Dog Friendly Cottages in Gloucester

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• David - Verified booking

  Greeted by 4 geese pecking at our heels but walking our fox-terrier back and forth on a short lead over the next 2 days soon encouraged them to stay away.

  Enchanted by the interior when we entered but we were never comfortable on the sagging furniture. Adequate provision of utensils etc for two people. There are 2 chairs sited by the pond but one has a broken seat. The parking is adequate but difficult to turn in when both cars are there – ours and the occupant of Crow’s Cabin which is just the other side of the barn. The paths are slippery when wet and can be difficult to navigate as they are overlaid with grass and goose poo - we were assiduous in the use of poo-bags for our dog and for which there are bins in the village, but drew the line at the goose poo. The small yard (garden?) for the cottage is difficult to access via the side of the house as the access to the side is uneven, on different levels and has obstacles in the way. It is mainly old cement overlaid with a layer of encroaching grass and two raised flower beds with a mix of a few plants and weeds but several troughs and tanks of stagnant water dotted around the yard give an unpleasant odour on a warm day. Interesting experiment in ‘wilding’ to ‘encourage nature’ and I would encourage all those who espouse re-wilding to visit as it clearly does not work. The green swards shown in the details no longer exist as they have been taken over by brambles, nettles and rank grass except where the geese graze. The paddock behind the property has a path the width of a lawn-mower cut round the perimeter, presumably for walking the dog, but otherwise the paddock is inaccessible and bramble suckers trip the unwary. At least the wilderness had the benefit of almost hiding many of the rusty old vehicles dotted around the place. The overall result of the ‘wilding’ has been to give absolute silence, broken occasionally by the coo-ing of a couple of doves, the tweeting of a few sparrows, the chirping of a lone bluetit and the drone of several light aircraft which fly over. Apart from the geese and a couple of ducks there was no sign of life in the pond – no skaters, maiden-flies or other insects rippled the surface. A lone squirrel was seen on our last morning but this was the only sign of small animals – no rustlings in the undergrowth to disturb the silence, no hoot of an owl hunting at night and no interest in the undergrowth shown by our fox-terrier. Even the weathercock on the roof seemed to have given up as, surrounded by encroaching ivy, it was stuck facing the dying sun in the west. In fact we really liked the property and it is certainly full of character, but there was no comfort and the ‘large windows’ only give views of the overgrown paddock. It could be so much better. There were some issues with the plumbing, for which we left a note. Overall the owners seem to have got complacent and really need to up-date the details and to get to grips with maintenance, both inside and out before someone has an accident. They also need to give much more thought to the planting if they really want to encourage wildlife, rather than using it as an excuse to do nothing.

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• Richard - Verified booking

  Jackdaws Roost is a mad place and it was a pleasure to stay there.

  The cottage is a converted dairy constructed with re-cycled timbers and with plenty of character in the décor and surrounding grounds. Access is via a wooden bridge over the pond at the front, or a short walk around the end of the pond and in the gate at the side. The one-room kitchen/lounge/bedroom layout gave a nice open feel to the cottage with plenty of room for two of us with two dogs. Much of the internal structure has been left as it was with fixtures and fittings from a bygone age still in place, giving an odd but quirky appearance to the whole living area which was pleasing as every day a new hook, nail or oddity was found. The kitchen and bathroom are modern and fitted out well with room to move around carrying out daily tasks in comfort. The entrance 'boot room' can be used as a cloakroom and dog drying area as well as general storage area for those items not needed in the main housing area. Outside at the back is a secluded and very private patio area with large covered seating place and built in barbeque, as well as a small adjacent field for exercising the dogs or a short relaxing walk. All of the outside is fenced in, preventing the dogs from wandering away. I would recommend a stay here and might even go back myself one day. Thanks to Chris for constructing such a mad place, and to Hayley for the personal touches which made our arrival, and stay, all the more welcoming.

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• John - Verified booking

  Just left Jackdaws Roost, we have used Sykes for a long time and they have never let us down, the same applies with Jackdaws Roost at Leigh near Cheltenham.

  Husband is a petrol head so that was him happy looking at all the nostalgic vehicles. There are four of the most friendly geese who greeted us every time we came home, I say home because we wish it was. Jackdaws Roost is so warm, clean and comfortable. We saw so much wildlife. There are beehives in the orchard making the finest honey. Brought back happy memories of a quieter way of life. Jackdaws Roost calms the mind and in years to come this will be a gift to those who need love in their soul, this what the owners have created PEACE! All we experienced this week was wonderful, nature thriving at its best. Everything we needed was there in Jackdaws Roost. It was lovely in the evening watching the Geese make there way from the pond to the old barn door waiting for Hayley to put them in safely until the morning (goose poo is just grass and does not smell) there was no poo near the cottage. The area is beautiful with lots of things to do and everything you need is nearby. Great little pubs with good food, dog and people friendly staff. Ghillie our Cockapoo made lots of new friends and loved his many walks. We can’t wait to return! Finally to the owners thank you for allowing us to spend our first holiday in the magical Jackdaws Roost, please don’t change a thing! Anne, John Todd & River Ghillie the dog.

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• Matt - Verified booking

  Absolutely amazing property.

  The grounds are utterly beautiful and very relaxing and secluded, and the geese are wonderful companions. The property itself is gorgeously converted and decorated/furnished, with an eclectic and bohemian style that says an awful a lot about the taste and skill of the owners. The home is fully equipped with all utensils and a wonderful welcome gift of milk, apple juice from a local orchard, a loaf of bread (sorry, i am gluten intolerant so couldn't eat it) and fresh eggs from the chickens that roam in the village. The owners are wonderful and extremely helpful and welcoming, and not intrusive in any way. Overall i would have to give this cottage the highest recommendation, and will definitely return if i ever have the opportunity again. Two little things which are no major problem but are worth noting; firstly there is no wi-fi which given that mobile service in the home was almost non-existent would have been useful, but not a major issue and actually was quite nice to be forcibly disconnected; and second, in the bathroom the tile should be sealed where it meets the bath as there was a bit of leakage and i would hate to see accumulated water ruin the lovely rugs there. This is an absolute gem, and i would stay again in an instant, even if the price doubled!

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• Judie - Verified booking

  Jackdaws Roost is a very unusual & unique property.

  First impressions were slightly surprising due to the olde worlde feeling of the accommodation and the surrounding buildings, ie. Old buildings & barns, which at first sight made the property feel slightly creepy. However, after the initial surprise and after a good night sleep, we were able to appreciate the uniqueness and enjoy the surrounding area. The property was relatively clean, very warm and with good provision of cooking implements and ample seating and a lovely welcome pack of bread, eggs, coffee etc. and dog biscuits, which were very much appreciated by our two dogs. The property is petfectly suitable for accessing lots of lovely walks around the area and is for exploring the surrounding towns & villages and the fully enclosed garden was perfect for our dogs who could have a run around in complete safety. There's is no internet at the property and phone signal was very hit & miss but this provided us with a complete break from the normal daily routine enabling us the peace and quiet needed for a fully relaxing break. We really enjoyed our stay at Jackdaws Roost and would recommend it to anyone wanting a break with rest and relaxation being their main priority, in a quirky and unusual setting.

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