Villas In Barnard Castle

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Philip - Verified booking

  Disappointing Stay.

  Having read previous reviews we thought as we had not visited Barnard Castle that Church Cottage would be an ideal place to stay to celebrate my wife’s 65th birthday. However, I cannot understand how many positive reviews could be given as our experience is completely different. Upon our arrival on a cold January day, we found that the cottage was extremely cold, and the heating turned off plus there was a terrible smell coming from the kitchen. Investigating we found that the smell was coming from both the fridge that had not been thoroughly cleaned and a broken freezer that had just been left with offensive discoloured fluid inside. On contacting the owner, he did come round immediately and said that he had put the heating on for just 30 minutes that day as some people like properties to be cold on arrival but on a cold winter’s day in an old property I said it was not acceptable and the heating was turned off not on a timer. He did clean the fridge also stated that he was aware that the freezer had broken but why he had not replaced it was baffling as the cottage had not been occupied before we arrived. He did arrange for a replacement freezer which came the following day but unfortunately that was too late for us as my wife who is a coeliac had prepared several meals for the week which were frozen and had started to defrost before the replacement came and some had to be thrown away. I managed to turn the heating on, but it took 2 days to get the cottage up to a comfortable and acceptable temperature. We also found that whilst on the surface the cottage looked clean, we found that upon closer inspection there were issues, mould on the bath sealant, around the window and on the non-slip bathmat. All the window frames in the cottage also had not been cleaned for what looked like a long time as there was a build-up of dirt and fluff on every surface. In addition, we found the oven and grill pan was not particularly clean and the baking/oven sheets unusable. We were unable to find any cleaning products to do basic cleaning up for any spills that we made and why none were provided was mystifying and we had to purchase our own. We were not enjoying our stay and did not feel that we could celebrate my wife’s birthday properly so decided to leave early and advise the owner of our reasons. What I need to understand is how Sykes managed to give this property a 4-tick rating and whether they do any follow up review rating as things change within a property as it appears they don’t and without it gives customers a potentially misleading rating as my rating for this property would be between 1-2 ticks.

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• Sonya - Verified booking

  We were met by the owner who was a lovely lady and explained everything thoroughly to us.

  She made it clear she was available if need be but then we didn't see her til the end of our holiday, only because we had no need to. The cottage was very much as described but we were unaware that it actually joined to a property next door and we shared a courtyard. The adjoining property was empty during our stay which was fine but could have been a problem if it was being used by dogowners or people who did not like dogs as we had ours with us and it was the only space for dogs to be let out as there is no backgarden. Also on this point if you are a dog owner be aware that the courtyard has gate that a small dog/puppy could get out of. I have to disagree with some previous feedback regarding the bed and furniture as we found both very comfy, in fact I have come home ready to buy a new armchair like the one in the cottage! The only downside really was the heating which you have no control over. This is connected to the owners and comes on when hers does. As she has windows both sides I can imagine her house may be a little warmer. It was ok for us as it wasn't cold but I can imagine it may be an issue in the winter. Although she did say to let her know if it was an issue. All in all it was a lovely little cottage and we had a wonderful week there with lovely walks literally on the doorstep as well as a little brook fishing and our dogs loved it. It was very much as described although I think the shared courtyard really should be highlighted. One further point is that it is not made for tall people, luckily neither myself or my husband are but the sloped bathroom was a little of an issue for us and you could not have a shower (although there was a shower attachment) as you could not stand in the bath due to sloping ceiling. The location of the cottage is outstanding for a lovely peaceful holiday with loads to do within driving distance.

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• John - Verified booking

  This holiday cottage is not exactly as described by Sykes Cottages.

  I do not know if this is down to Sykes or the owner. The cottage is in need of updating and refurbishing. The fixtures and fittings are worn and some are broken ie the blinds and curtain retainers. I had to repair the toilet seat just to use it. The site describes the cottage as having a garden and patio seating area. The garden is unkempt and there is no patio - the whole garden is ten feet square. The parking is ok but shared with a neighbour so you must park tight to your side. The parking area and path to the cottage is done in large cobble stones which are difficult underfoot. If you are elderly or not particularly fleet of foot you may find this a problem. We are not elderly but my wife managed to fall within the first ten minutes. The steps up to the cottage are steep for access and luggage loading. You can enter and exit via the bathroom door. The stairs in the cottage are steep and poorly lit - not aided by a dark coloured carpet. If you have a dog its easy for it to fall down the stairs. The cottage is upside down so you get good views from the upstairs windows. Please be aware that although the cottage is secluded the lane outside is used for farm traffic and whilst we were there it seemed the speed limit was non existent with vehicles flashing by. The caveat is to keep your dog on a lead because if it strays from the area around the cottage it may well succumb to a LandRover and trailer passing at forty miles an our. The local area is very nice and we spent our time exploring the lovely scenery and the Lake District. The cottage is ok if you are just needing a place to base yourself but do not expect luxury fixtures and fittings. The sofa in the lounge area is poor and the tv is tiny (we had to fit new batteries to fix the remote). Overall would we stay here again? - that would have to be a no.

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• Zoe - Verified booking

  I’m going to start with the positives of which there are many.

  Great location, really close to the centre of Barnard Castle yet felt really tucked away & quiet. (Though do bring ear buds if you’re a light sleeper as the church bells ring every 30 mins through the night). The cottage kitchen is really well equipped - it has everything you could possibly need. Comfortable beds & sofas & the cottage feels really spacious yet cosy. However, when we stayed in September, it obviously hadn’t had a good deep clean for a very long time. The kitchen table felt sticky & the kitchen cupboards doors & radiators really needed a good scrub to remove tea stains & general kitchen grease & grime. There was thick dust on the fire surrounds & on top of the dressing table mirrors in both bedrooms & on the plug sockets & skirting boards behind the beds & sofas. In the bathroom, around the taps, bath & shower screen was absolutely filthy & I had to clean this before we could use it. There are lots of fake flowers & plants throughout the cottage which were also thick with dust. I did message the owners on departure & offered to send them pictures but they said they would go round & organise the cleaners to come in to do a deep clean. I really do hope so as this really spoilt it for us & it’s a real shame as the cottage itself is beautiful.

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• Julie - Verified booking

  Holwick is the perfect location if you want to enjoy stunning countryside and a real break from town or city life.

  With long or short walks easily accessible directly from the cottage, it’s a perfect place for people who enjoy being outside. The cottage has wonderful views from the living area. We loved watching the changing weather over the dales and the cows, sheep, rabbits and pheasants in the fields just outside. The owner is very helpful, when we couldn’t work out how to light the oven, we rang her and she arrived within 10 mins. The local pub is very friendly and has a great selection of beers, ciders, good food and a beautiful garden. I agree with previous reviews that the living area decor at the cottage could do with updating and that the small garden would be a very pleasant place to sit and enjoy the stunning views but is in need of some TLC. Overall we had a lovely week and would recommend a visit.

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