Dog Friendly Cottages in Durham

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Joanne - Verified booking

  We’ve had a horrible stay.

  On arrival we were very surprised by the outside and location of it as it’s not as advertised. The photo is showing a rear door which isn’t used as a door at all making out like that’s the entrance in the photos. On entering the property we could see straight away that the house hadn’t been cleaned to a reasonable standard, toilets, bathroom floors and bins were filthy with mud all over, bedrooms and living room were thick of dust and muck even causing us to sneeze all the time and one of our party had an asthma attack! We had to go and buy cleaning products and take the time to clean. Carpets marked and dirty to the point where we wouldn’t let anything on the ground, walls full of dirty marks. No sweeping brush or vacuum. The cellar which is advertised as a games room is what I can only call a hazard with the stairs and smell of damp and not very nice down there at all. Outside there is no area for children and dogs which is a huge surprise when you’re welcome to take 3 dogs and it said in the description there was a patio area. There is a large bench blocking the front door which is just an eyesore and filthy and took up so much room. There was a stuffed crow which was hideous and not in the pictures along with a huge stuffed fish in a glass cabinet on the living room wall! Not a great use of the space at all, the layout of the kitchen was so tight and not being able to eat together or even facing one another was far from what we expected. pictures did not give an accurate expectation of the limited space. The place is not at all suitable for 8 people and 3 dogs. We couldn’t wait to leave!!

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• Janine - Verified booking

  We had an amazing stay at The Old Smithy for my mams 60th birthday.

  Before arriving the owner called me who was so lovely! She gave me information about the house and the surrounding areas for dog walks, shops ect. The cottage itself was clean, tidy and very spacious. It fit our party of 8 and 2 dogs in quite nicely. We had a lovely welcome gift of wine and chocolates which we were not expecting. It is a 2 minute walk to Morrisons and just a few extra minutes to reach the shops/ pubs. There are a few walks around the area which i wish i had more time to check out but the loaction is perfect. There is a parking space under the arch which you can just say fit 2 cars in, the street was quite full of parked cars but if you find a space parking is all free. Free wifi however, we could not connect so i had to message the owner for the password. She replied immediately to help. All in all, the stay was great. I cannot fault the house or the owner! Would definitley stay again

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• Paul - Verified booking

  Had a three week stay which was enjoyable.

  That said there was an issue with the cleanliness. Mainly the kitchen. We are not people to bother others so just bought cleaning bits and sorted it ourselves. Upstairs was clean, as we say it was the kitchen. If the owners would like some feedback then crumbs on the top of the toaster. The utensil pot was greasy on the outside, not washed for a long time. The hob had not been completely taken apart and cleaned. And the floor was quite grubby, especially under the breakfast bar. However we know we left it all done. The court yard and its enjoyment by people who stay it is not clear enough. The courtyard belongs to one of the neighbours and is not for the use of The Old Smithy. You can sit around the edge of it though and have ample space under the arch to sit out. Do not be put off as I am sure the owners will address the above and the location is fantastic for exploring Barnard Castle.

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• Karen - Verified booking

  Lovely little cottage, very homely.

  Bed very comfortable and cottage had everything you could need. We also really enjoyed the big garden, as did our dog. It was a lovely calming space to read a book or just relax while our dog chilled in the fresh air. The only downside for us and the only thing that brought down our rating was that dogs are not allowed upstairs. I totally understand why and note from owners also explained but we were unaware of this on arrival and looked back over booking info etc and couldn't find this anywhere. We have an anxious rescue dog who goes where we go.bthis made nights very challenging as sofa not really big enough to sleep on for one of us to sleep with him. Other than that cottage and it's setting and the neighbours were amazing and we loved the roaming chickens down the street (the dog not so much lol) and would definitely recommend it.

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• Lucas - Verified booking

  Had a wonderful stay at the Old Smithy!

  I stayed with 7 other family members and the house was super spacious even with all those people. Each room is beautifully appointed and has its own personality and the kitchen is very big too when making food for the whole family. The games room downstairs is a nice touch and the younger ones in our family enjoyed it especially! The host was also really hospitable and super quick to reply to any texts and even checked in with us an hour before we arrived to make sure we were okay. We couldn’t find any hand soaps or shampoos/body washes provided or any condiments such as salt, pepper. So please ensure to bring them with in case. 10/10 stay will likely be back next time we’re up this way!

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