TV - neither Sky Box worked for the duration of the stay. The box in the living room was constantly whirring, and simply did not work. Luckily the TV's are Smart and we could log into Netflix and Prime, however if you do not have these accounts then watching the TV is going to be difficult. It's a facility that simply shouldn't be advertised if they consistently don't work (noted issue on another review). It was Christmas week, and clearly we wanted to watch films/festive programmes during our stay. If some of these issues with the boxes are down to lack of system updates these should be checked as part of the cottage reset prior to new customers staying. Sykes response - I finally received a reply on the last full day of my holiday. No apology, basically blaming me for not making contact via phone, as apparently phone calls were being prioritised over the festive period. If this was true, then it should have been published on the website / auto reply. Since my return I have had to chase for updates; any person I have spoken to seems fairly uninterested in the issues raised, and no meaningful apology has been offered over the seemingly standard £50 refund and send some photos of the issues (of a non working oven, and a non working Sky box!). I have also been made aware of a recent BBC consumer affairs programme which highlighted similar bad customer experiences. So to summarise, with better maintaince the cottage would be amazing, however I would not choose to book any future holidays with Sykes.

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• Prasima - Verified booking

  Loved our stay at High Rigg Woodland cottage.

  Its about an hour from the lakes and set in peaceful grounds with a small lake and views out to the countryside. It was beautifully decorated, warm on our arrival and Brenda had very kindly received our tesco delivery and put things in the fridge and freezer in case we were late. Our hosts were lovely and replied immediately to any queries. They couldn’t have been more helpful. The 2 king size beds were comfortable and the bedrooms very tastefully decorated (if you’re bothered by light, make sure you take an eyemask). Our kids were too old to share a bed but we just had to ask about a camp bed and magically appeared, with bedding. There’s even a roll top bath in the main bedroom but we didn’t use it due to the wonderful covered jacuzzi which was set at a cosy 39 degrees. The kitchen is well equipped with washer/dryer, 2 ovens, microwave, kettle, toaster, scales, food processor, dish towels, and a cake mixer! There’s even a small cleaning pack provided for the first couple of days. If you’re heavily reliant on wifi, take plenty of data to use as a personal hotspot as it is patchy. We didn’t mind as it was a great way to detox from tech and any extra time was spent in the jacuzzi! We could attach our hard drive to the tv to watch movies and there’s also a dvd player but to be honest, there’s so much to do, we didn’t have time for much TV. There are instructions to take all left over food/condiments away with you so make sure you pack oil and seasonings, dishwasher tabs, laundry tabs, and extra binbags if you plan to cook. This is a stunning place for a peaceful break, very near Hadrian’s wall, and a fun scenic drive to the lakes. Would recommend Gelt and Cotehill Woods walks which are close by and easy, kayaking in Windermere, and a Segway forest ride in Grizedale forest which is also good for cycling although there are no easy trails in this forest. If you want easy walks or cycle rides in the lakes, do your research beforehand. Next time I’ll hire an electric bike

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• Philip - Verified booking

  This property is set in a stunning location!

  The views from all the rooms are fantastic - whatever the weather! It's worth it just for that! The cottage itself is very well appointed, warm and comfortable with plenty of storage space as well as very adequate provision for four people. The hot tub was ready on arrival and proved quite a hit with the younger members of the party! The parking is rather better than the listing suggests with adequate space for four or more vehicles within a few feet of the entrance to the cottage. Some might consider the approach road a bit bumpy, but if you take it steady, it's fine and actually very much in keeping with the rural setting. The provision of fuel for the log burner and the pods for the coffee machine, as well as slippers and dressing gowns was much appreciated. The beds were really comfortable. Each room had efficient, independently controlled electric radiators - a useful feature. The kitchen / dining/ seating area was large and well appointed with all mod cons. High Rigg is conveniently situated near a market town, nice village pubs and with good access to Hadrian's Wall and great walks through Gelt Woods and Talkin Tarn. A trip to Carlisle is very worthwhile and not far away. While the Lakes are within driving range, we found enough to occupy us nearby and so did not make that trip. We found the property to be excellent value and the owners very approachable and anxious to make sure we enjoyed our stay. It would have been useful to have had a downloadable inventory which would have cut down the list of things to bring along. It would also have been good to have sheets of local walks contained within the welcome pack. We already knew about Gelt Woods and Talking Tarn or we would have missed out somewhat.

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• Angela - Verified booking

  This cottage was absolutely stunning.

  The little personal touches to welcome us were appreciated. The owners were warm, friendly and welcoming without being in your face all the time. The grounds around the cottage are worth a mention, beautifully kept with many points of interest, ie the fishing pond, the wicker stag nestled against the tree, the rolling hills viewed from the balcony. The peacefulness was just brilliant. The furniture inside the cottage was quality, comfortable and everything you needed, the bedrooms were warm, with plenty of storage, lovely bedding and soft cushions and pillows. The en-suites had a wonderfully hot towel rail and the towels were thick and good quality. Shower was very good and a nice touch to be provided with shower gel and hand soap. We had the wow factor as we opened the door on arrival, the lovely twinkling lights were lit above the fireplace and the huge clock on the wall of the open plan kitchen was lit. There was a lovely plate of home made freshly baked scones with butter and jam on the table and a nice bottle of wine in the fridge. We enjoyed the hot tub too, and there was plenty of seating on the deck area and some huge lanterns to add to the ambience of the whole area. We had a really lovely week here and would recommend this cottage to anyone who appreciates quality furnishings and surroundings in a peaceful haven.

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• Diane - Verified booking

  A lovely cottage that has been beautifully renovated to a high standard.

  It is located up a hill just a short walk to the centre of Bowness however still feels quiet and private. There are shops, bars and restaurants within easy reach. The kitchen is very well equipped with everything you would need if you choose to cook. The three lovely bedrooms are all a good size with comfortable beds, 2 with en-suites and one main bathroom. In the snug there is an interesting selection of books and games. I loved the large utility room and had been excited about using the doggy bath, however there is no way I could have got my old dog down the steep steps. The outdoor space is safe and securely enclosed. The hot/cold outdoor doggy shower was useful. We have one at home but was a first for us in a rental property. The hot tub was the hit of our stay and we were in it each evening. Just be aware that there are a lot of steps in this property and if you have an older dog they may struggle with the Amtico flooring. Having said that it is by far the most doggy friendly place we have stayed.

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