Dove Holme Cottage

Lovely cottage very centrally located for exploring the lakes.

Only negative was mould/damp in the kitchen and could have been cleaner on arrival (floors dusty). Despite this we would return.

Better than was expecting!

Lovely week away with the dog, very cosy cottage and well equipped. Great location and would recommend! Small issue where the hot water went off, but maintenance came and fixed it within the hour and got it back working. Looking at staying again next year.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Dove Holme Cottage, we felt like we were in the heart of the Lakes every morning when we looked out.

The location is fantastic, right next to Wordsworth's house. The living room is comfortable, the kitchen well equipped. We loved the huge bedroom and the nice powerful shower. The free parking permit for the Stock Lane car park a few moments walk away was much appreciated. Would highly recommend!

Enjoyed a great week at Dove Holme Cottage, everything we needed and all within easy walking distance for the local amenities.

Will definitely be returning to Grasmere soon.

Fab cottage in a great location close to the centre of Grasmere.

This is our 3rd time here and have already booked for next year. The cottage is warm and cosy. Kitchen has everything you need if you want to cook meals. Some of the furniture (bedroom )a bit tired looking and kitchen old fashioned . This doesn’t stop us from coming here though. Would definitely recommend.

A lovely comfortable and well appointed cottage in a beautiful location

I loved the cottage, nice and cosy.

Overall the cleanliness was OK, but the windows haven't been cleaned in a while. It is about a 5 minute walk into Grasmere village. Parking a few minutes away in the main was OK, but if you go out for the day, you will not get a space back on the designated car park until after 4pm, if in high season/weekend. Fortunately, I only went out in the car twice as everything I needed, including the great walks were on the doorstep. The kitchen had all the utensils needed but needs an update. This, however, would not put me off staying at Dove Holme cottage again. Overall, I had a great holiday.

Fabulous well equipped spacious cottage in Grasmere Town End - we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would book this property again.

Second time we have stayed here as we came for 5 days back in May.

Plenty of walk's without needing the car and a short walk into the Village. Cooking wise you have everything you could possibly need, bedroom is spacious with a comfy double bed. Good size shower with plenty of power. What else do you really need.....

We were delighted with the cottage and grateful to have a parking permit for the week in a nearby carpark.

The cottage was clean, very well equipped and warm. Everything was carefully thought out and felt like home from home. The bed was really comfortable and the bathroom has as super shower. Walks from the door were a joy and we hope to return. Thank you

Delightful cottage.

Interior just lovely with great attention to detail. I love cooking and everything I needed was there ,utensil wise.We thoroughly enjoyed the short walk into Grassmere and a walking start to many lovely walks. The bed was super comfy. The only downside not quite as clean as should be .....dog food and crisps between cushions of couch. I dropped my glasses under the couch and really dusty underneath. We will be back

The Dove Holme Cottage is a lovely cottage very near Grasmere village.

The days spent there were awesome. For some reason I thought it would overlook the lake but it didn’t. Things that need to improve: - when it rains the gutters make a very intermittent noise when you are in the bedroom. That needs to be checked. - perhaps add some blackout curtains in the bedroom as the lights of the cars that go on the main road which is two doors from the cottage flash a bit. Other than that yes perfect for a couple and one dog and lovely walks.

Beautiful cosy cottage in a fantastic location.

Well equipped and furnished. Clean and lovely log burner. Directions to get there could be much clearer

This is the 2nd time we have stayed in Dove Holme Cottage within the past 6 months and we found the facilities improved on this occasion.

The cottage is located within a short walking distance of Grassmere village, and within 30 seconds of the main bus route to Windermere which we found to be very helpful. Unfortunately the one thing which let the property down in our opinion, was the bed mattress which felt worn and lacking support. If the mattress was replaced we would have no hesitation in recommending this cottage to others or staying in it again ourselves.

I wasn’t going to leave a review as I don’t like giving negative feedback however after receiving a photo from the owners today via Sykes holiday admin to ask how to clean something off the sofa , I am Now compelled to write a very honest review .

I have rated it as two stars as an overall experience. I accidentally booked the wrong dates at Christmas . I immediately realised and tried to change the date but it wouldn’t allow me and as it was a late reservation I wasn’t able to get a refund so the full amount was payable , therefore I asked to change dates a few minutes later , however the property owners responded in the morning refusing the request . It was my fault I didn’t check the date properly, annoying but my fault so sucked it up , thought it a tad mean of the property owners not allowing the date change since it was an immediate request after booking it , however since they wouldn’t agree we ended up just staying for a shorter time even though paid for longer . When we got there all was okay , it wasn’t as clean as I expected . As you do , you have a look about to see where things are , a kitchen draw rammed with maintenance stuff , and tins of paint and baubles in the bathroom cabinet, bit random . The heating, we read in the pack, was timed to go off after 1 hour so you had to keep putting it back on , prob hence why it felt so cold on arrival, there was damp in the kitchen which was making the paint peel, black mould behind the curtain in the kitchen, stains on the bedroom carpet , pans dirty , one for example looking like someone had boiled milk in it and scum around the pan , black mould in the shower , my socks were dirty from walking around in the property, and it felt cold which wasn’t what we wanted as we planned to walk all day and have cosy evenings . I think the heating going off after an hour is an attempt to stop people leaving the heating on . However for comfort it’s a bit annoying having to keep putting it back on or forgetting and then feeling cold so you go oh put the heating Back on . However once repeatedly turned on and thermostat turned up it did warm up nicely . It said logs were provided in the Pack but there was just a couple of logs left and none delivered . The pack didn’t say where we could get logs from so bought a lot from the co op shop in the village . When we were leaving we noticed there was a small store out the back which had some wood in it but not sure if that was for the holiday cottage , that wasn’t made clear and we didn’t take any from There . The kitchen felt like it needed more thorough cleaning so ended up washing things before using them . The tv is an old flat screen so not a smart tv so couldn’t access Netflix or prime etc . Looked like the green bathroom hand towel had a bleach mark on it and tired. Black scum around the bottom of the shower and a little bit inbetween the tiles in the shower. The log burner glass wasn’t clean so obscured seeing the flames when it was on . However the Bed was super comfy and the quilt and pillows super comfy too , Infact I would have to say the cosiest bed I’ve slept in . Had a great nights sleep which for me is the most important thing . The water was hot too which was good for having a shower . There is a sensory garden literally a couple of meters from the front door so a nice little place to go to since this property doesn’t have any outside space . Also it’s a few meters from Dove cottage where Wordsworth lived for a bit . Parking was good as there’s a pass left in the property to park for free which is about a 4 minute walk from the property . The kitchen had everything you needed in it equipment wise for a small break . Since the house didn’t feel “loved” we didn’t feel we needed to do a photo inventory . There were many unclean elements to it . Therefore when we receive a photo today of what looked like speckles of cream on the leather sofa and asked what it was so they could clean it was rather insulting . It makes you feel like you’re going to be held responsible or charged for something you weren’t responsible for which has really put me off . As the property was far from immaculate it’s insulting to be then made to feel you’re responsible for a cleaning item . Brain wave …. Having just thought .:::: we did have lemon cake from the co op with icing on the top , is it possible it’s a bit of the icing ?! Maybe . Who knows . I suggest the owners try cleaning it first before contacting people who have rented it from them. the rest of the property needed cleaning properly rather than a surface clean . finding something and then quiz what it is to the previous renter is rather insulting as there’s many cleaning items I could question . I dropped something which fell under the kitchen cupboards as the cupboards are sat on legs , I don’t fancy going under the units. The owners and Sykes have made me Feel uncomfortable now as this case is open and there’s a communication thread going on , they have given me a reference number which makes it feel formal . I would be livid if we get a request to pay some charge rather than the owners attempt to clean . Not what you want to be experiencing from staying somewhere for three nights and then a case opened on you for something which at its worst if it was us was a bit of icing off a cake . If I saw it I would have cleaned it off for a start ! I definitely have higher standards of cleaning than what was offered here .

This is a beautiful cottage, a few,invites walk from the centre of Grasmere.

It has been wonderfully modernized inside without detracting from its original character. The cottage has everything one needs for a great stay, including cooking and washing facilities for longer stays. I hope to return another time.

Our third stay here.

Such a pretty traditional lakeland cottage. Everything you could need is provided. The lounge furniture and bed are very comfortable, a little home from home. Wordsworth Dove cottage is just round the corner and fantastic walks right from the doorstep……can’t wait to return.

We enjoyed a week in the cottage which was spacious, clean and well stocked with things you needed such as washing up liquid, washing machine tablets, salt and pepper etc.

There were loads of crockery ,pots and pans but as we dined out every evening that was not important to us. The cottage benefits from having the windows open to circulate the air and minimise the effects of a small area of damp in the kitchen. The only things people need to be aware of are that there are no views or outside space other than the bench in front on the public passageway. The cottage is also a bit dark as the sunshine does not come in, however if you are keen hikers such as us you spend every day outside enjoying the hills and just need a base to come and sleep.

Gorgeous cottage only wish we had booked for longer.

I would live there. Off the main road but nice short walk into Grasmere centre. Handy parking permit provided. Full of character but with lovely bedroom and modern bathroom. Everything you need was provided. Nice little seat to sit and have a drink outside. Dog friendly. Can’t wait to return.

Great location and plenty of space in the cottage with all you need.

Parking was not an issue. Slightly nervous about parking away from the cottage but all without incident so was not a problem. The shower could have been stronger and the quilt was too warm for our liking. There was an alternative feather quilt but rated at the same TOG rating 10.5.

The property is very good, extremely well decorated and fitted out.

I imagine it would be particularly cosy in winter. It has no outside space which would have been helpful to know before booking with our dog. Also the instructions provided to find Dove Holme could have been more helpful in identifying how to find the property after leaving the main road. Otherwise we were very happy with the let

Good location for walking into Grasmere.

I had concerns over the parking prior to staying at the cottage with it being ‘first come first served’ basis. We never had an issue with getting a parking space, although it wasn’t the summer holidays and we didn’t try to get a space during peak times. Good amenities in the kitchen. Some cobwebs about the property and the shower cubicle needs a good clean. Overall pleasant cottage.

The property location was great really quiet and convenient with the parking.

The property was adequate for a couple with a dog but there does need to be some improvements to the house. The kitchen, lounge and carpets are a bit worn and needs improvement. The bedroom and bathroom are the best parts as they are large and comfy. If improvements are made we would return.

Dove Holm was very cozy and comfortable and the location was fab for walking into Grasmere or driving to Ambleside.

A lovely stay in a wonderful cottage -location couldnt be more perfect - we'll be back next year - thank you :)

A lovely little retreat just for two.

H&L Landaff

This was our 3rd visit to this property and as you can see from the feedback it was just OK.

The shower cubicle needed a thorough clean. The shower rail could not be moved up and down overall it could do with updating downstairs .The most disappointing thing was the huge increase in the cost for the same holiday next year we definitely not be considering it.

A lovely cosy cottage in the middle of Grasmere, perfect for a winter break !

!

When we arrived on Sunday 21/11 at 1600 it became clear that the Cottage had not been cleaned prior to our arrival.

We contacted Customer Service and I spoke to Laura who was great. She called back about 1815 to tell us that there had been a mix up and that the Cleaning contractor did not know that we were arriving that day. She stated that the best option was, if we were acceptable to it, to book into a nearby hotel for the night and Lakelovers would cover the cost. As the Daffodil Hotel was over the road from the Cottage and had availability we agreed that we would do that and we would pay and claim it back from Lakelovers. I did express to Laura that the inconvenience this was causing was worthy of some form of compensation. We put a few things together and went to the hotel. I got a call from the Cleaner to explain that they had got mixed up with the planned visit from a Visit England Inspector the following day. Anyway we were advised the following morning that the Cottage was ready and we went back over and properly unpacked etc and started our holiday. I made efforts to contact Lakelovers on numerous occasions to discuss the repayment of the monies for the hotel and to express our concerns over what had happened and, to this day, the only time anyone actually came back to me was when they called to arrange the refund of the hotel. No call or communication to apologise, no communication regarding my request for a gesture of compensation, nothing, as if it never happened. There was a gentleman there who had been in contact with us before we arrived to arrange the access for the Visit England Inspector and to whom we had been very helpful and I tried to contact him but nothing came back. He got what he wanted from us and it seems didn't care that the help we had given us actually came back to bite us. So, from our perspective it seems that, since Lakelovers have been taken over, the new Management don't consider Customer Service to be of any importance outwith their love of an automated message.

Fabulous Cottage in a perfect location close to the Village.

The cottage had everything we needed. We stayed in November and it was very warm and cosy perfect for 2 people. The only thing that could be improved is the kitchen, the cupboard doors look very old and tatty and the wall needs some attention, looks like damp is coming through. This hasn’t put us off we have already booked for next year. Would recommend this cottage.

Due to having to cancel the initial booking due to Covid the staff helped us out with great empathy and consideration.

But I will add I emailed a week prior to our holiday to ask questions on the Cottage and I had no reply whatsoever, the email was a reply to an email sent from Sykes, this was disappointing. As for the Cottage, I was not exactly blown away as I was expecting. The living room area was clean and tidy, but the kitchen and dining area not so. Table was sticky, oven greasy and just generally looked grubby. Bedroom was ok and bed comfy. Bathroom could also do with a good clean especially the shower cubicle as large areas of mildew that could easily be removed. Shame the shower head cannot be lowered as having a short wife she could not adjust to her liking. Finally there was no information on refuge collection or recycling so all our rubbish went into the black bin, I feel this could be explained better. Oh, also the car parknticket provided had expired on the 30th Sept, this inimly noticed on the day we left so I really am hoping we do not get a fine from the Stock Lane car park as this will be passed on. Overall we had a fantastic holiday on a beautiful area

Cottage is in a good position with easy access to Grasmere.

The sitting room and bedroom have been recently refurbished. The kitchen has not. The cottage was filthy on arrival and had not been cleaned. Considering all the information regarding Covid-19 on your website and the importance of hygiene, this came as a surprise. There was mould on the cabinets in the kitchen, there was food debris and crumbs on all the kitchen work surfaces and in the cutlery draw. The hob had not been cleaned for sometime. we spent an hour cleaning the cottage before unpacking. We washed every item of cutlery and crockery before using it. The parking permit for the Stock Lane car park in Grasmere was out of date. This caused a degree of anxiety as we were constantly worried about getting a parking ticket.

Whilst appreciating that the building is very old, we would draw your attention to the following points which we feel need to be addressed: > > Entrance Porch > > Not swept and cobwebs covering arch; last winter's leaves lying on either side of porch.

> > > Kitchen > > Units very shabby and without kick boards; door facings evidencing substantial signs of aging etc. If it were not for the smart, slate work surfaces then kitchen would appear to be from the 1970s! > Mould on wall at end of kitchen partly hidden by microwave and close to boiler > and lots of cobwebs > Refrigerator rusting at base - freezer box iced up meaning it was difficult to store anything in it. > In terms of helping to keep surfaces etc clean it would be useful to > have kitchen roll but none present albeit there was a very smart holder. > Cooker not very clean especially the grill pan. Over dishes decidedly antiquated! > A surfeit of mugs etc including a mug stand of 6 very large mugs. Why, > given a maximum of two people, especially as this adds to clutter on work surface? Found 3 cups, thankfully, but no saucers! > > Not much in the way of cooking dishes. Huge frying pan (for 2 people?) which was too large for stove. Another small saucepan would have been helpful. > Plenty of kitchen utensils, etc and indeed cutlery . Why, given only 2 person occupancy? Overall, the collection of dishes and utensils were not provided with regards to just two person occupancy. Indeed, one might think that the dishes etc were from somewhere else where they were no longer required. > Glasses not clean. This might be due in part to the drying cloths provided possibly in need of a good laundering. > > Plenty of ground coffee but no cafetière. This absence explains why there was ground coffee already present ! > Quite probably the first time we have taken a let not to find at least a minimal provision of milk/tea/coffee! Some old teabags and sugar - no usuable coffee, no milk. This rather raises question over the "welcome" note on the slate board in the kitchen. > > Broken dish [small white, with lid] on window ledge > > Bathroom > > Plug fitting in basin does not fit well to keep water in and going > rusty > > No soap dish in shower > > Cobwebs visible > > Bedroom > > Comfortable but gutter above window to far left of bed overflows - > requires cleaning out. > Cobwebs visible > > Lounge > > Comfortable but no ‘welcome pack’ or visitors’ book > > Cobwebs visible > Light over one picture not working Guide to the property states "open fire". That is so but there was no fuel to use! Are guests expected to purchase the necessary fuel and would they buy the correct material to use? > > Albeit not THAT important to us, it was surprising that there was such a limited range of TV and radio channels given that from our experience of properties in the Lakes most owners overcome this factor through using Sky or alternative reception systems. > Overall > > Dove Holm was without doubt the most costly self catering accommodation that we have rented to date (our association with your Lakelovers goes back to 1990s and includes some 20 lets) and the lowest in terms of value for money and luxury that we have experienced in the Lakes and indeed elsewhere. It would benefit from a deep clean and a kitchen update. This is the second time [previously in Cartmel] have stayed in a "Sykes Cottage" which was below par and rather raises concerns over other bookings. However, and in fairness, we did stay in the Piggery at Ullswater which in contrast to both these properties, was substantially much better.

We have stayed in two Lake Lovers properties this year, both were just okay.

It’s the cleaning that has let it down on both occasions. This second time I was prepared and ready to clean when I arrived. Having said this I could not fault the cleaning of the kitchen and bathroom surrounds and surfaces, however, in both properties the carpet hadn’t seen a vacuum cleaner before we arrived, that was immediately apparent. I found the vacuum cleaner and yes they did work. I have pictures of the mass of fur and fluff I found prior to me vacuuming the entire cottages. I know people can bring dogs and we don’t, but you must be prepared to vacuum the floor after them. It’s got to be part of the changeover process. We will sadly not be returning with you or Sykes.

The cottage is in a fantastic location, fully equipped, and well lit.

It is cosy, comfortable and the soft furnishings are a high quality. The only cons or suggestions would be: no full length mirror which would’ve been handy, maybe a portable table to take in and out to use with the outside bench? The shower wasn’t very powerful and not adjustable in height so bathroom not really as described. However we got use to it and it didn’t take away from our holiday. We would definitely recommend and go back.

The living room was very dark ok for the evening but not in the day.