Luxury Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Sarah - Verified booking

  This was the second time I have stayed at the cottage and both stays were excellent.

  The cottage is small but beautiful and well equipped, comfortable and peaceful. I am disabled with arthritis and rather limited mobility. My husband drove me up to Grasmere but I stayed on my own, and I made my own way home on public transport using railway assistance. Everything worked well. The one thing which might be a bit daunting for someone with mobility problems is the steep staircase, but I found it quite manageable if I took my time. I was on holiday. The slow and thoughtful ascent and descent was all part of the zen like quality of the stay! The setting suited me perfectly. I don’t drive but excellent buses stop very near the cottage, linking Keswick and Kendal. Other bus links and tours are easily available. Grasmere itself is lovely, of course. I found everything I needed locally in easy walking distance and was never short of a place to sit and have a cuppa. My son came to visit one day and was impressed by all the vegan offerings available in the village. I even managed to walk up to Allen Bank one day, which was a beautiful experience. Sitting where Wordsworth once sat and seeing my first red squirrel was something I’ll never forget. I thoroughly recommend Beck Steps for a couple or anyone wanting a solo holiday. It is a cottage with charm and comfort which does wonders for the soul!

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• Janet - Verified booking

  This is a lovely cottage in a perfect location.

  Five minutes walk to Brockhole, a few minutes drive to Windermere/Bowness or Ambleside. Ample room for six people with a lovely open plan layout downstairs. Our grandchildren are paddle boarders and we found a lovely spot at Middleground along the Bowness road which has a car park with toilets and is a short walk down to the lakeside, or if you’re lucky, a lay-by just before the car park which has access to the lake if you’re able to carry equipment a bit further. Just a couple of things missing which is why I’ve only given a 4 for some questions. The outside light is not working and, as there is a step up to the door, can be quite dangerous for younger children (and sometimes adults too). We couldn’t find a kitchen sink plug anywhere so it was difficult to clean grill and grill pan. The information folder told us there were details in a basket by the front door about refuse and estate rules but there was nothing in the basket other than fire instructions. Might I also suggest a casserole dish. We ate in almost every night and we did manage but it would have been much easier to have one. And yes the downstairs en-suite needs updating (previous reviewer) but it was spotlessly clean. Please don’t let any of this put you off staying here. It really is a lovely place and we will definitely stay her again.

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• Dianne - Verified booking

  Gorgeous little cottage in a fabulous location.

  Super comfy bed and lovely bathroom. Kitchen well equipped. However the soft furnishings are tired and shabby and long overdue an upgrade. The sofa and arm chair are so old and desperately in need of either reupholstering or preferably replacing. We really wanted somewhere to just relax in front of the fire on an evening after long Lakeland walks but it was impossible to get comfy. When we arrived at 4pm it was already dark and the underfloor heating wasn’t on so the house was cold and felt unwelcoming. There were no instructions as to how to put the underfloor heating on. With a slate floor this is imperative in these temperatures, it took hours to warm the cottage up. Otherwise it needs carpets. There were quite a few cobwebs in the cottage which although clean gave the impression of neglect and added to the lack of the welcoming feeling I had expected. in all we had a good break in grasmere but ended up cutting it short and coming home early as we missed our home comforts.

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• Jan - Verified booking

  The property is ideally suited on the ground floor as my husband can not do stairs.

  And next to the harbour to sit and watch the world go by. However, the apartment should be listed accommodates 3 as there certainly isn’t enough room in either bedroom for 4 people. The angle of the wardrobe in the double room is so close to the bed you cannot walk past it without bumping into it. Ventilation is poor as the window is set deep into the ledge so you have to bend your upper body to reach the handle. We slept in the twin room, not bad apart from the mould spots on the nets. There were cobwebs hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen/living area. The kitchen is totally devoid of basic utensils and not very clean either. The shower cubicle is so small you cannot turn round once you are in there, even children would have difficulty using it. Totally inadequate and not fit for purpose. We were so disappointed as we have always booked our holidays through Dream Cottages and their properties, apart from this one, have always been first class

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• Annie - Verified booking

  I was horrified at the steps at the back of the property to the carpark.

  I had had some communication with Sykes after I had booked the apartment. The steps are lethal, the top wooden decking is beginning to break and there are no handrails. Disgusted at how I was fobbed off... Cutlery in tray dirty which meant I had to clean it before use. Two internal steps which blended into the step below, we ended up putting hand towels across to highlight where the steps were. Both of us lost our footing on these. The main bedroom was difficult to negotiate around the bed. Should have been a mortice lock on the front door. Shower base extremely small, difficult to move around in. There were shelves missing on the door of the fridge. Large knives not even sharp enough to slice a tomato. Very disappointed with the standards. Costs are high but standards are low. Won't be using Sykes again!

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