The Joiners Shop

Fantastic break, the Joiners Shop is a wonderful place to stay, clean, fresh, well equipped and bed linen like new.

I couldn’t fault it and would be my definite first choice if coming back to the area again. Not for publication, get rid of the kitchen bowl!!!

The accommodation was very spacious and was one of the best equipment cottages I have stayed on.

Parking was good.

We had a lovely stay at The Joiner Shop.

The cottage is delightful, full of character, well equipped, and in an excellent location in Ticknall. Having three pubs within walking distance was a real bonus, and there are plenty of great walks nearby. The garden and summer house were particularly lovely and made for a very relaxing stay. The only reason I have not given 5 stars is that the property could benefit from a more thorough clean. Finding unwashed pots in the sink on arrival was not a great first impression, and overall cleanliness could be improved. If this was addressed, the cottage would be excellent. Guests should also be aware that there is an internal window in the main bedroom. Overall, a charming cottage in a great location that would be even better with a little more attention to cleanliness.

We were there for a very hot week and lack of ventilation through open windows made sleeping difficult in two of the bedrooms.

The lounge and kitchen area had an air conditioning unit which worked well. The sink plug in the upstairs double bedroom got stuck in the sink hole early in the holiday and despite reporting this to Sykes it was not fixed whilst we were there. The bedroom sink could not therefore be used.

Really nice stay.

Lovely area. Cottage had everything we needed. It was a very hot weekend and yet we stayed nice and cool in the cottage. The garden could perhaps have had a recent mow of the lawn but otherwise everything was great. So nice to be able to walk to pubs. Thank you.

The accommodation is decorated beautifully, and in a handy position for visiting local attractions.

What lets it down is the cleanliness. Upon arriving there was a half drunk glass of water in one of the bedrooms and litter under a bed, dirty cutlery and empty boxes in cupboards...plus vast amounts of cobwebs everywhere, dusty window sills and dirty windows..I appreciate the property is old, but they weren't hard to reach. It appears the change over isn't thorough at all. Some basics were supplied, but not stocked up on/checked eg no salt/pepper, washing up liquid, plus batteries missing from the remote controls. Also no welcome pack, despite it being advertised in the guest information. I feel let down on this property, for the price paid id expect more.

This is definitely in our top 10 of the cottages we have stayed in.

Great position, lovely light and spacious house and the Staff of Life Pub round the corner was a bonus. I'm sure we will be back if we are returning to the area. Thank you.

Fantastic place to stay.

Clean and tidy. Living area spacious for the 5 of us. Dining area and kitchen had everything you needed. Fridge freezer a bonus. All bedrooms were lovely and a great size, as we're the en-suites and bathroom. Garden area was nice with a bbq, garden furniture and a summer house. Pity we didn't use it.(thanks storm dave

The property was nicely laid out and very clean.

The kitchen was very well equipped. Property was very warm and comfortable. The toaster burned the toast, despite being on a low setting. It had to be ejected before finishing the time. The only negative I had was that the sofa was very low when sat down on it and I struggled to get up (I do have mobility issues but not had a problem with seating before). I would certainly book this again.

We had a very good stay overall.

The property is clean, spacious, and very well equipped. The kitchen and facilities are excellent, and the underfloor heating works very well. During our stay the outside temperature was minus and freezing, which meant the ground floor bedroom became very warm overnight as the heating runs through the night and isn’t adjustable. My advice would be to switch off the towel rail in the bedroom, which helps reduce the temperature. Sleeping with the door ajar also made it more comfortable. There is a washer-dryer provided but the drying cycle took a while to fully dry clothes. Prefer seperate machines. The location is excellent, with lovely walks nearby. Calke Abbey is well worth a visit, and both The Wheel Inn and The Chequers are great pubs to visit locally, with The Chequers offering a particularly good pint. Overall, a comfortable, clean place to stay in a great area.

The Joiners Shop is a lovely property and it’s a real bonus to have 3 friendly pubs within walking distance, one serving good food literally at the end of the drive.

The kitchen and lounge were comfortable and well equipped. We did find the hit and miss aspect of the ground force heating system a bit annoying as being linked to the outside temperature, the house was at its warmest during the night and the water for showers was barely hot enough. Having said that, the aircon unit which could be used for heating as well as cooling was very efficient on the one chilly evening we needed it. The other slight inconvenience was the lack of windows upstairs and the ability to open them to the outside.

A lovely place to stay - clean, comfortable and well equipped.

The village is delightful and there are loads of things to do in the area, for all interests.

Great place.

Well equipped and clean. We had one problem with the light and extractor failing in the main bedroom en suite. I phoned the contact number and it was fixed the same day, so that is very good service.

It was a lovely property with quirky features and very comfortable for our 3 generations.

It had everything we needed. The beds were lovely, plenty of storage and a pretty outlook onto the garden and summer house. We had a lovely time Thank you

A lovely property in a beautiful area.

Had a lovely stay for a long weekend for 3 couples sailing at Staunton Harold Reservoir.

Lovely well equipped cottage. Beautifully decorated and maintained and extremely clean everywhere. Cake and milk supplied in fridge were very welcome after a long journey - nice touch. Just one point... still only 5 forks for 6 people cottage! But a very minor point. Thanks again.

Property could use a vacuum cleaner

Our second stay here and with better weather this time!

Loads of room including a reading snug and a large well appointed kitchen, but if you don't want to cook head next door to the Staff of Life, we had a lovely welcome having been there the previous year. There is a little traffic noise but otherwise there are no negatives.

Slight smell of sewage in downstairs en-suite.

Maybe a pizza cutter in kitchen Upgrade wi fi

Comfortable accommodation with plenty of additional room.

The bedrooms were too warm and so was property as a whole.

Possibly due to sudden change in weather to very sunny. Hard to change interior bedroom temperature we can understand. Fan a bonus. Lovely property though and excellent having three bathrooms and bedrooms. Great outside space and summerhouse. Good to turn up and be able to make a drink and have a piece of cake!

The Joiners Shop is a spacious, attractive and very well-equipped property in a quiet location in the middle of Ticknall village.

There is very pleasant countryside all around and plenty of interesting places to visit. The grounds of Calke Abbey (National Trust) are a three-minute walk away.

Great place to stay, would highly recommend!

It's a matter of personal taste so many may not share our reservations - the layout is unusual and there is a little noise from the road beside the property.

It's dusty in places and feels in general like it needs a bit of TLC. Downstairs views of the lovely garden are limited to one window, the rest being above eye level. But warm and had all the equipment and items you need for a short stay/holiday. Nice welcome from a neighbour who may be the owner. Ok property but not quite suited to us.

In general the property is good and a great location to access walks, sites and pub/restaurants.

However, cleanliness was poor ie food still on dining table, dishes dirty (ie layer of fat on baking trays plates with food stains). The comfort upstairs was fine but downstairs due to no control options for underfloor heating a small fan heater was needed for majority of stay. If cleanliness and heating comfort was improved the rating would be 4.5/5. Staff of life pub next door had exceptional food and very hospitable staff.

Lovely comfortable property.

It wasn’t quite as clean as I’d have hoped, crockery wasn’t particularly clean and everything had to be properly washed before use. Light in the downstairs ensuite didn’t work. No salt or pepper as promised. No cooking oil or anything like that which I just assumed there would be, never stated anywhere where those things weren’t there. Tea and coffee were there for our use, and cupcakes instead of biscuits- thank you.

Lovely, well-equipped, comfortable cottage.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Spacious cottage in a lovely location.

Perfect for visiting numerous places in the local area. Beds very comfortable and kitchen was well equipped for preparing meals. Would certainly recommend.

The property was beautiful and very comfortable.

The house had everything we needed and was cosy and warm the whole time we were there. We were welcomed with a delicious cake, and a bottle of milk in the fridge. All we needed to have a cup of tea and a bite to eat on arrival. The area was lovely with plenty to see and do. We were even lucky with the weather. Thank you for a lovely stay.

Beautiful house, perfect for our needs.

Really great area to explore. Location was good.

A lovely place to stay.

The cottage was bigger than I expected, very clean and comfortable. It’s ideally located if you’re interested in visiting national trust places as there are lots to cost within a 30 min radius. Highly recommended.

The Joinery Shop was very clean and comfortable.

We felt at home straight away. everything we could possibly need was there. Lots of places of interest to visit close by and a pub right next door which had lovely meals. All in all a great holiday and the beds were extremely comfortable. We will recommend to our friends and family. Thank you.

I'm awaiting a response to my complaint.

I didn't want to leave feedback until after Sykes responded, but I keep getting emails saying you've not left feedback, leave feedback... so I'm doing this to stop the emails. I had an email saying someone had been allocated to deal with it. The Sykes dashboard says 1 new message, but the only message there is the one I sent. In a nutshell, the place was filthy above about 1.5m from the ground and hadn't been deep cleaned obviously in years from the size of the black cobwebs and the thick dust visibly falling off beams. I've sent Sykes photos. I'm allergic to feathers, and it's the first time I've stayed anywhere in years with feather duvets and pillows. Was a nightmare for me, and combined with the dust, it wasn't a restful holiday. We work in hospitality so know how much work is involved in cleaning... but that was really poor.

Super cottage - really large and spacious, great location

Very comfortable and well finished accommodation.

Ideally situated for walking, plenty of choice around Calke Abbey. Good food in the pub next door if you don't fancy cooking. Would return.

Hi the cottage was lovely however due to the unusual building layout (steps on the ground floor) my dad unfortunately fell walking over the step to the hallway and broke his hip so he is currently recovering in hospital in Derby.

I think this needs to be highlighted on the step itself or some kind of warning on the write-up to prevent this from happening to anyone else.

Great property.

Stayed here for a wedding that was in the locality. Good space and really clean. Thank you.

A lovely place Great location fabulous rooms and garden space.

Well equipped and spacious. The bathrooms enable everyone to have their own.

Excellent property in a lovely location.

Very comfortable, luxurious even and spacious. There are some lovely walks nearby - a guide to these would be useful for future guests. Recommended

Great accommodation in a beautiful area.

Well equipped, comfortable and warm. Ideal position with walks from the door.

Outstanding!

Fabulous renovation work making this a wonderful place to stay, even at the end of November. Very comfortable, spacious, clean and welcoming. Many thanks

Beautiful well equipped accommodation in a lovely village with the Tramway Trail and Calke Abbey on the doorstep and a pub next door serving nice meals.

Lots of places to see locally including Foremark Reservoir and the books in the accommodation suggested nice walks nearby too. Would love to return.

We were three couples and the property was ideal as we each had privacy with our own bathroom or en suite and then the lovely communal area for cooking, eating and relaxing.

Great location for exploring The National Forest and the Peak District if you don’t mind a short drive. No complaints!

Such a wonderful property for our visit home from California.

Plenty of space for us and our 3 almost adult children, comfortable beds, and a wonderful garden. The house was also really clean, and well equipped. The pub next door does amazing food and the staff were incredibly friendly. We will definitely stay here again next time we are in England

Loved every bit of it.

Very bright and modern, spacious, clean and nicely decorated. Beds are very cozy. I saw in a few reviews it said you heard the noise of the road. Well, I am a very light sleeper and I didn't hear a thing! Great walking nearby too, as it's around the corner from Calke Abbey. Just wonderful all around.

We had a terrific time thank you.

Loved the house, and the location was ideal. All was extremely comfortable. Everything was well stocked too - which was really nice. Beautiful garden and summer house although we didn't really use as it's November. Could do with a few more knives/forks (for when the 'first set' are still in the dishwasher). And a proper coffee facility would be good - maybe an Espresso machine? Otherwise 10/10 definitely - thank you.

This is a lovely holiday house, clean, tidy, quality fixtures & fittings and very social with lots of room.

There is plenty to do in the area either by taking a short drive or walking. We made use of 2 pubs in the village, enjoying a lovely meal in the staff of life when we arrived which is just next door! Would recommend and would use again.

A few people in other reviews mentioned the road noise but we didn’t find this to be a problem at all.

You could hear cars during the day but no one in our stay was woken up by it in the mornings or kept awake at night. The Joiners Shop is in an excellent location, has plenty of space and provided us with a really comfortable stay for a long weekend. Thank you!

A lovely property in a beautiful part of England.

Spotlessly clean when we arrived, internet was good, able to stream iPlayer from the downstairs bedroom and on the main tv in the lounge. No mobile phone signal . The kitchen was well equipped, though no chopping board or tongs but I always take a few of my favourite utensils with me anyway as I like cooking. Also a nice utility room with washer dryer. Plenty of parking next to the property in a private courtyard. A tidy looking pub next door though we never used it and a friendly little village / takeaway food shop. Calke Abbey country park within 5 minute walk and plenty of large brand supermarkets within a 15 minute drive. Slightly busy road through the village so there was some traffic noise and fairly close to East Midlands Airport so there was the occasional bit of air traffic. All in all a tidy holiday and we would definitely stay there again.

Third visit in the last year!

Previously great! This time very disappointing. Standards have slipped majorly. Had to request the master bedroom have bedding put on, the living area had not been vacuumed or cleaned. The bedroom bin had not been emptied…. This was an expensive option for 3 nights……

Very well appointed cottage with private garden in a nice and friendly courtyard.

Close to 2 good pubs, one of which does excellent food. Only drawback is the traffic noise from the main road, which can be noisy at times.

Lovely well equipped and comfortable place to stay, would most definitely return.

It is on a busy road.

There is a bbq. The house was really lovely, very clean. The downside was the road noise in the downstairs double bedroom and the fact that there is no window to the outside in the main bedroom, it was very warm and stuffy in the main bedroom. Apart from that we really enjoyed staying in The Joiners Shop. The summer house was a nice addition to.

Listed as having parking for 3 cars but cottage details states only 2, some clarity should be published as there is sufficient for 3.

On a main road and not double glazed so very noisy in the Downstairs bedroom

Awesome cottage.

Excellently equipped. Very clean.

The cottage cleanliness was not high.

We had expected with covid-19 regulations that the cottage would be immaculately clean, sadly it was not. We also expected that certain items would have been removed due to covid-19, ie DVDs, cuschions throws and books etc. Despite these comments we had a lovely time and the cottage is very good, even with the noisy road and being on the flight path from East Midlands Airport

This Property has to be seen to be believed the photos on Sykes web site look good but the reality is even better what a fabulous place.

The quality of the fixtures and fitting was first class. An auto light over the key box would help when arriving in the dark. Luckily I had a torch in the car. If like me you are over 6ft remember to duck when entering or exiting the cottage. As it was February and we were there during storm Dennis we did not get to enjoy the garden or summer house but I can see how great it would be during a warm summers day. The garden is fully enclosed and would be safe for children. We really enjoyed our stay and would recommend the Joiners Shop to all A special thank you to the neighbour, David for lending a pair of walking boots to my granddaughter. They certainly helped a lot.

All good .

Comfortable and spacious, very well appointed and equipped. No complaints at all.

Booking was very easy, arriving and accessing the property a straight forward process and the property breath-taking as soon as we stepped inside!

What a beautifully converted barn in an L-shape with high quality flooring, furnishings and fittings, wonderfully light and spacious equipped with everything to make our stay a complete delight. We had booked for three nights to celebrate our daughter's 21st birthday and were provided with extra chairs to accommodate a family birthday tea. Even though it was pouring with rain outside, indoors there was room for adults and children to enjoy being in the large lounge, dining, kitchen area, or in the smaller second lounge. There is a large TV screen, DVD player, internet, and even a super selection of puzzles, games and books. The large utility area provided space for all the food and supplies we wanted, with a large fridge/freezer, washing/drying machine, all manner of cleaning and domestic items including BBQ utensils which convinced us to return in better weather. Outdoors the garden is securely walled and grassed with a patio, BBQ and table with chairs in addition to an attractive Summer House also with seating. The three bedrooms are beautifully decorated, two with en suite bathrooms and the third with a large bathroom close by. There is parking for two cars by the entrance and easy free parking round the corner on the Main Street. We had thought of having drinks and a meal or two at the Staff of Life which is just next door or breakfast at Scoff and Shop on the Main Street which both had appealing menus but we enjoyed being at The Joiners Cottage so much we just stayed put! We walked round nearby Calke Abbey which took just 30 minutes to walk to and 15 minutes to drive to the main house where there was a restaurant and beautiful walks for an entrance fee. We checked out at 10am and drove ten minutes to nearby Swarkestone Nursery Garden Centre for a full breakfast to round off our stay perfectly. We would certainly love to return and explore the area more fully and will be booking The Joiners Cottage again for sure.

A spacious, warm and very comfortable cottage, immaculately clean with everything we needed.

Hope to come back again soon, and will certainly recommend this wonderful cottage to our friends.

Perfect for staying with my elderly parents, especially as there is a downstairs bedroom with ensuite.