Dog Friendly Bakewell Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Sean - Verified booking

  We enjoyed staying in Youlgreave, and the cottage is in a peaceful location on the edge of a river valley at one end of the village and a short walk from pubs and shops.

  Unfortunately there were problems with the cottage which have also been raised in previous reviews; we didn't let them spoil our stay and we had a relaxing week, but we probably wouldn't return. The cottage is about a hundred yards down a path from the main road, behind another house and far away enough from the road that you don't hear any traffic noise. The website map is a bit misleading; the cottage is closer to the village than the map shows. We didn't have any problem parking on the road above the house, but a couple of houses on the road were empty; at busier times it might be difficult, though there is a free public car park further up the road. The stone path down to the cottage isn't slippery, even in the rain, but it is fairly steep and uneven and might be difficult for anyone with mobility problems, and the house itself isn't particularly accessible. The house is an old stone two up two down with a more recent block extension, on the edge of a steep sided wooded valley. There is a patio to one side with garden furniture, and an open area to the front, not part of the property, which was full of wild flowers when we were there in early June. A footpath across the front of the house, shown in the main photo, leads down to the river but is quite steep, muddy in wet weather and overgrown. There are views across and down the valley. The living room, kitchen and scullery are on the ground floor with main bedroom at one end of the first floor and a small single bedroom and bathroom at the other end. We found the house quite cold and draughty in a fairly cold week in early June, but the heating was effective. The scullery / utility room is draughty and not very secure but has a door direct to the yard which might be useful for those with muddy boots or dogs. We didn't use the small bedroom, but the main bedroom was a good size and comfortable. Bathroom and kitchen are usable but fairly basic with some odd quirks. The owner had left a welcome pack with some biscuits, muffins and milk. We had a good stay in Youlgreave, but for us the cottage was disappointing with quite a few niggles which made it not quite the cosy retreat we were looking for, and at the price we expected a much better standard. There is a visitor book with a page or two of information, but we couldn't find instructions for appliances or much information about the house. The listing photos show the cottage to its best advantage, but make it look much brighter inside and tidier outside. The back and one side of the old part of the house are against the hill; when we were there the house smelled of a mix of mustiness and strong room freshener. We found the cottage less well decorated and maintained than it looks in the photos and quite shabby in places, particularly kitchen and bathroom. The shower head is low, would not stay in place and has a very short hose, making it quite difficult to have a decent shower. There is a stop on the bathroom door which prevents it opening more than 2/3rds; we nearly walked into the edge of the door a couple of times. The kitchen was adequately but not well equipped, a bit tatty and poorly lit from a central fitting. The oven is behind the kitchen door and is blocked when the door is open. Broken bulbs had not been replaced. Outside, the overall impression was saved by the wooded valley location and the wild foxgloves and other flowers outside the garden, but the patio is very uneven and there seemed to be little effort to maintain the area, with borders, boxes and paving becoming over-run with weeds. Garden furniture was quite rickety to the point of being unsafe; seats on the picnic bench were loose with screws rusted through, and one leg of the curved bench was broken off and the bench propped up on a loose block of rotting wood. These issues will matter to some and not others. What's worrying is that they would be simple to fix and have been raised by previous visitors, going back over a year, but have not been addressed; we couldn't speak to the owner at the time and raised them again through Sykes, but the owner has not responded. The cottage is in such a good location and could be a wonderful cosy place to stay with a little effort, but from our experience we'd suggest reading the reviews carefully and looking at the photos critically before booking.

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• Natalie - Verified booking

  The new cottage stay was a refreshing and peaceful experience.

  After reading previous reviews. I put my good old walking boots on before arriving to the cottage going the steep path to the cottage, which the path was clear and easy to walk down. Even my 71 year old mum made it down and up the path fine ( no mobility issues). The views were really special and breathtaking. I needed a much relaxed rest after the 2023 year and this cottage and area fulfilled my expectations. The cottage has everything a person would need From excellent high quality bedding ( habitat) a make i love anyway and also high quality eco friendly toiletries. ( beautiful smells). The tv was a bonus . I loved waking up on the comfry bed every morning and watching the sunset rise and set and the wildlife with so many birds around. Down at the bottom is the river. Where you can here it in the background as so quiet. The property may not be for everyones taste but for me , my mum and my dog it was a perfect little gem of a find.I bet it us beautiful in the spring/ summer .0ver 3 weeks stay and thank you for mel , mike and yourselves for a well needed rested break. Spending christmas and new year in new cottage has created a long lasting beautiful memory. My dog settled so well too and thankyou for going that extra mile mel and mike for the bottle of wine , fresh milk and butter. New cottage has set my new year 2024 of on a high and i am well rested. Hope this feedback helps and i look forward to going back in the summer or when my work schedule is not to busy Kind regards natalie , my mum and my dog

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• Christine - Verified booking

  First of all they need new cleaners!

  We left the property cleaner than when we entered! The cooker hood hadnt been cleaned for weeks. (We didnt clean that, though). The log burner was full of ash and burnt logs. The cooker shelves were dirty as were flat pan trays and frying pan. We moved a settee to give us more room to get round the table and obviously they hadn't hoovered underneath. It was clean and tidy when walking in but had clearly not been bottomed! We hasd an enjoyable stay although the beds weren't very comfy. Thanks goes to the caretaker who decorated it for christmas. Lack of doormat by the back door (we had to use our towels), sparse utensils (no potato peeler for one). No spare bin bags etc. Not clear enough what the recycling bins were used for. The shower head just trickled water out so we had to take it apart and clean it ourselves! There was absolutely no additions which we have always found when staying in holiday lets. You have to mentally consider whats in your cupboards at home and take with you! No salt and pepper for one and anything else you would use when cooking a meal! The cottage is situated in a very quaint village with plenty of walks and pubs not too far away. We enjoyed our stay but didn't enjoy the cleaning or having to travel into Bakewell to buy the additions!

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• Celia - Verified booking

  We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Pine Cottage.

  It had a lovely cozy feel to it, a well stocked kitchen, and an adequate bathroom. The views though were outstanding, with a lovely patio area to sit & eat, or simply just to sit & relax. The outside tap was an added bonus to clean the walking boots at the end of the day. Also the parasol provided, which you don't often get, will be very welcome in the warmer months as I'm sure the patio will be quite a sun trap. It's great to have a parking space right outside too. Our only bugbears really were the sofa not being very comfortable. At the end of a long walk, you need something to sink into ...that sofa wasn't it! The bottom sheets on the beds don't really fit the mattresses & could be of better quality. We were surprised the cottage didn't have a proper shower, but in fairness we still had good hot showers regardless. The cleaners missed quite a few cobwebs here and there & under the bathroom sink left staines where the cleaning products are kept. There was a slight smell of dog briefly but not too bad. It would definitely require a regular deep clean. Little things, little improvements. We have certainly enjoyed our stay here , so much so, we've booked again and hopefully we'll have a little less rain. Thank you!!

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• Karen - Verified booking

  This was our second visit to Pine Cottage.

  We really love staying there and will do so again. Any criticisms are minor, as it’s very tidy, unfussy, clean and comfortable and suits us very well. It’s the patio and the view from the patio that is the big sell, as is the option to take a pet. Sitting out there in the evening, listening to the birds, and admiring the view, is a huge pleasure. It’s still safe for pets though since the patio has been updated and improved, the area is barer, with less planting. (There are now a couple of gaps that a little dog, unsupervised, might wriggle through.) We did also miss the plants and thought a few bushes might soften the harder garden features? I suppose upkeep is the thing. It’s still a lovely, calm, surprisingly private-feeling space. The light still streams in through the east-facing bedroom window at dawn. We were prepared and had popped a blanket over the curtain pole. A light blocking blind or curtains would solve the problem. I think better quality bed linen and kitchen equipment would be great, but we understand it’s a holiday cottage. Everything you need is provided and it’s all absolutely fine. I will be booking again for next year’s Well Dressings.

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