Dog Friendly Cottages in Durham

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• 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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• Penny - Verified booking

  We always have a great stay at The Haybarn, Jo and Richard are always very welcoming it's our home away from home.

  There's parking spaces for the house and an EV charging point if you need it. The house is clean and tidy and well set up, there's a nice basket of logs on arrival, ready for a cosy, evening fire, which was perfect for the day we arrived. Everything you need is supplied, and there's a small Co-op and a Lidl not far away if you forgot something. We like the peaceful location, I'm there for the beach, which is just a few miles away, and Dalton Park is great for a bit of retail therapy should you wish to indulge. Seaham has a few nice places to eat, and there's information at the house about some of the eateries. We've stayed several times now, and we love it, our dog loves it too, walkies straight out of the door to the woods and country park, or a car ride to the beach. Dog treats and towels for dirty paws provided! I'd recommend The Haybarn, great for families or a couple like us who enjoy the space

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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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• 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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