The Mill Managers House

38 Customer Reviews

• "An amazing building right in the centre of Cromford Mills."

  It was the perfect place to house 14 adults comfortably. The heating and extra electric heaters worked well to keep it warm when it was only 5 degrees outside! The only issue we had with the property was that a lot of the crockery and glasses were quite dirty. All in all we really enjoyed our stay and would recommend!

  Reviewed by Beth4.1★Feb 2025

• "Big old Mill House with original features and modern bathrooms/kitchen."

  Central Heating and Wood burner in living room. Some heaters not working( hall and dining room), house hard to heat in middle of winter but fairly comfortable. Lovely underfloor heating in kitchen. Rooms had everything required, some of the door handles needed repaired. Overall I think the house could benefit from a toilet on the 3rd floor. Great big garden at back, would be lovely on a sunny day. Close to village with a couple of decent pubs, shop etc. Mill across road has craft shops. Handy for walks along the canal.

  Reviewed by Gillian3.8★Feb 2025

• "Our first impression of the house wasn't great - when we walked it in was very cold and smelt damp and musty."

  It seems likely this was caused by the fireplace and maybe previous guests burned damp logs, but it could do with airing out more before new guests arrive. However, it didn't take us long to get settled and starting a new fire with dry logs seemed to help. The house was impeccably clean - you usually find some dirt in the corners in holiday homes but this place was pretty much spotless. It was nicely decorated keeping a lot of the original features of the house, the furniture was on theme but the bathrooms and kitchen felt modern and well furnished. The dishwasher needs some maintenance - it barely cleaned any of the dishes. It would also be helpful to have some scissors in the kitchen. Otherwise it was very well stocked and the oven was a great size for cooking for a large group. Some of the beds were more comfy than others - the double beds were very comfy but some guests found the singles quite small with springy mattresses. The main issue we had was the temperature - the house was so cold and the heating seemed to come on at random times. I understand locking down the thermostat so it can't be turned up too high, but the Friday night said it was only 17C and that's far too cold for Jan/Feb, especially for such an old house. The Saturday and Sunday were better and seemed to be at 21C in the day which is much more reasonable, but then it seemed to turn off in the evening and come back on at midnight when we'd all gone to bed which wasn't helpful. This needs improving as we ended up mainly being huddled in one room. To anyone visiting I recommend bringing slippers as the stone flags are cold. We also had an odd experience where a couple of the guests felt a negative presence in the 2 larger first floor bedrooms, they found it difficult to be in there and they felt overwhelmed by the negative atmosphere. The other guests didn't sense this, and in fact thought the house had a nice feeling to it, but maybe it's something to keep in mind when considering staying here if you're sensitive to that kind thing. Overall I'd definitely consider staying again, but would probably go at a warmer time of year when we're less dependent on the heating and could make use of the nice outdoor space.

  Reviewed by Kayley3.8★Jan 2025

• "This is a nice place, but as others have flagged there are some areas for improvement."

  It was really cold, to be fair it was really cold outside but the heating was locked so we couldn't turn it on outside of the scheduled hours. There were small heaters, but it was still cold. The settee in the lounge is way past its best. There are not enough showers - 2 for a house that sleeps 14 is not enough. There were no matches or washing up liquid so we had to go out again after a long journey which wasn't great. I think this would be a better house in the warmer months as the garden looked lovely.

  Thank you for your feedback. The heating is set to 21 degrees and can be changed at any time on the thermostat in the ground floor hallway. It is not locked. It was -10 at night when you stayed and the property was 23 degrees inside. I'll look at the sofa and change or repair. The matches are in the cupboard next to the stove and washing up liquid is under the sink in the kitchen. Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Beth3.4★Jan 2025

• "The property and its location were fab."

  We had a lovely few days stay. Would suggest that an overhaul on the frying pans is overdue!

  Thank you for your feedback. I’m glad you had a nice time. New frying pans have now been brought out. Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by John Paul5.0★Oct 2024

• "Great place to stay for our large family 8 adults 7 children 2toddlers in cots & a baby."

  Perfect location & large garden to play in Could do with some stair gates. But great house to share. Had a Home Alone moment. !! Have we left any one behind !

  I’m really glad you had a nice time and will hopefully see you at the property again soon! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Susie5.0★Oct 2024

• "The house was not clean and didn’t look the same as the photos."

  We had to wash all of the pots we needed as they were filthy. Trays still had fat on them from previous guests, plates were had bits of food on them. Wouldn’t recommend or stay here again

  Hi, I’m really sorry about the dirty pots! I notified the cleaners and they came out and cleaned everything to a high standard! Unfortunately previous guests had put things away dirty and therefore these were missed! I’m happy to discount another stay as a way of an apology! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Joanne2.2★Sep 2024

• "This fitted our need for an extended family."

  We had to do some vacuuming on arrival and the bed in the single room appeared to be suffering from a problem of mattress support. Some kitchen crockery was not adequate for the number to be accommodated (eg egg cups, ordinary tumblers). The garden and trampoline was greatly enjoyed by the younger members of our family.

  Reviewed by Keith3.1★Aug 2024

• "Absolutely beautiful property with so much character."

  It had everything we needed for our stay. The big garden was lovely with the weather being so nice too. The fridge didn’t seem to chill things, maybe it was on the wrong setting or it’s just been used loads but that was literally the only issue we had.

  Reviewed by Ann-marie5.0★Jul 2024

• "Would have been handy to have had a toilet and shower on the top floor"

  Reviewed by Sheila4.7★Jul 2024

• "What a fantastic house!"

  Perfect for a break with a large group. The only downside is the lack of bathrooms but for a weekend this was manageable. Within walking distance of pubs and restaurants and beautiful countryside. We will return!

  Reviewed by Vanessa4.1★Jun 2024

• "What a great time 14 of us, from ages 4 to 75 had at The Mill Managers House this week."

  I was very nervous after reading past reviews about the state of the house and even contacted Sykes to check it out for me. But I couldn’t have been more happy to arrive at the house for myself and check it out: 6 very large, spacious, clean and inviting bedrooms with luxury bedding and ample hanging space and drawers all of which were set up as king or twin beds as I requested. One of these rooms was a super king with en-suite which was modern with walk in shower and amenities. 1 smaller room with a pullout made up into twin beds with everything as above. The main bathroom was large and modern with a shower over the bath and was never a problem for everyone to share- we shared the en-suite too. Downstairs there was another toilet too off the utility room. The kitchen was extremely well equipped and was perfect for our needs. There was extra storage space in the utility room too as we had brought ready prepared food and drinks. The large dining room with massive table was perfect for dining together and playing games. The lounge just about seated us all but we were rarely all together in just one room. The fire was very welcome as it was particularly cold over this time. And the large TV was enjoyed too. But there was so much space outside to gather too. We had a bbq one evening and the young members of the family played endlessly on the trampoline and in the garden. We were all very happy in the house, we felt warm and safe and all had our own space. It was a perfect choice for us- thank you. It was also a welcome bonus to have Cromford Mills across the road with an informative museum, quaint shops and a tea room which we all enjoyed at one time or another during our stay. We walked across the main road to the village of Cromford for a lunch and also to Matlock Bath to visit and enjoyed the Heights of Abraham tour. Also on the doorstep was a walk along the towpath of the canal and river. What more do you want for a 5 night reunion with family. Perfect!

  Reviewed by Jenny5.0★May 2024

• "We had a great time at the Mill Managers House."

  We went as a large group of friends and it suited us perfectly. It was very clean on arrival and the kitchen was stocked with everything you could need. I would recommend this property for any large group.

  Reviewed by Daniel4.4★May 2024

• "Fantastic stay!"

  Gorgeous house! I used to be in charge of housekeeping in a hotel, and the cleanliness met my standards, which is saying something! We had such an incredible stay. Perfect for my very low-key hen party - we especially appreciated the number of single beds. We were worried about only having two showers, but we were happy to share the ensuite during the day, which made everything easier, and people were happy to clean their teeth in the downstairs toilet. Garden was amazing, and the WiFi worked well. (Be aware, there isn't much signal near the house...it's in a valley, to be expected). As with lots of old buildings, it isn't especially soundproofed, so if someone is a light sleeper, they might need to bring earplugs if they want to go to bed before everyone else. Sofa was very comfy, with plenty of seating. We had a really lovely weekend! Thank you!

  Reviewed by Jenny4.4★Apr 2024

• "The property was ideal for our needs"

  Reviewed by Derek5.0★Feb 2024

• "1st floor beds are 2 x kingsize + 1 single with pullout mattress suitable for 5ft sleepers only - only knew when cleaners contacted me; would not have rented ahd I known."

  Cooker knobs fall off. Beware dining table - middle section collapsed on us, we consider it unsafe and not fit for purpose. Contact no's provided took 245hrs to reply. Bedroom doors lack catches so most don't shut. 2 bathrooms inconvenient for 14 adults, additional shower room would be improvement. Tired house needs sprucing up.

  Hi, Thanks for your review. The first floor has a king bed, superking bed and a single with a pull out that is 6ft 2 long. Not sure what they mean by 5ft sleepers unless they mean wide. I checked the Cooker and all the knobs are working fine. The dining table has been repaired and I apologise about this. Nobody contacted me during your stay and we always respond to guests within 1 hour either by phone or text. You booked the property with two bathrooms and we can’t add any more as it’s a grade 1 listed building with has been renovated in accordance and collaboration with Historic England. It’s the first Mill Managers House in the world and is most certainly old and not tired. Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alma2.2★Dec 2023

• "We loved the Mill Manager's House - well-decorated and very efficient heating, so warm and comfortable."

  We understand that in a historic building, the kitchen could be small (it is!) and it is well equipped, our frustration was minimal cutlery and crockery provided for 14 people and cheap utensils. It needs a few more bowls, glasses, and a decent corkscrew ! We didn't let that spoil a great weekend in a lovely area.

  Hi, we’re really happy you loved the property and we hope to welcome you again soon. We’ll check the items you mentioned. There is lots of spare kitchen equipment and crockery etc in the dresser in the dining room for reference and to other future guests. Thanks Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Chris4.4★Nov 2023

• "Disappointed to read previous reviews about the awful stench in the en suite and it being “resolved”."

  Can confirm our stay at the end of October is was absolutely not resolved it was disgusting and made the whole bedroom as well as en-suite smell. Whenever anyone used the downstairs toilet or bathroom the smell coming from the en suite worsened. The children enjoyed the garden and the property was well equipped, though not a very sociable layout for mixing as a group of families. Having paid on the high end for renting this property very disappointed by the awful smell, it spoilt our stay.

  Hi, no mention of the smell was made during your stay and it’s most definitely been fixed! Unsure why you’ve brought it up now in a review. We have a maintenance team at hand to rectify any issues within a couple of hours and sooner in the majority of cases. Any future guests are more than welcome to look round the property before they book to familiarise themselves to the traditional Georgian grade I listed layout. Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Daniel2.5★Oct 2023

• "Unfortunately there was a strong smell coming from the ensuite bathroom which affected our experience and meant we decided to leave early rather than staying the last night."

  I called in to ask for it to be fixed, a plumber attended but unfortunately it did not change the severity of the smell.

  We attended within an hour of being notified and fitted a new waste to the shower. My plumber went back out the next day and fitted a non return valve to the shower as this had failed thus causing the smell. Hopefully you enjoyed your stay apart from this unfortunate event. Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Lara2.8★Oct 2023

• "The property is a beautiful character home however completely unsuitable for a party of 11 wanting to spend time together."

  The knobs were not working on the oven and felt completely unsafe. The oven didn't get hot enough, taking two hours to heat a lasagne. The dining room was swamped by a giant table. You had to be tiny to sit either end. It's a room we didn't enjoy spending time in. The living room struggled to seat 7 so at our max of 11 was almost impossible. Absolutely no room to spread out and relax. We asked a later guest to bring bean bags ! The bedrooms were OK with exception of the main bedroom. Having its own bathroom should have been a luxury, however the smell was so disgusting. The smell filled the bedroom if you opened the door. Lots of expensive perfume was wasted freshening up the room! The property would really benefit from more lamps, especially in the living and dining room. If you are a large group wanting to spend time together this cottage isn't for you! We could comfortably fit two people in the kitchen making meal times really difficult. The location is amazing! Sadly the cottage not so much!

  I’m glad you thought the property was beautiful. Really sorry and upset to hear that you didn’t enjoy the property. The bad smell in the bedroom has been resolved now. The oven was checked, is working fine and has passed its gas safety regs so not sure what the problem was there. The house was built in the Georgian times when people were a lot smaller which might explain why you were uncomfortable in the communal areas. Nobody else has mentioned this. There are two lamps in the living room but I’ll add a couple more if you think that is required. This is a grade I listed building and is set up in its original format to completely understand the history of this beautiful building. Thanks for your feedback Property Owner

  Reviewed by Amy1.6★Oct 2023

• "Very beautiful period property, great location & many, many great features."

  Plenty of space, seating, storage & parking - which suited our group perfectly. When I spoke to Lynne beforehand to make arrangements regarding beds etc, she was really approachable, helpful & informative. The living room furniture particularly was tired, even the simple bits like cushions. A few more lamps would be a big help in the evenings. Whilst this is obviously next level work, another shower room would help massively too - 1 bathroom between up to 12 people is mad; we only had 8 at best & it was a juggle. The property is obviously kept to a decent general standard of cleanliness, but there were bits of rubbish & marks that didn’t come from us when we arrived. My biggest issue with this property is the damp in the bedrooms & the smell coming from the master en-suite. It was terrible. So bad that I couldn’t sleep in there a second night & the person that swapped with me, also didn’t make it through the night sleeping in there. The net curtain in the bedroom is stained with damp blooms. The pictures of the house are beautiful & the price we paid for the weekend was a reflection of that. Whilst we had a fantastic weekend & none of the above stopped us doing anything, I’ve got to say it took the shine off. The guests were my closest friends & I wanted them to have a weekend away in luxury surroundings. This fell short & some of the above are very easily fixed.

  Thank you for your review and I’m happy you thought the property was beautiful with great features! We will aim to look at all your points raised. There are two bathrooms in the property and three toilets so this is a confusing comment and the voile wasn’t damp is was a drink spillage. This has now been changed. Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Emma3.8★Sep 2023

• "We had a great weekend away with friends."

  The house is lovely. We were a party of 10 and had plenty of room to sit and relax. Bedrooms were very nice and most of them able to be made into singles which was great. The location is fab, able to walk into Matlock Bath and on a bus route to go into Matlock for the evening. Would love to stay again and would highly recommend it.

  Reviewed by Alison5.0★May 2023

• "Beautifully decorated property which comfortably slept 14 people for a weekend."

  Great location, which allowed us to easily access walks in the local area. We had a wonderful stay, would thoroughly recommend!

  Reviewed by Penny5.0★Feb 2023

• "Beautiful cottage would stay again in a heartbeat"

  Reviewed by Teresa5.0★Nov 2022

• "The house is lovely and comfortable, a couple of points I would raise to improve it are, the settee is full of crumbs between the seat cushions, it could do we a hoover or even an upgrade, the corner sofa is quite flat with a rip in the end cushion and in parts quite hard from the wood frame underneath."

  Also the kitchen cupboards, theres a lot of ‘stuff’ in them but could maybe do with a review to ensure what’s there is serviceable or needs replaced. I left a glass on the side with a note, we had found it in the cupboard with a large chip out of it. I also noted that the bathroom door handle needs looked at, a few of our party got stuck in there till we finally agreed that the door wouldn’t be closed completely.

  Reviewed by Amanda3.8★Nov 2022

• "The home is beautiful, a perfect size for a large family gathering and a great location."

  The bathrooms are all renovated and the house is generally well kept. The only negatives are that the kitchen isnt very big which makes it difficult for cooking for large groups and the internet isnt great.

  Reviewed by Claire3.8★Nov 2022

• "A truly lovely house."

  It worked well for a family of three generations. We were able to cater for the whole family easily and were all able to sit together and celebrate in the dining room. The wood burner was very efficient (firelighters) and added to the atmosphere, The two boys loved the garden and the girls enjoyed the trampoline. Plenty do in the area- everyone found something they wanted to do. We would highly recommend!

  Reviewed by Linda5.0★Oct 2022

• "Mill Managers House ticked all the boxes for us."

  Clean and comfortable bedrooms and modern and efficient kitchen and bathroom facilities as well as being within walking distance of a range of pubs, cafes and shops. A great place for our scattered family to spend time together with enough activities for all ages to enjoy including good walking routes in a beautiful part of the country.

  Reviewed by Frances5.0★Oct 2022

• "Great family holiday weekend, lovely house and great location."

  The garden and the trampoline were much enjoyed by the young children. Small issues, not enough toilet paper and we didn't see the washing up liquid in a small vial until the last day. There was only soap in the ground floor WC, we had to go out and purchase all these. The oven knobs were loose and fell off, so need to be fixed.

  Reviewed by William4.4★Sep 2022

• "Beautiful house in a lovely part of the Derbyshire Dales."

  Thank you for a wonderful time

  Reviewed by Jenny4.7★Aug 2022

• "Overall really excellent."

  The one thing I’d ask for is a wooden or plastic cutting board, since those glass ones make knives go dull. And possibly a throw or two on the sofas downstairs, to snuggle under while watching a film. But we had a brilliant time and would 100% recommend it to a friend.

  Reviewed by Katherine5.0★Jul 2022

• "A lovely house with excellent garden."

  We were a family group of 14 with ages ranging from 73 down to 8. Bedrooms good, layout of beds prearranged to accommodate our clan and worked well. Kitchen facilities good, good utility room and downstairs loo. Bathroom and en-suite good- would have liked extra bathroom on top floor or shower in downstairs loo but we coped well. Dining table had place mats which we always used, but could have done with table protector, too. Main room has cosy fire, we played many a card game together in there! Trampoline and swings in back garden were very well used and added to the holiday as did the seating in garden as we had smashing weather. House was so well located. We went out to nearby attractions and many excellent places for long walks daily- really good. Thank you for an excellent week’s holiday. Dot

  Reviewed by Dorothy5.0★Apr 2022

• "Great house and location."

  Gripes are mostly small but actually in total detract from a great experience. So I would recommend to the owners some corrective actions : House - loose door handle on first floor. Fell off and made the bedroom inaccessible over the stay - foam pillows are pretty uncomfortable and not in keeping with a premium charge - very cold on arrival. It would help to have the heating on for a while before. It is a big house and it takes time to heat up - Insufficient (and bulky) seating in the living room, not enough for a full house Kitchen - Most of the knobs on the hob are loose - Needs an audit of kitchen equip and utensils from someone who actually uses a kitchen. eg. No jugs, no cafetiere, no oven gloves etc. Just too scrappy

  Reviewed by Howard3.1★Dec 2021

• "The house is clean, warm and the bedrooms are very comfortable."

  We felt that the sitting area was less so and could do with some updating with better seating arrangements as there were not enough comfortable chairs for twelve people. However it is in a wonderful position for exploring the mill and walking and cycling along the many trails which are right on the doorstep. We had a very enjoyable time.

  Reviewed by Patricia4.4★Oct 2021

• "Disgustingly unclean."

  Items from previous guests in various places. Bedroom wasn’t cleaned at all. Both bathrooms covered in black mold and triggered a severe asthma attack in one of our party who had to have an ambulance out and go to hospital, then return home as place was UNSAFE. The whole house stinks of mold and damp. Furniture (Dining chairs, sofas) is broken or ripped. Kitchen cupboard door fell on someone! Floor broken in part of en-suite. Don’t even want to think about the horror of the lack of cleaning during Covid pandemic. This is not a luxury let, it might have been once but the owner has clearly failed to inspect and keep up with repairs. Completely unacceptable. Wouldn’t recommend to anyone.

  Hi, really sorry to read this review!! I changed my cleaners after your stay as I appreciate it was not cleaned to a good standard! All the problems were resolved after your stay and the property is now inspected weekly. Sorry again for your bad experience! Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by Faith1.6★Oct 2021

• "My family and I have stayed in many of your Derbyshire properties which accommodate 10 / 12 people but this one was certainly below par!"

  Approaching the property from the A6 the first sight you see is a row on bins and empty cardboard boxes etc. As you walk up the steps you see weeds growing between the steps. When you get inside the hall you see cobwebs above the front door. In essence someone doesn't care about the property. For 10 / 12 people the tea pot was minute - as was the milk jug. There was no tray (well, at least obvious) to help to carry food from the kitchen to the dining room. Why didn't the owner put in a serving hatch between the kitchen and the dining room? Or go the whole distance and merge the two rooms together? The ventilation in the cramped kitchen was poor. Yes, its probably a list building and Ventaxias weren't around in Arkwright's time - but! The furniture in the lounge was out of keeping with the age of the property. The upstairs was better than the ground floor. Can I suggest that you take a careful look at this property and review its rating? True, Cromford and its environs were wonderful! You probably don't want to publish this objective assessment!

  Hi, really sorry to read this review!! I changed my cleaners after a couple of bad reviews as I appreciate it was not being cleaned to a good standard! All the problems have now been resolved and the property is inspected weekly. You don’t seem to understand it’s a grade I listed building so you can’t alter anything as you wish! Sorry again for your bad experience! Kind regards Property Owner

  Reviewed by David1.9★Sep 2021

• "This is quite a list - are you sitting comfortably?"

  Our group (of 7 adults and 4 kids plus dog) have been having an annual staycation for the last seven years. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we weren't able to find a reasonably priced holiday cottage in the Lake District where we usually like to go, so we settled on a property in North Yorkshire. Fast-forward 6 months, with 11 days to go to our holiday, I get a call to say that the booking has to be cancelled because the property we'd booked has been sold! As you can imagine, trying to find somewhere which suits a large group at short notice in the school holidays and over a bank holiday was looking unlikely. The two alternative properties proposed by Sykes were not suitable (one had too few bedrooms, one was in the same town as 1/3 of our group), so I did a search myself. I came up with one property which had sufficient bedroom space and almost within the same budget range. Sadly, this property did not allow dogs. I tried to call the property owner and left a message, but he didn't call back. With such little notice, my friends weren't able to find anyone to look after their dog and so that third of our group were unable to join us. This seemed to be the only option with the other 5 adults having booked annual leave which couldn't be moved. So, the rest of our group arrived at the property in Cromford. Despite speaking to the cleaning company with specific instructions on which bedroom needed to be made up as a twin for the children, a different room on the second floor was set up instead. We quickly noticed that some essential items were missing (bathroom bins, tea-towels and chopping board) - I managed to speak to the cleaning company the next day and these items were provided. Overall I'd have to say that the property wasn't especially clean; the table mats were dirty, the en-suite bathroom was in need of a good scrub to rid the mould and mildew, and I had to remove clumps of hair from the main bathroom plug so that water would drain out. Grim. Other issues we noticed; a compartment in the fridge door was broken, the oven door didn't close properly (anything needing to be cooked in the oven took longer than it should and also meant that the control dials were too hot to touch bare handed), the central heating was on so we were roasting but the water didn't heat up without it, there was only one egg cup, the duvets were far too thick for the summer, there were no instructions on the heating/water systems or on the bin days, the pans and kitchen knives were cheap and made cleaning difficult (I'd expect a property of this price to provide equipment at least the same standard as I'd have at home, if not better), there were no lamps in any of the downstairs rooms or any games/dvds/books as I've found at other holiday cottages (yes, Sykes ones too). Also, one of the metal seats outside was in danger of collapsing. The trampoline was a saviour but it has definitely seen better days. The outside space was very disappointing - astroturf and weeds. The property is very close to a noisy road, so perhaps more tree planting could help block the noise. Our main issue though would have to be the lack of living space. The property has enough sleeping space for 14 people yet it would be impossible for more than 6 people to sit comfortably in the living room. I've struggled to find many positives about the property, but the mattresses were comfortable and it was nice to have some tea and milk provided. The wine wasn't nice so that went down the sink, sadly. Constructive suggestions would be; possibly make one of the bedrooms into a second sitting room, provide bins and comfy chairs in the bedrooms, have some ambient lighting in the common areas, and generally try to make it a home-from-home rather than just a place to sleep.

  Reviewed by Kate2.5★Aug 2021

• "One problem we did encounter was the emptying of rubbish bins there was 11 of us ..."

  One problem we did encounter was the emptying of rubbish bins there was 11 of us Cooking in most days generated rubbish and bins were full

  Reviewed by Muriel4.4★Aug 2021

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