Roa Island House

great location - great house - the family of all ages ( 3 -80) enjoyed the weekend - the decoration was very homely - parking was sufficient ( 3 camping vans and 3 cars) - time of entry and leaving suitable- we felt it wasn't necessary to go anywhere apart from shopping which was done in Barrow 15 minutes away - in conclusion it was FANTASTIC.

The house was spacious with good facilities for cooking, relaxing, spa and games.

The views of the sea were lovely and you could access the sea for swimming or kayaks. There was a shortage of many items that we would expect, e.g. dishwasher tablets, shower soaps, salt and pepper, tea bags, toilet roll, welcome gift. These have low cost but inconvenient when you don’t have them. It also felt like there was more concern for people of the island rather than us as guests, e.g. noise curfew. Overall, good for the price, but could be presented better.

Lovely holiday -accommodation overall very good and as described.

Only few small issues- Lawn grass needed cutting One room bed not made up even though bedding there Emailed as advised and sent a reminder asking for beds downstairs to be zipped together but weren’t Some beds uncomfortable But overall -plenty of equipment and lovely place to stay with large family of varying ages xx

Booked Roa House for our family get together, 14 people and 2 dogs.

Great parking in the property grounds for all the cars. Lots of space for everyone, dogs included, the garden was brilliant. There was lots of kitchen equipment, crockery and cutlery, we managed to cook breakfasts and a Sunday dinner for everyone!! The dining room was excellent, we were all seated together and it made a great social experience. The hot tub and sauna was enjoyed by all as were the games in the sun terrace, alongside spending time with the dogs in the garden space. Nice walk along the causeway and shared cycle track to Barrow. We took the ferry to Piel Island which was fab, although a little choppy on the day we went. All in all it was a lovely holiday in a great house.

Our group consisted of 17 people (10 adults, 7 children including a new born) and 1 dog but Roa Island House accommodated us all comfortably.

The listing is accurate in the main but perhaps under sells certain elements of the property including how well equipped the kitchen is (coffee machines, slow cooker, additional electric hob etc.). The property was very warm throughout and despite its exposed location in the island, was not subject to any substantial impact (leaks, drafts, noise) from the wind or wet weather. The bedrooms and bathrooms were great, with only the ground floor rooms (a double and a triple) sharing a bathroom (though a separate toilet is available). Some of the beds themselves were akin to a small double so may need to be considered during room allocation. We had asked for the ground floor triple to be configured differently (the first floor triple ultimately configured in this way) which was unexpected but not materially impacting to the stay. In terms of bathrooms, having two baths available was great for young children in the group. The additional amenities such as the hot tub and sauna were used throughout the week without issue and the conservatory/games room and garden provided lots of entertainment for the group whether participating or watching. Location wise we were very happy with the ability to roll on to the ferry for Pier Island, walk across the causeway to The Concle Inn or travel to nearby activities (swimming, padel boarding, hiking, parks, museums etc.). We visited The Old Farmhouse (Ulverston) on one evening for a celebration meal who were very accommodating and the food was delicious. Some small caveats were 1) The property has fire doors throughout which are set to close by default - with young children this resulted in possible pinch points or an inability to open doors on occasion. 2) The stairs are quite tight and steep which again for young children was a consideration but may also restrict access to those less mobile. 3) The property has some traditional wood flooring in parts, and bare feet (and those with socks) were susceptible to splinters so slippers/crocs would be recommended for indoor use in these areas. Overall we came away very happy from our stay and would consider returning in the future.

We all had a lovely stay at Roa Island House, it was better than we had expected.

I was unsure whether to rate this as 3 or 4 stars.

We go away every year for our annual Christmas getaway, as a group of 8 adults and 5 children. This property offered pretty much everything we required. The 2 ovens and 2 dishwashers definitely made the cooking and washing up a breeze. So, why was I torn between the 3 and 4 stars!! I feel that the property is perhaps a little tired in areas, hence why I was swaying towards the 3 stars. However, when you consider the size of the property and the price, I think that 4 stars is a fair rating. The place is huge, the kids had plenty of fun playing hide and seek. Kitchen - is well equipped (that’s usually an area that most places drop points, but that definitely wasn’t the case here). Extra marks for this area. The hot tub, we felt, wasn’t at its specified temperature. We are frequent users of hot tubs and this felt like sitting in a warm bath, and it didn’t retain the temperature well at all. We didn’t raise it as an issue at the time, as we only used it twice, but it might be worth the owners checking it. Bedrooms - The rooms had mixed reviews from our party. Our particular room was rather cold, even with the heating on. We did however find a heater tucked away under the stairs to the top floor, and once we used that it was plenty warm enough. Other members of the group mentioned some loud noises through the windows due to the wind, but I’m not exactly sure what could be done about that (short of replacing the windows). Living room - plenty big enough for all of the group to sit and watch a film. If I was to be critical, the sofas are looking a little tired and worn. Dining room - another point gained here. Table is huge and was big enough to accommodate all of our group. Again, this is an area that usually falls short, but this met our requirements. Cleanliness - absolutely no concerns. The place, from what I saw, was spotless. The gardens - unfortunately due to the time of year, we didn’t really venture into the gardens much, but the view was lovely. I’d imagine on a nice summers day it would be pretty great. Additional comments - We had a little wander around the island, which is smaller than I expected it to be (not a negative). There’s a little cafe next door to the property. They do food and hot drinks.

Hi, we stayed at your property with our family and friends, and upon arrival, we were absolutely delighted by the size of the house.

It was well-kept and clean. We had a fantastic weekend and will definitely be back. Any queries we had were addressed immediately. Thank you again to Sykes for providing accurate information! Susan

Arrived at the property to find it clean and welcoming.

Plenty of information left for us regarding what the house had to offer, also lots of literature of places to visit and see. This property has as great space and is very well maintained, had everything we needed for a great weekend. All bedrooms very comfortable and good sizes Bedding/towels spotless. Just a slight negative house bulbs need to be brighter as quite dark in areas also check all lighting eg side lights working as several did not work. Any body thinking of renting this property I can highly recommend for an enjoyable vacation.

We absolutely loved Roa House.

It was perfect for 3 generations of our family ( from 10y to 66y) It was ‘lived in’ enough that we all felt comfortable and relaxed but very well maintained. It had everything we needed and more. The full sized games tables were fab for everyone but especially the kids. The many bedrooms were great with clean and comfy beds. The kitchen was very well stocked with loads of crockery, cutlery etc. it also had 3 kettles and toasters! Kitchen table allowed us all to sit and eat together. We only used the formal dining room for our games nights when we played lots of boxed games. The living room had plenty of comfy couches for everyone. Lots of bathrooms meant no queues.The large accessible bathroom on the ground floor would be great for a wheelchair user. Our family have been going away together at the October school holiday for 6 years now and we all thought that this was the best house yet. Thank you to the owners for a lovely family holiday

Loads of room for large parties.

There were 14 of us, we were all able to eat together and there was plenty of crockery, cutlery and kitchen equipment which meant we were short of nothing. We were able to all sit together in the evening in the large lounge and didn’t feel cramped at all. Unfortunately the weather didn’t let us take full advantage of the outside space but we did use the sauna and hot tub.

We celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary with our children and grandchildren.

We loved the house and the facilities. Everyone was able to be kept entertained, regardless of the weather. It is an old house, with some intriguing remnants of its history and we would have loved a little bit of knowledge of that history of the house itself, not just Roa Island. Thank you for helping us have a fabulous celebration.

We spent 7 lovely days at this period property.

Fantastic views and facilities for the family. and kids. The property would benefit from modernisation and improved cleansliness as was quite dusty with cobs webs. The rooms would benefit from having locks and door stops. The sinks are a bit small in the bathroom. The kitchen lighting could be better too. However, these are minor points as this did not detract from the overall experience as it served our purpose and we left with some fantastic memories of our time there.

A unique and spacious property with excellent facilites that are very well maintained.

We loved our stay at Roa Island House and it was perfect for a big family get-together. Everything was geared to catering for a large group of people from the cutlery to the kitchen equipment to the dining facilities. And of course the position of the house is second to none, directly by the sea and overlooking Morecambe Bay. Can't wait for our next visit!

Roa island house was a great place for our large family holiday.

We all had a great time there making the most of the space, the games room was used often, the large dining room was great for our family get togethers. The view over the bay was spectacular.

We had a lovely week with family together to celebrate a special birthday.

The property was an ideal base for visiting the Lake District and plenty big enough for our 8 adults and 4 young children. The children especially loved the air hockey game provided and going rock-pooling under the bridge to the lifeboat station. However, a few things would have made the week better for us and possibly other guests without any great cost to the property owner. There is no washing line to hang wet washing/wetsuits/swimsuits etc only a broken airer so we had washing hanging over outdoor tables if the weather ok or all over the place indoors when it was raining. With 12 people in the house there was a lot of stuff needing drying and we are all sufficiently eco conscious so not prepared to keep using the tumble drier. The lawn was cut but the cuttings were not collected which meant cuttings being walked indoors all the time and having to be cleaned up. A hose in the garden would have been useful for people to clean their feet/wetsuits/paddleboards. As we needed towels for showers, hot tub and sauna we should either have been provided with more than one bath and hand towel per bed or guests should be advised to bring more towels with them. There were no oven gloves. Guests would not generally pack oven gloves when staying somewhere with kitchen facilities. No basic condiments - salt, pepper, oil. There were no ice cube trays in freezer or an ice bucket. We had to go and buy them. Welcome book not up-to-date. The instructions for the hot tub do not match the hot tub installed. Although waste is sorted by a firm it should not be beyond most guests abilities to separate food waste from general waste. Lack of plug sockets in some rooms. One of our prime reasons for choosing this property was because it is listed as suitable for a disabled person. We had such a person with us. However, the only nods to disabled were the downstairs bedroom and wet room plus the ramp out the front. All the downstairs internal doors were too heavy for a disabled person to open and in the case of the kitchen and breakfast room had a piece of fitted furniture in the way of entry. We had to go and buy doorstops to hold the main downstairs internal doors open so our disabled person could access rooms easily rather than having to rely on others to open them for him. Possibly this was against fire regs so we did shut the doors every night and before we went out for the day.

Great house for a family gathering.

Roa island is an amazing base to explore the Lakes. Fabrizio was super helpful with any queries. Locals were super friendly especially Paul.

We had a lovely long weekend at Roa House for a family gathering.

The house is amazing, quirky and provides lots of space for a big party to not feel on top of each other. It is not trendy or super renovated but its a great house for a large family gathering. My elderly parents found the facilities easy to access. My mum is in a wheelchair and she managed well being on the ground floor. The disabled bathroom was ideal. The sauna and hot tub were a great addition and enjoyed by all. As was the garden. The kitchen area was excellent having plenty facilities and space. We are all from North Cumbria so not as familiar with the south of the county and enjoyed Ulverston, the coastline and a very good meal at Abbey House in the Oskars restaurant. All in all a really enjoyable weekend in a great property.

Lovely place ,very big and loads of room .

Garden and the view out to sea is amazing . Facilities great everything you need we had a memorable holiday with the family .

Huge house in a fantastic location with breathtaking views.

House was very clean and well equipped, ample off street parking and large private garden with beautiful views over Morecambe Bay. Quick response and fix when we had a problem with the heating- would recommend for large family gatherings.

I rented Roa Island House to host a women's wellness retreat weekend.

It was perfect. It's a HUGE house with plenty of space and comfortable furniture to relax in. The breakfast room that links to the kitchen and utility room is a fantastic space with it's own fridge and dishwasher which enabled us to keep the kitchen as our Chef's domain and allow the breakfast room for guests to access freely when getting hot or cold drinks. There's loads of storage space in the utility room too which was very helpful. The living spaces are large, comfortable and well lit, and the conservatory is a real sun trap. The bedrooms are all a good size and the beds are really comfortable - between them and the peace of the island, everybody slept really soundly. The tower room is a real treat to watch the sunset from, and there is access from the front door to three ways down to the beach (one east facing, one south and one west) in less than a minute if you like to watch the sun rise and set. We also really enjoyed the garden, sauna and hot tub, and the large selection of benches were well used across the weekend! My negatives are all very minor. It's not as pristine as some houses in terms of decor, but it is a very old building! Most of the house was spotless, but unfortunately my first impression when I walked in was that the hallway floor was a bit gritty (there may have been a workman in after the cleaners though?), but there was a "guests cleaning cupboard" with a mop and a broom, so I was able to sort this out before my guests arrived. Also, the vast majority of the glassware is plastic, which I completely understand from a breakages and safety point of view, particularly if being used outside or around the hot tub, but it would have been nice to have glass options as well for drinks being consumed in the house. Finally, and also a symptom of an older building, there are not many plug sockets in the bedrooms, and the ones there are are not always in very convenient places. An extension tower has been put in the main living room, but if you need to use your phone as an alarm, it's worth charging it up before bed rather than overnight! Overall, the house provided an excellent home for us all for the weekend and I was very happy with my choice of venue. I would return here without hesitation, it's a really lovely spot.

We had an amazing weekend in this beautiful home , discovered eclectic treasures all around the house and loved the view from the windows and gardens.

We would recommend visiting this beautiful place to stay for a few days and enjoy the view and the relaxing atmosphere.

The Jacuzzi jets was not working, Petty it may seem, however, noting the cost of the establishment, this should have been working which in turn would have made our stay a lot more comfortable.

It was brilliant for us as a large family in all there were 18 of us, we all had a great time and fully relaxed during our time there

Great house for a large group.

Really enjoyed our stay, could do with providing more wood for the sauna. Also hot tub needs checking every couple of days when a large group is staying. Overall a fantastic property, would highly recommend.

Brilliant cottage in a wonderful location.

Had a brilliant weekend. Thank you

This was the perfect holiday house and such an awesome base to explore from.

Would highly recommend fora unique family experience with all you could hope for at your fingertips. The garden was perfect for the kids and the kitchen/patio set up was perfect for our wee puppy! Amazing stay all round!

Myself and my family enjoyed every minute of this Beautiful house , my grandchildren and our dog had so much freedom, they loved playing hide and seek the houes had almost everything we needed it was missing a clothes maiding as we didnt want to dry everything in the dryer .

I have been disappointed in customer care from Sykes holiday lets I have emailed them and WhatsApp them in the end I had to telephone The Office to let them know my Daughter -in - law had left her coat hanging up on the down stairs bedroom door with her house keys in also my Grandson had lost his phone we all spent the monday morning looking for it, he hadnt left the house during our stay.when I rang sykes on Monday I Told the young lad on the phone it might be under the puffy in the livingroom or under the couches he said he would get on to the cleaners and get back to me he didnt ring me back, I gave him till today Wednesday talked with another young man who said he would ring the owner of the house and would ring me back even if he couldnt get in touch with the owner he would let me know again no phone call from sykes we really need to know about my Daughter in laws coat and if the phone had been found

We had such a lovely time in Roa Island, everything about the house helped our big group make the best of our time together.

Plenty of room for everyone to hang out and be entertained, particularly on the days when the weather kept us indoors!

This house definitely has the wow factor.

Its so vast and the views out to Piel island are amazing. Our family all had a lovely time and there was something for everyone . On a practical note the house would benefit from some interior work(particularly in some of the upstairs bedrooms). Coat hooks would be useful on the back of the bathroom and bedroom doors and coat hooks or a coat stand in the hallway or utility. There is nowhere to hang wet coats. More clothes hangers would also have been good. We couldn't find any coasters either. Agree with previous comments that the kitchen lighting is quite dim when trying to prepare meals. Loved the views and the sauna was fabulous. It was clean in all the right places although would benefit from some high ceiling dusting as there were some large dusty cobwebs. Also a couple of smaller side tables would have been useful in the living room closer to the sofas. Overall this is a pretty special house with a great atmosphere. Quieter than being in the heart of the lake district national park and less touristy. Sandscale Haws nature reserve has a lovely beach and great views towards the mountains and only half an hours drive. We made some great memories as a family. A pool table as well would have made it even better(commented my 85 year old Dad! !). A guest hoover with a longer lead would also be helpful. Thanks for a great stay. We will be talking about this holiday and this house for many years to come.

Roa Island House had everything you could need for a lovely weekend.

The house is so big, it felt like the kids had a separate holiday to us. The house is full of character and everything you would expect from an older building. My only slight on it, and this is just personal preference, the lighting- in particular in the kitchen is really dark. It took me a while to get used to it. Apart from that a wonderful time was had by all 7 adults and 6 children. Highly recommend.

The property was great just as described and pictures show the property exactly as it is.

Beds were great and very comfortable. As we were there in winter the central heating was excellent and very warm. We had a problem with the hot tub and it had be turned to Eco mode, but we communicated with owner and they got back and resolved issue immediately. The weather was not great for us lots of rain, but the kids just loved playing in hot tub or hide and seek in the fabulous big house. My only slight complaint is the fact there was no little welcome tea/milk /sugar hamper. Would have been nice just to have a brew as are shopping was not getting delivered for another hour. And also there was no condiments such as salt or pepper even. I have stayed in a lot of properties/ cottages and there is normally a few essentials such as salt and pepper. On the up side there was lots of cleaning essentials such as dish washer tablets and bin bags dish cloths etc. a fabulous property and would definitely recommend for a large family we stayed for New year but I would imagine it would be great for summer to enjoy the garden more

Super place.

We compiled a list of issues on the first night, and the owner sent a lovely chap over to address all of them the following morning. All the rooms were lovely, and the wraparound conservatory and outdoor space deserve an extra mention. There were nine of us, and we all had our own little special place to retreat to. Oh, and the tower room is particularly special. Highly recommended.

This was our second time staying at Roa Island House and was as enjoyable as the first.

We stayed as a family, and the house was perfect for us. The ground floor bedrooms and adapted bathroom were perfect for my son who is in a wheelchair. Our family ranged from 4 to 62 and there was something for everyone. They had everything covered that you would need. The views are amazing. Having nearly all of the rooms ensuite was perfect. Will definitely be back and would certainly recommend. Charlotte

We had an excellent stay and the house was perfect for our family re-union.

The latch on the bedroom door of No6 Didn’t work and the handle on the bathroom door of No 6 was awkward. Maybe labels on the downstairs room would help those older members of the group to be less confused! The Conservatory was lovely and the lounge was great for our group. We enjoyed a boat trip to Piel Island too. Thank you.

Incredible, well-equipped property situated in a very unique place with fantastic views.

Couldn't recommend it any higher. Perfectly located for a group weekend away doing activities within the western Lake District.

Lovely location .

Beautiful house , furniture and fittings. Everything we needed for a wonderful family holiday

We visited in early Feb - 15 of us, to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th birthday.

WOW!!!!!!!! what a place? Great facilities! The overflow kitchen area with 2 toasters, a second dishwasher, second microwave and second sink is a great asset. The games area with table football, table tennis and air hockey was a hit, especially with the guys! There aren't any shops close by, but we took loads of food with us, lots of fridge and freezer space. We ate out one night, at the Fisherman's arms, about 10 minute drive away, on the road to Ulverston, we would definitely recommend this place. Wouldn't hesitate to return or recommend to friends.

Wow!

! Couldn’t believe how big the house was!! You will definitely not be disappointed if you book this place. Beautiful location with views out of nearly every window. Worth every penny…

Lovely property.

We will definitely be back

A fantastic venue, we really enjoyed it, would definitely recommend it

Pool table would be a good addition Couple of board games also would have been excellent

Clean, spacious house with stunning sea views.

Set up well for large family groups. Kitchen fully equipped though no basics eg. pepper, sugar. Bathrooms all excellent with plenty of hot water. Overall thought this one of the best holiday homes we've stayed in but bring everything you need e.g. hairdryer. Ferry to Piel Island round corner and lovely local cafe next door. Don't miss Walney Island, Furness Abbey or superb Base Restaurant in Ulverston (lunch daily or tasting menu Thurs/Fri/Sat). Roa Island is a hidden gem and this house is a bargain.

We had a wonderful week at the beautiful Roa House.

From the moment we walked into the large entrance hall we knew we'd found somewhere special to stay. The house is big, with tall ceilings and impressive rooms, as well as the lovely garden with gorgeous views over the water. We stayed during a heatwave and were very pleased that the inside of the house remained cool despite this. The hot tub, games tables, comfy lounge and long dining tables were all fab, and it was only due to the heatwave that we didn't have a go at starting the sauna up! Our only tiny niggle was that the kitchen could do with a few improvements - the lighting was rather dim on an evening, and we couldn't find a grill pan or measuring jug to use despite the otherwise impressive array of kitchen utensils on offer. A draining board next to the sink to aid in washing up pots and pans would also be an asset - cooking for 13 does create a fair bit of washing up and we were very grateful for the two dishwashers! It's also worth noting that there was a little confusion with the beds - the info received beforehand stated that if we wanted the zip lock twin beds made up as doubles, we should email two weeks beforehand. Since we wanted them as individual beds, we didn't message - but although this worked fine for the triple room downstairs, we found the upstairs room had been made up as a double alongside the small half bed. We were able to separate the double and use the spare bedding from the triple room downstairs and the small bed to fix it, since we only had two people staying in each room, but it was a bit of a hassle. Usually with a Sykes stay the host texts before arrival so we have a contact for things like this, but oddly we hadn't received anything other than the standard Sykes emails for this holiday so couldn't ask about it. These were really only tiny niggles in an otherwise idyllic holiday though, hence my five star review rating. Thank you for a fabulous stay!

Had an amazing week in this perfect house.

It was an amazing place to stay for a large family. Had everything that we needed including sauce pans big enough to cook pasta for 16 in!!! Would recommend to anyone. We had a party member in a wheel chair and he could get in and out all the rooms without help. My only recommendation would be to have ramps, removable if necessary, to get the wheel chair into the garden. We could cope without but some people may find in tricky. A brilliant house in a fantastic location. Thank you.

We loved the property and thoroughly enjoyed our stay!

Ticked all the boxes for what was a memorable vacation with a large family group. The support we received during our stay from Matt the caretaker was excellent! Part of the appeal was the large size of the property so perhaps this is the reason but it was noticeable that there were areas of the property that hadn't been cleaned in a while (under beds and sofas), and when walking around inside bare foot, the kids feet were black. There was also an accumulation of bird poo all over the front door floor entrance which wasn't ideal. I'm nit picking but some WD40 on the door hinges would also be swell. There was also no can opener in what was otherwise a very well stocked kitchen! None of this detracted from the stay however as we would recommend it and would love to come back again!

We had a wonderful time with our large family of three generations.

The kids loved the large garden, games room and hot tub. The views are stunning. The sailing club within a short walk from the house with friendly staff and locals and superb real ale was a bonus. The trip to Piel Island was exciting and we found some fantastic walks suitable for all ages and fitness levels. There were plenty of quiet places to enjoy in the house, particularly the observatory for the amazing views and a peaceful drink after the young ones were in bed. Parking area was fine for our needs although we had one issue with someone using it when we were out at a busy time. A few little things might improve the house. A larger sign in the house parking area stating it is for private use might be good.Hooks on the backs of bedroom doors for dressing gowns would be nice. The caretaker, Matt, was extremely helpful with advice on the occasions we consulted him. But overall we had a great week in a quirky but wonderful house in a unique location.

Hygienic issues like lack of mattress and pillow protection

Our holiday was booked for a selibration for my wife and I 80th birthday and have all our family with us but the problems we had ruined the holiday

Fantastic location and a great house with an interesting history, some of which is documented in a folder in the entrance hall.

We visited in the week of the three named February storms and encountered problems with the fit of three windows but have been assured by the owner that these have now been resolved. The house, nevertheless, has an excellent and effective heating system and, despite its size, it felt very warm and cosy. The youngsters really enjoyed the hot tub outside in its own enclosure although we did not make use of the wood-fired free-standing sauna in the garden. The house is well-furnished with quality furniture and the kitchen and breakfast room are well-equipped while even in February it was very pleasant to sit on the enclosed verandah which also has table tennis, air hockey, table football and quoits to entertain visitors. DVD and books are also available to borrow and, for the musical visitor, there is a piano. Despite storms, we were able to enjoy good, sunny weather as well to explore the Barrow area and, with appropriate clothing, enjoyed kite-flying, exploring and other beach activities on Walney Island, the Coast Road and Roanhead ('Sandscale Haws'). The Dock Museum (Wed to Sun) and its playground were popular, the children enjoyed looking at 'Anson', an Astute-class submarine in Devonshire Dock from the High Level Bridge and we visited the Lifeboat Station adjacent to the house, by arrangement. (The RNLI volunteers do such good work and appreciate donations from visitors.) One daughter called at the Barrow AFC shop with her two young boys and a great fuss was made of them by a kind employee when they asked if it was possible to look at the pitch. We didn't have chance to visit the North Walney and South Walney Nature Reserves on this occasion but can recommend them from previous knowledge of the area. On the island, the adjacent Bosun's Locker Cafe (Thurs to Mon) is excellent in both quality and value - book an afternoon tea for a treat, go for breakfast/lunch or order a tray pie to cook/heat in the house while at the other end of the island (400m) the Roa Island Boating Club offers access for drinks (including beers brewed on site and local real ales) from Thursday to Sunday and great value home-cooked food from Friday to Sunday. (The Sunday lunch is excellent!) A great house and area for family reunions and friendship groups!

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in a fascinating old house and a very interesting landscape.

We found that cleaning wasnt 100% and one of our party has asthma and had to deep clean the bedroom on day 1 as it was very dusty. The beds didnt have mattress protectors which we felt was unhygienic and the sheets kept on sliding off the mattress. My husband and I slept in the double room downstairs and the mattress was awful and needs replacing. The hot tub smelt foisty as did anyone who went in it. The kitchen and bathrooms were good and looked fairly new and the gaming facilities and conservatory were really good. Sorry to sound moany but I think it's best you know.

We had the most fabulous time 2 birthdays within the family and we loved the house loads of space and there was loads of kitchen utensils so well equipped loved every minute

Fantastic stay in a stunning house.

Few issues with electrics first night however handy man there within an hour of reporting and all fixed. Kitchen renovation makes all the difference (stayed here 2015 & 2016) and the addition of the sauna house is fab. Great place to go with friends or family as there's so much room, you can get lost in this house!! Will definitely be back again.

We really enjoyed our stay, the house was exactly what was listed, we will book Roa island house again through Sykes.

I have just booked our next year March tip though Sykes too.

Everything you could have wished for at this lovely property.

Clean, comfortable, an ideal location for our new year get together. Everything you needed was in the house. The hot tub, sauna, along with the games available kept everyone entertained. Lovely views from the tower and with a local pub within walking distance and the town a short drive away. Highly recommended

The house was fantastic.

Extremely well equipped and we found that everything we could think of was provided. We managed to make a Christmas dinner for 11 people with no issues at all. The size of the house is great and the rooms are all such a good size. Our own gripe was the cleanliness. After being asked to check in later than usual due to more thorough cleaning for covid, we did expect a spotless house. We mopped the wet room on the very first morning and the water that was gathered in the mop bucket was brown, skirting boards were thick with dust in some areas and glasses had lipstick marks on. The fridge did not look like it had been cleaned between stays either. This was such a shame as the house was so great and we would love to return, the owners have clearly thought of everything and it is obvious that they care that their guests enjoy the stay but cleaners are letting the owners down.

Absolutely brilliant weekend with the family at this amazing house.

The owners provided much more than we expected.

Me and my husband got married in lock down just the 2 of us so we booked this for us to celebrate with our friends and family.

It was amazing accomadation fully equipped with everything we could ask for and more.only downside is that maybe the cleaning could be a lot better.The hot tub lights and outside lights wasn't working but we found the trip switch had gone off so that was soon resolved.There wasb12 adults and 2 children in our party and this was the perfect accomadation.beautiful location also.Great pub down the road that accomadated all of us called the Clarkes Hotel however driving is recommended to there.Windermere was about 40 minutes away by ferry with lovely views on the way.

The house is huge but the kitchen and living room isn't big enough when everyone is up and about also the lights in the conservatory didn't work only the table lamps and there isn't enough outdoor lighting to the rear of the property

We had a wonderful, fun, and relaxing holiday.

We enjoyed the facilities and amazing views. But one of the room's shower and sink was leaking so unable to use it. Qlsono vacuum cleaner or sweep to use for cleaning. Aside from that everything was perfect

We will definitely be back

We had a wonderful holiday, the house is lovely and the location is fantastic.

However the cleanliness left a lot to be desired. The floors in the house were filthy and the doors and skirting boards were thick with dust, cobwebs and dust was hanging from the radiators. We found a pair of jogging bottoms stuffed behind one of the chairs in the entrance way. At the present time this standard is especially not acceptable. There was no television in the large bedroom downstairs and the television in the other downstairs bedroom could not be used as the aerial socket was broken. The shower in the walk in shower room was blocked so that the water ran all over the bathroom. We are fairly tolerant and did not let these things spoil our holiday but I fear you might get a lot of complaints from others. It is a shame as the house is a lovely house and if cleaned up we would definitely come back.

Thank you so much for your assistance!

I’ve had the best time of the 2020 and enjoyed full of holiday! Hope to get back again soon and enjoy of great places and new environment! Kind Regards Sergiu

Had everything we needed.

The house was ready to occupy as we arrived, a member of staff called in and checked that everything was fine for us.

The grandchildren loved the space available to them to run around. We liked the conservatory area which was lovely to sit in in the sunshine. The kitchen was particularly well equipped for all our needs. We had a very enjoyable family weekend.

We had a lovely family break here.

Loved the view and extra luxuries such as the hot tub and sauna. Also really useful that most bedrooms have their own bathrooms, and kitchen is well equipped and clean.

I marked down the cleanliness as the house did have bits of litter here and there in some of the rooms, also the floors on the entire ground floor were not very clean, it barely looked like they had been hoovered but really needed a scrub/mopping.

everything else was really good, we struggled as a family of 10 without a clothes airer for the week as we did wash clothes so had to just be inventive with places to dry them.

We another amazing weekend at Roa Island.

We love the house and it’s position. New kitchen fitted which is a lot more functional. Plenty of kitchen equipment and crockery. Definitely recommend a visit.

Brilliant made some Amazing memories Definitely going back

This is a beautiful house with beautiful views of Morecambe Bay ,it is the best equipped house I have ever rented and I have rented a few both in this country and abroad.

There were also quite a few unexpected items provided. All the appliances were top of the range as were the bathrooms and showers, the beds were very comfortable.The house is ideal for parties of family and friends, there were 15 of us and we were never on top of each other at any point.The hot tub and sauna were a huge success and the table tennis table was enjoyed by the younger members of our party. We hired this house for our Golden Wedding anniversary and had a very special week here.The locals were very friendly and the boat club and bosuns locker were extremely helpful in accommodating our large party for meals.The food in both these places was excellent. There was virtually no criticism of this house and the only comment the family made was that the addition of a pool table would have been the icing on the cake .

We were a family of 16 staying at the roa island house.

We had the most amazing time and the views were beautiful! Couldn’t have asked for a better weekend away, and the good weather was a bonus. The only problem was there were no cleaning products to wipe down tables, floors etc. So if you are looking to stay here don’t forget these items if your clean freaks like me and my family haha.

It would have been helpful if the floor plans (as provided at Roa Island House) had been included on the website as this would have assisted sorting out accommodation among our multi-family group.

As the owner clearly has them it is a pity they were not visible on the Sykes Cottages website at the time of booking. Overall, very spacious house which is let down by a number of issues, such as the size of kitchen - which could get very crowded. The cleaning being done between lettings is clearly very limited as dust and lost belongings (e.g. sock, perfume bottle), from previous holidaymakers, were found under beds, sofas, etc. All a bit ironic when you keep reading notices about how you will be charged extra if things like the hot tub are not left in a pristine condition. Not surprised therefore when we had an extra guest one evening in the kitchen in the form of a live mouse. We showed the mouse the door but guess he had his own access route back in somewhere. Had to report a blocked drain just outside the front door which had clearly not been maintained, and caused the effluent from the laundry room blocked drain in the car park and not great when you have small children in the group. Mobile reception was patchy on certain networks. The third party maintainer seemed to have to be instructed to clear the drain and it appeared that it was up to renters to spot these issues. House related, the mechanism which controlled the cover for the hot tub was broken. Instructions for various unfamiliar appliances were scattered through drawers and cupboards, which we found eventually, but that was all really unhelpfully disorganised. The lack of recycling bins was a very very odd feature, which we agree with the comments of previous occupants needs addressing. So, interesting location, very quiet, lovely views and garden for the children to play in and great to unwind and relax but the cleaning and pest control both need attention. Some aspects of the house are now looking very tired and need addressing at Roa Island House.

An excellent venue for us - an extended familly with small children.

Plenty of space to explore and a very peaceful and interesting location overlooking the bay, Piel Island and the lifeboat station. Scenery constaantly changing with the tides. A safe garden for the children to play in. Information in the house could do with updating eg information on hot tub gives instructions for using a red button that has not worked for ages and prices quoted for ferry years out of date. Also instructions for opening the door could be amended to key in number then turn keypad handle anti clockwise. We did not understand the instructions given and spent about half an hour trying to get in. Also some information about recycling would be welcome. Kitchen very well equipped but there was a shortage of spoons.

Whilst the description of the property was accurate, I felt it gilded the lily and the whole property was in good need of a thorough clean, fresh paint and general smarten up.

A drawer full of a former occupant's shoes was present in one of the bedrooms, further underlining my point about the whole property needing to be really well serviced between lettings. None of the previous hirer's comments had been acted upon and it felt as though the owners took little interest in the property and were content to merely take the fee and leave it all in the hands of the agency. Not nearly good enough for the price and very poor value for money. Disappointing.

Fantastic location ,comfortable rooms and lovely hot tub Would have liked to have soap/shower gel in the bathrooms and better pans for our large party.

Generally very pleased with our stay and appreciated the owners flexibility regarding our requirements.

This is a fabulous place if you want a tranquil quiet place to stay.

Sitting out the back watching the sun glistening on the sea is just beautiful. The locals are fantastic, we had a great tour around the RNLI which was on our doorstep (literally) and a great meal at the local boat club which we were able to use as we were staying at Roa House. We had an issue with the mini bus we hired and another local and his dad came to our rescue even without being asked just nice lovely people. The house was lovely seven decent sized bedrooms five with en-suite just what five couples needed and one of our party was especially please with a downstairs bedroom with a wet room as they had mobility issues so a godsend for them. Beautiful dining room if you want a formal night or a large kitchen area if you want a nice cosy get together. We would all definitely recommend this house as a base for a stay lots of space and if the weather is kind then you wouldn’t need to venture out. Didn’t use the steam lodge although it looked great but did have a session in the hot tub which again was fabulous especially sitting watching the scenery very therapeutic.

We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend stay at Roa Island; the place was beautiful and perfect for a family get together.

It was spotlessly clean with nice white bedding and towels and fulfilled all our needs. The views were incredible and we can’t wait to return.

Having had an issue at the start, the support was fantastic from both Sykes and the property owner.

We had an amazing time in a beautifil house. Great location and I will definitely be booking through Sykes again.... Roa House is highly recommended too!

We booked the house at Roa Island as a surprise weekend for our Mum for her 80th birthday, what an amazing weekend it turned out to be.

The house exceeded our expectations, the photos don’t do justice to the space available. A well maintained house with fully equipped kitchen, plenty of room, beautiful views, everything you need for a relaxing weekend with a hot tub and sauna. Sykes Cottages we’re great to deal with and very helpful. We would highly recommend staying here and look forward to visiting again

If being over critical of which I am , probably needs a couple of smaller pans , but that is all , everything else was superb

We had a lovely relaxing weekend with loads of fantastic memories made .

Thank you to the owners for providing a fabulous place for our ladies to be all together. Only down side the information folder was missing

When we arrived the single beds had been made up as doubles, but after one phone call, Sykes sent someone out to rectify the problem.

Great service!!! The house is great for adults and children alike.

The whole family loved it.

Plenty of space for the children to run about

We visited Roa Island House as a family group, we picked the location to explore the Lakes and the area in general, the house was fantastic and with large downstairs rooms and lovely conservatory where we could all sit together in the sun and out of the wind.

It was the perfect place to get together and enjoy a break away.

Great location .

The Concle pub and the cafe great food .

Great family get together.

To celebrate my 70th Birthday.

We had a great week celebrating a 70th birthday, with all the children and grandchildren.

A terrific house with plenty of room for different activities, large garden, wonderful views and convenient for walks and nearby shopping in Barrow or Ulverston. We've now left a cheese-grater so the kitchen is fully stocked!

Roa Island house is fabulous.

We thoroughly enjoyed it, no criticisms but a couple of things at the house that could be considered: An outside line for drying clothes. The mirrors in the bedroom/bathroom at the far end of the corridor (room 7 I think) are too high up so us shorter people can't make use of them so we were having to go into others bedrooms to use them. A cheese grater would be useful. We also thought we had access to a table tennis table which was locked in the garage but when we asked the managing company they wouldn't get it out for us.

First of all we would like to say that we had a most wonderful holiday at Roa Island House and everyone had a memorable experience.

If you would like us to make any comments or suggestions we would say: 1) Slight disappointment that we had to wait outside until almost 4pm before we could access the house. 2) Being honest it looked like the main carpets hadn't been hovered. 3) On the one hand the lawn hadn't been cut (which meant that it looked a bit weedy) but on the other we experienced the company of many rabbits who had a most enjoyable feed. 4) Towels were not the best and an upgrade might be better enjoyed by future guests. Not sure if you are allowed to advertise / inform via the web site but we would mention that: a) The Bosun's Locker Cafe, effectively attached to Roa Island House provides an excellent range of food and drinks albeit limited hours of opening. b) The Roa Island Boat House (200 yards away) provides cheap and cheerful food and with a lovely atmosphere. Sadly also subject to limited opening hours. c) The short boat trip over to Piel Island; a walk around the Castle and a beer at the pub is a most relaxing experience.

We had a wonderful stay at Roa Island House.

I think the house could benefit from a little "TLC" in areas, a lick of paint here and there but this did not detract from our enjoyment. Its a shame that the kitchen area is relatively small compared to other rooms in the house, it got a little congested with more that 2 people in it at a time. We were extremely lucky that we had lovely weather and were able to enjoy the garden and its outdoor facilities to the max. There were a couple of window blinds that need some attention, broken and stained vertical blinds in the lounge and especially in bedroom 7 on the ground floor as they do not close properly and the curtains are see through. Also the fire alarm went off on the first night - no apparent reason for this happening and the noise was deafening. There were no clear instructions of how to turn it off/re-set and when we phoned the number on the box for assistance they said that they would get someone to call us back with instructions on how to turn it off - they finally called back after ONE HOUR!!!! By that time, by some fluke of luck we had already managed to reset it, but obviously as we were not sure how we had done it we were nervous in case it happened again. When they did finally call back my friend said that we had fixed it and when the caller asked how, my friend jokingly said "Oh we axed it off the wall" and the caller said "oh thats great then" - was he not listening to us or had this happened before? not really an acceptable service, especially as we had my young grandchildren with us who were notably frightened by the noise. Clear instructions in the house manual are essential. However, even with the above we all said that we would definitely go back, house felt very homely and relaxing!!!. Yours sincerely Gylian Darnley

Road Island house was beautiful.

It was perfect for 12 us celebrating a year of 30ths. I would say the kitchen needs a bit of tlc and we moved the sofa and found a lot of food/stuff there which had not been cleaned previously. Something which wasn’t on the listing was the table tennis we found in the garage and that is probably where we were if we weren’t in the hot tub!! We are already looking at dates for a Roa reunion.

We had a wonderful family holiday in lovely Roa Island House which had everything necessary for a group of 13 people with ages ranging from 20months to 73years.

We were a group of 16 ladies enjoying a relaxing weekend away.

The house was brilliant, very spacious and comfortable with a well stocked kitchen. The hot tub and sauna were great and used by all. There are a couple of things that would have improved our stay - the heating was not on when we arrived so the house was cold and there was no wood for the fire or if there was we didn’t find it. It would have helpful if there was some information in the book about how to get the sauna heated. Also we couldn’t get the music system working, so again some instructions would have helped for all appliances. Apart from the above we had a fabulous weekend and some of the group are considering a return with family and friends. D Walker

Room 2 toilet cistern ran 24/7 & radiator cold.

Downstairs shower room didn't appear to drain away veey well. General house decor needs a refresh. There were dirty tissues and other rubbish under one of the setters. Most disappointing of all, on arrival the hot tub was only luke warm. We were also unable to use it after Sunday morning as the water was cool, a dirty grey colour and smelled unpleasant. We were all sad about that and wondered why it was daily maintained. That apart it was a great location and ideal for our size group. If these issues are attended to we'd be happy to use the house again. Regards. Allison Hardy and 13 others.

Fabulous house with everything we needed.

Plenty of space and great facilities for all ages. Loved our stay here

We rented this house for a family get together- it was perfect, spacious, clean and very well equipped.

Everyone had an amazing time!

What a truly magnificent house.

Spacious, beyond our expectations!! Amazing views, right on the beach, hot tub and sauna!! This property blew us away. What a great family holiday home!! Highly recommended!!

This is the second time we have stayed at Roa Island House.

It had everything we required for our wkend away. Both times were for a 40th and both times have been amazing and the accommodation exceeded our expectations each time

Amazing location.

Description does not do it justice - you have to go and find out for yourself !!

Very enjoyable holiday for all ages.