Dog Friendly Villas In Barnard Castle

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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• Nina - Verified booking

  We had an absolutely wonderful stay.

  The information pack we received prior to arriving was brilliant. The cottage itself was gorgeous, had everything you needed and more, plus some surprise goodies on arrival. The owners have thought of everything and the little details and extras made the stay so pleasurable. There is only 1 tiny thing I would suggest: bigger towels. I couldn’t wrap the towel around me, and with a father-in-law in the house it was a bit restrictive and felt I had to dress and undress in the bathroom. However the towels you did have were so soft a fluffy, they felt so luxurious. All 3 bedrooms are spacious and have very comfy beds. The living space downstairs was cosy and comfortable and the garden was lovely. The kitchen was so well equipped and had everything and even more than I have at home! There is a little park just at the end of the road which was a highlight for our daughter as we could easily pop to it in the morning and evening. Overall it was a wonderful stay in a fabulous cottage, the owners have thought of everything and should be really proud. We would highly recommend Falcus cottage.

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• Rachel - Verified booking

  Falcus cottage was clean and cosy with everything you could possibly want and need (it even had a teapot!

  ). Our party ages ranged from 0 -70 + dog and all were well catered for. Central heating was very efficient, though it was warm weather for October, and the cottage kept the heat in well. I am told, all the beds were comfortable with very good pillows. The property is very well situated for exploring the area, we had great days out at Raby Castle, Low and high force waterfalls, Barnard itself, and good walks from Middleton and Staindrop. I would recommend taking an Ordinance survey map of the area if you are intending to walk as there are so many paths to choose from. Also, for autumn and winter evenings perhaps take some board games and books with you. There are plenty of cafes and eating establishments in the area and can recommend the cafe at the theatre in 'Barney' and the Old Well Inn for Sunday lunch. All in all a good time was had by everyone and who knows, we may yet be back. Thank you.

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• Joanna - Verified booking

  Very cosy and comfortable cottage.

  Well equipped but larger towels needed please and only 1 bedside cabinet in main bedroom. Great shower downstairs, bath is beautiful but we didnt find very practical, given amount of water needed and time to fill, as well as tricky getting out! Very comfortable beds for great nights sleep and sofas in lounge to relax on in front of tv. Quiet location. Liked having the two sitting areas. Couldn't see compost bin in kitchen mentioned in the folder or doggie items except for 2 blankets for chairs, but not a big issue for us. We had no problem with parking outside. No facilities in the village but 50 minute casual walk into Barnard Castle. An OS map for local footpaths would have been useful. Would definitely return as great base to explore this beautiful part of the world from and return to relax and unwind.

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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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