Dog Friendly Cottages in Barnard Castle

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• 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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• Joanna - Verified booking

  A very mixed review for our stay last weekend.

  The house itself is lovely and was comfortable and clean. A few damp patches in the second double room that needed tending too but we appreciated the age of the building. Unfortunately we all came back from the weekend unwell, my son has such a bad rash I've had to take him to the doctor's who confirmed Pseudomonas Folliculitis and that it came from the poorly sanitised hot tub he said the bacteria comes from poor sanitation and upkeep of the water. We complained to the owners whilst we were there about the smell coming from the tub and that the water was extremely dirty after only one use. The owner suggested that it was my makeup that had caused the filter to clog up and that he hadn't seen anything like it before as the filter was completely blocked and refilled the tub but it was too late. My son had already started to get spots, there is no way we could have made the water that unsanitary in one use that it caused such an infection. I also had no makeup on while using the tub. My son is so unwell as a result that he's had to be treated with two different types of antibiotics and steroid cream as it's really painful and inflamed and he's had a raging temperature all week - the rest of us are seeing how we get on but all have spots where our swimwear was all apart from my mother who didn't go in. This is definitely a health and safety matter and very concerning. He could potentially have scars all over his torso now as the infection is so bad! We complained to Sykes days ago and have had no response so leaving our review here so that others are aware of the dangers of unclean hot tubs.

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• Patricia - Verified booking

  Had a lovely stay.

  Fabulous location with stunning countryside views and a great hot tub. Negative points include, steep access to walking routes, not suitable for those with limited mobility or babies/ toddlers with pushchair or pram. We weren't happy that there wasn't a wasbasin in the downstairs loo, or a working light. Back double bedroom had a little black mould in the shower and an area on the wall near to the ceiling. Both ensuite showers were good, but the shower in the family bathroom was poor, with very limited pressure, only a dribble. Well equipped kitchen. Would have appreciated a slow cooker as It's nice to prepare a meal to come back to after a day out walking. The welcome cheese and biscuits and fizz was very much appreciated. We had a nice stay celebrating a special anniversary,however not sure we'd rebook this particular property for the points mentioned but would definitely visit the area again

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• Dawn - Verified booking

  The overriding issue was that Sykes added an extra £140 on the original booking when we had to defer the holiday due to unforeseen circumstances which meant that Hawthorn Cottage was overpriced for the accommodation on offer.

  The “free parking” was on the opposite side of a busy main road and it wasn’t always possible to park close to the property. Transferring suitcases became a challenge to say the least. The cottage itself was clean and tidy but very small and the lack of privacy both in the front room and the backyard could have been improved upon. The provision of logs for the burner was welcome but a set of saucepans and a bread knife would have been even more so. The packet of biscuits as a welcome pack was pleasant but to be honest, after a long drive, a small bottle of milk plus some teabags would have been more useful. Judging from the comments of other guests in the visitors book, we are in the minority but based on our experiences of many other holiday rentals Hawthorn Cottage was disappointing, sadly; especially in view of the overall cost of the holiday.

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• Dawn - Verified booking

  The overriding issue was that Sykes added an extra £140 on the original booking when we had to defer the holiday due to unforeseen circumstances which meant that Hawthorn Cottage was overpriced for the accommodation on offer.

  The “free parking” was on the opposite side of a busy main road and it wasn’t always possible to park close to the property. Transferring suitcases became a challenge to say the least. The cottage itself was clean and tidy but very small and the lack of privacy both in the front room and the backyard could have been improved upon. The provision of logs for the burner was welcome but a set of saucepans and a bread knife would have been even more so. The packet of biscuits as a welcome pack was pleasant but to be honest, after a long drive, a small bottle of milk plus some teabags would have been more useful. Judging from the comments of other guests in the visitors book, we are in the minority but based on our experiences of many other holiday rentals Hawthorn Cottage was disappointing, sadly; especially in view of the overall cost of the holiday.

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