Hillside Cottage

A truly idyllic cottage.

.cottage being an understatement

We were a multi-generational group, and Hillside Cottage was perfect for us.

It is very well equipped and set out, with a large kitchen and dining area opening onto a lovely garden. The table tennis table provided a lot of enjoyment. The house is very quiet, apart from wonderful birdsong and the sounds of animals. The beds are extremely comfortable, and the house is attractively furnished. Overall, we were delighted and very grateful for such a lovely base for our week away.

Hillside Cottage an absolute delight to stay in.

The property was everything as described and more. For a large party like ours it was extremely comfortable and spacious. It had everything you would need to make your stay extremely enjoyable. Set in a secluded location we could have been miles from anywhere but actually just a few minutes from Shaftesbury itself. It was an ideal location for visiting attractions within Dorset and Wiltshire. I'd certainly have no hesitation in recommending the wonderful property as a holiday destination.

We loved our stay at Hillside cottage.

It is perfect for a large family group with young children. The garden is wonderful and so peaceful. It is close to some lovely towns, and we could have spent a lot longer here. The house had everything we needed and was really comfortable. Perfect!

Great place for a family get together.

Enough room for privacy but lovely well laid out large space for coming together for meals and chatting. The two wood burners kept the place toasty warm and there was plenty of logs to keep us going all week. Loved it and we will definitely be returning.

Very enjoyable week spent at the cottage.

It was large enough to cope with 6 adults and 4 children, one very small without difficulty. The layout of the property was very good with plenty of space for all. Cooking was enjoyed in the large kitchen area and many hours were spent around the dining table. As we were there in October we did not have chance to try the outside areas but they looked great. A lovely place to stay.

The cottage was amazing!

It was perfect for a multi-generational family of 10 people. The cottage was well equipped, with everything that we could possibly need. Large rooms, with enough space for everyone to spread out, but also cosy and warm with the wood burners. The kitchen was beautiful, with more than enough crockery, glasses, cooking utensils, cutlery and having 2 dishwashers was a real bonus. All the beds were very comfortable, with lots of storage. The wood fired hot tub was well used and easy to use. Steep, short walk up the big car park at the top, which for some people may be an issue. Outside was quiet and private. Great location for visiting the attractions around the area. We had a fantastic family break and would highly recommend Hillside Cottage.

Hillside cottage is a delightful holiday venue for families.

The characterful rooms provided ample space for our multi generational holiday. It is well equipped for cooking , relaxing and playing games . The natural setting makes for a lovely outlook from every window. The wood fired hot tub gave an added experience to the stay . In an area known for its International Dark Sky Reserve the star gazing is incredible. We found some stunning walks along local foot paths and the location makes it easy to explore the local attractions we even went to the stunning coastline at Studland one day . As a mixed ability group we were made aware of the steep approach and we coped. We would suggest a gentle wide winding step approach would complete the enjoyment of visiting the cottage. All in all we made fantastic memories here and would certainly return again .

We were delighted with the property and the outside facilities.

Has great fun playing croquet on the bumpy grass and table tennis on the patio. No problem lighting the log burner under the hot tub, it was easy! The bedrooms and beds were all great and so was the kitchen, as we had a chef and baker with us. Two dishwashers were an asset and loads of freezer and fridge space.

Perhaps another TV.

with different ages wanting different programs. Otherwise all good thanks

The best holiday cottage we have stayed in.

We could have stayed for another week, there is so much to do nearby. The cottage itself was perfect, it had everything we needed, we especially and unexpectedly loved the table tennis table! It took us a while to get the hot tub right but we did get the hang of it and it was a lovely treat at the end of a busy day. We would definitely stay here again.

Absolutely loved our time here.

Would definitely go back. Thank you

Delightful house with excellent facilities and in a lovely setting.

Only suggestion is that we all could have used non-slip mats in the showers (and bath in the family bathroom) as they were very slippery and each of us had to take great care to avoid slipping.

A lovely place to stay in surrounding countryside.

The birdsong, wildlife, trees and flowers made for an enjoyable rural stay. The property was clean, and large enough to fit our family travelling from all round the world for a get together. It was ideally placed to travel around Dorset/Wiltshire. A beautiful area. Lots of kitchenware and cooking facilities. Enough bathrooms for us all. Plenty of parking space. A steep slope, and quite a few steps inside and out was the only drawback but that was clearly noted on the website. Appreciated the lovely treats left for us on the first day. We also appreciated meeting the lady in charge of the place, and she quickly responded and helped in an emergency. Very friendly and helpful.

Hillside Cottage ticked all the boxes for me.

So spacious, beautifully and tastefully decorated. Well equipped kitchen with all crockery, glasses and white goods and large cooker to facilitate eight guests. Hot tub was a delight to use on a cold November evening star gazing. Views around the property were mainly trees into a valley but brought an array of wildlife and birds, squirrels, pheasants and even a Woodpecker. Would definitely like to come and stay again .

10 friends & family gathered for 70th birthday celebrations & were delighted to find the cottage spacious & v comfortable for such a gathering & had a great weekend.

We enjoyed walking from the property into Shaftesbury for a look around & lunch, & then another local autumnal walk from the property the following day. We found our way around the kitchen which had most of what we needed however an electric hand mixer would be a great addition to the kitchen utensils! Would happily recommend this property & stay again.

A wonderful holiday for three generations.

Concerns about The Slope and garden proved unfounded - providing you are steady on your feet the path down is no issue and there was ample space on the garden for little legs to run round and for older ones to stroll. It's a beautiful location and a clean, well -stocked comfortable home.

A fabulous house for a family gathering.

Great communal social spaces and comfortable bedrooms really make the house perfect for a group of people to spend time together, and if necessary apart! The gardens are lovely and watching the wildlife is just one of the added treats. The wood fired hot tub was especially fun to spend time in. Ample parking on site and brilliantly located for day trips to Salisbury, Longleat, Bath etc. Would recommend to anyone.

An excellent property.

Everything we needed was provided. The house was beautifully clean. The outside spaces were well used by all generations and the dog. Plenty of space for games. A good selection of games and puzzles were supplied to supplement the ones we brought. Bedrooms were very comfortable. We had a fantastic holiday.

We had a lovely time at Hillside Cottage, a comfortable , very clean house.

There were eight of us, three generations, lots of space and very well equipped house. A lovely well kept garden, would be less of a worry if the end of the garden was fenced off from the very steep drop, as we had two children in our group. Emily the housekeeper was very helpful, checking in on us to see if we were happy with everything. We stayed for two weeks, and appreciated the end of week clean and change of linen. Lovely fresh flowers and hamper were also appreciated.

The property was excellent.

Modern, and very clean and tidy. Our dog had a great time exploring the grounds. The local House Manger, was brilliant. Very quick and willing to help with any queries that we had regarding the property and a major help with a medical emergency that we encountered during our stay

Fantastic well equipped property.

Superb location, ideal for family holiday, plenty of space inside and outside, would recommend, probably the best rental property we have used for the price, and we have purchased many over the last few years.

A beautifully modernised cottage in a tranquil rural setting, but very conveniently located close to Shaftesbury and an easy drive to a variety of other interesting places eg Salisbury, Wilton House, Stourhead, Compton Abbas and the Jurassic coast.

Also a very dog friendly property with a good garden and hard flooring throughout much of the property. Our one minor criticism relates to what we feel, given the price paid, are some simple housekeeping deficiencies e.g. no spare dustin bags were provided , no kitchen roll was provided, both dishwashers needed rinse aid on arrival and none was provided, none of the bathrooms had any shower gel and we would have thought small complimentary samples would be norm. These are minor issues but if addressed would have further enhanced a lovely stay.

All was great thanks, plenty to do in the area and the cottage was great.

Hillside cottage was exactly as described, beautiful.

There is absolutely nothing I can fault. The team do an amazing job on the cleaning side, it was immaculate. There were gifts of tea and cakes and other bits on arrival, that made it so welcoming. Emily popped in to make sure we were ok, which was another nice touch. These comments were not just from me, my three children and their respective husbands and wives all said the same ! So, thanks for letting us share your home. We loved it

A wonderful property- just how it was described.

We really enjoyed Hillside cottage and the accommodation was just perfect for us.

We are a group of 4 couples enjoying a new years break and found that we all had the space to be together or to find a quiet spot to ourselves. We enjoyed being able to walk out the door and find amazing hikes just on the doorstep, although we did have pretty miserable weather. The cottage itself was really well equipped and there was plenty of room to store all left over goodies from Christmas as there are two fridges and a big chest freezer and two dishwashers. The log burner in the lounge and dining room were very welcome after a long walk in the mud and the rain. We did try the hot tub once, but it wasn’t a lot of fun in the rain, but had to be done! Maybe it would be nice put up some outside lights by the hot tub as we did fumble around with torches. Overall this was lovely cottage and we had a fabulous time.

This was the third year for our family staying away over the Christmas period.

The property was really lovely and unlike some was well stocked with things like dishwasher tablets, logs etc and beautifully decorated. All in all a very enjoyable stay in a lovely setting.

When we booked there was no mention of the several short flights of steps throughout the ground floor.

None have hand rails. This makes it very difficult for those of us with mobility issues. The ground floor bedroom was particularly hazardess. I think the website is now more accurate. It is not suitable for those with mobility issues. In every other respect it is a very handsome and comfortable house. It has a lovely, peaceful setting. Perfect when the sun is shinning.. We could not find any small side plates but maybe we didn't open quite enough cupboards of which there are a lot. We were a party of4 couples who like to cook so the kitchen area was a perfect space for us to socialise. We very much enjoyed our stay.

Excellent holiday property- thank you.

Only a couple of minor things, but overall very enjoyable.

Proved to be an excellent choice.

Superb location, wonderful accomodation and amenities.

What a fabulous house!

Our group of 8 friends had a wonderful stay at Hillside cottage in May 23. The house and grounds are immaculate and the manager Emily was very accommodating and helpful. Great location for walks into Shaftsbury or drives to the coast. We highly recommend it!

Wonderful stay here, the house was beautiful both inside & out!

Great location for getting out and about exploring areas such as Bath, Shaftesbury, Jurassic Coast, Corfe Castle, Swanage (we did them all) would definitely stay here again 10 out of 10

Lovely stay One of our party who has MS spoke to Sykes before we booked to discuss her limitations etc and was reassured it would be ok.

As it was she couldn’t come at the last moment But had she come she couldn’t have stayed due to all the steps and the height of the steps. So although the website does say not great for elderly or people with mobility issues It’s a shame the Sykes representative gave misleading reassurance with that matter. Otherwise lovely stay and great position immediate access to walks for dog. Very quiet position Had to supervise dog in garden as there are pheasants, and also there was discarded used Bbq coals dumped over the little wire fence along with all the grass waste which I found my dog licking off the fat! The garden is not secure but lovely and big. The door off entrance hall near toilet needs shaving as sticks Great stay and visited Bath, Salisbury, Lulworth cove and Dawdle Door all under an hour away.

A beautiful and extremely well equipped holiday home.

Lovely walks from the house and the hot tub was a bonus. We had a few problems with the cooker but Emily was brilliant and sorted it out quickly for us.

Very well equipped house with plenty of room for everyone.

Good to have a big table to gather round in the kitchen, big fridges and plenty of shower rooms/bathrooms. The hot tub was a big hit with our young adults but we were surprised to find it is wood fired and has no bubbles - understandably eco friendly and a lovely place to wallow under the stars but it may be worth highlighting what type of hot tub it is and how it needs to be fed and nurtured if the water is to remain warm. Please can the owner change the curtains in the downstairs bedroom? They don't fit the window! Also, there were many, many flies and wasps gathering in the conservatory room. Probably not much to be done about that and thanks for leaving a wasp/fly killer spray, which helped a bit. Finally, I think the electric car charging point was new and not mentioned in the Sykes description but would have been a bonus for one of our family members who came in an electric car. Please can that be included in any future listing of this property? All in all though, a lovely house for our family holiday - thank you

We had a fantastic stay.

It is a beautiful and peaceful home with wonderful facilities and is very well equipped. The children and adults had a wonderful time.

Hillside was a beautiful home , stunning .

It was immaculate, very well equipped, there was nothing that we wanted and couldn’t find ! Very comfy beds , lovely crisp bedding , loads of storage . When we arrived there was a beautiful vase of flowers , a delicious sponge cake, scones , clotted cream , milk etc , a wonderful welcome . We loved the hot tub , and absolutely everything about our holiday .

We had a very enjoyable stay at Hillside Cottage.

It was a family booking with 5 adults (two elderly in their 80's) and children. We really enjoyed the fireplaces, the lovely kitchen and conservatory and the hot tub. The table tennis table was also a huge hot with the children. The location is ideal for Shaftsbury and not too far from attractions like Longleat. The main downsides were that the cottage was not suitable for the elderly with a very steep path down to the cottage from the parking area with plenty of steps also on the inside. There were no shower mats or shower tidy's which meant bending down to pick shower gel and shampoo off the floor when slippery, not a problem for most but again not ideal for the elderly. The listing may also need a look as some of the beds noted as King Size were not. Despite some of these issues we would recommend for a booking of adults and children but not the elderly.

I'm not sure if the 'us' in 'how likely are you to recommend us' question is Sykes Cottages or Hillside Cottage.

If it's Hillside then it's a definite 10 if it's Sykes - probably a 7 - I've had no real interaction with Sykes. (This needs to be a more specific question - if Sykes say 'Sykes' if it's the venue say 'your holiday venue') Now to Hillside - What a DELIGHTFUL place to stay HUGE thanks to the owners for sharing their amazing home. The welcome package was a beautiful touch, the beds, sofas, chairs were all super comfy, everything was spotless yet also homely. We spent most of our time in the kitchen/dining/sun room ... but the living room was moved in to late evening and for child TV time. We were there for my mum's 75th birthday weekend (a surprise for her - all she knew was the postcode!) Me, my older brother and younger brother with his wife, two children (3 & 5) and their dog. It was perfect - the wood burning hot tub under the full moon and stars a highlight, the layout fabulous, the kitchen FULLY equipped, the views, the local pubs friendly and good - we rested, relaxed and played - a joy. My sister-in-law was particularly delighted with the number of child/dog safety gates already in place. NOTE: If you're in a bedroom with a Velux window - they DO have a blind the blind is electronic and on a switch by your bedside light!! (it took me two nights to figure this out - just as well I was awake by nieces anyway!)

This cottage is lovely and has everything you need to hide away in the country.

The bedrooms are beautiful, the kitchen / dinning area is spacious, the lounge is very relaxing and the hot tub is fantastic! We really enjoyed our stay here and hope to be back one day. I'd definitly recommend this cottage to anyone looking to lock themselves away from the world!

Lovely house in a beautiful setting with plenty of room for our multi-generational family.

The finish and quality of the house is excellent and it was warm and welcoming during a cold February week. The house was well-equipped, but we would have appreciated the addition of a high chair and a travel cot, which we were surprised weren’t provided as it’s advertised as perfect for families. The hot tub was great, once we got the hang of heating it to the right temperature!

This house was amazing!

We loved it and after 15 years of girl weekends away this was our favourite x

Beautiful property, well equipped and in lovely peaceful location with great walks on doorstep

Enjoyed every minute of this holiday in this beautiful property near Shaftesbury.

Exceptional holiday home in a lovely peaceful setting, yet close enough to amenities. Enjoyed everything about it and would love to go back.

The owners had thought of everything, great welcome pack, great facilities, fantastic location.

Well done to the owners and management team.

We had a lovely holiday, the cottage was very comfortable.

Clean and well presented. Three generations of the family stayed here for a week. Plenty of places to visit and when at the cottage we enjoyed the outside garden and hot tub. Barbecue was easy to use. We woke up one morning to see a young deer in the garden. Over all we had a great holiday Ruth and family