Old Oak Cottage

Quirky cottage with lots of history, which really added to the charm of the stay.

We also appreciated the practical touches, there was a washing machine and a dishwasher, and both were genuinely useful. The smart TV was also great, especially for watching tennis. The bed was comfy and the shower was good. However, there’s an ongoing issue with the shower seal leaking no matter how careful you are, so it made the experience a bit frustrating. There were also a couple of basic oversights that didn’t feel acceptable for the price: there was no toilet roll in the bathroom, and there was no tea, coffee, or welcome pack. It honestly felt like the place was left as if the cleaner was in a rush. Kitchen wasn’t that clean. That said, overall the cottage has a lot to like, it just needs a few simple improvements to match the cost.

We had a lovely stay at Old Oak Cottage, it's in a great location and we loved all the old features of the building.

A lovely cottage to stay in with so many original features still there.

Close to the town centre to walk in, and at the heart of the area to drive (or get a bus/ferry) to explorer other areas.

Lovely cottage with lots of character.

The only downsides were that the heating hadn't been pre-programmed properly and the house was freezing at around 10c; we had to manually set the central heating but it literally took all night to heat the house and the kitchen stayed very cold throughout our stay despite the underfloor heating in that room. Maybe a couple of electric fan heaters could have been provided by th owners. We bought kindling and logs for the fire which helped to heat the lounge. The front path across the garden needs to be cleaned as it was very slippery in the wet weather with algae and bird mess. However Ambleside is a lovely area for exploring the Lakes.

We absolutely loved our stay at Old Oak Cottage in Ambleside.

From the moment we arrived, the cottage felt warm and cosy, which was especially welcoming after a freezing cold day. It stayed perfectly comfortable throughout the night — not too hot, just right. The history and character of the cottage really shine through, with beautiful quirky oak floors, wooden panelling, and lots of historic charm throughout. It feels authentic and full of soul. The kitchen was very well equipped with everything we needed, and the bed was lovely and comfortable, making for a great night’s sleep. A truly special place to stay — cosy, characterful, and very relaxing. We would absolutely love to return.

This was our seventh stay at Old Oak Cottage since we first visited it in 2017.

On this occasion we noted a much higher standard of cleaning and maintenance at the property. We always return because we love the old world charm, position and the comfortable bed.

This is a quirky property.

If you're not a fan of creaky, uneven floorboards this isn't the place for you, but it's got an abundance of character and is quite a comfy cottage. Parking to the front and the rear (note - there's no rear access to the cottage so you have to walk around the block to the front door) and Ambleside town centre is just a short walk downhill. If you want to use the open fire you'll need to bring your own logs etc.

The cottage is exactly as described.

The staircase and floorboards are extremely uneven which adds to the quiantness and authenticity of the aged property but if you struggle with balance or mobility at all it will be a problem. Parking at the front of the property is first come, first served and very busy so the parking space at the rear is essential. It's a 2 minute walk to the two nearest pubs and another 3 minutes will get you into the very centre of Ambleside.

The cottage itself was lovely, a beautiful old building with plenty of space for a couple.

The heating was great and the bed comfortable. There was also a decent amount of entertainment from books to tv and games. The only reason why we didn’t give 5 stars was that we felt some basics were lacking, such as enough toilet paper(we left behind 4 rolls so I hope they were left for others and not taken away), cooking oil, salt etc. We understand that it is self catering but every other place we’ve stayed has provided these basic items(even much cheaper places)as having to buy a bottle of cooking oil to travel back home with on the train was frustrating. A welcome pack other than cleaning items would have been a nice addition too, just to make it a 5 star experience. Otherwise it was a great and enjoyable. I’m from the Lake District so it was important that I felt at home and I really did.

Found the cottage to be cheerless and dreary.

Furnishings comfortable but the colour-scheme throughout made it feel more sombre. Parking each day a struggle. Ok if using the cottage for a few days as a base but if like us wanting somewhere to unwind and relax, cannot recommend it.

Thank you a really lovely stay in this beautiful old property.

We had no problems at all, everything worked well , excellent shower and bed and also lots of space and very quiet . Also very close to centre of town, wonderful pub only 3 minutes walk away. We didn’t use our car all week as lots of buses and great walks from the door. Also Ambleside a fantastic town with lots of excellent places to eat, 3 cinemas and Jazz! We particularly liked the vegetarian meal deals with the Jazz and cinema.

This is a beautiful & charming cottage with some quaint quirks.

We were tickled that the furniture is levelled with books. The listing is highly accurate, especially regarding the need for slippers upstairs - the stunning polished wooden floors are uneven & slippery without. The kitchen worktop wasn't particularly clean when we got there, but materials were available to rectify that simply. We found a parking space out the front of the cottage quite easily but we imagine that can get harder in peak season. There is an allocated space round the back, but no rear access to the cottage & if the b&b is busy, we'd guess it could get tight with larger vehicles. The only quibble we had was with basic provision in the kitchen. We appreciate the cottage is self catering but it would have been nice to have had a welcome hot drink. Tea bags/coffee/milk are all purchasable in individual portions & they have a housekeeping cupboard for storage. A cruet set for salt, pepper, vinegar & oil would also have been appreciated. Overall, it was a homely space to explore the Lakes & we would recommend it.

What a fantastic cottage!

The history of the building, the location (a 5-minute walk into the town - be aware though if you're not physically fit, it's downhill on the way there but quite a steep uphill on the way back); the quirkiness of the layout (the floors were particularly enjoyable), it even had a designated parking space! It was just what we needed (and more!) for our Lakeland adventure. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Lovely quaint cottage, stairs and upstairs floors need very careful negotiation, especially us older folks!

Lovely traditional property in a marvellous location.

This is our fourth time staying here and we will be back.

Really well-equipped cottage, characterful and great to have parking.

Perfect location for exploring the Lakes and being close enough to amenities in Ambleside.

A pleasure to stay in such a charming cottage.

Very comfortable to say how old it is, very spacious too and very clean. Location is excellent, I couldn't believe how quiet it was, I didn't expect it to be so tranquil with other dwellings joined on but we didn't hear a sound for our three nights stay. Lovely comfortable beds and crisp bedding. One thing that could be improved is the view out of the living room window, there is really big holly tree blocking the beautiful view, you can only see half of Wansfell Pike which is a real shame.

We loved everything about our stay.

It was a privilege to occupy such a historic building, even temporarily. The bed was extremely comfortable and the sheets beautifully smooth. In the most constructive spirit, we would suggest only that the Visitor's Guide be left in plain sight, on the dining table or in the kitchen; and that the fire guard have a heatproof handle attached so that it's easier to move. You must treasure the wonderful BW photos, both as mementos of fantastic experiences and as works of art in themselves. Kind regards, Michael McPherson

Great location, quirky cottage, but….

. As we were there for probably the coldest week of the year, we really struggled to keep the living areas warm. Even with the heating on, the stone floors and single glazing meant we were cold. Perhaps the owners could provide additional heating (fan heater?) for cold weather? The upstairs was warm tho. Otherwise, a great place, with a comfy bed and good shower.

Lovely old property with amazing character.

Loved the stairway. Kitchen was also well equipped with dishwasher and espresso maker which we weren't expecting. Very handy having private parking spot at back as parking becoming an issue in Ambleside. Loads of amazing walks from the door and great friendly pubs serving good food.

This was our fifth stay at Old Oak Cottage, and once again we loved our stay, due to the character and the location of the property.

The very comfortable bed and quality bedding which ensured a very good nights sleep. The standard of housekeeping on this occasion was much better than our previous visit. However the grouting in the shower could do with some attention from the maintenance department.

We absolutely loved your cottage, it was well-appointed, everything worked and was as promised, it was warm and cosy and the real fire really made it.

We brought some wood to get started, but it's available locally (and at all the garages we passed on days out). Perfect time of year to come too (October). No joke about needing slippers - pick ones with a good grippy sole as well as the wood upstairs is so clean and shiny with lots of knobbles. The location was ideal for all our day trips and would absolutely recommend staying here. Loved it.

The cottage was fabulous.

Clean,comfortable and perfectly placed for access to village. Even had dedicated parking space.

Loved this cottage.

It really felt like stepping back in time but with 21st century comforts. Position for exploring Ambleside was perfect. Parking great. Freezer very iced up when we arrived. Probably should be checked regularly, or better still install a frost free fridge freezer.

The photos do not do this place justice.

The creeky floorboards and winding staircase give the cottage a truly authentic feel, and it had everything we needed for our short stay. The bed was very comfortable and we enjoyed peaceful lie ins with views of the rolling hills.

Lovely stay, there was no membership pass for the gym that was mentioned in the booking.

Other than that, perfect

A lovely cottage and it appeared to us that all of the comments from previous guests had been addressed.

Very clean and not problems with the water. A couple of minor points: 1. The smoke alarm on the landing had been removed and left on the window sill. I replaced it as it would not work unless in position. As a safety item, I would expect that this should have been checked. 2. The upstairs floors have a lot of "character" which is wonderful - but you will definitely need good slippers. This was a great base for a wonderful short holiday and we really liked it.

Excellent location near local attractions ,walks ,scenery and also Ambleside itself shops jazz club etc Enjoyed old house and fire Tv disappointing .

.we knew it was small and basic but sound keeps turning off .I can see this is longstanding issue as mentioned in reviews and not yet addressed Hot water an issue ..unable to have bath and only around 3 minutes worth of hot water in shower. Again this appears to be ongoing issue mentioned in reviews and not addressed again very disappointing when you’re. Old and wet having been outdoors Kitchen hot tap dodgy Would have considered revisiting however put off by these seemingly longstanding issues

This was our fourth stay at Old Oak Cottage, and on this occasion we were somewhat surprised and disappointed by the poor standard of housekeeping and general maintenance at the property.

Some of our concerns included: The toilet had not been adequately cleaned (A little effort with the toilet brush rectified this issue) Badly stained cushions on the two sitting room chairs. Black mould in the bath/shower. There was a very high level of thick dust underneath the chaise longue in the bedroom (noticed on the second day, when I dropped something) The cutlery and cutlery drawer needed to be cleaned before we could use them. The sound on the television regularly cut out and the television needed to be switched off for the sound to return. Some of the kitchen equipment, crockery and utensils could do with refreshing and replenishing. On a more positive note, the bed was very comfortable and we had a good sleep every single night. This is a lovely property but is sadly in need of some Tender Loving Care.

Old Oak Cottage is a beautiful period property with the range and the staircase being particular highlights.

The central heating works well but the hot water supply is erratic. We could usually get a warm shower but to fill a hot bath the flow needed to be reduced to a minimum. The television sound was very poor. I would be happy to return to this cottage if the boiler and TV were upgraded

We loved our stay, the cottage was full of character and was in a great location.

Everything we needed was there. Shower was great. Bed very comfy. Furniture in lounge not so comfortable. Would be nice if some wood could be provided for the fire as it was a long walk to get some. Also felt check out at 10 was a bit early, could do with being 11, and check in at 4 is a bit late, 2 or 3 would be better. But overall we had a fantastic stay and will recommend to friends and family and definitely like to return.

Blissfully quiet with a lovely calm feel

We had a lovey time in this truly historic house.

Its in a great location on the edge of the town centre, and completely silent at night. We enjoyed the property's 'quirks' and found it clean and well-equipped. We didn't need to use the fire so can't comment on that. My only negative comment is that the mattress is not the most comfortable - you can feel the springs. A thick mattress topper would help a lot. But we still slept well and had a great week!

On booking we were told in your website there was use of a local gym ,we both use the gym on a regular basis therefore this was a main reason on picking this cottage ; we contacted the mumber left ; (Craig) on the Sunday after arrival asking for details of how to use gym ; told me there was a key fob left in code box with house key ; nothing was left only one house key : searched the cottage , could not find anything , Craig said he would contact owners ; heard nothing , so never used gym .

Very disappointed with this esp as nobody bothered to do anything about it . This is false advertising and wrong also unable to get a hot Bath tepid ; shower ok but bath useless again this was mentioned and nothing done about it Ambleside perfect shame about the above .

Fantastic location, really close to the centre of Ambleside.

A wonderful historic cottage, with lots of charm... And bigger than we had anticipated. Will definitely be recommending it to friends and family. Thankyou for making our stay so pleasurable.

Quirky and characterful, yes; comfortable, no.

The review left by Deborah in July 23 is fully justified. I would also add that it is hard to relax on the lounge furniture. The large 6 seater table takes up far too much room in a property for 2 people. We found the kitchen ill equipped and basic. Downstairs windows have foliage covering them, with ivy growing through the kitchen window. The extractor fan in the bathroom does not work. However, top marks for good bathroom lighting and decent sized bath towels. The cottage has so much potential but has a rather uncared for air; a sympathetic refurb is well overdue. We have stayed in far better properties for less cost.

It is misleading to say it has outside space, there is space to the front which has no privacy at all.

The pictures show an area at the back with a bench. This, if it can actually be used , as is covered in weeds and long grass(I have taken pictures), has no connection to the house, as no back door. The picture is maybe showing parking space, as the sign can be seen at the bottom of the picture (if you look carefully). The mattress in the main bedroom is disgusting, is covered in stains, and a filthy colour. I dread to think what the stains are. My main disappointment is the outside space. I don't use many filters when I search for a property, but that is top of my list. I feel very misled. Maybe it needs to be more specific, and have a filter for useable outside space.

Lovely cottage, full of character.

The staircase and upstairs floors are fantastic, if only they could talk! Perfect location for pubs, shops etc and for walking. Handy parking space too.

Accuracy - nowhere in the advert does it mention just how precarious, slippery and uneven the staircase and upper floors are.

Spiral staircase, protruding floor dowels and nails present a significant health and safety risk and a potential life changing accident waiting to happen (if not already and unaware). Stated all fuel included but nothing to light a coal fire with. No access to garden from cottage, would need to walk out the front door and around to the carpark behind. More honesty and transparency needed including the use of leisure facilities in the advert......4 miles away! Cleanliness - cobwebs in the bathroom, bedroom and lounge, squashed moth on bathroom ceiling, kitchen worktop and windowsill dirty, oven glass door dirty. Comfort - personally found all the furniture uncomfortable and placed cushions on the lounge and dining room seats to sit on. Facilities - well equipped, dedicated parking space at the rear of the property. Hot water ran cold in the bathroom very quickly (unable to run a hot bath) and trickled from the kitchen tap - had to boil the kettle to wash dishes. Kitchen curtains wouldn't close using the pulley (and the curtain track would come away) but could be pulled manually, although had to climb on the worktop to reach. Property a little tired, could do with freshening up. Initially struggled on arrival to turn on heating, cooker, TV, WiFi (unable to connect laptop, asking for WPA2 password which no-one at Sykes could help with - prevented working from home and no visibility of emails) - personally feel any operating instructions should be clearly visible i.e. left on the kitchen worktop or dining table and not in a drawer in the passageway or in with some books beside the TV. This feedback feels a little harsh when written - deducted one point for the staircase and one point for the upper floor. The property was ideally situated in Ambleside close to the town but setback and very quiet. Would only not return due to the staircase and the unevenness/protruding dowels of the upstairs floors.

We had a fantastic stay!

The accommodation was accurately described and although dates from the 1500's very comfortable and clean with up-to-date amenities. We will definitely return.

A lovely, characterful cottage.

Very well equipped, although it was a shame that the fire was not useable when we visited. In a very good spot, within a short walk of the pubs, shops and restaurants of Ambleside. Cleanliness was generally good, although the mattress and duvet could do with changing as they were both quite stained. This didn't bother us particularly as there was a mattress cover. I like the fact that the hob is gas, which is much easier to cook on.

I really enjoyed our stay at Old Oak Cottage.

I absolutely love Ambleside and this cottage is excellently located! The cottage is packed with character and would be perfect for a couple or small family to stay. However, part of the reason we chose Old Oak Cottage was to use the fire place. We had visions of long, cold, December walks and getting back and putting our feet up in front of the fire. We were really disappointed that despite the issue of the fire being raised many reviews ago, the issue is yet to be fixed and we therefore could not use the fire. There was no reduction in price or good will gesture to make up for this which I found disappointing. Especially in these cold winter months, I think getting to fire fixed should be a priority!

This was our third visit to Old Oak Cottage, a place which we always enjoy staying in, because its style and old charm suits us perfectly.

The property was very much as we found it when we stayed just over twelve months ago. However, we were more than a little surprised that the open fire had still not been sorted out, with the issues having been mentioned by previous guests quite some time ago. Additionally, the door on the ice compartment in the fridge is no longer completely attached and requires very careful handling when using the ice box… Quite difficult in view of where the fridge is situated. Plus, the toilet brush holder has certainly seen better days and its appearance was quite unpleasant. Also, some food debris was present in the cutlery drawer and the shelves of the crockery cupboard needed a wipe, both of which we addressed on our arrival. Hopefully during the winter months Old Oak Cottage will be receiving the necessary TLC it so deserves.

We booked this lovely cottage in early September & later read a review about problems with the open fire.

I contacted Lake Lovers ( late) September & enquired about the open fire problems & said that the fire was one of the main reasons we booked! I was advised it was being looked into and should be sorted out soon. Upon our arrival ( mid Nov) a note had been placed on the fire saying "it would probably be a good idea if the fire was not used". It should have said DO NOT USE ! We lit a few pieces of paper and smoked the room out! I would warn other people to not use the fire until this problem is cured! This property"s first key feature is the open fire and l notice today it still reads this way. The marketing needs amending accordingly. Other than that, the property is absolutely lovely! Comfortable bed, lots of lovely little home comforts, amazing spiral oak staircase. We loved it & in an ideal location for town amenities & walking in this lovely area. I really hope the problem is addressed and sorted sooner than later and the cottage becomes the little treasure it is.

We own and live in a house of same age and know how challenging it is to make it warm and dry with 21 century conveniences without losing charm and character.

An excellent job has been done here and we loved it. A little disappointed the nest hasn’t been swept from the chimney but then we have a fire at home all the time so not a big deal. Loved the pool - big positive for us. Loved climbing all the hills and mountains around without using the car. I’m sure we will return

Beautiful cottage, great location and some lovely personal touches, games.

But we had a problem using the fire. The chimney does not draw and the smoke fills the room. We were not able to turn off the smoke alarms until 2.00am!

Such a characterful old cottage but with all the creature comforts and the uneven floors just added to the character.

The owners have done out the place beautifully with modern touches in the kitchen but the rest of the cottage is still in keeping with the period theme. We really appreciated all the little touches including the old artefacts and pictures of the owners adventures. Thanks very much for a wonderful stay!

Front door latch does not work.

The Yale style lock does not locate properly in the latch so the front door can be pushed open by anybody, day or night. We were unable to use the open fire as the chimney does not draw the fire. I read the instructions regarding the draw adjustment, and I am very experienced with old chimneys/open fires, but it just does not draw and the cottage fills with dangerous smoke. I shone a light up the chimney and could see that there was a lot of nesting bird matter so assume the chimney has not been properly swept and likely there is no cowl on the top. Also a number of the radiators are locked at the none valve end, or the valves are broken. In the lounge the adjustable valve is not even attached to the radiator. So with no radiator valve or open fire we were unable to heat the lounge. The kitchen partially flooded on the second night and on inspection I noticed that the joint in the condensation pipe from the boiler had become detached and there was a constant dripping onto the tile floor, just to the right of the fridge. I pushed the pipe back together to stop the dripping and dried up the water but needs some long term maintenance. Finally, if the adjoining property is occupied it is very noisy upstairs when they walk about. I assume that the properties were one property in their past and have been split. The problem is the ancient floor boards, which creak VERY VERY LOUDLY, run right through both properties and move through both properties if walked on. We go to bed between 10.30 and 11.30pm but our neighbours were coming in a 2 and 3 am and making a noise that could wake the dead. Not blaming them, they are on holiday I assume, though I have no ideas where you can go in Ambleside until that sort of time, but we were woken most nights by the noise. Also the garden around the entrance door could do with a good tidy up. Seems like it is mainatened with no real interest. In summary, it is a nice property, but my feeling is that some money was spent on it 15 or 20 years ago, and now nobody really loves it. In desperate need of somebody to take a genuine loving interest in this ancient property. "Very disappointing and neglected but has potential", would be my summary.

It is a lovely cottage to stay in for a few days.

The only slight criticism is that it would have been nice to be able to sit outside on the lawn, in a chair, at a table, with a nice glass of wine. As far as I am aware, there isn't the ability to do that.

A lovely unforgettable olde worlde cottage very handy for the centre of Ambleside.

Dedicated parking is round the back of the cottage, but you then need to walk round to the front to enter the cottage. Front of cottage parking spaces were not always available during our stay in Feb. Stairs and first floor flooring are lovely polished oak timbers but quite uneven as you'd expect in such an old property, therefore make sure you bring your slippers. I would still recommend this property for it's location, character and facilities.

Great week in a very quirky property in the heart of Ambleside.

We have a lovely time away and found the property quite enchanting. A couple of points of feedback: once the heating was sorted it was more comfortable... I would suggest a bit of instruction on the controls would be a good idea as I found it to be a little cold downstairs during the day, but then woke sweltering at 05:30 in the morning. And some useful info like where to get logs and kindling from would be good and keep the bills down I'm sure! Also recycling could be better. I felt very bad putting recyclable waste into the general waste bin.

This was the second time we have stayed at Old Oak Cottage, our previous visit was in 2017.

We found the standard of cleaning and general maintenance much higher this visit. The bathroom has been greatly improved with an excellent overhead shower and has been recently painted. Having read the previous review just before we left, we are pleased to report that we had no issues with the quality of the mattress and found the bed very comfortable. All in all a lovely stay in a well equipped and unique property clearly loved by its owners.

Obviously this review is meaningless as I've read since that the bed was uncomfortable for many other guests and still remains very poor.

Not what a walker requires after a good yomp across the beautiful ranges . Also tv and CD player so dated but just about adequate And finally in the listing it said all fuel is included in the charges. So to my surprise arriving later on my arrival day having to go back out to find some wood for the fire. Although it does suggest that the previous people to leave some. It' doesn't work for the arriving guest if they don't, does it?

Lovely cottage, by far the oldest property we have stayed in, very historical.

Every modern convenience you would need and very close to the centre of Ambleside about 10 min walk max. Parking available close by...... just not outside. My 4th property through Sykes, they have always been excellent places to stay in the lakes !!

We loved our quirky cottage, it had everything we needed.

It was well maintained and clean. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this property and may even rebook. Only one downside, there isn’t any outdoor space in which to sit.

The accommodation was charming and in the majority as described.

The picture showing the seating area on grass is misleading as it could be construed to be the front where there is no seating supplied despite describing as such. The rear seating area where the picture shows does not belong to the property so nowhere to sit outside. The pack supplied was a welcome addition for use within the kitchen. It was disappointing for a property of this price range to not have some basic equipment such as a bread knife and some of the pots and pans to be so scratched that the non-stick had become defunct. The microwave would benefit from being updated as the turntable did not go round when operating so constant changing of position to get even cooking was a pain. When we tried to turn the washing machine on, there were multiple lights flashing and upon reading the manual it was noted that a call to an engineer was required so unable to wash soiled walking clothes. The cottage itself is quaint and delightfully full of character, mention of health and safety aspects should be spoken about given the flooring levels and slippiness as it may advise people about what to take with them. Overall, it was felt to be overpriced for the facilities supplied (we’ve stayed in multiple properties locally) but if some of these things are addressed it would not stop us from booking the cottage again.

Great cottage and location.

Basic amenities within the cottage were pretty disappointing. For example, salt and pepper is rather basic item to be provided in a self catered cottage. Many go far beyond this, with welcome packages etc. But this rather basic item not provided. Same for toilet roll. Literally one provided. That's disappointing. Outside of the pandemic, I would seriously question using the cottages again for this reason. It's not much of an ask but it seems rather scrimp not to provide some very basic provisions. Also, no washing up sponge for washing the dishes,despite requesting it. Not sure if that was because we are expected to bring our own. Health club access was great. However, advertising on this misleading as it's a ten minute drive, whereas the pictures etc makes one think it's adjacent to the cottage. Despite the above moan, the cottage was lovely. Perhaps more TV channel options too as not a lot of entertainment in the evenings here. Glad I managed to get a booking in the pandemic, but would expect them to up their game outside of pandemic.