The Old Smithy

Great location easy walking to a large supermarket and into the city centre.

They do have 1 dedicated car parking spot but the rest is free street parking which if you have more than 1 car maybe difficult to find spaces. We didn't just the pool table as I'm 6' and you can't stand up in there at that height but would be fine for smaller people. Property was decorated to a good standard and it was clean throughout. Would recommend.

Very small, dark and dirty.

Not suitable for 8 people as described. Furniture & decor would have been beautiful but badly maintained: We spent as much time as possible outside of the cottage as it was unpleasant being in it.

Some very good points about this property.

Lovely bedrooms, very comfortable and nice attention to detail with decor and furnishings. Quality kitchen fittings and equipment, e.g. slow cooker, kitchen scales etc. Nice clean fridge. However the grill was useless as you had to keep the ignition button pressed all the time in order fir it to work! The oven was slow to heat also so we reverted to frying pans. We felt the need to wipe down all the surfaces in the kitchen including some of the doors. The cutlery was lacking. Only 4 forks for 8 people, also there were insufficient large plates. An overhaul of the other kitchen utensils wouldn't go amiss. Only one tea towel supplied for the weekend was a little unusual? The first aid kit was out of date. Maybe specify what little is provided so that customers will know what to bring. There was certainly no welcome pack as other visitors mentioned in their review. It's good that Morrisons is close by but not useful if it is shut. These may seem like niggly little things but are easy to sort. The hoover hadn't been emptied for some time and although there were recycling suggestions, all the outdoor bins were full. The stair carpet needs a good clean! A small night light would be useful on the landing as would a mirror in one of the bedrooms. There was a slight leak on the ensuite shower which is probably causing the dampness on the lounge ceiling. The main bathroom flooring needs some attention as doue the cupboard door in the kichen next to the cooker. The damp smell throughout the house, caused by the cellar room, I suppose is unavoidable but we felt the need to buy air fresheners. We had two dogs with us and the listing does say limited outdoor space but should say NO outdoor space. All this said, The Old Smithy is in a good location and though parking is limited there is plenty space in the surrounding streets. Not sure we would stay again but find somewhere with outdoor space for the dogs.

Excellent location and value.

Tiny improvement would be to have an information sheet regarding what goes into which bin.

The property is the perfect location and we loved Barnard Castle but the property itself is tired and in need of maintenance.

It has some lovely features but we had to clean every dish we used before use and generally looks poorly maintained. There was a missing radiator valve in the bedroom, secondary glazing which snaps shut, damp in the corner of the living room and tacks poking out on the stair carpet. All small things in such a lovely property but really should be looked at. Also felt a lack of care and attention, no welcome book or information on rubbish collection to neighbours access (the parking actually is tricky as need to leave access for the neighbour and they had to tell us about this). Overall, such potential to be an amazing properly and we enjoyed our stay despite the niggles.

Beautifully and tastefully decorated.

Convenient for the local amenities. Beautiful old property. Bit disappointed that quite a few items were dirty in the kitchen - baking trays, pans and glasses and worktop hadn’t been wiped down properly. A pint of milk and some soap might’ve been nice since we arrived late Saturday after a long drive. Lots of chipped and broken items too.

Fantastic location in Barnard Castle centre.

Very similar to many properties in the area with no outdoor sitting area and compact living. But we knew that when we booked and I guess it depends on what you're used to! Beds on the small side, but mattresses very comfy. Well equipped, light and airy kitchen. Good powerful showers but towels on the small side. Limited extras provided e.g. tea/coffee and toilet paper but luckily Morrisons is on the doorstep for all the essentials.

Lovely near week at the Old Smithy, situated a short walk from Barnard Castle's main street and Morrisons.

Lovely town with all shops you could need and the Castle. Plenty of room in the house and the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms very nicely decorated. Pool table in the basement kept the kids and adults amused in the evenings (take some 50p's with you).

It was just as advertised no problems we had a nice stay Thank You

Had a gorgrous stay at the property, adequate space and equipment for everyone, very comfortable beds and Barnard Castle is a lovely place to visit.

My only critisism of the property is that the front room is quite cold. with just one small radiator and the door onto the street directly in the room we found it so cold. Perhaps install an electric fire in there?.

The previous guests were still at the property when we arrived at 5pm Property dirty and not cleaned Very poor to non working wifi

Had a three week stay which was enjoyable.

That said there was an issue with the cleanliness. Mainly the kitchen. We are not people to bother others so just bought cleaning bits and sorted it ourselves. Upstairs was clean, as we say it was the kitchen. If the owners would like some feedback then crumbs on the top of the toaster. The utensil pot was greasy on the outside, not washed for a long time. The hob had not been completely taken apart and cleaned. And the floor was quite grubby, especially under the breakfast bar. However we know we left it all done. The court yard and its enjoyment by people who stay it is not clear enough. The courtyard belongs to one of the neighbours and is not for the use of The Old Smithy. You can sit around the edge of it though and have ample space under the arch to sit out. Do not be put off as I am sure the owners will address the above and the location is fantastic for exploring Barnard Castle.

Had a wonderful stay at the Old Smithy!

I stayed with 7 other family members and the house was super spacious even with all those people. Each room is beautifully appointed and has its own personality and the kitchen is very big too when making food for the whole family. The games room downstairs is a nice touch and the younger ones in our family enjoyed it especially! The host was also really hospitable and super quick to reply to any texts and even checked in with us an hour before we arrived to make sure we were okay. We couldn’t find any hand soaps or shampoos/body washes provided or any condiments such as salt, pepper. So please ensure to bring them with in case. 10/10 stay will likely be back next time we’re up this way!

We had an amazing stay at The Old Smithy for my mams 60th birthday.

Before arriving the owner called me who was so lovely! She gave me information about the house and the surrounding areas for dog walks, shops ect. The cottage itself was clean, tidy and very spacious. It fit our party of 8 and 2 dogs in quite nicely. We had a lovely welcome gift of wine and chocolates which we were not expecting. It is a 2 minute walk to Morrisons and just a few extra minutes to reach the shops/ pubs. There are a few walks around the area which i wish i had more time to check out but the loaction is perfect. There is a parking space under the arch which you can just say fit 2 cars in, the street was quite full of parked cars but if you find a space parking is all free. Free wifi however, we could not connect so i had to message the owner for the password. She replied immediately to help. All in all, the stay was great. I cannot fault the house or the owner! Would definitley stay again

Excellent stay, friendly approachable owners.

Wonderful hosting skills, nothing was too much trouble. Great location in central Barnard Castle. Don’t let the vicinity of Morrisons put you off, access is through a cute little courtyard. Living room is a little on the small side for the number of bedrooms but it comfortably fit 8 adults, 2 dogs and a toddler. Games room is a nice touch. Would stay again!

We usually book a holiday for Christmas every year and we've honestly never had an experience that was as lovely as that we've enjoyed at The Old Smithy.

From the beautiful bedrooms to the great family lounge, the games room, and the lovely kitchen the house has all that you need for a really excellent family trip. A special thank you to our hosts Zoe and Nick who were available when we needed them, made our Christmas extra special with all of their little touches and decorations, and could not have been kinder or more helpful. The only reason we'd hesitate to recommend The Old Smithy is that it means it'll be as popular as it deserves to be - and that means it'll be harder for us to book up a return visit. This really is a fantastic holiday cottage and a great place to explore lovely Barnard Castle and the surrounding area.

We’ve had a horrible stay.

On arrival we were very surprised by the outside and location of it as it’s not as advertised. The photo is showing a rear door which isn’t used as a door at all making out like that’s the entrance in the photos. On entering the property we could see straight away that the house hadn’t been cleaned to a reasonable standard, toilets, bathroom floors and bins were filthy with mud all over, bedrooms and living room were thick of dust and muck even causing us to sneeze all the time and one of our party had an asthma attack! We had to go and buy cleaning products and take the time to clean. Carpets marked and dirty to the point where we wouldn’t let anything on the ground, walls full of dirty marks. No sweeping brush or vacuum. The cellar which is advertised as a games room is what I can only call a hazard with the stairs and smell of damp and not very nice down there at all. Outside there is no area for children and dogs which is a huge surprise when you’re welcome to take 3 dogs and it said in the description there was a patio area. There is a large bench blocking the front door which is just an eyesore and filthy and took up so much room. There was a stuffed crow which was hideous and not in the pictures along with a huge stuffed fish in a glass cabinet on the living room wall! Not a great use of the space at all, the layout of the kitchen was so tight and not being able to eat together or even facing one another was far from what we expected. pictures did not give an accurate expectation of the limited space. The place is not at all suitable for 8 people and 3 dogs. We couldn’t wait to leave!!

Lovely comfortable accommodation.

Plenty of room for all the family. Really cosy evenings with subtle lighting and cosy sofas. Beautifully fitted kitchen and lots of glasses and plates. Great little games room. Beds were all really comfortable and a really clean and modern bathroom. Highly recommend to anyone holidaying in this beautiful part of the country.

No washing machine as listed on the site, which was a major issues for us as we didn’t have enough clothes for the week!

We never book accommodation without a washing machine. The owner told us it was Sykes is fault. Also within an hour of us leaving the house on the last day we were accused of leaving dog poo and breaking a bed. We are yet to see evidence of this which we know doesn’t exist! Disappointed in how Sykes accused us without asking for this evidence. We have used Sykes before and been happy but this has left a bitter taste.

Inaccuracies in listing eg no washing machine…which was annoying with 4 small kids.

Listing also says that the cottage accommodates 8 people and whilst there are enough beds, there are not enough chairs for everyone to eat/sit at the same time.

We loved the location of the property as it was central and within walking distance to the town and the castle.

No parking facilities but we never struggled to find a parking spot on the street out the front of the property. The living room was missing a lamp or two as was pretty dark but we just moved a bedroom lamp in there to brighten it up in the evening to make it more cosey. The decor in the house was fab! We had fresh new towels delivered to us on arrival and milk and bread left in the kitchen which was so thoughtful. I would definitely recommend this property