Dog Friendly Cottages In Durham

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Judith - Verified booking

  Firstly the good points.

  The accommodation is well positioned within the town with everything on the doorstep. It was generally clean and tidy when we arrived (but see below). The large garden was great for our grandchildren who joined us during our stay. The bad points: outside – steep steps down to the house would benefit from some proper lighting. The barbecue was rusty and not very clean, we didn’t feel inclined to use it. The log burner was rusty, full of ashes and burned through at the base – again it wasn’t really usable. We tried for several days to get the hot tub to heat up (instructions in the house were basically a brochure for a range of different tubs so not specific to the one installed at Knights Corner and not very clear). Finally contacted the owner who replied to say “press the heat button”. We’d already done this without success (it’s actually labelled “warm”). Two very helpful maintenance guys from the castle turned up the following day and tried several times to get it to work They came back three times during the day and said they thought there was a problem with it before it finally started to heat up and tried twice to contact the owner without success. We were finally able to use it once the evening before we left. Inside – house and wardrobes smelt musty when we arrived; we had to buy a plug in air freshener. TV remotes needed cleaning; the oven wasn’t cleaned properly and there was a burnt fat smell when we first turned it on. The extractor hood for the cooker wasn’t working – in an open plan property this is a must – and from other reviews we’ve seen this has been a problem since last year. Only half of the toaster worked and the kitchen itself wasn’t particularly well equipped (for example, there was one shallow serving dish for a property accommodating six people). The bathroom toilet leaked and the plug in the bathroom sink didn’t work. Five days after we returned home, having heard nothing regarding return of our damage deposit, I contacted the owner who immediately sent back photos of damage we had allegedly caused. I wasn’t aware of any damage and would have expected to be contacted much sooner if there was any issue, not much later in response to my request for the deposit to be returned. In short, for a property costing as much as this one to rent, there are too many negatives and I would not recommend it. For anyone considering a Stanhope Castle breaks please look at the more recent reviews which are available on many different websites.

  Read more less >

• 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.

  Read more less >

• Alison - Verified booking

  Another fabulous week at Knights Corner!

  The apartment is spacious with comfortable seating and a great dining table. The beds are super comfy with plenty of wardrobe and drawer storage space. Good showers in both bathrooms. Towels and robes provided. The kitchen is well equipped. Huge fridge and freezer. The grounds are fantastic and the hot tub a real treat. The fire pit worked well. The local co-op sells firewood but bring long skewers if you want to toast marshmallows. We used the barbecue as a stand for a disposable one but you can't buy these locally because of the risk of causing a fire when not used safely. The woodland walk in the grounds is beautiful but use the path from the patio area or risk the nettles. Shops and pubs are a short walk away. The pubs no longer serve food but the takeaways are good and the baker's is amazing. The Dales Centre has a lovely cafe and gift shops. The river is also just a short walk away and lovely for a paddle if the weather's good. The village is pretty, the people are friendly, the air is fresh and the accommodation amazing. What more could you want?

  Read more less >

• Belinda - Verified booking

  We have just returned from a fantastic weekend break at knights Corner.

  The accommodation is great and the outdoor area is amazing. Fantastic views, loads of space, best hot tub l have been in and the most private. It was surprisingly quiet outside considering the small bustling town with its three pubs were just at the other side of the walls. Only niggle we had was the blinds in the bedrooms were not good enough to stop light in th e morning so we were up very early. On the positive side it meant we were all up and outside sipping coffee, chatting and enjoying the bird songs and views. Another nice touch was the owners contacted us before we went to double check details and make sure we knew how to get there and how to get in etc. On arrival baby cot and high chair and extra baby snuggle blankets were waiting for us. They also had tea, coffee and sugar!! Finally, the chimenea, gas barbecue and hot tub were fantastic and really made it feel luxurious. Perfect accommodation in a great location with great walks. Enjoy!!!!

  Read more less >

• Alison - Verified booking

  The apartment is very spacious.

  Comfortable sofas, lovely dining area, well equipped kitchen, massive fridge/freezer. The WiFi is excellent. Bedrooms and bathrooms quite luxurious. The garden is huge and the views spectacular. The paths into the adjoining woodland make for a lovely walk. We saw squirrels, rabbits and an owl! The hot tub is really good!! Loads of towels provided and bath robes too! The village itself has plenty of shops (a well-stocked Coop, butchers, amazing bakery and greengrocers and the best hardware shop ever) and pubs. Loved the Bonny Moorhen and the Grey Bull. We had the best week and will definitely be back. PS for Scott, you said you wanted to know if anything was needed. A wooden spoon would be good and I think the calor gas on the BBQ is empty but we didn't use it so not sure. Thanks for providing such fabulous accomodation.

  Read more less >