Big Cottages & Group Accommodation in Barnard Castle

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Joanna - Verified booking

  A very mixed review for our stay last weekend.

  The house itself is lovely and was comfortable and clean. A few damp patches in the second double room that needed tending too but we appreciated the age of the building. Unfortunately we all came back from the weekend unwell, my son has such a bad rash I've had to take him to the doctor's who confirmed Pseudomonas Folliculitis and that it came from the poorly sanitised hot tub he said the bacteria comes from poor sanitation and upkeep of the water. We complained to the owners whilst we were there about the smell coming from the tub and that the water was extremely dirty after only one use. The owner suggested that it was my makeup that had caused the filter to clog up and that he hadn't seen anything like it before as the filter was completely blocked and refilled the tub but it was too late. My son had already started to get spots, there is no way we could have made the water that unsanitary in one use that it caused such an infection. I also had no makeup on while using the tub. My son is so unwell as a result that he's had to be treated with two different types of antibiotics and steroid cream as it's really painful and inflamed and he's had a raging temperature all week - the rest of us are seeing how we get on but all have spots where our swimwear was all apart from my mother who didn't go in. This is definitely a health and safety matter and very concerning. He could potentially have scars all over his torso now as the infection is so bad! We complained to Sykes days ago and have had no response so leaving our review here so that others are aware of the dangers of unclean hot tubs.

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• Joanne - Verified booking

  We stayed here for 4 nights over the Easter weekend.

  Our party consisted of 8 adults, our 3 year old granddaughter and our 2 grandsons aged 19months and 16months. We also took our little dog. The property is beautiful and there was ample room for our large party. The downstairs room converts into a bedroom which meant effectively we had 5. I had worried about the little ones eating in the high chair with the property having cream carpets and I had taken floor covers - however these weren’t needed as in between the kitchen and the utility room there is a little annexe room with a hardwearing carpet where the boys had their meals. The garden area was ideal and I had chosen it as it is very secure and all on one level which is ideal for 3 little ones and a dog. The accommodation is immaculate and the host was very pleasant and replied very quickly to my requests for a high chair and travel cot and for extra logs for the hot tub. The location is also ideal and we had lovely walks to Barnard Castle and nearby Runa Farm, each about 15-20 minutes away. Outdoor and indoor games were provided and we had some good old fashioned fun playing boules and swing ball in the garden and on an evening played trivial pursuit and other board games with a few tipples. A thoroughly lovely stay and highly recommended.

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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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• Tina - Verified booking

  It was our 60th Anniversary and we wanted a place to commemorate it, and this was the ideal place.

  We had 9 people to be accommodated and the barn did this. It was warm and comfortable, All the facilities were spot on. We were able to cook our meals in an oven or a microwave, and the dish washer made cleaning the plates and bowls easy. The sleeping accommodation was brilliant, every room had a bath or shower and the beds gave all of us a good nights sleep. The sitting room had 3 large comfortable sofas all facing a television. I am disabled and unable to have a bath so I use a shower, the bedroom we were in only had a shower, but it was not disabled friendly, perhaps it could have a fixed chair and a rail to hold onto when a person stands up. Another small fixture would be some shelves, we had acceseries with no place to put them, especially in the bath room. Other than these small fixtures everything else diserved ten stars. Thank you for making our Diamond Anniversary so wonderful.

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• Patricia - Verified booking

  Had a lovely stay.

  Fabulous location with stunning countryside views and a great hot tub. Negative points include, steep access to walking routes, not suitable for those with limited mobility or babies/ toddlers with pushchair or pram. We weren't happy that there wasn't a wasbasin in the downstairs loo, or a working light. Back double bedroom had a little black mould in the shower and an area on the wall near to the ceiling. Both ensuite showers were good, but the shower in the family bathroom was poor, with very limited pressure, only a dribble. Well equipped kitchen. Would have appreciated a slow cooker as It's nice to prepare a meal to come back to after a day out walking. The welcome cheese and biscuits and fizz was very much appreciated. We had a nice stay celebrating a special anniversary,however not sure we'd rebook this particular property for the points mentioned but would definitely visit the area again

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