Christmas Cottages In County Durham

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Vanessa - Verified booking

  Ivy Cottage was outstanding.

  It was such a great base to explore the surrounding areas. The owners were just wonderful and so helpful and there was so much information available about the area. I met Sean, who was just lovely and although we didn't get to meet Helen, we did love her artwork about the house. The decor was lovely with pieces of furniture and woodwork lovingly painted and the arty flare flowed throughout the cottage. I'd read some slightly negative reviews about the sofas not being comfy but we all felt very much at home and extremely comfortable. Barnard Castle was lovely as was Saltburn-by-the-sea. Goathland was an hour away and we visited twice. There was a lovely welcome pack and a jug of milk and lovely cakes waiting for us and if you need doggy sitters, be sure to call the owners who are only too happy to help. We stayed for 2 weeks and would have happily stayed longer. We even had days where we stayed in and just soaked up the countryside views to the rear with a pot of tea. The kitchen is really well equipped. My little one loved the 'bee garden' out the back and again you can see the love and art that has gone into everything there. There are some fantastic walks to the rear. The beds and pillows were very comfy. We go away almost every month and like to travel and see new places with an inquisitive toddler but we've never experienced tears of sadness at leaving, like we did here. We will definitely be back, hopefully in the Spring for more adventures. We didn't try the local pub for food as we were too cozy in the Ivy but the chippy at Saltburn was nice near the pier. The other one by the big car park wasn't very good. Any little gripes made by other guests about Ivy Cottage, were in my opinion unjust and just plain picky. There's even a torch for the dog walks under the sink. From somebody who stays with Sykes at least a week a month, I can honestly say this was by far the nicest to date. I'd love to see more of Helen's artwork next time adorning the walls. P.s the dogs said thank you for their treats you left too.. think we've found our future regular stay-cation.

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• Sally - Verified booking

  Our must have things when we book a cottage are that it has to be dog friendly, have good wifi, a log burner, put and shop within walking distance and stunning surroundings.

  The Back House does not disappoint on any of these points. The owner, Judith, was so welcoming and friendly and it's obvious that a lot of thought and details has gone into the decor of this beautiful home. On our arrival Judith had left us a lovely homemade cake and scones, fresh free range eggs from their own chickens, milk and prosecco - we were spoilt! There was even a dog bed and bowls for the pooches. The cottage was spotless which is so reassuring in the current Covid climate. There is a secure area outside the back door where you can let your dogs out, it is a paved area with no grass which our dogs aren't used to but they soon got the hang of it and it wasn't an issue at all. Staindrop and the surrounding area are stunning, there's so much to see and do and plenty of off lead walks for the dogs. There are a few shops within a short walk of the cottage - Spar shop, newsagents, butchers, and also a pub which unfortunately we couldn't make full use of as the second lockdown came into place whilst we were there. There's so much we haven't had chance to explore yet in this beautiful part of the country and we will certainly make a return visit to the Back House to continue our adventure.

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• Nadia - Verified booking

  My brother and I together with his dog had a wonderful stay at the Back House.

  It is a fabulous property, very spacious, beautifully furnished and decorated, very very clean and very dog friendly. We were slightly worried before we arrived as there is a review on Trip Advisor claiming it is not suited to dogs. This is incorrect. It is a great property for dogs, you just have to put on a lead to walk them rather than letting them run loose which is what the other guest must have wanted to do. The rabbits that were mentioned are feral so they will be hopping about in the countryside, the previous guest seemed upset there were rabbits running around in the paddock next to the house. There are miles of lovely walks from the back door and the dog enjoyed the stay as much as we did! He was provided for and supplied with a bed, blanket and towels by the Owners. Judith and Richard were very good hosts and Jeanette their lovely helper as very kind. When I lost my mobile Judith helped me contact my daughter. We liked the village Tea Shop , it is good value with a decent menu. There is lots to do round and about. Definitely plan to return.

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• Sarah - Verified booking

  We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Ivy Cottage and was sorry to leave when our stay came to an end!

  Comfortably furnished with large rooms, there was plenty of space for ourselves, teens and dog. We especially loved the garden area and conservatory which was a great space to relax in the evenings. The kitchen was fully equipped even with washing powder and dishwasher tabs and the little welcome pack made it really special. The bedding was crisp and fresh as you’d expect and lots of towels were provided. It’s in a great location to explore the local area, lovely walks and a short distance to the A1(m). Lots of information provided by the hosts for suggested walking routes and things to do. Nearest larger town is Barnard Castle which has supermarkets, restaurants, take away etc and is about 10-15 min drive. The Black Horse pub in the village does a simply outstanding roast dinner on a Sunday! We loved our stay here, we felt very much at home and enjoyed a relaxing break. We really hope to return at some point!

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• Katherine - Verified booking

  My holiday at brookside byre was great.

  This was the second time i have stayed here and would do again. The little extras provided like arriving to a home baked cake and milk in the fridge just make it that bit special. The underfloor heating keep it warm if a bit hard to figure out to start with. The kids took full advantage of a tv in each room but also loved feeding the chickens. My only complaint is a personal preference as i like a softer bed and the beds are definitely on the firm/hard side but my husband was happy as he likes firm. My parents came and joined us for a few nights and again was perfect as all on one level so no problems with stairs and a seat for the shower is provided. A footstool in the living room i think would have made it even better but i really am getting picky. Thankyou for a lovely stay i hope we get to come again in the future its a lovely place to visit.

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