Big Cottages in the Lake District

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Nicola - Verified booking

  Had a truly memorable family holiday didn’t hear.

  Fantastic weather too!! It was a Stunning property, in a most Beautiful area of the Lakes. A massive place with plenty of elaborate bedrooms & bathrooms, enough to sleep at least 12 people, however the shared rooms (kitchen & front room combined) would be best suited for 8/9 at the most. We loved the covered porch area, with seating to take our walking boots off, which was a real sun trap in the morning, a lovely place to sit with a cuppa at the start of the day. We also enjoyed the movie room downstairs in the basement, where there was also a very warm Boiler/Utility room, where we could get our dirty clothes washed & dried very easily during our stay, very well kitted out. . Many fantastic walks starting from Elterwater, we walked to Grasmere, Ambleside, Skelwith Bridge & Little Langdale, so no need to drive anywhere if you don’t want to. But if you fancy a shopping day out in Ambleside there is a regular bus service, reasonably priced we used that a lot, where there’s lots of interesting shops, specialist walking stores, cafes & pubs galore plus Hayes a little walk out of town, the largest garden centre I’ve ever been to. If you’re up to walking a little further, then head down to Watershead where you can get a boat & cruise Lake Windermere for the day, stopping off at Bowness on Windermere & Lakeside. Lakeland’s store is worth a visit too, if you like cooking & kitchen gadgets. Elterwater has a great pub; The Britannia Inn, on its doorstep which does good food, but plenty of other pubs within walking distance; Eltermere Inn plus Wainwright’s which is a short walk to Chapel Stile, where you also find a convenience store & Brambles Cafe. There is even a Cocktail Bar which does food on the hill close by. It’s just a Fantastic & Interesting place to stay. The only complaints being the shower in Best’s bedroom ran too hot so couldn’t get an ideal temperature. And we also were a little disappointed that there was no welcome pack when we arrived. We had travelled from East Anglia, so had a long long nightmare of a journey & by the time we arrived which was late, there was no milk or complimentary tea/coffee/sugar, so had to wait until we had unpacked everything out the car in order to make ourselves a well needed drink. Other places we have stayed at leave a complimentary arrival pack, which includes a loaf of bread, butter, jam, tea/coffee, milk & sometimes a cake & wine, usually providing locally produced items. We also had a suggestion due to the double fridge freezer being in the hallway behind a door that’s used a lot. You need to put some port hole windows in that door, plus the one to the kitchen too, so you can see whose behind it, so no one try’s to open the door when someone is in the fridge or getting something out the cooker. Anyway it was a fantastic holiday & would definitely return.

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• Ben - Verified booking

  Fair Rigg is a beautiful property and the owners have renovated to a high standard.

  Having visited The Lakes a number of times it was disappointing that some small details had been missed. This included not enough Prosecco glasses for the whole party (only 6 in the property for 10 guests) and no tea bags, salt, pepper or a few sachets of coffee to get us started on the first night. A little welcome pack with some of these items would have gone a long way for a property of this size when you have a larger number of guests. One final added extra would be some form of Christmas decoration for the festive period. Considering that the property is a premium let it would be nice to see this reflected with a simple tree or even a garland on the banister or over the sideboard. We really enjoyed our stay at Fair Rigg, especially evenings in the lounge on the big comfy sofas in front of the huge tv. We all commented on how comfy the beds were and using the aga on Christmas Day took all the usual stresses away with so many oven spaces to choose from. One day we had an issue with a lack of hot water when the baths were used and this meant cold water for the evening but didn’t seem to encounter this again on our stay. Perhaps, just bad timing. But if this is due to boiler timing it could be beneficial to mention in the house information folder. As reflected in the ratings above I think the house could benefit from a more thorough clean, especially the bathroom grouting (I cleaned this myself and it took seconds to do). It would really make all the difference for guests - especially during covid. We would stay at Fair Rigg again as we enjoyed the location and ability to head straight out the door for varied walks. There has clearly been lots of thought put into the renovation and it’s a beautiful home!

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• Ben - Verified booking

  Good points: - Great location - Easy parking - Nice big bedrooms (apart from one) Bad points: - Kitchen is nowhere near big enough for that many guests.

  Similar work surface / storage to a 1 bed flat. - Main bedroom suite shown as having a kitchenette on website photos but on arrival had been removed. This exasperated the above issue and was a let down. - property has 6 rooms all with double beds. We phoned prior to booking to confirm these could be separated into twins in the kids’ rooms. We would not have booked it otherwise. This was not actioned and we were told the conversation did not take place. It caused stress on arrival but eventually it was rectified. But the property isn’t suitable for children sharing a room for this reason. - 1 bedroom is tiny - Microwave did not work - someone came out to show us how to use it but it didn’t actually warm food up. It was also at floor level bit odd and inconvenient. - Kitchen door opens into oven area. Poor workflow design and made cooking awkward. - Oven had missing instructions and was impossible to figure out so hard to use. - Property info book mentioned a deal with local leisure facility. After much phoning around and asking, there was no recognition of this as stated which caused frustration / a waste of time. - balustrades are made of threaded bar, not a conventional building finish, and some were loose and fell out leaving a gap that a small child could fall through. Building regs specifies 10cm max gap. Had to refit some of these. Not suitable for toddlers. We had a good holiday but for what it costs, these issues shouldn’t have happened. The main issue is the size of the kitchen.

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• Murali - Verified booking

  Our recent stay at 'Old School Muncaster House' was nothing short of exceptional, especially considering the unique circumstance of 5 families sharing this remarkable retreat.

  Nestled amidst nature's embrace, this historic schoolhouse-turned-cottage provided an unforgettable experience that seamlessly blended the charm of yesteryears with modern comfort. From the moment we stepped through the doors, we were enamored by the cottage's rustic yet cozy ambiance, which perfectly accommodated our large group. The spacious interior and thoughtful layout ensured that each family had ample room to relax and unwind, while still fostering a sense of togetherness and camaraderie. The breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside served as the perfect backdrop for our memorable gathering. We were gathered around the fireplace sharing stories, or enjoying meals together on the patio, every moment spent at 'Old School Muncaster House' was filled with warmth and laughter. Despite its secluded location, the cottage was conveniently close to a variety of attractions and activities, ensuring that there was never a dull moment during our stay. From exploring nearby hiking trails to discovering charming local villages, there was something for everyone to enjoy. In conclusion, our time at 'Old School Muncaster House' was an unforgettable experience that brought 5 families together in a truly special way. Whether you're planning a reunion or simply seeking a peaceful retreat with loved ones, this historic cottage offers the perfect setting for creating lasting memories. We can't recommend it highly enough and look forward to returning in the future.

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• Andreea - Verified booking

  I will wright a true review about our experience.

  The location and the cottage are absolutely fabulous. The cleaning needs to be improved, in most of the bathrooms we could easily see that they haven’t been touched . No hand soap, no shower gel .. In two bathrooms was hard to have a shower as was no water pressure . In the kitchen are 2 dishwashers but no even one tablet to put in . The fridges also need a good clean . The ovens, there are 4 but only the small one on the right top I managed to turn it on . When I asked about the barbecue I have been told is no barbecue there so we had to buy and carry one and surprise , when we arrived there we found a huge one. Couple of radiators in the rooms are not working but we manage to be comfortable. In the second day we had no electricity from 2pm to 6pm , was quite hard with the kids specially when the dark started but is no ones fault , no even the neighbours had . I tried to get in touch to find out if there is a generator or something but apart from I will try to find out from agency I haven’t heard anything. We was lucky that the electricity went back before the night, otherwise I don’t know how we would have been able the sleep in cold as everything is electric. Apart from all mentioned we had a wonderful time and we will be happy to return but I hope improvements will be made in the mean time. I recommend to go and see the waterfall , for us was like an adventure but we really enjoyed.

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