Villas In Staffordshire

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Jane - Verified booking

  We arrived very late due to an accident but Tony was very understanding and was there to meet us and help us with our bags down the 50 or so quite steep steps that lead to the accommodation from the quiet road with ample parking.

  He then took time to explain where everything was and how it all worked including the large TV which came with free Netflix. After that he left us to enjoy our break and although he and his family live above the accommodation it feels very private apart from the occasional footsteps heard from above. When we did need to text him once he replied quickly. There was a welcome basket of fresh bread, milk, butter, jam etc and most welcome of all after our long and stressful journey, a chilled bottle of Prosecco! The boathouse is so lovely with an open plan kitchen/living area and large bright bedroom with huge bed! There is a fabulous shower in the en-suite but we were a little taken aback that there was no door on the ensuite with just a gap through to it from the bedroom. We got used to it though! Everything you could need is provided including thoughtful items such as a cafetiere, hairdryer and 2 f towelling bathrobes. The large outside decking area has table and chairs + 2 sun loungers, perfect for taking in the breathtaking view of Rudyard lake. There is also a small bbq and a wood fired hot tub, neither of which we used. The hot tub does take around 4 hours to heat up and this, as well as the very hot weather whilst we were there, meant we didn't use it. We did however use the rowing boat supplied and enjoyed going up and down the lake - hubby fishing and me admiring the lakeside houses! There are also 2 canoes supplied with lifejackets. On a couple of evenings we went to the nearby Rudyard Hotel - a 15 min walk through lovely woodland. The range of food and drink here is excellent, the staff are really friendly and there is a large garden with lots of tables. We also had a takeaway delivered from the Rajah Tandoori in nearby Leek which was very good. Whilst in the area we visited Luds Church (a rock chasm), Matlock Bath, Buxton (inc Pooles Cavern) and Bakewell, all of which we thoroughly enjoyed. We had the most wonderful break and would highly recommend the accommodation and the area in general.

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• Jake - Verified booking

  Could be the "perfect place" if it didn't have so many issues.

  This place was advertised as "the perfect romantic place for a couple", and while it was certainly one of the more unique places I've been to, it definitely wasn't romantic. Primarily what it was; loud. I would suggest to anyone else booking this place to bring some ear plugs because the resident birds woke me up every morning at 4am with their incessant calling and, once the birds had left their nest, you wouldn't able to stay asleep because of the noise coming from the occupants upstairs once they had woke up. As the property advertised is an "apartment" you should expect a certain degree of noise from your neighbours, but when it keeps you awake, it takes away from the holiday experience. Ironic how this place does not accept booking for children, yet the owners themselves have kids that make a racket while you are trying to relax. Hardly the "ideal romantic get away". The noise and lack of privacy combined with how dirty the place was (utensils, floors, decking etc.) means it couldn't provide my girlfriend and I with the relaxing break that we had wanted. Some less considerable issues that the owner may want to address is that there is no partition between the toilet and the bedroom, the fall on the shower is wrong so the water collects in the tray, which the dog kept trying to drink (very annoying), and the curtains do absolutely nothing to keep the sun out in the morning. A more serious issue are the stairs going down onto the pier, which are loose and pose an increased hazard. I can't say that I didn't have fun, because I did enjoy using the provided kayaks and hot tub. It certainly is a privilege to be able to launch from your accommodation. But, the severe let-downs of this place means that in the future I'd be more inclined to go for a more basic place that actually has it fundamentals sorted out rather than Horton Lodge Boathouse-- sorry-- Apartment.

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• Ross - Verified booking

  Where do I start.

  The only reason we booked the cottage was for the hottub. I got a text from the owner the day before explaining this was broken - but they had a replacement. Upon arrival it was clear to see the old broken hot tub as it was in bits strewn across the decking with the replacement (a lazy spa - which we could have purchased ourselves with half the cost of our 2 night stay!) dumped by the side of the broken one. The steps on the way down to the property are badly lit and strewn with old plastic children's toys, the steps are uneven and decking lose which makes this pretty hazardous. The decking itself was filthy, covered in dirt an leaves and stained a nice shade of green from lack of cleaning. Upon entry to the property, the first issue was the front door - apparently it had 'swollen' and as such was impossible to close without slamming it hard. Immediately you will need to duck under the most ridiculously placed ceiling light. The interior is shabby to say the least, slightly damp, badly painted - with splatters all over the stone walls, brick dust from drilling, skirtings coming away from the walls, the kitchen floor literally feels like it is about to give way. The bed has a mattress you can feel the springs through and was seriously unstable, creaky and rickety. Pillows flat and hard, and TV so small you can't see it from the bed. Not that watching TV was possible the 2nd night - the owner switched OFF THE INTERNET = it seems because he didn't like the TV noise - yet we had to put up with his screaming kids and family constantly running around on their heels directly upstairs. No internet = no TV no phones, no nothing. This was annoying and pathetic. This is definitely not in any way even nearly a luxury, comfortable or private place to stay. Massively overpriced and sadly a complete disappointment.

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• Carl - Verified booking

  We arrived to a beautiful spot on the lake which initially seemed as if it would be the perfect peaceful romantic break, unfortunately it wasn’t quite as wonderful as that.

  It was very cold in the mornings & as we had no control over the heating, except for the fire in the lounge/kitchen, we had to keep contacting owner to put it on for us. The owners actually live above the boathouse, which we were not aware of & were very noisy. You can hear every foot step across the floor & going up & down the stairs, one evening until 12.45am! The shower appears to drain directly into the lake below. Not sure whether this is permitted, but we were personally not happy about this, considering the wildlife on the lake. There were a few cleanliness issues. Kettle definitely badly needed de-scaling, the kitchen sink was very stained. There was half open packets of food in the freezer, obviously from previous guests. The exposed brick work was a nice feature, but clearly needed a good dust. Flooring by table in kitchen was giving way & needed repairing. There was a tiny sink in the bathroom & was very difficult to use without water spilling over onto the floor, which we believe was laminate, and was peeling & separating because of the water spillage. The hot tub didn’t appear to be monitored/checked as we believe it should be. Overall seemed like a thorough clean was needed & some general maintenance work. We had a lovely time in the general area but decided to leave early due to these issues with the property.

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• Julie - Verified booking

  Horton Lodge Boathouse certainly has the WOW factor!

  Situated on the lakeside it is an idyllic, romantic and tranquil place for a staycation. We have holidayed in numerous self catering properties all over the world and this is now in our top 3! The property still retains its original features ie the gate and pulley systems in the ceiling of the bedroom and the exposed stonework throughout. The attention to detail and high spec decor within the apartment adds to it's quirkiness. The high quality furnishings are extended to the outdoor area where there are 2 rattan sunbeds, a dining table & chairs, a coffee table & chairs and a BBQ. There were even 2 kayaks and a rowing boat at our disposal. On arrival we received a warm welcome from the owner Tony who explained everything to us and had heated up the hot tub ready for our use. We really appreciated our welcome pack consisting of quality local produce and even a bottle of Prosecco. There is plenty to do in the surrounding area. We did a walk every day and visited Tatton Park, Leek, Buxton, The Roaches and Tittesworth Reservoir. There is an excellent cafe at The Sailing Club 10 minutes walk and also a pub The Rudyard Hotel with a huge beer garden within walking distance. All in all we had a perfect weeks stay especially as it was our first holiday following Lockdown. We would thoroughly recommend this property.

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