Villas In County Durham

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Sally - Verified booking

  What an amazing stay!

  It was a beautiful place to get a way from the hustle and bustle of life. Very picturesque, quiet and a place to enjoy the surroundings of nature. The home was beautiful, very clean, smelled amazing and each part of the property had a very the class atmosphere f someone who knew how to build and make it look amazing. The hot tub was easy to manage needed at least 3 hours to reach the perfect temperature and there was wood and kindling provided. In front of the property was a small seating area where you could have a controlled camp fire/bbq area. Wish I knew this before, would’ve brought extra food and wood to enjoy this more, however the hot tub and blankets provided for the outdoors did not matter. It was so quiet, there was no intrusion of anybody or anything else. Just nature! The car pack for the car is literally 1/2 minutes from the pathway, which makes the property ideal for forgetting you own a car! The cross keys pub was 10 minutes away so n the car and served lovely food and the customer service was amazing. The main town is a 20 minute drive away. We are planning and hoping we can book for our second wedding anniversary, as this made our wedding anniversary very special indeed. Thank you so much for the creativity which you showed in the planning and building of such a beautiful place xxx

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• Elaine - Verified booking

  The lodge was absolutely lovely, comfortable and very clean.

  We were looking for peace and tranquility, which we definetly found here. The bed was very comfortable and the hot tub and views great. A few things which could be looked at, but probably none that would stop us booking again. One issue which really need looking into is the fridge, it is quite noisy during night ( which kept me awake) and the ice box was so full of ice we couldn't get anything in it. The outside seats really need varnishing, they're not a very welcoming first impression. There are no cooking utensils eg: spatula or scissors etc. and only two sideplates. Two of the coffee mugs are so badly marked inside, they need replacing. I really hope these issues will be dealt with, especially the fridge. It would really help to enhance a stay. We took our frying pan, as a review said the one provided was too small, unfortunately the pans don't work, the hob only comes on when the heavy pans provided are used. We took our Cosori which cooks most things as we knew there was no oven. A full length mirror on the back of bathroom door or wardrobe door would be a bonus. I like to be honest in reviews and feel sure Syke cottages would want to know of any concerns so they can be rectified.

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• Ellie - Verified booking

  My partner and I went to Bracken Fern this weekend to celebrate her Birthday.

  The cottage was absolutely stunning and surrounded by beautiful scenery. It was in a lovely rural area that was so quiet and very private, so perfect for a peaceful getaway. The cottage was in immaculate condition when we arrived, it was very clean and tidy, and smelled lovely. The cottage had everything we needed, and there was a lot of storage for belongings. The hot tub was a great feature, and the cottage was so well heated even at night so we were cosy throughout our whole stay. Despite its rural location, the cottage is a short drive away from both Darlington and Barnard Castle, so there was plenty to do whilst we were away. It was great that we were able to bring our dog Pip with us also, she had a great time. Laura was such a lovely host, and made our stay as perfect as possible. She kept in regular contact and helped us with everything we needed throughout our stay. Thankyou Laura for such an amazing trip! We have been telling our family and friends all about our stay and advising them to visit. We will certainly be returning to experience it during summertime.

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• Lorraine - Verified booking

  The cottage was fabulous.

  The owner, Elaine , was very friendly and accommodating and left bread, cheese, and milk for us which was lovely as we didn't arrive until after 8.30pm. I cannot fault this cottage, it is Sykes that I have a problem with. We booked 3 holidays in one go from you this year totaling around one thousand five hundred pounds. Each time we got back from our holidays I was emailed to say 'book another holiday and we will give you forty pounds off'. I asked if it could be applied to our booked holidays and got told no, as we had paid the deposits it was not a new holiday. Come on Sykes...... you could not apply the two amounts of forty pounds off each holiday?? This is why I am saying that you failed to meet expectations....you offer anyone money off their next holiday but cannot/will not give it to someone who has booked 3 times with you this year. All the cottages we stayed at were fabulous, the owners were all very friendly and I would highly recommend them.....but Sykes as a company - NO!!

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• Nicola - Verified booking

  Such a beautiful little hut in a peaceful and quiet area.

  Bracken Fern is a very warm and welcoming hut with everything you need for a couple of nights away. A bottle of bubbly and delicious biscuits were provided for our arrival, as well as a lit hot tub that was a perfect start to our stay. Everything is well thought out from the amenities to the decorative, final touches. The bed was cozy, shower was nice and hot, the log burner was a lovely touch to bring that extra warmth to the room on a night time. We enjoyed sitting round the fire pit listening to the owls and wildlife on a night time, looking up at the stars in the clear skies and then on a morning, we sat on the deck watching butterflies and dragonflies fluttering around with the only sounds being from singing birds and rustling trees. This is an ideal getaway for anyone looking to escape everyday life and enjoy the company of nature. Would like to thank the owner/s for a beautiful stay and will highly recommend Bracken Fern. We already have friends wanting to visit!

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