The Haven

A charmless cottage with barely adequate facilities.

No welcome pack and very confused instructions about everything. Clearly previous guests had tried to fill the gaps. Also on arrival 6 light bulbs were out and the standard lamp in the lounge was broken; there was also dirty cutlery in the dishwasher. Barely adequate cooking facilities meant improvising containers to cook (e.g. No casserole dish), no trays, only one chopping board, so it had to be washed between cutting chicken and veg for example. On top of this the shower was only ever lukewarm, the beds were uncomfortable, the drawers on some dressers would not open. Furthermore...No Wi-Fi. Overall, definitely not worth what I paid for the week and I would not recommend.

Biggest issue was no WiFi!

Never even crossed out mind until there wasn't any. We went to check and only then saw the negative comments about it. It is 2025 NOT 1925! I had work to do and missed an important meeting. This alone will make me not stay again.

This was our third stay at The Haven and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The bungalow had been decorated since our last stay and looked fresh and clean - the carpets had also been cleaned. The bungalow is ideally situated for Keswick centre which is about 10 minutes walk away and handy for dog walks in the nearby woods. It has space for 2 medium sized cars and a decent back garden for sitting in the sun (it’s a sun trap!). We had excellent weather all week and were sad to leave but we’ll definitely be back.

Ideally situated for what we wanted to do,,, no need to use the car.

A very quiet area we just loved every minute of our stay there with the dog's. The only suggestion l would like to offer would be maybe to have WiFi installed. Thank you to the owner allowing us to stay x

Not enclosed, therefore not good for dogs.

Good location for town and walking the dog. Accommodation very poor. Dirty carpets. Bedding old and duvets not warm enough. No extra bedding. Utensils very poor. Chipped plates, only 3 wine glasses, 4 teaspoons etc. Needs work doing to it. Should not really be let out in current state.

The lack of cleanliness that others commented on seemed rather to be the old property in need of some tlc as it was a little run down.

Chips in the skirting board and wall were understandable as it was the Lakes and guests are likely walkers. The rust on the light switches and crackle of electricity were a bit more worrying with other areas being affected from damp and rust. Unfortunately for us the flowers had an allergic reaction with our dog.. The views of Catbells and Walla Crag were outstanding on clear days and we used our own mobile data easily enough during the stay making wifi unecessary for us.

The bungalow was not as clean as expected and the carpets definitely need a deep clean.

The garden wasn't secure for an inquisitive dog and he had to be kept on a lead at all times. The location was excellent for walking into Keswick and the surrounding areas. More visitor information would be helpful in the folder, especially bin collection days. Overall, we had a fantastic week in the Lakes and would return to the bungalow.

This was our second start at The Haven and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The bungalow is comfortable and warm with parking for 2 cars which is a must. It is well located for walking into Keswick centre and handy for dog walks into the woods. The garden is nice and private and a sun trap in the afternoons. However, the bungalow could do with a freshen up with a lick of paint and maybe the carpets given a clean. The double bedroom does smell a little musty/foisty plus the bed needs new pillows and a larger duvet but, all in all, a nice play to stay and it didn’t detract from our holiday. We will definitely be back in the future.

Happy with the cottage clean and comfortable and a really lovely kitchen and garden.

Fantastic little cottage in a beautiful and practical location.

Easy parking for two cars on the drive which is a big bonus in the lakes. Light and airy rooms and plenty large enough for four plus dog. Great garden for sitting out in and catching the sun all throughout the day. Decent kitchen facilities. Walks straight from the door. No WiFi which is a bonus ( although easy enough to hot spot to a mobile phone if you want it). Only downside was the garden maintenance man who rocked up on the penultimate day, strimmed and mowed (which is no problem) but then sprayed every path with a knapsack weed killer, dripping it everywhere and walking through it onto the lawn. It stunk the garden out. We have a baby and a dog so they couldn’t go outside for the rest of the holiday. Will definitely book again though

Well located bungalow, off street parking for a small car, I’ve got a Yaris and it was tight.

Could have been a bit cleaner but for our short stay we were ok with it. We couldn’t get the oven to work even with the instructions, could also benefit having Wi-Fi an essential these days. I don’t want to sound negative we really enjoyed our stay.

House riddled with black mold and condensation down walls.

.. Blinds sitting thick with dust Gardens not enclosed Broken table I slept in living room the whole.week as bedrooms have black.mold.

We had read previous negative reviews and we knew were taking a big risk booking this property.

However, we were pleasantly surprised and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It was clean, very cosy and comfortable, it had everything we required and the location was fabulous. We would certainly book The Haven again. Thank you.

Lovely bungalow but very neglected.

Good position. First prob was as soon as I got there loo seat fell off! Living room door splattered with tea or coffee. Carpets stained and dirty. Skirting boards thick with dirt and dust. I cleaned some but didn’t feel like it after 7hrs in the car! Damp smell turned out washing machine was blocked half full with dirty water. The sink waste is also blocked water slow to drain away. Oven thermostat is broken burns everything! The dishwasher door is out of line diff to close. End board is swollen with the damp. Shower screen leaks badly floods the floor. Lighting is poor in bathroom for shaving. Blinds are rusted and don’t open. Fan doesn’t work. Pillows have no bounce flat. Boards in bedrooms dusty. Bed a bit lumpy. Cld do with wi fi. No decent tv channels. Can see that the owner furnished the bungalow with good quality goods. Sadly not looked after, all used and abused. Such a shame if it was cleaned up I could live there permanently. Not as it is we both spent the week sneezing! Dust allergy not germs.

The carpet either needs a good clean or replacing in the hall and living room.

All walls and skirting need touching up or painting. The panel next to the dishwasher has blown and is damp, the kitchen smells very damp too. The fridge has a small freezer which was not in the description and the cooker has a gas hob, also different from the description. The pillows on the beds are worn out and thin. The bungalow has a fantastic garden which most people would need it fencing off for safety. Its in a quiet and superb place for views and privacy. Has a lovely kitchen diner and living room. Had a really good relaxing week in your lovely place. Thank you from a sykes owner too

Great Stay again.

Just Feel at Home and relaxed in this property. Will Stay again.

We stayed here in early May 2023.

The bungalow is comfortable, warm and fairly well equipped. There is enough space for 2 cars (we had a Ford Fiesta and a Seat Ibiza). The garden is nice and secluded and a sun trap in the afternoon but doesn’t have a gate so if you have a dog with you best to keep an eye on them when they are outside. It is handy for walking your dog with the woods about 5 minutes away. Keswick main centre is about 10 minutes away. The only slight criticisms we had were that the garden at the front was a bit overgrown, the light carpets could do with a clean, it could do with a lick of paint as the walls and skirting boards are scuffed, the fridge door is very rusty which looks unsightly although it worked fine. The cottage itself wasn’t as clean as I would have expected (I am not a cleaning freak!) however, there was a thick layer of dust on skirting boards, mould on windows in the bathroom and the kitchen table had a thick layer of black grit on it (don’t know where that came from). Despite these slight issues we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will book this cottage again.

We have just returned from a lovely holiday at this property.

The property was very comfortable and the garden was well maintained, with a seating area to enjoy the sunshine and hills.No problems with the heating there are instructions on the boiler how to set it. Fully equipped kitchen with dish washer, washing machine and dryer. It is within walking distance from Keswick and there is lots of things to see and do. We brought our dog with us and she was fine, but be careful as the garden is not well secured and if your dog likes to wander they will get out.Take some dvds with you as there is no internet, this was okay for us.

A lovely cottage.

clean with plenty of room. Loved that their was towels and bedding provided.

We found this property to be spacious, filled with light and well laid out.

There was plenty of parking and a fantastic garden accessorised with lots of seating. The large garden isnt completely secure for dogs, having a gate that the postman leaves open, and no gate on the drive, but easy to watch them from the many kitchen windows, and I didnt feel worried that he would wander out. If you are that worried just go out with them (as you have to clean up anything nasty anyway).The kitchen was well stocked with a comfortable dining area (looking out to the hills and the lake), the sittiing room warm and toasty with great views out to the fells again. We always take our own firestick on holiday and hot spot it to our mobile phones, but there were plenty enough channels on the freeview TV. Had no issues with hot water, with good bath and shower facilities. Boiler and temperature was easy to alter on the digital interface behind the fold down flap, and we didnt get cold despite the heavy snow outside. Loads of radiators to dry wet coats on.The front door latch was a little tricky so we just used the back door all of the time, no problem, and in fact it gave us easier access to the car. Information pack (page) lacked any helpful info but found out that general bin day was Tuesday and recycle bin Thurday by the neighbours activities. Easy to fathom out. There is a number for the local GP in the info page, should anything happen, but they dont see tourists. The walk into town was easy, short and didnt involve any steep hills. The area itself very peaceful, giving instant access to some of Keswick's great walks. Would definately come back again, and recommend it to friends.

It’s taken me almost a week to be able to reply to be honest .

We were looking forward to our Christmas break at the Haven after a five hour drive and were disappointed to arrive at a place which was bitterly cold , unwelcoming and outdated .. The first thing I noticed was the tatty little bit of coir matting trodden into the ground near the front door . Then the only way to open the front door was by my husband putting a hand through the letterbox , and pulling the door towards him and quickly turning the key. ( I couldn’t get it to work at all ) It didn’t improve during the ten days we were there . It was bitterly cold if the heating wasn’t on so through night it was actually terrible . The duvets and pillows should be replaced as they are all so thin that we used every duvet in the place with my padded coat on top because there were no blankets . We are Cumbrian so know how the weather can be esp in December . The main light in the back bedroom didn’t work .. the standard lamp in the sitting room didn’t work . , the end fell off the shower .. Cream cleaning product had dropped down the oven door and looked a real mess . Luckily only two of us stayed so we could use all the bedding in the house on the single beds . However we had hot water and a long bath and the oven and dishwasher worked well . Walking into Keswick was easy and very pleasant but it was such a pity that the Haven itself wasn’t a comfortable or welcoming place to stay in winter We found that people living near by were friendly .. we paid over £1100 pounds and it definitely wasn’t worth it . We knew there was no wifi but we couldn’t even watch much Christmas tv as the freeview was so limited . Such a pity because it has the potential to be a lovely place . L Murray

Damp and mould on the walls.

Excellent property Excellent location would recommend to anyone

Beautiful, clean cottage in a great location.

We have passed on your information to our friends! A wonderful holiday!

Lovely cottage in great location easy walk down in to Keswick or for lovely local walks too.

Quite area. Lovely garden. Lovely view. Could do with a lick of paint as some marks on walls and bits look like started painting and not finished, lots of cobwebs on arrival. Bathroom door lock really sticky so told kids not to lock the door. Overall a wonderful cottage and would love to come back again.

Really enjoyed our stay .

facilities were very good . would stay again. Thanks PS Patio set could do with a coat of paint but still usable Graham,.Anne and scooby

Pro's: The cottage was clean and a good location for nice walks and accessing the town.

There was certainly enough cutlery, crockery, pots etc. Cons: The cottage does have a dampness issue in the bedroom which I could smell and see which needs attended to. Wi fi and better TV channels would add to the holiday experience. Generally a nice little cottage but perhaps in need of some modernisation to make it a bit more luxe and to add to the holiday experience.

The cottage is well equipped and comfortable as well as centrally located for both walks and Keswick but a few things need sorting out:- The fridge's seal is broken and needs replacing as it cannot maintain a good temparature and the freezer compartment melts and leaks onto food in the fridge: this has been reported by other users The path from the drive to the house needs the plants cutting back There is no wifi which would be useful, nor access to iplayer etc.

The single beds are not great for any tall guests..I'm 6ft 2in and it wasn't very comfortable.

Sykes failed to look after me as a customer.

Earlier this year my mother contracted covid and we were unable to bring her for her holiday at the haven in July. Your company requested proof of her illness and I complied, needing to inconvenience a very busy consultant to get a letter from him. I did this and supplied it. A refund was refused several times. Eventually after alot of pushing from me a change of dates was agreed upon for October. This didn't really suit us as a family but it was better than nothing. We stayed three days out of seven at the property which cost over £900. We found it to be a no frills holiday let at a luxury price tag It lacked warmth and charm and some basic facilities . Notwithstanding the background to this holiday, it was disappointing.

We were disheartened when we arrived to an overgrown garden and a welcome mat that was worn into the pathway.

The cleaning performed was fine but there were things just not done - there were areas that didn't seem to get dusted or thoroughly cleaned between changeovers. We wondered how "recent" the refurbishment was. We were looking forward to sitting in the garden but found the garden furniture to be dirty and rusted and therefore unuseable. However this is not meant to be a negative review or list of complaints - we would simply ask for these comments to be considered for the benefit of future guests. We have in the past had many cottage holidays and we enjoyed this time in Keswick. The Haven did have good positive things that added to our enjoyment.

Dirty carpets throughout,mouldy curtains and blinds,rusty and mouldy fridge.

Stained duvets. Cleanliness abysmal. Outside furniture rusty and garden unkempt.customer service non existent and all complaints completely ignored.

Could you change the blurb for this accommodation?

The refurb is not recent but implication of description is that it is in tip top condition (it is quite tired, beds could do with update, water marks on ceiling, flaking paint). Having said that- quiet location, views are nice from front and back. Space in back garden for us to BBQ (brought our own), handy walking distance to centre of Keswick. Enough cups and kitchen stuff for the 4 of us. Really needs Wi-Fi in this day and age!

Garden in poor condition.

Shrub prunings left where they fell. Dead plants in broken pots. Kitchen utensils bare minimum. None stick frying pan? Dirty fly strip left at kitchen window. Also note price increase of around 30% for same week next year. Not worth it.

Shame the property didn't have WiFi and could do with updating a bit but the location was perfect and it was so peaceful we both slept like logs.

After discovering the oven didn’t work we contacted the company and the maintenance guy also wasn’t able to make it work.

Amazingly, on our return to The Haven the following day, we found a note to say he had replaced a part and it was working. He also replace three light bulbs which we felt were a bit high to reach. Very good service.

Lovely bungalow to explore the Lake District.

Have been many times before and will be back. Property well equipped and clean. Thanks Anne & Graham.

Lovely week staying at The Haven Keswick is a great place to explore the Lake District.

Property is well proportioned, clean and well presented. Best wishes