Guests say
Guests have praised Orchard View for its ideal location in Ambleside, cleanliness, and the blend of old charm with modern amenities. The property is well-situated for walking and exploring the Lake District, though some guests noted the low ceilings and suggested improvements in kitchenware and information provision.
The property was consistently described as very clean upon arrival, indicating high standards of cleanliness.
The location is highly appreciated for its quietness, proximity to walking routes, and ease of access to the town centre, making it an ideal base for exploring.
The property is generally comfortable, but there are comments about low ceilings that could be an issue for taller individuals, which slightly affects the comfort score.
Facilities are good with a blend of charm and modernity, but there are several suggestions for additional kitchenware and a guide for the house, indicating room for improvement.
While guests have suggested improvements such as more tea towels and a welcome pack of wood for the stove, there is no mention of gifts or special thoughtful touches provided by the hosts, so this category cannot be scored.
About this property
Orchard View, nestled in the idyllic Lakeland village of Grasmere, is an inviting, four-bedroom barn conversion. Enjoying character features, a peaceful rear garden and easy access to Lake Windermere, Orchard View is a wonderful base for a family and their canine companion seeking a stay in the Lake District. Upon arrival you are greeted by off-road parking before stepping into the sitting room, complete with traditional flagstone flooring and wooden beams, with ample seating positioned around the alluring woodburner, creating a lovely ambiance for relaxing in the evening. Move into the contemporary kitchen/diner, where the head chef can rustle up something tasty assisted by the electric oven and hob, microwave, and fridge/freezer, while the dishwasher comes in handy for the cleaning up! The first bedroom sits downstairs and enjoys a double bed with its own en-suite shower room and has the bonus of its own entrance from the parking area, handy for those guests with limited access. Upstairs lies three further bedrooms, including a master king-size with TV and en-suite shower room, a double and a twin, each tastefully decorated with period features throughout. Concluding the interior is the family bathroom, offering choice of bath or shower over, so you can best decide how to start your morning. Head out to the rear garden, flanked by trees to offer privacy, where you can enjoy a coffee or your favourite tipple. From the door, head down the lane to reach the centre of Grasmere, where you can experience the hustle and bustle as you explore many independent cafés, bars and restaurants – remember to sample the famous Grasmere Ginger Bread! Remember to pack your walking boots as the local area is filled with scenic trails, including Alcock Tarn and the great Helm Crag, or just a stroll down to Grasmere Lake or across White Moss common for the less adventurous. Head to Windermere to uncover further Lakeland delights, including the Brockhole Visitor Centre with its archery, clay shooting and mini golf activities, or wander around the picturesque streets of Ambleside and Keswick, offering their own Lakeland charm at every corner. Choose Orchard View and experience the best of the Lake District.
Situated in the heart of the Lake District National Park is the lovely village of Grasmere, probably best known as the home of William Wordsworth, a place he once described as "The most loveliest spot that man hath found". Any visit to Grasmere needs to include The Grasmere Gingerbread shop, where the Wilson family has been making gingerbread for over 60 years. Also in the village are a number of shops, pubs, a church which dates back to the 13th century, and Grasmere Lake. Grasmere Sports takes place every August, where you can watch participants compete in a variety of sports, including Cumberland wrestling. Just five miles away is the town of Ambleside and Lake Winderemere where you will find shops, pubs, restaurants and the 17th century Bridge House, which is one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District. Cruises, boat trips and watersports can all be enjoyed on Lake Windermere, and the towns of Windermere and Keswick are also within driving distance. Grasmere is a wonderful base for your Lake District retreat.
Accommodation
Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size with TV and en-suite shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x ground-floor double with en-suite shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x double, 1 x twin.
Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC.
Kitchen/diner.
Sitting room with woodburning stove
Gas central heating.
Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washer/dryer.
Smart TV, TV, WiFi.
Fuel and power included in rent (logs are not provided).
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
Off-road parking for 3 cars.
Lawned garden with furniture.
One well-behaved pet welcome.
Sorry, no smoking.
Shop and pub 0.1 miles.
Note: Beware of steps, low beams and uneven floors.
Note: The garden is steep and not fully enclosed so please be careful if letting young children or dog outside unaccompanied.
Note: Logs are not provided at this property.
Reviews (5)
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Sarah
It was clean and warm on arrival. A few things that would enhance our stay would have been a few more tea towels, hand towels in bathrooms, at least 1 dishwasher tab for each day of the booking. The heating was good, but a welcome pack of wood for the stove would be nice. Kitchen was well equipped, plenty of cutlery, glasses, plates etc Great location. The local co/op is being refurbished so there is no where in Grasmere to get provisions. It reopens 28th November. Take some bird seed to fill the feeders.
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Val
It was very clean with a good kitchen/diner. Holiday houses usually have a guide; a few pages of A4, often laminated, with key information on the house and area. It gives a summary of local shops and pubs and restaurants and any peculiarities. Such a guide could have said for example that you move the lever on the kitchen mixer tap to the right for hot water (not standard). There was no such guide. Be aware that the Co-op shop, the only grocery shop in Grasmere, closed on September 28th 2024 for two months. As logs are not provided mention of the âalluring wood-burner, creating a lovely ambianceâ in the details falls a bit flat. A BBQ would be useful in the summer and there are no suitable microwave dishes and only one tea towel was provided. The set of appliance manuals needs to be reduced, removing for example, information relating to a non-existent DVD player, the rug in the living room and the fitted kitchen. The fan in the large bedroomâs en suite runs noisily for about 15 minutes after the light is switched off. The response when we asked Sykes for help was excellent; the toaster started blowing fuses and we had a new one in 30 minutes and the central heating was tweaked remotely when we said we were a bit cold.
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Valerie
Only a couple of points - it might be worth mentioning the low ceilings in the cottage details - we had three gentlemen over 6ft in height who had to be careful in quite a few of the rooms! Also it would be useful to have a few Pyrex dishes in the kitchen for use in the microwave as well as more than one tea towel.