Holiday Cottages In Caldbeck

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Lucy - Verified booking

  While the cottage was mainly as advertised several issues became evident throughout our stay: -Firstly the cleanliness of the property was awful.

  While surface level tasks such as clean surfaces and fresh sheets had been provided there was an evident lack of deep clean for a very long time. To ensure we left the property as advertised we used the hoover. Whilst hoovering the downstairs hall area, the cylinder of the hoover was completely filled and some areas of the carpet were so dirty they changed colour when cleaned. This small area is only around 5m2! - This accumulation of dust and debris meant there were huge numbers of different insects. There was cobwebs present in practically every room of the house and large numbers of spiders throughout the property. Uncountable numbers of flies were present in the cottage, and while it was a warm weekend a large proportion of these were in the property upon arrival. We organised an afternoon tea and unfortunately had to dispose of the leftovers because the flies were so numerous over the food. Sharing food was made difficult as flies would land on any plate of food after seconds. Huge numbers of moths were present in the property to the point that one member of the party opened their luggage once home and found a live moth within! There were clearly issues with pests before our stay as there was a fly zapper (though this didnt work!) at the property. - there were key maintenance issues throughout the property including a toilet that broke on 2 occasions and had to be fixed, and a shower that did not work. These were all in the double ensuite upstairs. When we used the washing machine there was a horrendous smell in the kitchen which wafted through the property. And while we couldn't see any obvious blocked drains or leakages it was evident the drainage had not been maintained in some time. - One of the key reasons we selected the cottage was it's inclusion of use of a local spa. I had to email prior to arrival to check how this could be arranged, and even within this conversation there was no mention of additional discounts on food and treatments. If we had known this in advance we would have made use of the spa more and we only found out while looking for information in the pack. This information also said that to access the spa we would require the spa pass attached to the property keys. As the keys were barely attached together at all it's unsurprising that the spa access card was missing. Luckily for us, we have used this spa before and were willing to try and discuss this access upon arrival. The spa were very understanding but many people would have missed out on this inclusion in the cottage. - The property advertised as having zip link beds, and there was no way of communicating when booked how you required the beds set up. Therefore I sent a separate request for how we required the rooms fo be set up. We asked for 2 singles in the 2 zip link bedrooms and both were made up as king size. Ultimately we could use these beds as was however if we had had particular requirements for the rooms these would not have been met. The bedding provided was unseasonal and as such was very warm overnight! - we also had issues disposing of our rubbish as the instructions in the pack were very limited and indeed non-existent when it came to recycling. We had gathered for a special occasion and unfortunately this stay put a real strain on the enjoyment of the weekend. The odd path to direct communication with the owner created by Sykes meant resolving simple issues was impractical. The cumulative effect of the lackluster property maintenance led to a several key issues.

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• Roger - Verified booking

  Excellent location in town.

  Upstairs is the best part. Bedroom plenty of storage. Super bed and bedding. Bathroom stylish. We had to travel light and Sykes themselves disappointed us in that. Before we we went they replied to a phone enquiry about a hairdryer not mentioned but the cottage turned out to provide one. A second enquiry if thered be milk on arrival etc. A Sykes employee politely but unhelpfully used the wording that they would not confirm either queries in case we were disappointed. We agree heartily with negative comments in the visitors book and were horrified to read from the previous weeks guests where the gentleman actually fell down the stairs injured and they left for home early. Stair gate as an option and a warning by Sykes both needed as the guest rightly says. In our 70s ourselves we must have stayed in scores of cottages home and away. We havent actually used Sykes before. But nearly all the below are in the visitors book. No personal storage space for food Shelving needed on the empty wall Shelf would take teapot flowers etc Provide microwave next to the toaster Cupboards tiny so inadequate crockery Utensils good but cutlery minimal Teaspoons OK Glassware sticky This and crockery needed washing first Kitchen bin no pedal or button lid unhygienically removed by hand Bin also smelt Gas hob constantly difficult to light and stay lit instructions please Husband good with TVs but Humax constant unplugging needed obviously unhelpful to many guests Freezer compartment nearly full of encrusted ice Worktops sticky finish tho antibacterial provided it doesnt clear it. Standard Lamp not working couldnt see replacement bulbs in cupboard. Wrecked bench outside see neighbours in comparison Upstairs stairs dangerous very small landing can see how fall could happen Bathroom chair thick with dust Bin lid broken and stained inside lid Bathroom shelf needed especially as chair so dusty The owners have replied in some cases in the book e.g new boiler and duvet replaced last summer but not to the oft mentioned concerns. They stated they do an annual stay themselves. Come on Sykes. What are we paying over 800 pounds high season price for

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• Natalie - Verified booking

  First time ever using Sykes Cottages, booking was easy and lots of places to choose from.

  We decided to book 2 Mellfell View based on the location and the reviews. The cottage did not dissappoint. Perfect location, within close range to Penrith and not too far from Keswick. Loads of great walks and lakes on your doorstep. The cottage was spacious but had a lovely cosey feel. The essentials like towels, toilet rolls, kitchen utensils, bin bags etc were all provided. Clear instructions after booking and on arrival. We would definately book this cottage again and recomment it to others. If you need logs for the log fire, we bought a large bag for £20 from B&M in Penrith and kindling for £2.99. Great value. The can opener didn't work but we had a spare with us. I have made a note in the book in the cottage. The only other slight issue was the comfort of the large mattress. We both found this a little uncomfortable and could feel the springs. Perhaps a mattress topper could be considered. But this didn't spoil our holiday. We look forward to returning soon. Don't forget to take a visit to the Herdwick Inn, just behind the cottage a short walk across the field. Food is fabulous there and the landlord and staff are super helpful and pleasant. Thank you for a lovely holiday

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• Lydia - Verified booking

  This was a lovely holiday destination.

  We were 8 of us including 2 children and 3 dogs. Originally only 2 dogs a booking, but the host was kind enough to allow 3 dogs. We were greeted to a lovely welcome bowl with snacks, tea and a bottle of Prosecco. The house was very spacious and we were really happy that each room had its own bathroom facilities. The games, tv and speakers were a great touch and we were pleasantly surprised to have internet as it said they will be none. The beds were so comfortable and cosy. It was located not too far from the beautiful sights and everything was quite easy to get too. Unfortunately on the first day we had no hot water. We noticed the boiler hadn't been turned on, but once we turned it on there was hot water the next day. No hot water ran in the first room on the first floor during our stay. The house was cleaned well, but cob webs were everywhere. Other than this we had a beautiful family holiday and everyone loved staying in this cottage including our 3 shih tzus. Thank you for making our holiday with this spacious lovely cottage.

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• Marion - Verified booking

  This is a nice little terraced cottage near the centre of Keswick, so very convenient.

  It is well presented, comfortable, clean, and adequately equipped. Being so small, there is not much space for any extras, e.g. nowhere to put food supplies, so we kept stuff in a box on the floor. The fridge is very small too. Upstairs, the bedroom is supplied with drawers & a wardrobe & a comfortable bed. The bathroom is lovely, but would be improved with shelves for personal belongings. I would not recommend this cottage for elderly people like ourselves as the stairs are very steep, and close to the bedroom & bathroom doors. My 84 year old husband fell down them in the dark trying to go to the bathroom in the night and was quite badly injured. I would suggest the owners should fix a stair gate at the top, and this situation should be mentioned in the details given about the cottage. The television is very complicated to use, it took us about 10 minutes to find the news programme we wanted each time, by which time we had missed the headlines! We left a day early as my husband was unwell after his fall.

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