New Year Cottages in the Lake District

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Daniel - Verified booking

  First time using Sykes cottages and the experience wasn't the best one.

  We arrived in the evening under heavy snow looking forward for a warm place and the cottage was set to SEVEN degrees! It was absolutely freezing in there. We turned all the heater on but they are electric ones and takes a long time to kick in. I tried to light the fire but there was only one log and half-burned one in the basked and some newspapers, nothing else, no kindling, nothing. I tried to contact Sykes straight away to see if they could provide an emergency fan heater but no reply whatsoever. We had to go to the pub to stay in a warm environment while the house was getting warmer but it didn't make much difference to be honest. We were extremely frustrating and disappointed with Sykes Cottages. Next day I found some logs and kindling in the shed but Sykes should have provided it on reception. Other things that worth mentioning is the access to the garden is very difficult, if one has a mobility issue it would be almost impossible. The step from the living room to the garden is over 40cm high! I'm glad I had a sturdy box with me that I could use as a mid step. We didn't see a reason to choose the zipped bed therefore we were using the double bed. The problem is the floor is completely uneven (understandable) so the bed is in a position where your head is lower than your feet making utterly uncomfortable to sleep. Once the cottage was warm it was very pleasant to stay, someone mentioned it is a bit dated but I see no reason why change anything in there since they accept dogs and that's a very good thing. They even provide a few specific things for the canines. The location is brilliant and the pub next door is also excellent and very helpful (the landlord gave me a couple of logs for the fire in the first night). Many walks from the property and a big folder with details about the surrounding area. Many books about lake district with all sorts of walks possible. Quite well equipped kitchen and there were coffee and tea available. The shower pressure is very weak but better than not having one, one can have a good shower anyway. The garden is secure for the furry friends. Despite all the disappointment with Sykes Cottages on arrival it is a place I would stay again.

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• Emma - Verified booking

  Having never visited the Lake District before, I spent many an hour trawling through accommodations and areas trying to find the perfect one - my hours spent were well worth it as this house was absolutely perfect.

  Not too far to to travel to stunning locations - Coniston, Ambleside, Windermere etc all within an hours drive. The cottage itself was in the most perfect spot - peaceful with stunning scenery from all sides of the cottage. We spent days walking just direct from the cottage. The pub (right next door!) was lovely - very friendly and welcoming. Nice to pop in for a drink before heading back to the cottage for dinner. The cottage was so well equipped (I was very impressed) with everything thought about in the small but perfect kitchen - including Tupperware for those left over meals and crystal style wine glasses and a lovely Denby dinner set. Lovely big TV with netflix, which I will admit we barely used - it was nice to just cosy up on the sofa with a good book after a day spent exploring. Very steep steps towards the top of the staircase (I am just under 5ft) so felt like I was climbing a mountain with each step! But absolutely fine, just helped burn off those extra calories from the drinks! Bed super, super cosy - with a lovely mattress topper and a duvet that seems to wrap you up making it very difficult to get out of in the morning! (we looked at the label so we can try and get the same duvet at home!) We had difficulty getting timer on the radiator in the bedroom to work but got it on the override setting for a few hours each morning and evening and that worked fine and kept the room nice and toasty. Also couldn't get the hot tap in the bath to work (shower was fine) but have reported that to Sykes so I am sure that will get sorted soon. All in all, my partner, dog and myself had a fabulous week and already can't wait to return.

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• Jackie - Verified booking

  This is a wonderful little cottage, so peaceful and relaxing.

  We had wondered if we would regret going for somewhere more remote than our usual choice, but we needn’t have worried, we absolutely loved the peace and quiet. Woke up the first morning to cows gently mooing in the field at the front and birds chirping in the garden at the back. The next morning I happened to look out and saw a sea of sheep being herded past the cottage… It was like going back to another time and slower pace of life, you could feel the everyday stresses just melting away. It’s a beautiful area with the river nearby and nice walks right from the door if you don’t fancy driving, and plenty of space for parking outside the cottage. The pub is practically next door and does great food with a good selection of ales. There are no shops nearby, but we brought our own food with us so it wasn’t an issue and the pub sells all the basics (including tasty farmhouse bread). The cottage itself is small but cosy and well equipped with everything we needed, nice comfy beds and good heating. Pleasantly surprised to find no problems with the Internet, although there was no mobile reception (I turned on Wi-Fi Calling and it was fine). There’s also a landline you can use, which is reassuring. Great to have a porch for wet coats and muddy boots. The enclosed garden is fantastic for dogs (although no garden light so bring a torch for letting dogs out late at night). Refreshing to get away from the crowds you always find at better known places like Windermere, even at this time of year. So pleased we discovered this little gem, we’ll definitely be coming back!

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• Adam - Verified booking

  Disappointing… this property has so much promise but sadly fails to deliver.

  On arrival at the cottage we found the kettle still half full of water, the milk frother full of festering milk from previous guests and we also found food splashes on the chopping board and food remnants on pots/pans/knives etc. We also found the following- missing handle on kitchen drawer, cobwebs in the ceiling light/window in kitchen, toothpaste marks on the sink in the downstairs bathroom, dead bugs inside the light fitting in the upstairs bathroom, ripped/torn bed linen and overflowing bins. It’s also worth mentioning that whilst a log burner and coffee machine are featured in cottage, no logs/kindling or coffee pods are left for guests to use, according to the owner this is too logistically challenging? Contacted the owner whilst we were there regarding issues with cleanliness, they gave a lacklustre apology but ultimately passed the book to the cleaning company they hire - the owners don’t live nearby so couldn’t do anything practical to offer support and Sykes didn’t bother to contact us at all until after we’d already arrived back home, we’re actually still yet to have a proper conversation with Sykes regarding the issues. Sadly it was a really disappointing stay in what could be a lovely cottage in the perfect location, a real shame.

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• Carl - Verified booking

  This cottage is all about the location for us.

  If you are looking for something out the way but with the convenience of a close pub then this is great. The valley its in is stunning, you have so much to explore right on your doorstep, from mountain walks to a river with small waterfalls and pools. Definitely 5 stars for location. The cottage itself, there are two sides to this review for us. The good points are its a lovely old cottage, nice size and has everything we needed. Furthermore the garden was great, a good size, enclosed so good for your 4 legged friends and the views were stunning and the soundtrack of the nearby river very relaxing. The negatives are unfortunately around cleanliness and Maintenance. It is in need of attention on both fronts. On the surface its clean enough, perfectly livable, however if you have the need to move any furniture for example, you find that the cleaning doesn't extend beyond the surface! From a maintenance perspective it really is in need of decorating, new furniture and general maintenence in the bathroom and kitchen. In summary we would recommend, its location is the main selling point and although we have honestly reviewed above, including the negatives, it was overall a nice cottage to stay in, perfect place to relax and unwind.

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