Villas In Derbyshire

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Tim - Verified booking

  We have just returned from a week at Hall End Barn, Earl Sterndale which has been extremely disappointing due to a combination of false description and poor presentation.

  Firstly the major problem was the main bedroom which you describe as 'king-sized'. This frankly is a gross misrepresentation and had we realised the bed is only a standard double (4ft6" x 6ft3") we would never have booked this cottage. Apart from the size of mattress, it was extremely uncomfortable plus due to the bed frame having been broken and held together with black adhesive tape, any movement resulted in loud creaking. We have attached photos showing the measurements and taped 'repair". Having endured one sleepless night we had to resort to using the remaining single beds in the cottage. The second major problem was what can only be described as the stench from the downstairs toilet. This had been mentioned by others in the visitor's book and was obviously well known due to the attempt to mask the smell by air fresheners. On arrival and first opening the door the smell was nauseous to the extent of not using the facility and whilst regular flushing and leaving the extractor fan on 24 hours a day prevented the smell permeating the rest of the cottage it felt most unhealthy. It appeared that either there is no soil venting or it is blocked making the use of the toilet and washing machine most undesirable. Whilst we have detailed these two problems, further factors also detracted from our stay: 1. On arrival at 3 pm, the cottage was bitterly cold due to the heating being timed to be off until later in the day. It did however warm up quickly once the heating was put on. 2. Light bulbs in the lounge, hall, landing and third bedroom (see photos) were not working, and whilst spares were supplied, we only replaced what was absolutely necessary as it is not our idea of a holiday to carry out basic maintenance that should surely have been checked before our arrival. 3. On our second morning we were disturbed by the arrival of three vans containing decorators and bathroom fitters for the cottage next door. The photos attached show a totally different picture of the parking/outside table area to that in your details. The noise of sawing, drilling and hammering continued throughout the week and was not what one expects when choosing a quiet secluded spot for a holiday in the middle of winter. 4. General cleanliness .... not something we would mention had everything else been good as we know that wooden beams do attract cobwebs, and splashes on walls can be missed as can dust and hair under sideboards. As previously mentioned in the visitors book, cleaning is obviously not a priority. We feel that what should have been a quiet, relaxing week in a beautiful cottage in an astounding part of the country was completely ruined by firstly inaccurate marketing (by the way, the nearest shop is over 2 miles away not under one, and the local pub doesn't allow dogs) and secondly poor presentation and maintenance. We regularly rent holiday cottages in different parts of the country (4 times a year on average) and believe we know what is reasonable to expect. This cottage and its owners are being let down if what we have experienced continues.

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• Annemarie - Verified booking

  We honestly cannot rate this cottage and the owners more.

  The cottage is a short distance from so much that even though we only stayed for 3 nights, we were able to explore so much and make some great family memories. The cottage itself was like a home a way from home. It was clean and comfy with so much space. The facilities that the owners provide were honestly above and beyond what you would expect from a holiday let. From kitchen appliances, cutlery, pots, pans and the necessities to everything you could need in a home to have a no worry stay. We holidayed with family so the two floors that included a separate bathroom on each is a dream to share the experience but have our own little bit of privacy. The decor was outstanding and so fresh but also charismatic, you can tell that the owners have put a lot of thought and love into it. There was so much space throughout for our family of 7 including a sweet, comfy little snug which the kids in particular adored. Claire was so accommodating and welcoming from the get go of our booking. The location was spot on too. Although close to a busy road with the pub opposite, it was so quiet and peaceful with everyone surrounding so polite. We are already talking about booking again and I have already recommended this place to a couple of friends and family members. Do not hesitate to book, you will not be disappointed! We cannot wait to come back for a longer stay next time in the very near future.

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• Paul - Verified booking

  We were impressed with the modernisation, decor and fittings, as well as the personal contact from the owner to ensure everything was how we wanted it when we arrived.

  Brassington is a great place to stay, with it's history and for walkers. The two top floor bedrooms have great views of the surrounding hills with their traces of former mine workings and rock outcrops. Overall, Brassington is an excellent base for exploring the Devonshire Dales and Peak District, remaining a relatively quiet and authentic former mining village. The odd lorry whizzing past the cottage before 9am was the only interruption to the overriding sense of calm. The hospitality provided in The Olde Gate Inn across the road is worth the cost of the stay alone - the quality of the food, in particular, is outstanding! Overall, we would rate our stay and the cottage 4.75 out of 5, with just a few practical points which bothered us a little (we're being 'picky' here and commenting in the hope our feedback will be useful) - a taller lamp in the lounge to provide a reading spot on one of the sofas, a shaving point in one of the bathrooms, a powerpoint near a mirror (for my wife's hairdryer). We would very happily return, however!

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• Chelsea - Verified booking

  Picture-perfect!

  My family and I enjoyed a wonderful few days staying in the Royal Oak Cottage located in the beautiful village of Brassington. We hired bikes at nearby Carsington Water and enjoyed a pleasant ride around the reservoir (bookings to be made online). We had a trip to Castleton and climbed Mam Tor followed by coffee and cake in one of the pretty tea rooms in the town. Matlock Bath and Bakewell are a short distance from Brassington making this the perfect location to explore the Peaks. The village has two pubs both serving excellent food. We had a particularly warm welcome in the Miners Arms and arranged a 'takeaway' from the main menu one evening to take back to the cottage, the food was so delicious that we went back to eat the following evening. The locals are delightful and we loved walking around the village admiring the pretty cottages and scenery, this truly was the most relaxing few days. The cottage is spotlessly clean, spacious and has everything that you need for a comfortable and cosy stay. We cannot wait to return!

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• Elizabeth - Verified booking

  One of the best cottages I’ve stayed in!

  Exceptionally well equipped (with games, books, loads of crockery and good quality cooking utensils/pans etc). Very friendly ( but not intrusive) owners and a wonderful welcome pack, which we really appreciated. Comfy beds and lounge furniture. Spotlessly clean and high quality furnishings. Nice and warm. I’m forever grateful to the owner for speedily coming to the rescue with a spare key when I managed to lose the original whilst we were out walking. Thankyou, Pam!! The stairs are very steep (the extra hand rail was much appreciated!) which might be a problem for any infirm visitors, but we managed to negotiate them fine with our middle aged knees! The only thing I could think to improve would be a larger fridge ( or an extra one down in the cellar, alongside the freezer) …. But then we did bring enough food to feed an army. We should probably have just eaten out more at the pub which is directly opposite and serves amazing food!

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