Take Five

Third time visiting this cottage and it doesn’t disappoint.

Extremely well equipped in a perfect location. Added bonus of off street parking for Ambleside. We look forward to returning next year

What a wonderful week in a beautiful apartment.

Well equipped lots of room, main bedroom gorgeous and we parked the car and didn’t use it. We could walk into Ambleside in minutes and the buses were so handy. I am missing the fantastic view from the lounge window and patio so we’ll have to return. Thank you.

Take Five was everything we hoped it would be.

An amazing spacious property, with such incredible views, just 5 mins from the shops at Ambleside. The Christmas decorations were such a lovely touch - thank you. We definitely hope to go there again soon.

We’ve stayed at this property several times.

Slightly disappointed this visit due to evidence of pet hairs etc found in various areas of the house.

A really lovely property, easy walking distance into Ambleside.

Beautiful views out over the fells and really well equipped.

We loved your lovely home well equipped and good position.

Very private well back from the road and great views from those windows. A good size for our group of five and small dog. Not for publishing just Info for owner / sykes. There were dirty towels left in the small bedroom and a broken glass and TV flickering . The smoke alarm beeped during Tuesday night which we reported. We think someone came but went off again on Friday morning 4.30 to 7.30. Also does the extractor work in the main bathroom . It was very steamy.

Lovely stay at Take Five.

Couple things I would like to mention. Extract fan in main bathroom ? Working. Also would be nice if there was a hot tub. We enjoyed our stay.

Great location and the parking is an obvious bonus.

Open plan layout of living/ kitchen / dining rooms is good for a group holiday.

Lovely property that was well equipped, great location with an easy walk into the centre of Ambleside.

Would definitely stay here again.

Beautiful, high quality holiday home.

Great location, Ambleside on the doorstep, but still felt like you were out of town with lovely countryside views. Loved the open plan kitchen/living area, sociable and suited our family group. Lovely master bedroom too with views to wake up to from the big windows. Nice grounds to walk around, even if shared, but there was nobody else around when we were out there. We would definitely return!

This was our second visit to take 5 and it didn’t disappoint.

The cottage is really well equipment in an excellent location we look forward to returning again soon.

Avoid this property like the plague.

We received an email which was instigated by the owners accusing us of damaging the worktop and threatening us with the cost of repairs. The fact the damage was present when we arrived wasn't taken in to account. We then attempted to discuss this with the agent which was vurtually impossible. We tried to call on two occasions and after 40 and 30 minute wait we finally got through. After a further week we are yet to hear anything. Both the owners and parent company Sykes seem to lack any level of customer service whatsover. We will never use this company again.

Fantastic property in a great location, very close to town centre.

The views were just amazing. The property is set back on the main road and very quiet you do not hear the traffic once in the property. 6 adults plus one dog stayed for a week the house was very dog friendly with a short stroll to a great walk where you can let your dog of the lead safely. The house was very warm and spacious. The balcony was great for all where you can just relax and enjoy the views. Beds were very comfy and very clean, the internal windows needed a good clean. We would definitely visit again and highly recommend to our friends.

Nice place but don’t take the dog!

Lesketh How is a large Lakeland property with wraparound gardens. It has been divided into six separate units, two being holiday lets and the remaining four permanent or semi-permanent homes. As a dog owner, when booking a holiday home, I always seek a dog friendly place with its own garden. From the advert and photographs ‘Take Five’ appeared to satisfy both criteria. It does NOT! On entering the property, the first thing we saw was this notice: - “Dear Guests and Dog lovers, The grounds around the house are private. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and all poop must be scooped. We have had complaints that some dogs have been worrying the muntjac deer and their babies in the grounds. Due to this, and dog fouling, we will now be deducting £100 from your deposit if we receive complaints about your stay. Many thanks for your cooperation. Jane” N.b. Male Muntjac deer have long fangs and sharp antlers which can inflict serious damage to a dog. Had I been aware of the situation at this property before booking and paying the relevant fees, which I should have been, then I’d never in a million years have booked this property. In fairness to the permanent residents, who I learned are not happy with some irresponsible dog owners, if I lived there, I’d be complaining too. The place is simply not appropriate for dogs. The actual property is by and large as described in the advert. It’s in an ideal location for Ambleside and some great Lakeland walks. It is clean and very well equipped with a wide range of kitchen paraphernalia. There are some lovely views from the living/patio area and the main upstairs bedroom. A matter not shown or referred to in the advertising of this property is a stile that has been erected from the patio area onto the ‘private’ gardens. Presumably access for maintenance. It’s a high climb on the patio side with a very significant drop on the garden side. Near the foot of the stile on the garden side is the thick wooden base of a step. Anyone climbing this stile and losing their balance i.e. a child could sustain a serious injury. I booked this property to celebrate an important anniversary. Put simply I didn’t get what I thought I’d paid for which took the shine off the week. My perception is that this property is being mis marketed and managed. It’s unfair to dog owners and the permanent residents of Lesketh How. It’s a great place for adults and older children but no place to take a dog!

This is a really lovely property.

However I am unable to give it a good review because as the owner knows when we arrived (after a very long and tiring trip) the heating was not working in the living room/kitchen dining room. It was not easy to get in touch with anyone - only through the app. Sykes did send someone but it was going to be a big job to fix so fortunately he gave us some heaters which made it ok. But then we were contacted to have it fixed. This was not acceptable to us during our first week there, so we just coped with the electric heaters. It was fixed one day while we were out. The owner should have made sure the heating was working BEFORE guests arrived - especially in the winter! Additionally towards the end of our stay the forecourt was having work done on it and dug up. We were given no warning of this. It is such a shame because the actual property would have been really comfortable and lovely but it's not possible to enjoy somewhere without heating and when parts of it are being worked on. Very disappointing. Also - but not the owners fault - contacting Sykes is not very easy. There should have been a phone number for DIRECT emergency contact with the owner.

Lovely property in a cracking location on the edge of Ambleside (just a five minute stroll to the centre).

House is beautifully finished and had everything we needed for a relaxing break. Will definitely come again.

I have written a testimonial on the trail of the messages of our account Thank you

Amazing property that blew us away when we arrived.

The photos do not do it justice. So peaceful even though you’re on the main road. The house was equipped with everything we needed and it was so handy to have extras like Tupperware etc that we used for picnics and days out. Really comfy beds and thick curtains. Fantastic appliances. Incredible location, Ambleside is only a short walk away with lovely pubs, bakeries and shops. We loved the Apple pie bakery and flying fleece pub! All round a brilliant place to stay and we would highly recommend to anyone looking to stay in the Lake District.

This is a stunning property with amazing views and we had a wonderful stay.

However… The building was covered with a huge amount of ugly scaffolding right up to and around the front door which made finding and accessing the key box very difficult. The key box is round the side and not visible. We had no prior warning of scaffolding which also obscured the windows/view from hallway & landing. The property isn’t a house with a garden so it is not dog friendly (the pictures imply it has a garden). You cannot just open the door to let the dog out. The gardens are private and dogs must be kept on a lead. The property would be more accurately described as being one of a number of apartments with its own entrance, and part of a large old house. I thought I had booked a detached house with a garden. There were no instructions with regard to the heating and it was extremely cold. That aside, the fixtures and fittings and soft furnishings are just beautiful, the kitchen has everything you may need and more, the views from the master bedroom were stunning and I would thoroughly recommend this property (just don’t take the dog!)

An excellent property, well situated for the lakes and had all the facilities required for a great stay.

Enjoyable seeing all the wildlife around the property when relaxing after a days walking.

Thank you for a enjoyable stay, your house is gorgeous!

! The house had everything we could of hoped for including board games which we forgot to bring with us! The beds are super comfy too. The short stroll into Ambleside with all the pubs & restaurants was great. We loved the location & did a walk to Wansfell pike, waterfalls & Rydal caves. We accidently parked in the wrong spaces as arrived at dusk, in the snow. But moved them once we realised. (Sorry neighbour)!! Thank you :)

Take Five is a beautiful high end holiday home, the finishing are excellent and the house itself it stunning.

Massive kitchen, dining, living space plus utility. 3 good size bed rooms and the bathrooms are excellent. It has everything you could need in the kitchen (minus a pizza cutter) The views are fabulous and the parking is off road and safe The only slight drawback is the lack of lighting outside when navigating the steps and carpark

Great place to stay.

Beautiful accommodation and wonderful location with views of the fells and easy access to Ambleside. Perfect for us!

Our second stay here in as many months and overall it is fantastic.

However, during our last stay I informed Sykes that the front bell didn’t work - on my second visit it was still broken. The speakers don’t work and because the TV is poor quality and small for such a generous room it’s not a great experience. The house needs a thorough dusting, it’s generally well cleaned but not well dusted. A chocolate bar wrapper behind the sofa in November was still there a month later! The small bedroom mattress cover is horribly stained. The tumble dryer function didn’t work. Only one loo roll per bathroom! This seems so mean especially when you consider this is a premium priced property. However, on the whole it’s a super property, comfortable and well equipped. The views are lovely and it’s beautifully warm. The kitchen is easy to work in, the sofa great quality and despite my few gripes I would book a third time. Attention to a few of the issues would make this place superb.

We were impressed with the very high equipment level which had clearly been given much thought and was appreciated.

The house itself is in a lovely location with convenient access to Ambleside and to good walking in the area. It was a little unfortunate that we only found the "Red Folder" in a cupboard just before we left and so struggled a little bit with some of the white goods. Whilst not a major obstacle, it would help if it was left in a more visible place. One thing we did notice was that the door seal of the washing machine was not clean and our efforts to clean it were not successful. Further attention is recommended.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

The property is excellently decorated and the amount of utensils in the kitchen surpassed expectations, along with the excellent quality of same! Our only beef is the pillows which are very poor quality and affected our sleep and comfort. Very thin and no bounce. This was surprising when compared with the fact all other furnishings were from quality shops like John Lewis or Joseph Joseph. We strongly suggest they are replaced with better quality ones to make this property perfect. One reason we chose Take Five was its proximity to Ambleside which worked really well with a c7 min walk into the village so we cld all enjoy the pubs and restaurants with noone having to drive..it was perfect for that too.

A lovely house in a lovely location, with beautiful views, and just a short walk to Ambleside with some very nice restaurants and a good selection of shops.

We found the duvets a little thick for the time of year and the shower pressure in the en-suite was low, but overall we had a very enjoyable stay at Take Five.

The house was too warm especially at night and it wasn’t clear how to do anything about it.

Also it was rather unusual to find there was no ‘normal’ teapot. It wasn’t possible to make ‘Tetley’ (other teas are available!) in the one provided.

Fantastic property in an excellent location, it's an easy stroll into the centre of Ambleside, and lovely walks into the beautiful surroundings area right on the doorstep.

It's probably the best equipped accomodation we've stayed in and the kitchen/diner/lounge was just perfect for 6 friends enjoying a weekend break. Thank you Take Five.

We thought the property was outstanding, so light and spacious with beautiful views especially at the front.

We had our Coronation tea on the veranda. It was a memorable stay. Everything we needed was there. Fabulous!

The cottage was amazing with all that you required being provided.

Already looking at when we can return

Fabulous property, very well equipped, however for 6 people for a week, there were no spare toilet rolls or even a paper kitchen towel.

The property was warm and very spacious, we were impressed with the cd collection and music system, the weather was very poor but the benefit of large windows provided lots of light and beautiful views.

Fabulous property in a perfect location with a stunning view!

It was beautifully furnished and very well equipped with plenty of space, we loved it! The best place we’ve holidayed at in the Lakes and we’ve been to tons….we didn’t want to leave!

This was our second stay at Take Five and the impact of the property, the cleanliness, location and local amenities, restaurants was exactly the same as the first time.

There is nothing not to like about this property, it is literally perfect in every way (although my wife says a hot tub on the terrace would tip it even more). There are some superb local restaurants which are a short walk away, superb walks nearby (coffin walk to Grasmere, Loughrigg Fell, Loughrigg walk to Chesters to name but a few). We had said that we probably wouldn't return in 2023, with a possible break in Europe instead on the cards, after 1 day we had decided against that and are already booked for next year. Amazing place!

what can we say, the house is just great, beatifull yet very practical, can imagine with better weather so we could have enjoyed the terrace.

..also very close to town and to some of the walks, so very recommended!

We chose this property as our pre-wedding venue and post wedding location for a small, select family gathering.

Probably the most outstanding place we’ve ever stayed in the Lakes. Absolutely everything was provided that one could have possibly needed, the location & ambience are excellent, and in our case, it was only a 5 minute drive from Cote How on Rydal Water - our wedding venue. An outstanding holiday home !

A great property, very spacious and in a fabulous location very near the village but far enough away to feel relaxed.

The facilities were great and had everything we could need. Would definitely return and recommend a stay here. We were lucky enough to see the deer in the grounds and could see them come right up to the window in the top hall - wonderful.

Lovely property that is well appointed and equipped.

Fab location and views. Beds are too hard. Would benefit from toppers. Very disappointing that the EV charge point can’t be used

The balcony and the view: fabulous!

On the final night, the house alarm went off just after midnight.

Owen was brilliant, actually coming out in the middle of the night to fix it after two and a half hours. However, the fact remains that through no fault of our own the final night of our stay was ruined by lack of sleep. Look forward to receiving your proposal for some compensation.

The house is simply stunning, beautifully furnished, spotlessly clean and you could not ask for a better position with a ten minute amble in to Ambleside a pleasure to allow for a nice evening meal without driving being a necessity.

Sky TV is listed as being available, but we could not find a remote for this, so unsure if this is the case, or if we simply overlooked a controller in a unit somewhere. Would this put us off though? Absolutely not! In fact we are already trying to work out dates for us to return. I've already recommended the house to friends and work colleagues.