Dovecot Cottage

33 Customer Reviews

• "A lovely cosy cottage with everything you need supplied in a small space ."

  The only thing that would improve the space for dog owners would be a gate to the garden to make it secure. We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend the location of the cottage is perfect .

  Reviewed by Janet5.0★Apr 2024

• "Dovecot cottage is small and compact but for two people and a small dog this was an ideal property."

  The cottage is well equipped and furnished. The location is simply stunning with hidden gems of waterfalls and panoramic landscapes literally on the doorstep. Instructions on how to find the property were spot on and key code and other information delivered via emails were extremely thorough. The steps to the upper floor are almost vertical, much like on a boat and so you do need to be fairly agile to climb them, although there is an outside set of stone steps that could be used. A couple of dripping taps could be easily fixed. We had an amazing few days in Dovecot cottage. Grasmere village is a ten minute walk away and with so many places to visit, walks to undertake and easily accessible lakes to explore, this really was a fantastic place to stay.

  Reviewed by Karen5.0★Apr 2024

• "We had a lovely stay just before Easter."

  Very friendly communication with the owner. Nice quiet spot but still an easy walk in to town for cafes and restaurants. Walking routes from front door and good bus service was convenient as we had no car with us.

  Reviewed by Robert5.0★Mar 2024

• "It was lovely."

  Really comfortable bed and such a beautiful view. The cleanliness wasn't quite there (some food bits in dish drainer) but otherwise wonderful! Such a peaceful location.

  Thank you for taking the time to write this review. Yes, the view from the cottage is very special. In the summer, the chairs outside are a lovely suntrap, so do come back later in the year and enjoy the view from there. Tucked up against the woods, it is very peaceful. I'm so sorry about the dish drainer. We have reported it to Lakelovers (who are responsible for the cleaning) and hopefully that won't happen again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by David4.4★Feb 2024

• "First of all, we did enjoy our stay, it's a wonderful location and ideally placed for exploring the area without having to drive."

  The facilities that have been fitted into a very compact space are excellent, and the property is well fitted out - the custom carpentry is very impressive! The kitchen has everything that could be needed, with the single exception of a rolling pin (I used a wine bottle). Both the bathroom and the bedroom suffer from very low ceilings. The photos in the listing do show both rooms as they are, but it's difficult to get an idea of just how little headroom there is from the images. It's not possible to sit up in bed and have a cup of tea, for instance, as the ceiling is too low. The bed is very comfortable though. In the bathroom the only oart of the room which allows a normal sized adult to stand up is the strip between the door and the toilet - other than that bending over is required - an inconvenience when using the sink. When we arrived there was a cleaning welcome pack - nice idea, but not well executed. It had dishwasher tablets (there is no dishwasher) and bin bags that were far too big for the small pedal bin in the kitchen, and no washing up liquid. This was rectified with a trip to the co-op, but the contractors doing the servicing were clearly not paying attention. Also there was one roll of tolet paper provided - this is not enough for two people, for a week. It was a nice touch to put up some festive decorations, we appreciated it. Although we came prepared as we have a log burner at home, it would also be a nice touch to have an initial supply of kindling & logs for at least one night. The information pack with local walks was very useful and got us to do some walks we wouldn't otherwise have attempted. But why in the list of pubs & restaurants is there no mention of the Swan? It's the nearest & we had a very good Christmas dinner there!

  Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review and for your very positive score. I'm glad you enjoyed the location. We love the fact that you can walk from the door in every direction. Unfortunately, yes, the ceilings upstairs are rather low! We have tried to make it clear in the description - I'm sorry they were lower than expected. Our other property, Fir Tree, is just in front of Dovecot. It benefits from the same location but with higher ceilings. Do come back and try it out. I'm afraid Lakelovers only offer the one welcome pack option and it no longer includes washing-up liquid. (I hope you were able to use the dishwasher tabs at home.) Unfortunately, we do not live close enough to enhance what Lakelovers can supply. We will try and leave a bottle of washing-up liquid when we visit, but it won't necessarily last for many guests. It is rather frustrating. Lakelovers also cannot supply wood or set the fire so we are reliant on guests leaving the fire ready for the next people. The Swan only reopened this summer after being closed for many years. We need to update our list of pubs and add it. Thank you for the nudge. We had a lovely meal at the Yan (up the road past The Travellers Rest) last time we were up - we will add that to the information too. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Steve4.7★Dec 2023

• "Our second stay at this wonderful place, only just made it because of the snow, luckily you don’t need a car, amazing walks in the snow and cozy nights by the fire."

  Booked again for next year.

  Thank you for your lovely review and score. I'm so glad you like the cottage as much as we do and that you're coming back for another visit. If you want to come with a larger group, our other cottage, Fir Tree, is just in front of Dovecot and sleeps six. Lucky you with the snow. Hopefully you'll have good weather for your next visit too. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Dec 2023

• "Would highly recommend this quirky comfortable cottage, especially when the sun shines in the afternoon creating a gorgeous glow through the dove cotes onto the landing."

  Great facilities wood burning stove, very comfortable bath, looking out of the window whilst laying in bed and watching red squirrels. Also a lovely footpath adjacent to the property taking you up on a beautiful woodland path that brings you down to Rydal water.

  Thank you so much for taking to the time to write this kind review. Ah - the bliss of enjoying the countryside without getting out of bed. I'm so glad you liked the cottage and the lovely local walks, and that you got to see the red squirrels. The Grasmere Red Squirrel Group (who have put up, and keep stocked, red squirrel feeders in the garden of Dovecot and Fir Tree, our cottage just in front of Dovecot) have managed to double the red squirrel population in Grasmere over the last 12 months! Property Owner

  Reviewed by James5.0★Oct 2023

• "Very good directions enabled us to find property easily after a long drive."

  Cottage as described. Very quirky. Very clean. Kitchen very well equipped. Bed very comfy and bed linen clean and fresh. Lovely bath. We really enjoyed our stay. The walks from the door were amazing. Village very close by. Our few days were a great experience.

  Thank you so much for your review. We're delighted you enjoyed the cottage. I think you might have been very lucky with the weather, too. Did you manage to spot any red squirrels during your stay. Yes, we love the fact that you can walk from the door all week. We hope you come back another time. Property Owner

  Reviewed by jane5.0★Oct 2023

• "On arrival we noticed that the cottage could have been cleaned better, there was dirt/ dust on stairs and the cottage did not smell nice & fresh."

  Also on the first night I was woken up by rodent activity above the ceiling in the bedroom ! As the ceiling here is very near you and its wooden then the noise was quite obtrusive ! This happened every night and as a result I did not get any sleep, this ruined our holiday as you can imagine. The central heating system also switched on every 20 mins or so throughout the night. A maintenance guy came out to inspect the boiler and he was made aware of the rodent activity. I did complain to Lakelovers but nothing was done and no compensation has been offered on our return. So if you like good sleep, then I would can not recommend to stay here.

  Reviewed by Mark2.5★Sep 2023

• "We loved our stay here."

  We woke up to five red squirrels in the garden, getting some nuts from the box. It was very cozy and accurately listed. Excellent walks straight from the door. Highly recommend.

  We are delighted you enjoyed your stay and thank you for taking the time to write this lovely review. We frequently see red squirrels on that feeder - but never five at a time! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Emily5.0★Aug 2023

• "What a gorgeous little place, fantastic setting just a short walk into Grasmere yet peaceful and very scenic."

  The layout was quirky and cozy. Our dog loved the garden and all the long walks. We can also recommend the newly refurbished Swan Hotel, just a couple of minutes walk, for excellent food and very dog friendly. We loved Dovecott Cottage so much we have already booked another week later in the year.

  Thank you for your kind comments, we are so pleased to see that you and your dog had an enjoyable stay! We hope to welcome you again. The Heart of the Lakes Owner Relations Team. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Stephen4.4★May 2023

• "Wow what an amazing little place so unique absolutely loved it I’m only 5 foot so everything was perfect for me."

  The cottage was so well preserved and the garden was amazing lovely views and beautiful surroundings. We had everything we needed for our holiday and our dog got very settled straight away. We will definitely be coming back.

  Thank you so much for taking the trouble to give us this lovely feedback. We do hope that you and your dog come back soon. Taller guests can be reassured that one of our owners is 6ft6" and loves staying at Dovecot as there are no low doorways. There are sloping ceilings in the bathroom and bedroom, but he does not find these an inconvenience. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jacqueline5.0★May 2023

• "Great location and nice and closed to places to eat and drink."

  Bonus was seeing a Red squirrel

  Delighted you enjoyed the location - the combination of fantastic walking from the door and being an easy stroll from Grasmere is one of the things we love about the cottage. We also saw red squirrels in February. There is a feeder outside the bedroom window. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Adrian5.0★Feb 2023

• "Quirky, wonderfully peaceful location."

  Well thought out inside. A gem of a property for anyone who enjoys something different. Highly recommend and easy access to lots of beautiful walks. We will definitely be booking again.

  Thank you for your lovely feedback. The walking from the door is amazing: from Fairfield and Helvellyn in one direction, to Helm Crag, Easedale Tarn and Silver How in the other. Plus our favourite winter walk of Alcock Tarn and then on to the Badger Bar via the Coffin route and back around Rydal. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Lorraine4.4★Nov 2022

• "Hi I stayed at the devoted cottage form the 9th to 13th of nov."

  Found it lovely as a little hide away with all the old furnishings on the out of the cottage. Though when we went inside we saw a ladder for stairs which yes it different and I no there is another door to access the bedroom but not every one wants to going around and in and out all the time just to go up stairs. Also the bath is lovely just wish I could of brought it home with me but not the shower part haha. I like the chair in the Corner we’re you could do under hair or makeup ect. All in all we had a really good time in the local villages and doing local thinks. Thinks we come up to lakes again. Many thanks Charlotte and bill

  Thank you, Charlotte and Bill, for your feedback. We are delighted you enjoyed Grasmere and Dovecot Cottage. The internal stairs are steep but we do make a real effort to show what they are like on the website. Glad you enjoyed the bath - it is amazing for a long soak after a day on the fells. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Charlotte3.4★Nov 2022

• "A lovely little cottage in a great location, we had a really good stay"

  We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay at Dovecot. The location is very good: being able to do so many challenging, and gentle, walks straight from the door whilst also being a short stroll from Grasmere village. Hope you visit again soon! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kevin5.0★Nov 2022

• "Dovecot Cottage was an absolute delight!"

  It’s a beautiful and characterful place that was a perfect for our anniversary weekend get-away. We appreciated the love and craftsmanship that has clearly gone into this place. Highly recommend :)

  So glad that you had a lovely time at Dovecot for your anniversary weekend and that you clearly enjoyed the place as much as we do. We have made quite a few small improvements over the last year and the original design is beautifully thought out and executed, as you say. Hope to see you again soon. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jodeine5.0★Oct 2022

• "I think the ladders in the property should be more accurately detailed."

  Stunning cottage never wanted to leave

  Thank you very much for your review. We had already asked for new pictures of the stairs on the listing and these have now gone live. The stairs are steep so we do want everyone to have a good understanding of this before they book. So pleased you enjoyed your stay! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Emma4.4★Aug 2022

• "It's exactly what I hoped it would be, very quirky and cosy in a beautiful area near enough to walk into Grasmere."

  I would love to stay again sometime.

  I'm so glad you enjoyed your stay. Thank you so much for your positive feedback. I imagine you had fantastic weather. I hope you were able to spend some time sitting outside the front of the cottage to enjoy the views of mountains and red squirrels. Please do come back. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jill5.0★Aug 2022

• "Beautiful cottage bit of a struggle for me with mobility issues but spotted the side door to upstairs then I was fine."

  Fantastic grounds my pooch loved it. We will return x

  Thank you for taking the time to give us this useful feedback. After some issues, we now have new cleaners and I think you would notice a marked improvement if you came back. We've also recently had some work done on the outside stairs, so I'm delighted to hear that you found them useful. I hope you and your pooch will be back again soon. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Joanne3.4★Jun 2022

• "This property is a little gem well equipped very clean the only down side of it would be the stairs being more upright but it's very understanding cause of the size of the gap between the entrance and where the stair case is."

  I wouldn't recommend an elderly couple or any one with stair difficulties because of stairs and using the other entrance to the upper part of the cottage. We are looking forward to coming back to this cottage our dog had a great time to when we got home the dog was upset and was very miserable we think it was cause we come home. Thanks. Mr & Mrs Dawes ( Elizabeth)

  Thank you for your lovely feedback. I'm delighted that you liked the cottage. There is an outside staircase that goes up the bedroom, and we've recently worked on improving this. I do hope you and your dog will be back soon. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Elizabeth5.0★Jun 2022

• "I you like quirky this cottage is the place for you nice location quite local to Grassmere only a ten minute walk away"

  Thank you for your lovely feedback. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Anthony5.0★May 2022

• "This is our 4th time staying at the Dovecot, needless to say we love it."

  I'm delighted to find out that there is now somewhere to store my bike(s). The Dovecot is comfy & cosy, it is small but this well advertised & part of the appeal, though probably not great if you're tall or have limited mobility. The kitchen is compact but well stocked. The new hanging hooks proved useful. Nice garden, beautiful views from upstairs & we were visited by the resident red squirrels again.

  Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. Delighted to hear that you like the new hooks and bike storage. We stay in the cottage ourselves as often as we can and love to sit in the garden in the morning watching the squirrels and enjoying the view. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Harvey4.7★May 2022

• "We loved our week in the Dovecote ; from the setting to the wonderful quirky interior."

  We barely used our car all week as there were so many walks we could do from the doorstep; Helm Crag, Alcock Tarn, Easdale tarn up to Castle Howe, the Coffin trail to Ambleside and the Bluebell woods. The interior, although small was very well designed and there were plenty of places to hang wet clothes, store walking boots etc downstairs. My favourite part of the cottage was the dressing area in the dovecote and being able to sit outside in the garden and enjoy the view.

  Reviewed by Eliza5.0★Apr 2022

• "I have no idea why the agency sent us an email about we refuse to leave the property which was very rude and impolite."

  Many corners in the cottage we’re covered with spider web, but the rest is nice.

  Thank you for your feedback. When our cleaner turned up at the property at 10:45am, you were still in the property. You had stated you thought check out was the day after however when we explained this, you checked out at 12 which is 2 hours after the check out time stated. This is the reason an email was sent to you however we do apologise if you thought this was rude. Had you told us about the cleaning issues when you arrived we could have rectified these however you never called to inform us of this. We hope to welcome you back again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Lu-chin3.4★Jan 2022

• "While the cottage was just what I was looking for, in many ways, there were a few niggles that had a big impact."

  The listing said that the price included electricity and fuel. When I arrived at the cottage I saw no fire wood for the burner. When I called the office, they said that I would need to buy my own, with the nearest place selling appropriate fuel being 12 miles away. This meant that my first night (of two) was without a fire. The heating and hot water pump made a LOT of noise. This meant that I had to turn it off over night, so as to allow myself to sleep. As such, the mornings were VERY cold. The description of where to park was a little confusing. I ended up turning into the "drive" only to find out that this was not the space. It then took me forever to get out, as there was no suitable egress. While I take my share of responsibility for this, it would make sense to put a barrier across that particular entry and make the signage more obvious and visible.

  Thank you for this useful feedback. We bought the cottage in 2021 and are working to improve it. I'm sorry to hear that the heating was noisy. We are up at the cottage next week and will investigate. We will also try and make it clearer where to park. I think blocking off the drive (perhaps with a post) is a good idea. Thank you. We don't provide wood for the wood burning stove as it is not possible to manage the supply on a week by week basis. We will make this clearer in the listing. I hope you were warmer the second night and will return for a smoother visit another day. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jan3.4★Dec 2021

• "It was just a beautiful magical stay."

  Perfect on the run up to Xmas because the town was so beautifully festive. Next time we are planning to stay for longer 2 nights wasn’t quite enough.

  Thank you for your feedback. That's lovely to hear. Please do come back. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Leigh5.0★Nov 2021

• "Perfect for an unusual and cosy escape, with excellent views of the fells opposite and original dovecote features."

  Everything you’d want after a days walking. Easy access back onto Fairfield and only a short walk into Grasmere. The dovecote is surrounded by woods with red squirrels and the occasional tawny owl at dusk - a wonderful place!

  Thank you for this kind review. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed the walks and views from the door. The red squirrels are usually out and about in the morning but it is very special to have seen a tawny owl. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Victoria4.7★Nov 2021

• "Unfortunately the cottage was extremely poky, and certainly not worth the money charged."

  The one excellent thing was the sightings of red squirrels, unfortunately there was no food left where it should have been.

  Owner response: Thank you for your comments. We stay in Dovecot a lot ourselves and while it is definitely cosy, we find it perfect for two people for a week and the walking from the door is amazing. Very pleased you saw the delightful red squirrels. Unfortunately there was an influx of grey squirrels the week you stayed and the feed had to be removed to protect the reds. This constant work is why we donate to the local protection group every time the cottage is booked. We hope to have the feeder back soon. Property Owner

  Reviewed by John2.2★Oct 2021

• "It’s very overpriced for what it is should be £450 per week maximum."

  Having said that we had a great week walking over 60 miles I wouldn’t like to spend a lot of time in there it’s very dark small windows. Red squirrels

  Delighted to hear that the red squirrels were out and about and that you managed to get so much walking in. There are great walks to do from the door in every direction � even Helvellyn. The cottage is built in a style sympathetic to the 17th cottage next door and therefore it has traditionally small windows. It does get the morning sun but perhaps it might feel a bit dark on a dull day in the afternoon. We have replaced the light bulbs with brighter ones downstairs, so hopefully that will make it brighter. Grasmere is a very sought after part of the Lakes with its excellent walking and great eating options. The price of Dovecot reflects the current market and is monitored by Heart of the Lakes and takes into consideration the secluded location near Grasmere, the views as well as the accommodation itself. The Owner. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Wes2.8★Sep 2021

• "Whilst the cottage was charming and perfectly located."

  Also we understood quirky. The sheer physicality of getting in and out of the bath was almost impossible and triggered a bout of sciatica for me.

  We are delighted you enjoyed the cottage's situation and quirky character. The bathroom ceiling does slope and while the bath is nice and big, the ceiling slope means that you can only get in and out at one end. This can be slightly awkward for taller guests. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Peter3.4★Aug 2021

• "First evening there was a leak coming through kitchen ceiling from bathroom above."

  Maintenance came next day said it was from faulty radiator valve, but this worried us immensely due to electric points where the water came through. Cottage considerably smaller than anticipated, stairs very steep and outside ones slippy and one loose another health and safety concern

  Since this review was written we have had all the radiator valves replaced and there have been no further leaks. The description of the cottage shows pictures of the layout and mentions the steep stairs and these will not suit everyone. We bought Dovecot in May and plan to improve the terracing to the side of the cottage in due course; however it should be noted that it is not necessary to access this area while staying. The Owner Property Owner

  Reviewed by Graham3.8★Aug 2021

• "Stayed at the Dovecot before, great cosy little cottage."

  Only issues were the ash bin wasn't anywhere to be found

  Delighted you enjoyed another stay in Dovecot. Unfortunately we had to remove the ash bin as guests were using it for general waste. Cold ash can be bagged and placed in the main bin. The Owner Property Owner

  Reviewed by Harvey4.4★May 2021

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