Big Cottages & Group Accommodation in Kirkby Stephen

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Josie - Verified booking

  I'm not sure I can do this property justice in a review.

  ..I've been working it through my mind and there are just too many good points that one always gets left out but I'm going to give it a go. First off, I would heartily recommend staying here for the below reasons. The host was incredibly easy to contact and a pleasure to deal with. Incredibly on the ball with making sure I knew everything I needed to know before we got there and very friendly. The house was immaculate and such a cozy and welcoming place. Everything was easy to find inside and there were so many little thoughtful additions to make our stay easy and convenient. The kitchen was so well stocked - if you want to bake brownies (we did), you can. If you want to do a full roast, you can. 3 course meal, you're on. Everything was catered for alongside little extras like chocolate or biscuits when you arrive after a hard day travelling, salt and pepper in the cupboard, in case you forgot, etc. My kids were particularly taken with the breakfast bar area which had a radiator right next to it so not only were they high up, but they were super warm too. I also have to show appreciation for the very sharp knives. To often, you go somewhere and the knives are so dull that it's pretty pointless (ha ha) to use them. These knives were perfect and made cooking a dream. Living room plus dining room next. So many cute little points of interest and very comfortable. Nice fire with manual for decoding, for those cold days (it got to minus numbers while we were there but we stayed toasty) and a Smart TV which can accept other inputs through USB and HDMI ports. Took a while to figure out how and, in the end I had to give up and download the manual but that's the same of every smart TV now really. One thing we didn't realise until a day or two into our stay was that there was even a drawer with games in it, just in case you fancied a games night! The dining table was all set out ready for use and looked very smart. Excellent size for playing some of those games on too. Downstairs bathroom was very handy for people for with limited mobility with a walk in shower and a cupboard of thoughtful supplies. The glass door is unusual but the whole time we were there, we never saw anyone doing their business or anything like that. The most you can see is a shadow of knees... Upstairs was very homely and again, full of thoughtful touches like a night light and a place to fix a stairgate if needed. Each room was decorated beautifully, the beds were very warm and comfortable and there was plenty of storage to get you settled in. Again the upstairs bathroom was kitted out with some very thoughtful additions and the bath plus over bath shower were great after a long day. Note: is a high walled bath so those with lower mobility issues may struggle. Location - couldn't be more central if you tried. The local pub is less than a minutes walk away as is the main street. Everything is very handy to this property but you're tucked away enough that there is very little noise. Definitely the best of both worlds. In summary - You can not go wrong staying here. We will definitely be back.

  Read more less >

• Patricia - Verified booking

  Summerwatch There is so much animal activity at Sycamore Tree Farm, the presenters of Summerwatch could film there.

  What with the lambs and sheep all over the garden, running past the front porch entrance, the swallows nesting in the porch and the two species of mice running around the living room there was plenty to keep us busy. We thoroughly enjoyed watching the antics of the lambs, we didn’t realise they could be quite so like young children. When we walked up to the road through the fields to take a blue bin bag as requested to the roadside collection point, the lambs tried to get hold of the bag and we pointed our walking sticks at them and shouted ‘no’ and ‘stay’. When this failed we broke into a run with the bag as we didn’t want them to hurt themselves trying to eat our rubbish. Although the grass in the garden had been cut, the lambs spent a lot of effort coming into the garden even though we always kept the gate shut. We couldn’t understand why, but I guess it’s a case of ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’. The house is lovely and warm, the only downside was we couldn’t work out how to get any hot water in the kitchen or bathroom. I think it was the warmth that encouraged the mice to run around the living room even when the lights were all on. We were amazed that they would come out into view like that while we were sitting there talking and reading. We caught one of the larger species, but the others moved too fast to catch, at least when we tried. There was a nest of swallows on a light fitting in the porch which we didn’t notice at first. But it was possible to stand in the hallway of the house with the glass front door closed and watch the swallows fly in and out to feed their chicks. We had no idea they had to make so many trips for such a large part of the day and the chicks could clearly be seen to grow as the week progressed. On the last morning as we were carrying the bags out to the car, the first of the three swallow chicks had left the nest and was on the porch windowsill trying to learn to fly out of the porch and we hope we didn’t cause it too much distress as we left. Sadly the nest will soon be empty again. The WIFI is great and there’s ample lighting to read by; the sofa and armchairs have been replaced and they and the beds are very comfy and there are great walks from the door, including walks by the river. I suggest you bring a torch in case you need to get anything from your car at night, as cars are parked quite a way away, the other side of the gate. We are looking forward to coming again next year, we just hope the mice won’t be there then.

  Read more less >

• Ilse - Verified booking

  Pro’s: This has got to be one of the best equipped and cleanest holidays homes we’ve ever stayed in.

  Seriously, it was absolutely spotless so whoever the cleaner is needs commending! It’s simply beautiful with hotel quality furniture (in the main) and same with linen/towels. The size was perfect with an incredible amount of storage and space and we will definitely return. Great size and comfortable bedrooms and bathrooms. Private parking for 1 car (we had 2 x MPV’s) but you could actually put another at the back of the garden through the gates and block it in with 2nd car if needed (but plenty of room on road so long as it’s not an auction day) Simply LOVED the welcome wine, biscuits and our Grandaughter was thrilled with the chocolate lollies Con’s (but DON’T let these put you off staying here!): The 3 seater sofa could do with replacing - all 4 adults also really struggled to put down the recliners so couldn’t use them (anyone less fit wouldn’t have been able to put them down). The jury is out on glass door on the ground floor bathroom - we feel it needs a proper door for full privacy albeit it has frosting its uncomfortable for some. The back of the bedroom doors could do with hooks for dressing gowns. Perhaps address directions as Faraday Road is a long road. Simply add What3Words location or state ‘black bollards outside house, opposite Auction Mart main entrance’ would suffice. All in all we LOVE this house and its location. Our little Grandaughter asked when we are moving in so clearly big hit with her too :)

  Read more less >

• Carolyn - Verified booking

  Stayed here for New Year 2023, Myself, husband, 2 daughters and my mum, plus a little dog.

  The bedroom configuration worked just great. On arrival, due to the late check in of 5 pm and horrendous weather conditions, it was dark and raining heavily, the cottage was a little tricky to find, plus the weather had made the front path slippery, which wasn't great for rushing all our stuff in. The cottage is very quaint, warm & cosy. Not sure if they had been left by previous guests, but there was washing up liquid, sponges & tea towels in the kitchen and hand soap in the bathroom upstairs, facilities were all great. There was even a few games/puzzles in the lounge for use. The signal to the tv was a bit hit and miss though, was ok when tv was first turned on but after a while it kept dipping, quite tricky to watch programmes of an evening when it kept going on & off! But overall its a lovely cottage and Kirby Stephen is a great little village, just wish I had known how many eateries there where (wouldn't have brought so much of my own stuff!)....pub food, chinese, indian, chippies, quite a lot for a small village. Maybe a text message on day of arrival to say if the cottage is ready earlier than 5 pm would be helpful and a slightly later check out time, especially as you have to strip the beds! Overall we had a great stay at 89 High Street and would definitely recommend it, especially if you like walking as there are plenty of walks either from the cottage or a short drive way.

  Read more less >

• Rebecca - Verified booking

  This was our second visit to Summerseat and it wont be our last.

  This is the best equipped holiday let we have stayed at, it has everything you could possibly need girls a self catering holiday. It's got such a cosy feel to it. We have a 2 year old so needed a cot and stair gate- both were set up on arrival which anyone travelling with young children will know is rare. We typically have to go looking for them in dusty cupboards. The cot also had a lovely thick mattress and bedding - again this is very rare as it usually states no mattress or bedding so this was highly appreciated. Little touches like toiletries and welcome treats were wonderful. They even left Halloween chocolate lollies along with the packs of biscuits for our 2 children. Parking is down the side of the house but plenty big enough for a big family sizes SUV. Beds were very comfortable. 2 bathrooms was fantastic as my parents were with us for a couple of days so there was no arguing. Very central location. Absolutely won't be our last visit.

  Read more less >