Courtyard Cottage

Looking through the guest book the theme of Dampness is prevalent.

The lower bedroom walls are stained in the corners and the smell is hardly comfortable. Spider webs were in both the same bedroom(lower corners) and living room(ceiling). The bathroom also smelled damp even though it was comfortably warm. The toilet was leaking which we informed the services about it, who quickly came to repair but it still leaked afterwards.the only other complaint is the initial finding of the property. A map would be helpful and also to highlight the parking bay. Otherwise it was a good stay. Thanks

We have stayed in this cottage around 4 or 5 years ago and it is clear little has been done to maintain it since then.

There is a strong smell of damp as you enter the property with the bathroom particularly stinking. Visible dampe in rooms, the kitchen tap drips and pours when the bath is being run and the bath and toilet leak. This is all documented as long ago as 6 months so it is clear no one cares for this home as little appears to have been done to rectify it. Furnishings are old and worn and the sofas desperately need replacing. On the plus side the location is great although the parking spot is tight to get into. Overall a shame to see a lovely cottage decline

The cottage is ideally situated in Ambleside but for some who are less mobile or elderly could be difficult to access.

The courtyard was great for us having dogs as it was secure and very quiet. The cottage its self was lovely but needed some minor maintenance work doing. Shower screen leaks, not sure if the radiator leaks in master bedroom, bits of trim round the skirting board loose. The vent in the bathroom doesn’t work and the parking permits were all out of date We tried to hoover up a couple of times but the appliance didn’t pick up and smelled awful! The settees have both seen better days and weren’t very comfortable but having said all this we enjoyed our stay and would be happy to stay here again, none of the above were major cause for concern and all can be easily fixed.

Having frequented the Lake District over many years staying in lodges and hotels, this was our first cottage break and definitely won’t be our last.

Everything was just perfect, even down to the weather, for the first time ever we had to buy suncream for our break in the Cumbrian hills

The cottage was wonderful and we enjoyed our 5 night stay.

The kitchen is well equipped with a grocery store very close. There are numerous pubs and restaurants nearby. A perfect location for discovering the Lake District. We went north, south, and to the coast of the Lake District and Ambleside was a great place to stay. Parking for the cottage is a challenge and best for a small car. Our large rental didn't fit in the space. We parked at the convenient car park about 100 feet away. We're both in our 70's so getting our bags up to the cottage was challenging. All in all we had a super experience and highly recommend this cottage.

The cottage is cosy and charming, and the courtyard garden is beautiful, especially in afternoon sunshine.

However, there were a few surprises/shocks not mentioned in the listing... and I am detailing ALL these, even though they may seem a bit nit-picky, because for anyone with compromised mobility like myself they present huge challenges, which I wasn't expecting. Firstly - car access from the road requires reversing up a very steep and narrow driveway from a one-way street. The only way to manage this is to put your hazards on as you reach the Temperance Hotel right opposite, and for your passenger to jump out and hold up traffic whilst you negotiate the awkward tight angle into the driveway. The allocated parking space is immediately at the top of the steep slope, with a yellow bollard close to the wall which you need care to avoid! Several pieces of smashed rear lights (not mine!) on the ground show how tricky this is! Next, there is yet another equally steep slope up, not mention in the listing, to reach the VERY steep slate staircase of 11 high steps, before reaching the access to the cottage. Once inside, we didn't notice a damp smell (as mentioned in several reviews) but it was mid June when we stayed. There are numerous moisture traps dotted around though, and the vent fans in bathroom and kitchen are on permanently, independent of lights, suggesting that this is a problem. Cottage layout is simple, but there are a couple of steep steps down to bathroom and master bedroom, which are also not mentioned, and no handrail. 2 leather sofas look very comfy, but are so low that I couldn't get up from them, so after one mistake of getting comfy on our first evening, I had to resort to bringing a garden chair in from outside for my evening "comfort" this being marginally less uncomfortable than a dining chair! In the slightly tired-looking bathroom I was aware the shower was over the bath. However no non-slip safety mat is provided to stand on, and the one grab rail is at the other end of the bath, so I was unable to have a shower during our stay. Nevertheless, my friend and I have had a lovely holiday. The cottage is right in the heart of Ambleside so provided you don't have mobility issues it's ideally situated for exploring the town and for visiting other parts of the glorious Lake District!

The paving stones in the courtyard were extremely slippery and having read the signs and reviews etc.

I was being really careful and nearly went flying! I was wearing sensible shoes, was being careful and have good balance. This could be extremely dangerous. The rest of the cottage was as expected although there was a definite smell of damp on entering the cottage which the plug in air fresheners didn’t disguise.

Upon arrival the property was cold & there was a strong smell of damp.

When began to unpack & found that the drawers in both bedrooms also smelt strongly of damp. As we did not want our clothes to smell, we left them in the suitcase for the duration of our 3 day stay. There were air freshners throughout the property however they did not mask the smell. In the second bedroom there was mould on two of the walls. There were no cereal bowls in the kitchen. This trip was to celebrate my husbands 70th birthday. He was unwell during our trip, meaning that we actually spent more time in the property than we normally would have. I don't believe that the property was up to the standard that a brand such as Sykes are known for & I'm extremely disappointed. Our stay was definitely not worth the price tag. We would need to think carefully before booking another trip with Sykes.

This could be a fantastic property but unfortunately the issue with the damp does let the whole property down.

The cottage itself is lovely, very roomy and well set up with everything you could need and a lovely private courtyard. It is in a great location, 2 minutes from the centre of Ambleside, and has its own parking spot which is a huge bonus as trying to get a space in any of the car parks is virtually impossible until quite late in the evening. The parking is not for the faint hearted or for a large car. It is a bit of a trial the first time as it does require reversing up a fairly steep slope into a fairly tight parking bay but once you have done it once it is actually fairly straightforward. The remainder of the slope to the cottage is quite steep and uneven in places and there is then the final flight of stone steps up to the property itself so definitely not for those with any mobility issues. The biggest issue with the property is unfortunately the damp. As soon as you walk the first thing you notice is the damp smell. It is really noticeable in the larger bedroom where you can see the damp on the plaster. We brought a couple of plugin air fresheners which certainly covered the smell but every time we came back it was noticeable. If the issue could be addressed this would be a really fantastic property.

Property was lovely but the dampness could be smelt as soon as you opened the front door.

The lower bedroom had damp patch in corner of room and the curtains were damp aswell. The could feel the dampness on the bed. The hob didn't work even though we read the instructions. There was no mention of the steep stairs and bank to get to the property, would have been good to mention this. We had elderly parents with us who found it difficult. We loved the courtyard and rest of the property just a pity about the dampness.

I think the cottage is extremely over priced.

Im a regular visitor to Ambleside so I know the area very well. The cottage is in a great location but parking is a nightmare!! The owners needs to invest in some decent plates and cups, there wasn’t 1 cereal bowl for my children to have there breakfast. There was only 1 wine glass and no small plates. We got provided with half a toilet roll!! When you are paying nearly £600 for 2 nights you expect 5* accommodation. The shower soaked the bathroom floor every time my kids used it. Not the best accommodation I’ve stayed in and sorry I think its to expensive for what you get. I don’t normally comment on reviews but I feel I needed to on this one. Only because it was last minute booking I won’t have booked this accommodation because it’s overpriced for what you get.

We did have a wonderful stay, but there were a couple of things that we thought could have been improved.

1. The listing doesn't mention that there's another cottage that has a bedroom above the main bedroom. This makes it a little bit more like a flat than a self contained cottage. We were lucky the people above were pretty quiet. 2. We were only given one toilet roll for 4 days 3. When you run the bath taps the kitchen tap runs, probably a simple valve replacement to fix. 4. We couldn't find any of the red bin bags that were required for the wheelie bin. 5. The parking/access could be better described in the listing. Luckily we're fit and well, and managed it. Although our basset hound wasn't a fan of the stairs! 6. The dishwasher flooded the kitchen when we used it None of this really detracted from our stay, but it might for someone else. We did really enjoy the location of the cottage, being so central to Ambleside was fantastic! The price was reasonable too and we would stay again! Just a few easy fixes to make it perfect!

Accommodation was very comfortable and well equipped but the reversing from a busy road up the slope was challenging so we used the permit provided and parked in nearby car park.

The only complaint we have was that apparently the removal of gutters and exterior painting of fascia boards had been arranged and was in fact carried out but not completed during our stay. It was rather disconcerting to suddenly find workers in the courtyard and climbing up the terrace. We feel we should have been notified and work carried out when property was unoccupied. To this end we feel some form of compensation would be appropriate.

The extraction fan in the bath room was on all the time and the toilet roll holder was broken.

The facilities in the cottage and courtyard were excellent. The access to the property is very poor as my wife is disabled and parking was too far from the property. The 13 slate steps and flimsy rail made access extremely difficult and should be mentioned in the general description for the property. John

Damp in main bedroom is an ongoing issue.

Property description online should have stated "may not be suitable for people with mobility issues"! Your idea of a "gentle slope" differs greatly from ours! The 14 Lakeland stone steps have pieces falling out and are very slippery when wet. We are both 67 and suffer from peripheral neuropathy and arthritis so accessing the property has been challenging! If your description had been accurate we wouldn't have come - and we won't be coming back. The parking is a nightmare - the designated space is too small with rock jutting out. Our car is damaged because we couldn't get into the parking space and had to leave the car against a wall for the first night. The parking permit was very useful and we have used it every day. Thank you. The cottage is lovely, well-equipped and tastefully furnished, with charming ornaments and pictures. The courtyard garden is lovely. We may use your company in the future but we will need to scrutinise and verify your descriptions first!

Really this was a great stay and so central in Ambleside.

Our main problem was the parking. We found reversing up the slope from the main road very stressful (we had 2 cars so one was in the car park). Minor points were that the shower screen allowed water to leak all over the bathroom & the kitchen was small for 4 people. But very clean with good facilities and the courtyard was perfect.

A lovely property, very well situated in Ambleside centre.

Had just about everything we needed. Lovely courtyard garden We would have liked some more wine glasses but coped with what was there. Would highly recommend and will definitely be returning.

We have stayed at Courtyard Cottage twice before and returned for our annual trip this year because of its convenient location and cosy aesthetic.

Unfortunately, our stay this year was complicated by the damp that previous reviewers have commented on as a mild issue. Sadly, this had worsened and there was a significant growth of mould on the walls by the bed in the main bedroom. For me this was just unpleasant and gave a fusty smell to that half of the property. For my partner, who is asthmatic, this resulted in a week of asthma attacks which only eased when he confined himself to the second bedroom at the other end of the cottage. We reported the issue to Lakelovers who were fairly quick to respond - they sent someone to wipe the bulk of the mould off the walls for us. This resulted in some improvement in the smell, but the spores in the air continued to affect my partner's breathing for the rest of the week. It was a terrible shame, as otherwise we love the cottage and would have returned again in future. I fear that significant work might be needed to eradicate the damp and make the cottage safe again for those with respiratory illnesses. We now cannot risk it again and urge anyone else with breathing difficulties to seek accommodation somewhere else.

The property is lovely in itself, very central to all the lovely pubs and restaurants in Ambleside.

It's cosy and comfortable inside which is perfect after a day walking, esp in the rain! The parking is very difficult though, we have a estate car and was a real challenge to reverse up the hill. I would advise anyone staying there to run into the cottage and grab the parking permit and head to the car park just down the road. If busy during the day, it clears out around 5ish once the people working in shops in Ambleside go home.

Beautiful little cottage very cosy, the owner thought of every need home from home spotless and clean.

Very close to amenities. Only downside was trying to get your car up the awkward hill to park very steep can only reverse up the hill off the main road. Not for anyone with walking difficulties due to steep hill and steep steps.

It's a fantastic place to stay.

Lots on the door step .pub shops and Great walks.will be going back at some point

Cottage is a good size, well equipped, comfortable, and convenient.

It was mostly quite clean but there was some mold on the wall beside the bed stand in one of the bedrooms. I would have reported it while I was there but I only discovered it when I emptied the waste bin the night before leaving. It may explain my minor nasal issues during our stay. The washer was not working when we arrived, but Lakelovers worked hard to get a replacement installed the next day. Impressive service. The location is ideal. The parking spot is effectively unworkable unless one has a quite small car and is adroit in backing in tight quarters on a very steep slope. (I had the wheels spinning on the pavement once when it was wet.) Bins on trash pickup day make it nearly impossible. The alternative permit for the public car park worked well except once when it was full. It was also nice that the permit was usable in car parks in nearby towns.

Great in many ways.

The courtyard is beautiful. I think the cottage would be rather dark and damp in winter but in hot weather it was nice and cool. Lots of information, good choice of dvds and some interesting books to read. Parking difficult. We missed the spot when we arrived so unloaded at the bottom of the steps. I know we were blocking the neighbours but it didn’t take too long. Could you come to some arrangement with the neighbours so loading and unloading could be done here?

I thought courtyard cottage was a lovely place to stay and very clean and well equipped with everything My only negatives are the parking bay for the cottage is not big enough to open your car door.

The mattress cover on the king size bed was it clean The previous guests had not removed their rubbish ! I removed the bag outside the bin on leaving as the smell was disgusting ! One bag was still in the black bin. Sorry for these remarks

We have used lakelovers many times in the past and have always been pleased with our accomodation.

However, courtyard cottage was a big disappointment! Although the size and layout of the cottage are fine, the facilities really need updating, namely the bathroom, the mattress in the big bedroom and, most importantly, the damp issues. The damp problem in the main bedroom is so bad that all our clothes were constantly damp and any books or magazines became warped. This in a heat wave too! To make matters worse, on arrival the cottage was far from clean. We realise that being a dog friendly cottage, we may have expected the odd dog hair, but the floor was absolutely covered and smelt very badly of wet dog (probably not helped by the damp!). Lakelovers, for over a £1000 a week we expect a lot better! I look forward to your response.

Beautiful cottage and the location was excellent and very quiet, you would not have thought you were in the centre of Ambleside.

The kitchen had everything you would need and the bathroom was of a high standard. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely book again. Nothing negative to say.

Great location-town centre but didn't feel like it, close to many shops and restaurants, nicely decorated.

Good quality bed linen and towels. Highly recommended..

Directions to the property were well out of date and misleading, referring to landmarks that were no longer there

The cottage was a great location in the centre of ambleside, albeit slightly tricky access.

There was an unpleasant smell when we first arrived to the cottage, very fusty which was disappointing. The cleanliness also let the cottage down, there were cobwebs in the bedrooms and on the coffee tables which really let it down... overall cleanliness was not great. The bathroom could do with a bit of TLC as the shower was very old and could do with an upgrade, also the floor tiles need cleaning as there was a build up of dirt/grime on the tiles grout. If the cleaning was up to scratch and a few upgrades to the bathroom, this could be a fantastic cottage in a great location.

Love this cottage!

The perfect location right in the heart of ambleside, yet it still feels secluded and private. Cosy interior with all of the necessary ammenities. Parking on the drive is a bit tricky but the permit allows you to park in the public car parks within a 5 minute walk. We will definitely be back!

Superb place to stay.

Second time we’ve stayed. Brilliant location, everything you need. Highly recommend

Overall a good little place, awkward to park due to the steep drive but additional parking in nearby car park, if you can find a space.

Only real complaint was the bed, which for me was too hard and the toilet seat which seems too small for the toilet as it kept slipping off to the side when sitting down.

The steps up to the cottage are difficult ,but the worse was the smell of dog both inside and out in the courtyard and it stayed all week and just to say we are not anti dog .

We stayed at this property two years ago, and the addition of the new courtyard gate is very good as it enabled our dog to roam freely in and out of the property.

The property is in a great location and has everything we need for our stay. Some minor suggestions for further improvements would be installation of a new (more powerful) shower and replacement of coffee mugs as a number of them are chipped. Otherwise, a great stay and we will be back again.

Lovely cottage, beautiful courtyard and very clean.

Great facilities within the cottage, especially the kitchen. The only downside was i didnt realise the parking space wasnt outside the property or that there were stairs up to the property. Although this was probably my fault for not reading properly. Great location and instructions provided were great especially of how best to get into the parking spot. 10/10 woild recommended and use again.

The cleanliness of the property was unacceptable.

In the midst of a global pandemic I felt it could have a detrimental effect on our health. The property clearly hadn’t had anything but a superficial clean and I had no idea who had previously stayed there. It makes me very angry that I was put in that position on the first holiday we had in over a year. I reported the matter to you immediately we arrived at the cottage and it took until Thursday afternoon to get any kind of resolution from Sykes, albeit an unsatisfactory one. The property floor hadn’t been mopped and was dirty, the surfaces grimy, dog hair stuck all over the sofa cushions which themselves were grubby and stained, the dishwasher had been stopped and emptied mid cycle so I had no idea how clean the crockery was. Spending the first 2 hours of my holiday cleaning was not what I had in mind, nor was washing every utensil, plate and glass before use. In addition I was told the owner was responsible, the cleaner responsible and also and the ‘team’ who look after the area. Sykes are very good at buck passing but not at customer service. It is a massive shame because if it had been cleaned properly we would have been delighted with the cottage.