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"The lodge was an absolute treat for me and my family."
We were very worried about a few reviews before making way to Barforth however I would like to point out, there must have been many improvements made regarding the previous complaints. The lodge was very spacious, cleaned thoroughly and a delight to spend a getaway trip at. There was farm animals with beautiful scenery at the door step giving you a tremendous country side vibe. All kitchen appliances needed were at your disposal, water pressure was completely fine and water pumps are installed to provide hot water whenever needed. We couldn't have been happier with how everything turned out. We will most definitely be coming back. Thank you and Happy New Year.
Reviewed by OrhanDec 2021
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"Great place, my only complaint would be the lack of hot water and power from the showers."
Thank you for your feedback
We have had a water pump installed to help with water pressure
When weather conditions are bad the solar may not provide enough hot water. The information file tells guests to use the boost buttons to heat water
As regards Property Owner
Reviewed by ColinDec 2021
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"Despite the later check in time, it was clear that a Covid deep clean had not been carried out."
The place was not clean, with cobwebs everywhere, dirty dishes, and a filthy table. We did a lot of cleaning the first day. The hot water system was not great either. Constantly using the boost was the only way to get any, and even then you only get it in one half of the house. Despite there being lots of toilets, only one had an unbroken toilet seat. There were only a couple of them with locks though, and in one bathroom, as the Smiths song goes, there's a light that never goes out. We didn't try the log burner. Broken glass, and parts crumbling away did not give us any confidence. We didn't try the hottub, but next door did, sending smoke and a smell of rotten eggs our way. Also there was a whole folder full of what to do with the hot tub, and including two defunct walks, but no other information. There was nowhere for rubbish, seemingly no food waste area, and local bottle banks appeared to all be removed. Despite this we had a great time, because it's the people not the place. But even though the house is in a wonderful location, we wouldn't go back. It is in dire need of some TLC, and a new cleaning team who understand how to clean. This may be a more affordable option given how astronomical Sykes property prices are going, but it's still very overpriced. This was our third trip with Sykes, and if this passes their quality control, it definitely puts us off going through them again.
Thank you for your feedback. We want all our Customers to have a great holiday. Our owners are on hand to help you with any issues that you have during your stay. On this occasion, the owner wasn't contacted. The property was cleaned thoroughly on changeover by the maintenance team as always. The solar panels heat the water on both sides of the property. If the weather is very overcast there are boost buttons for both sides of property to assist to make sure that the properties are warm. This is dictated by the weather conditions. There were no broken toilet seats as these are checked and there are now locks on all bathroom doors. We do have bins provided for Customers in the properties and a huge recycling bin onsite. We are happy to tell Customers where this is if they need help. We have had no issues with the log burners but will check these following this feedback. All bedrooms had some new furniture and had been repainted before this booking arrived . Once again, thank you for your feedback. Its greatly appreciated Property Owner
Reviewed by AdamOct 2021
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"The owners were very friendly and helpful."
The cottage was generally OK, however there were a few things that required attention. At least two of the beds had broken supports and were being propped up on plastic boxes (owners would have been aware when cleaning ) . The hot water pressure for the showers and bath were poor. The information pack showed a walk to local village across a nearby bridge which when tried to access, had been closed for a long time. Dishwasher was out of salt/finisher so had not been maintained, and did not work or clean even when refilled. Also timer was broken , ran for longer than stated but still didn't clean. As a party of 12, this was inconvinient. The information pack did not make it clear that the cottage had two 'boosts' for hot water, obviously from when it was separate cottages. Each boost worked independently.
Reviewed by CarolAug 2021
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"Really rundown property, lots of issues with cleanliness and broken or damaged furniture including a bed propped up with a plastic container, screws sticking out of the hot tub lid which was also falling apart."
Very overgrown gardens with insecure gates and very tired and dirty paintwork and bathroom grout. We also discovered a wasps nest on our last night after having an issue with wasps and flies all week. The cleanliness was a bigger issue as due to the pandemic we would have expected more care to be taken and at least some sanitisers or antibacterial spray provided. Two of the toilet seats were loose and the hot water pressure was non existent, the two showers gave a trickle of hot water and the bath we had to keep using the kettle to fill as it was so slow. The property whilst advertised as child friendly was not suitable as it had lots of steps and very slippery surfaces, the highchair provided was very grimy and the stinging nettles in the garden were an issue. Whilst the location of the property was picturesque the information pack left inside the property was outdated and lacking, and half of the advised walks were far too overgrown or in accessible yet not updated in the pack. As a family we made the best of our surroundings and the accommodation but it was a real shame that the property is not better cared for and the basics were not provided particularly during a pandemic and when people have not been able to see their families for such a long time. I hope the owners take this feedback on board as with the money we (and others) have paid I'm sure some of it could be spent on the upkeep of the property. Sykes also need to do their due diligence to ensure that properties are up to a minimum standard and are able to offer the facilities that we customers have paid for. Photos can be provided of the concerns raised in this feedback.
Reviewed by StephanieJul 2021
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"The cottage was amazing!"
Such a lovely place and a fabulous location. Paula and Jason were extremely friendly and happy to help with any requests we had.
For a family of 6 the cottage had more than enough room for us to enjoy! Will definitely be back!
Reviewed by AdamJul 2021
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"Fabulous holiday cottage, with the bonus of fantastic weather!"
! Thank you so much for your hospitality.
Reviewed by BeverleyMay 2021
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"I was looking for a quiet place to unwind from work and couldn't have found a more suitable place."
The house is lovely and very much off the beaten path. Out the front door is a paddock with goats and a sheep and 20 metres down the track are 2 very inquisitive alpacas.
I was staying by myself but this would easily fit a gathering of up to 12 with a huge stove, 2 full size fridges and more than enough plates and glasses.
There is no mobile signal but strong WiFi. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by ChrisSep 2020
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"The lodge is in a very rural area not overlooked so very peaceful."
Hot tub lovely when you get it going but you have to keep on top of keeping plenty of logs in it for a couple hours first. Family where really helpful when needed.
Only draw back is that we found it could of been cleaned better but not enough of an issue to stop us going again. Overall we would recommend
Reviewed by SharonSep 2020
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"We went to Barforth to celebrate my sisters 30th as a family."
We wanted a large cottage in the countryside - and that last exactly what we got! The cottage was amazing with everything supplied that we could have asked for! The owner was on hand to help us with anything we needed and was in contact with me before our arrival to ensure we had a stress free visit.
Reviewed by RachelMar 2020
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"2 of the 3 cars we arrived in had to be parked on wet/boggy ground."
Although one of the two log burners had been pre lit the dwelling was cold and felt damp. The electric storage heaters were all on pre-set temperatures that we were unable to change. Although we had both log burners going it was difficult keeping them alight as the logs felt damp/wet. There was dirty cutlery and crockery mixed in with cleaner items. Broken sink chains/plugs. Some locks on bathrooms failed to work. A curtain rail just hanging that we had to repair just to close the curtain at night although the hanging rail was perfectly obvious to see. Damage to a mirror in one of the bathrooms. Rugs/floor mats in the entrances and kitchen(s) in dire need of cleaning. Some Mattresses need changing as they are well worn. Overall the stay was disappointing, being let down by these points. It may be that we just chose the wrong time of year and after so much rainfall and bad weather we failed to see the farm and area at its best. I would imagine that springtime or summer would have been a far better time to have visited. Our almost £1500 for 3 nights was not money well spent on this occasion.
Thank you for your feedback.
The parking area was a little wet that week as we had had lots of the wet weather the UK has had this winter
The electric heaters are not storage. They are set in every room at 22 degrees. The instruction booklet is with the Lodge information, showing how each can be altered. On re-entering the property I noticed some had been altered by the guests to only work during daytime hours, which may explain why they didn't seem to be getting hotter.
Rugs are constantly being replaced, some are only 8 weeks old.
the 2 double mattresses and 2 of the singles have been replaced over last 2 years. Other mattresses will be replaced over coming year. We have not been told by previous guests there is an issue. All are clean and have protectors
We will check locks on doors, thank you for bringing that to my attention. I've replaced the mirror that had had a chip in its frame.
I'm so sorry if a curtain rail had been knocked off its bracket. We all missed it or caught it as we were finishing cleaning
I had lit the lounge fire for the guests arrival. I used the kindling, fire lighters, free logs and woods we provided. It was really warm in there and the guests just needed to keep the fire going. There were several free bags left unused. if the guests had contacted me I could have told them of several places near us to buy there own fire wood if they were not happy with the free ones. Even on Christmas Day they can be purchased locally.
For me its always beautiful here. especially if you enjoy the seasons the peace and outdoors
We are continuously decorating and replacing where needed.
Any of the above would have been sorted for the guests had they contacted us. We live only 100 yards away and had already spoken to them by email.
Property Owner
Reviewed by RDec 2019
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"Whilst we did enjoy our holiday, we were disappointed in not being able to walk to the village."
In the description of the holiday cottage, it was a mile walk to the village which was perfect after knee surgery and having small children with us and one of the reasons we booked it. However the only access to walk to the village were 2 bridges both of which were closed and had been for some time. This was not mentioned in the description and feel quite aggrieved that we were not informed beforehand.
Reviewed by DawnOct 2019
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"The cottage was nice but needed a good clean and some tlc, wood provided for the hot tub only lasted one night"
Reviewed by MarkAug 2019
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"The advert says that there is a shop and pub within one mile."
this is not possible to get to. the nearest village is a 6 mile drive and that's wear the pub and shop are. you cannot walk it with children. the cottage was not very clean on arrival. With sweet rappers and dirty tissues still in draws and socks and old food on the sofa and a grubby fridge and a general grubby kitchen and utensils.The bridges that your advert says you can walk over to get into gainford are all there . infact there are 3 bridges all within 2 miles of eachother. we walked to all 3. non of them are useable. all been blocked off with 8 foot iron fencing and look like they have been for many years so you cannot get to any village by foot.The owners didn't seem to know this but the villagers and farming locals did. the hot tub was nice but didn't have any chlorine tablets in the pot so after 3 days the water was slimey and pond like so therefore unusable after that.The actual place was beautiful. the scenery was stunning. the children liked the sheep ,llamas and cows.lovely to see them when you open the front door. the water pressure is a little low but not a major problem. the kitchen could benefit with a couple more pots and pans but that's all really. We had a lovely holiday and within an hour's drive there is quite a bit to do. I would highly recommended beamish museum . That is a full day out with lots for all ages to enjoy. If you could walk to the shop/pub as advertised and the cottage was cleaner then the holiday would of been amazing.
The nearest shop and pub walking are Eppleby village 3 miles walk from Lodge on bridle path and country road and pub at Winston village 2 miles on bridle path. Gainford is just 1 mile away when bridge is open The fishermen were using one bridge but it has been closed recently, not by us and we are unaware who closed it. We have been informed there is to be a river crossing re-opened by Durham council, but do not know when this will be.
Pre arrival all guests are sent an email instructing them to read all hot tub information pre using it. They are asked reply to confirm they will do this
The hot tub information (which is in all cottages )instructs guests that a sterilizing tablet has been put into the water and should last 7 days. The hot tubs are filled with fresh water for the arrival of every guest. During extreme heat like last week I imagine after a few days the water may develop a film. The hot tubs have a plug just like a bath, so can be emptied and re-filled if necessary. The outside tap has a hosepipe attached. There would probably have still been some of the sterilising tablet in the bottom of the tub as they take a week to dissolve if the water has not been heated Alternatively, as we live just 100m away one of us would have gladly provided a new tablet. myself, my son and husband all carry mobiles and always reply asap. We definitely had passed on our phone numbers as I was texted when you arrived to say "The Lodge was beautiful
Im so sorry if there was a drawer overlooked by the cleaners. Recent feedback has been good but I will remind them to be extra vigilant, as will I. We will purchase more pans etc as there may have been some breakages during this busy period .
Once again, thank you for your comments.
Property Owner
Reviewed by GemmaJul 2019
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"We stayed here as a large family with 3 generations and it worked wonderfully well."
Beautiful setting and lovely stat
Reviewed by AdamJun 2019
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"We had a truly amazing time."
Location is very rural and just what we hoped for. Cottage contained everything we needed, very spacious and comfortable - layout worked really well for large family, large dinning room and lounge to all get together - spread out bedrooms and bathrooms so you aren't on top of each other.
Hosts fantastic - available when needed.
The children loved all the animals, playing with the sheep dogs, seeing the goats, horses and even feeding the lambs.
Local pub and chippy well worth a visit.
The Lodge is real find and excellent base for travelling out to explore the Dales.
Reviewed by BeckyApr 2019
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"Peaceful scenic location."
The lodge is lovely and spacious. The kitchen is somewhat unusual as it is in two sections however it wasn't a problem and was very well equipped. Some of the bathrooms were a little dated however everything was clean. Our grandchildren loved the alpacas and pygmy goats that are on the farm. The owners were welcoming and informative and kindly lent us their compressor as we had a flat tyre. We shall most certainly return to Barforth Hall.
Reviewed by DianeMar 2019
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"We spent Christmas 2018 here and it was fantastic."
The owners were very approachable and very kindly left us a lovely welcome pack. We initially had an issue with the water on one side of the cottage but they immediately explained how to use the system and after that we had no problems.
The cottage is well equipped and spacious. There are plenty of rooms for everyone to have their own space and the communal areas are big enough to accommodate everyone together. The kitchen is split into 2 and we had initial concerns but we had nothing to worry about. We managed to cater for everyone easily including cooking a Christmas dinner for 12 people and 2 dogs!
The views from all areas of the cottage are stunning and it was nice to take a walk around the local area. It is only about a 15 minute drive from Barnard Castle which is a lovely place and we highly recommend a trip there.
The cottage is situated in a peaceful place with no through traffic so everyone in our party was relaxed and slept well. A big thumbs up from us and we would love to go back there.
Reviewed by TraceyDec 2018
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"Key factor in choosing was disabled friendly but, although it had a wet room and was mostly on one level, you couldn’t get a wheelchair into most of the rooms and the wet room and several other rooms were down small steps."
I find this more and more - disabled friendly is not properly checked. I expect better of Sykes.
The hot tub is unusable as, in cold weather, the access is treacherous (again up steps) and the tub is just a large wooden tub with a fire under it so no way of regulating and takes a ridiculous amount of time to heat. I note this was stated in a previous review which you said you would amend and you haven’t. It may as well not be on the features as it’s unusable.
The cottage was cold on one side, the heaters in the bedrooms did not work effectively and in our room never worked all the time we were there. Insufficient wood for fires was supplied presumably so we could then be charged for buying extra. When the fires were going, it was warm but that heat didn’t reach the left side bedrooms (this is obviously two cottages that have been turned into one).
The furniture is poor in the living room, far too big and does not seat the numbers the place is supposed to accommodate. The suite needs replacing, especially the recliner chair. The TV in there is ludicrously huge and cannot be watched from all the chairs.
Good facilities in the kitchen but again both fridge areas down steps.
Some of the walks are inaccessible in spite of the (misleading) guide in the cottage. The llamas spit and are not friendly although the goats are - not a problem but should be mentioned.
I didn’t deal with the owners but was told they were very nice. However, we encountered a quite rude young woman as we’re were leaving the property and she was arriving who seemed totally unwilling to give way or sort the congestion issue.
It’s very isolated and we were worried about the access in the bad weather we encountered, lots of pot holes in the track to the farm buildings and cottages.
Wouldn’t go back.
Reviewed by JulieDec 2018
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"The hot water system is inadequate for ten people."
There wasn’t a cloth or any cleaning materials to clean a toilet or a spill, no dishwasher tablets. No hand wash. Outside security lights not working. Only a couple of loo rolls. A bucket of dirty water and a mop was left in the middle of one of the “kitchen” floors when we arrived.There needs to be a proper working kitchen, not the mish mash that is just the two kitchens knocked into one with neither being functional, having to go into different rooms to a fridge. On the plus side the beds were clean and comfortable. The location was fine with ample parking and was in a nice quiet location and the garden was secure. Having stayed in many cottages over the years this had the least facilities and home comforts and as such was very over priced. They need to up their game. Glad it was only a long weekend as we all agreed we would not want to stay a week. A pity as it has potential.
Many thanks for voicing your grievances regarding this property, unfortunately, due to the size of Sykes’ portfolio of properties, we can't visit every property on a weekly basis. That said, your words have given us cause for concern with our standards at this property and we are now investigating the matters raised. We do value all feedback and visit our properties on regular intervals where necessary.
If you wish to discuss or elaborate more on the issues raised, please feel free to contact the Sykes office on the details below, quoting your booking reference number and any other information that may assist us in providing the best possible outcome and customer service.
Our lines are open 7 days a week from 9am until 7pm. Property Owner
Reviewed by RobertNov 2018
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"We had a lovely holiday."
Cottage was warm and welcoming and owners very helpful.
Minor improvements.; Could do with some table mats, serving spoons (non slatted) and one or two smaller pans.
I think pets are welcome although it said not on the details. Didn’t affect us but wondered if it might increase bookings for the owners if this was clear.
Reviewed by DaisyOct 2018
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"Have put complaint in and sent photos in it is wrong photos of cottage on ..."
Have put complaint in and sent photos in it is wrong photos of cottage on website don't match my photos feel robed of week we can't get back
Reviewed by AndrewAug 2018
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"Unfortunately we did not enjoy the accommodation at all."
We Would suggest that you maybe check this property again as it does not match up to the photos that are shown on line.
Upon arrival we had to wash the garden tables and the hot tub was been checked by the owners as it was leaking due to the heat (that is what we were told). We were asked if we wanted to use it that night but we declined and we would not have used it anyway as it was not really suitable for us due to the access.
Water pressure very low in all showers but no problem with hot water itself.
The bathroom's had a window looking into another bathroom, yes it was opaque glass but you could still see through, no privacy maybe blinds would help this situation. Toilet seats need attention. The wet room again the shower pressure was very very low and the tiles needed attention
The kitchen was spaced out over three rooms a bit of a jumble. There was a wooden table with a split down the middle and was not very hygienic as food had fallen inbetween and you could not clean it out.
Dining room only one light bulb instead of three also the same in the bathroom's.
Upholstered chairs in the dining room very badly stained, plastic table cloth with rip in it,fireplace dirty , rough wood on the wall which covered the nice wallpaper that is in the picture on line.
We could go on but all in all a very disappointing accommodation .
We would also advise that this be noted as not suitable for anyone with mobility problems due to steps to get into the accommodation and also to get access to the fridge which is in another room from the kitchen and also steps to get out to the front and back.
Reviewed by RebaJun 2018
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"We all had a good holiday at barforth hall lodge."
The setting is lovely its very quiet and peaceful and we were able to take our dogs which was great. The owners were very helpful my niece came with us and she is disabled and we left the ramp at home however the owners made us one (we would have been lost without it). So a big thanks to them. We did have to bath alot as the showers were lacking in power. The house is not luxurious i would probably call it rustic as there,s lots of wood everywhere but it was clean, tidy and large which was great for my family to come visit. We did,nt use the hot tub as i dont like them but the garden was lovely and as the weather was good we were out there everyday.
Reviewed by DorreenMay 2018
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"We booked this cottage for 12 people, a baby & a dog for a week in April and we had a great time."
The views are stunning and we loved being on a working farm seeing the animals especially the lambs. There are some wonderful walks in the area and the house makes a good base for you to explore the surrounding towns and villages.
The house itself was clean, warm and big enough so that we didn’t feel on top of each other. There are parts of the property which are a bit rundown but it still functions perfectly well. The only issue we found was the water, it often wasn’t very warm despite pressing the booster buttons and the water pressure meant that showers weren’t the most pleasant.
We only used the hot tub twice on our visit mainly because it requires so much attention to heat up during the day and we often went out so didn’t have time to do it.
The owners are friendly and on hand if you need anything.
Reviewed by ChernadeApr 2018
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"Positives: - friendly owners - clean - quiet - provided a new dishwasher the ..."
Positives: - friendly owners - clean - quiet - provided a new dishwasher the next day after it broke - the animals made it interesting - lots of space - beautiful views - dog friendly - nice places to visit in the area - WiFi - two large good quality flat screen televisions - good lay out for two families (semi detached made into one house) so you could have a bathroom each - not far from the A1 and close to the A66 (about 15 minutes) Negatives - only one room warm on arrival and the rest was so cold my parents wanted to leave - the second car parking space could only be reached if you had boots on and didn’t mind getting muddy - kitchen picture not accurate as there are no units in there - not all beds had mattress protectors - low water pressure so took ages to wash your hair - garden not secure for dogs and some of it was flooded although they explained it was due to issues with the spring in the garden Points to note: - some of the road is very narrow for quite a distance and you’d not want to meet anyone coming round the corners - there were two parts where the potholes had been partly filled with bricks and a lot of damage due to the weather was fixed part way through the holiday so it was ok - bring the basics with you as you will need them - bring fly spray - don’t use the postcode for your satnav but click on boat lane on the map as that works
Reviewed by SarahMar 2018
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"As a group of 11 women, we stayed at Barforth Hall Lodge (the one that sleeps 12) for 2 nights and it was the best weekend ever."
It was more than adequate to comfortably accommodate 12 adults.
The lodge was warm and welcoming, well equipped particularly in terms of the kitchen and kitchen essentials and it was the perfect venue for a girls weekend away.
The owners (who live on site) were on hand throughout our stay to help with anything we needed particularly lighting up the log burners and heating up the hot tub. Both Paula and Jason were friendly and more than accommodating and were never more than a text away.
The wood burning hot tub was an added luxury; even in minus temperatures and thick with snow, we all spent time in the hot tub which was extra special because of the very cold weather. Jason was tending to it all day to make sure it was ready for us to use on the evening/night.
This accommodation really is worth a visit and we will definitely be returning (kids in tow the next time)!
Reviewed by LeahMar 2018
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"Lovely surroundings."
Relaxed and comfortable accommodation. Friendly helpful owners
Reviewed by SheilaFeb 2018
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"We all had a fantastic time in the cottage."
The only things that we could mention- not complain about, was the water pressure for the whole building and the time it took to heat the hottub. We appreciate the cold weather doesnt help with this but the lid could do with being a tighter fit to aid the heating of the tub.
Otherwise everything was spot on, no complaints, and we were all extremely happy and thoroughly enjoyed the weekend away in a lovely setting.
Thank you for your help, support and the hospitality throughout our stay.
Reviewed by Jenny LeanneNov 2017
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"Friendly helpful owner."
Beautiful location. We would love to go back
Reviewed by SheilaMar 2017