Gatekeepers

A characterful gatehouse which is nicely presented and very clean.

Well equipped, however, instructions for use of the washer dryer would be useful. Our biggest issue was very poor internet and tv reception. It's was hard to watch anything on TV due to the signal constantly dropping. WiFi was variable, but very poor on the whole. The welcome package was the best we've ever had, so many lovely treats! The staff and manager at the hotel up the driveway were extremely helpful with issues we had with the TV not working. The hot tub was lovely (when we eventually got the wood burner stove lit and burning). You do need to allow a few hours to get the water hot enough for the tub, so planning in advance is key. There is some noise from the main road which runs alongside the gatehouse, but this isn't as busy at night. Once we closed the shutters and curtains it blocked out most of the security lighting (which seemed to constantly be flashing on and off) and some of the road noise. The sofas were small and quite uncomfortable, it would be very cramped for 4 people staying (only 2 adults in our group). The location is a good base for exploring the area. Free parking is right behind the gatehouse. There is a large fenced garden, which is just a basic lawn. It would be good to have a washing line or rotary dryer in this space and to develop it to be a prettier area with more outdoor seating.

Lovely little character property, in a great location and was well equipped for our needs and the welcome gifts was a lovely touch.

Staff at Grinkle Hotel were very polite and happy to help and professional at all times. Was sad to pack up to go home but we will definitely book another stay, thank you

Lovely cottage, lovely setting.

Settees could have higher backs for comfort. Television reception is terrible could not watch anything fully. Toaster needs to be replaced with one that can take toaster size bread. Cottage was clean and private. Very convenient for lots of places to visit in the area. Diffusers not good for dogs breathing so removed them out of the way . Overall a lovely stay.

Great secluded an private cottage, easy to find and brilliantly place to visit the coast.

Grinkle Hotel was a short walk from the cottage and provided a nice breakfast and a drink in the evenings before eating out. Excellent friendly staff. Wonderful shower, large towels and bedding. Everything you need for you stay Hot tub may need bleeding as the heater had to be consistently gently tapped to release trap air on first use, once bled provided a wonderfully hot and relaxing experience. Coming back in December for a long weekend

Second time coming to the gatehouse with my family.

My boys love it. They get to play around pretending to in their own little world. The castle grounds is a lovely place to walk with the kids and the dogs. Even in the worst weather. The staff are friendly also. Love this place. Thank you.

The cottage was absolutely beautiful, the only fault I had was the tiny tv & the reception on it kept buffering so didn’t get to watch it much, the the cottage was fab they thought of everything you need, very clean , the welcome pack was fantastic, the hot tub was great light logs 4 hrs before thou , but actually stayed at 40d 24 hrs so that was gd ,I’ve booked for may next yr I was that impressed with it, very cozy , the grinklr hotel were fab to very helpful to, we went up there for a meal on my 60th just up the road I can’t wait to go back next yr , , it would be great if they boosted the WiFi also the tv but hey ho it’s a holiday the main things are absolutely spot on I can not fault anything at all , I’d recommend 100%

I stayed here with a friend and our 2 children 3&5.

The staff were 10/10. Everyone was incredible; so helpful and doing everything they could to help with any issues. Claire was an absolute angel and went way above and beyond for us and she deserves all the praise! The lodge itself was clean, had a washing machine, shower over bath, small fridge freezer and you could adjust the temperature to suit your needs. The lights do flicker every time you turn a tap on or flush the toilet but it’s not too bad. The sofas weren’t ideal, extremely uncomfortable and short backed, the TV was slow to work and the children got bored waiting for it, thankfully we had the IPads but they couldn’t stream shows due to the WiFi only just working to send text messages (this is something said in your welcome packet) The hot tub is a labour of love. They said 1-2 hours to warm up, maintenance said up to 4 hours but in reality every night was 6-8 hours before reaching 38°, you have to sit outside and stoke the fire constantly otherwise it won’t heat. We would happily come back to stay again though; we’d just download shows first and get the hot tub going as early as possible!

First impression was good, but let down by the living area seating.

Both sofas are small and uncomfortable. If replaced by four highback wing chairs it would make the place welcoming after a long day. Kitchen could do with a deep clean. Small slugs invade the bathroom via the window, this just needs sorting out.

2 star accommodation in a 5 star location.

Cottage is quaint and has all the basics plus the hot tub in the garden. The garden itself is pet safe but nothing but weeds/moss so nothing to enjoy. The hot tub takes about 2.5 hours to warm up so be prepared for a project when you want to use. Lovely to enjoy eventually! Inside, the kitchen is convenient but not well equipped so bring own supplies. Living room is ok but as others have commented the sofas are not comfortable. The WiFi and TV is very poor and you cannot rely on it.

Very neglected inside and out.

On entering the property there was a smell of damp. Flakey damp walls and the mould in the bedroom windows was terrible. Shower was either hot or scalding. We had to call the manger to replace the shower hose because it was split, and he had to bring a lighter for the hot tub. Security light flickering all night and the settees so uncomfortable.

I have filed a complaint (29/6/2025) which I’m yet to have acknowledged or resolved.

The stay was so uncomfortable due to awful sofas and chairs that my parents decided to return home 4 days early (this was a gift from me for their 50th anniversary so I’m very disappointed and am seeking a partial refund). The property was much smaller than pictures look, needs upgrading and a deep clean and the garden was just weeds. We have used you before with no issue so if this is resolved to my satisfaction I would still consider recommending your company in future but currently would not. The welcome hamper and staff were nice though.

The cottage is excellent and we had a great time.

We did feel the kitchen could have been a little better equiped, i.e. a small bowl for mixing and enough plates for everyone and putting things like toast on the table.Silly things, but it is a high standard cottage and everything is usually spot on with Sykes and feedback can improve what is already an excellent place.

We had a nice 5 night stay at Gatekeeper Cottage.

A nice hamper of goodies was provided and the cottage was well presented for our stay. As the cottage is surrounded by very tall trees there was not much sunlight in the garden area and we were informed the trees are also for the poor TV reception, but the hot tub was a bonus along with loads of logs for its log fire heating system we had it at 38° for three nights. Could do with some more comfy sofas in the lounge though!!

The only problem was the bath and sink would not drain

Enjoyed our stay, lovely welcome pack, enjoyed using the hot tub and cottage immaculate, just felt settees were a little uncomfortable to sit on in the evening after a day of touring around.

Had a really lovely stay at the Gatekeepers which is in a lovely location in the grounds of a hotel.

We stayed as a family of four (2 adults/ 2 children) and it was just about big enough for us for four nights. The beds were very comfy and the shutters meant it was lovely and dark to sleep. We used the wood fired hot tub and the wood burner. A couple of things that could be done to improve the property- the furniture such as the sofas (I’d have had one that was bigger and a separate chair) and the wardrobes etc would benefit from an upgrade and silly things like a better selection of glasses and bowls. The bathroom too could do with a little tlc as water from the shower gets everywhere, such as on the window frame) and you can see the effects of that water damage. The hotel staff are all lovely and helpful- we used the bar and the snooker room and the grounds as just beautiful. It’s perfectly situated for exploring the areas and having the enclosed garden and the hotel grounds to walk the dog was fantastic.

Super accommodation in lovely surroundings.

Generous welcome hamper which was thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall this is the perfect getaway for small families or couples.

Plenty of garden for our children and two frenchies to play in. Also access to the hotel grounds was a nice touch from walking round the grounds to having a beer and a game of snooker. Will be definitely coming back and doing it all again!