Dog Friendly Cottages in Northumberland

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Joanna - Verified booking

  Could be lovely - but needs a lot of attention.

  The worst was the VERY dangerous electric towel rail – this is hot to burning levels – I burned my hand twice hanging up towels and when I caught my elbow on it while getting out of the bath and it immediately blistered and burned through layers of skin casing a nasty burn which is still painful 5 days on. There are no rails in the bath or wall and it is quite a high bath - so nothing to get hold of when getting in and out and I’m a fit adult. This would be really dangerous for children, anyone elderly or disabled – the rail is a real health and safety issue heating to the temperature of an iron and was not even labelled with a warning sign as dangerous as very hot. When we arrived at 4.30 (check in was from 4.00) the wooden floors and tiled entrance had recently been mopped and were very wet meaning that both humans and dogs were slipping a lot until they were eventually dried. We couldn't use the drive for parking as a large ATV was parked there for the duration of our stay so we had to park on the road – meaning we had to carry all the luggage and load dogs directly onto the road in the rain. Parking area was very overgrown so passenger had to get out into thorns. Dustbins are left out at the front of the cottage - adding to the general dilapidated appearance. The upstairs floor looked derelict – even worse state than downstairs. The photos must be old that were used in the advert as it didn’t live up to expectations. Random clutter left in corners and behind the washer – which had been poorly fitted so that the doors didn’t close. Needs a thorough update, decorate inside and out and a deep clean. Paint on windows cracked inside and out. Light switches, plug sockets, table mats, chopping board all needed cleaning. Curtains in sitting room and hall were grubby on the bottoms and dusty with cobwebs. Damp on bedroom wall. Fuse boxes all exposed – need boxing in. Only one loo roll for 4 nights and 3 dishwasher tablets seems rather mean. The garden is a jungle and not dog proof. Nettles and thorny roses everywhere, full of weeds and overgrown shrubs, junk and dying planters. Such a shame as it could be a lovely place to sit out. View from kitchen was onto a mass of nettles. So – whilst it was in a beautiful location with walks close by, I would not recommend it until plenty of TLC has been lavished on it. Photos available. Bit of a long list - but it wasn't cheap and we expected better.

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• Sheilagh - Verified booking

  Lets start positive.

  ...Great location!!! Plenty of drawers and hanging space in downstairs bedroom. Bedding and towels spotless. Kitchen really well equipped but some crockery needs replacing as really scratched and some chipped. We had to buy flutes for prosecco and there were only 4 wine glasses none that matched (we are comparing this to a sykes cottage we stayed in earlier this year) Good to see an EV charging point Downstairs bed not comfortable and pillows very high and hard. Pillows also hard and high in twin bedroom. Our other guests in the upstairs double had no complaints. This is a personal preference but it is tricky watching TV after someone has retired for the evening as the seating area is directly underneath the bedroom. I dont think the lounge seating area is adequate or comfortable for 6 adults and the concrete hearth was an awful trip hazard. Lots of black mould in downstairs bathroom around the bath, loose toilet seat in downstairs bathroom One of the blinds was completely broken in the upstairs double bedroom and we had to buy black bin bags and tape to do a makeshift blind but it kept falling off because of the heat (weather is not your fault). The clothes maiden could do with replacing and we did not have pegs for the washing line I dont really think the garden space is comfortable. There is a large dead tree in the corner which needs removing We took photos of the blind in the bedroom and also of a couple of filthy greasy trays that had been left (we did dishwash them but I ended up buying a new tray). Happy to share the photos if you can provide email address Hope this helps Kind regards

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• Alan - Verified booking

  Stayed at many Sykes cottages in the past, this one was booked at very short notice but was the first time we have been disappointed.

  There was no WI-FI and the TV was not a smart TV , both advertised as included so our plan to catch up on our TV programmes on the dark nights fell apart, furthermore the tv aerial was an indoor one which on arrival was on the window sill and provided no signal until I stood it on a log closer to the window , limited TV channels. Be prepared to live out of a suitcase, the cottage sleeps 4 but there are only 2 bedside cabinets in the upstairs bedroom, no hanging space anywhere. No instructions for the central heating which appeared to be set on warm and the day and time on the programmer were incorrect, managed to get some heat with trial and error fortunately there were plenty logs supplied for the stove. Car parking is away from the cottage in a small quarry area which is not a huge area but it also serves as the bin bay for approximately 12 wheelie bins some of which had toppled over in the wind. I spent the first day picking up litter including open food tins that could injure our dog , then worried the rest of the week about our car being damaged by bins blown over by the strong winds . Our holiday end day was Saturday but we packed up and left on Friday morning as soon as we got up. The cottage has lovely features and huge potential but a little more thought is needed regarding facilities…..the parking/bin problem is not the sole responsibility of the owner to rectify but I wouldn’t stay there again

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• Stephen - Verified booking

  Everything was perfect and tranquil for us and our two rescue dogs.

  We booked the property to get away from fireworks as where we live in Marske by the Sea we have two rugby clubs and two cricket clubs within two miles and they all have firework displays on different days. The accommodation was lovely and clean and there was an enclosed back garden so the dogs could go out there when needed. We were also impressed that the owners left us bacon, sausage, butter, eggs, bread buns and milk as well as tea bags and coffee. It was a thoughtful touch even though my wife had ordered a grocery delivery from Sainsburys to arrive an hour later. The driver wondered where he was heading but he knows next time. The location was superb lovely and remote, we could park and unload right outside and it was so quiet and we were fortunate to be blessed with sunshine most of the time too. We could come and go at our leisure and as National Trust members we found two places virtually on our doorstep (Wallington and Cragside near Rothbury) though we were limited to how much walking we could do due to a recent knee replacement operation. Amazing countryside with Rothbury and many other places not far away to visit. We will definitely be back in the future.

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• Jordan - Verified booking

  A week here was thoroughly enjoyed.

  Below is the Pros & Cons which we have gathered while staying here. Pros: Comfortable Beds Pet friendly Well equipped (Washing Machine) Enclosed garden Easy access to top sights in Northumberland (Transport Required) but not too busy in the local area Nice view from the top windows Private parking on site (plus electric car PodPoint) Cons: Some Decor needs updating; paint marks, scratches and broken ornaments etc. bird poo on lounge focal point canvas & chipped crockery No toilet roll holders Blind in upstairs bedroom broken (woken up by bright sunlight daily) Living room furniture only big enough for 4 Cleanliness could be a little better Water pressure isn’t the best (only good enough for one shower etc) Shower head needs changing Bin bags are cheap and broke when moving Label bins to show which is recycling Upstairs bed sticks out too much to walk round (because of the sloping roof) so be careful of your shins getting hit All in all a nice week here and with these cons being addressed we would gladly stay again. :)

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