“LOCATION
We stayed in the “Cherry” cottage – one of half a dozen self-contained cottages at the end of a private drive on the hill above Bowness (at The Glebe end).”
While it’s not an un-walkable distance from Bowness, the walking route isn’t very safe as there is no pavement and the route can be quite busy. But there’s plenty of parking in Bowness – just remember to budget for parking fees! Most of the car parks accept payment via the PayByPhone app – so no cash needed.
OUTDOORS
Each cottage has an outdoor seating area with plenty of chairs, a 6 person (at a squeeze) hot tub, and a BBQ platform (for disposable and camping BBQs). The outdoor space is screened from the neighbours so it is nice and private. Cherry backs on the woods so you won’t get much afternoon or evening sun, but you’ll enjoy the birdsong. The grounds are immaculate and everything is well maintained. We had two dedicated parking spots 50 yds from the front door, and parked two more cards in the large overflow car park just 150 yds away. There is an office on-site if you have any problems (or forget your key card). Cherry also has a nice large outdoor space adjacent to the property in which we played football and boules.
BEDROOMS
Four bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs, all with comfy mattresses and pillows, and the linen was all spotless. You get a bath towel and hand towel per person, as well as a separate towel to use with the hot tub. Two of the bedrooms upstairs were en-suite (with double cubicles and powerful hydraulic showers), there was a spacious family bathroom with shower over (perfect for bathing our baby grandson), and a nice open landing. The downstairs bedroom was also en-suite, and there was a cloakroom off the utility. Just remember to keep the blinds closed when the sun is out, as the rooms are in the roof and can get uncomfortably warm.
KITCHEN
A lovely big open plan kitchen diner with all the mod cons including dishwasher, microwave and toaster. Tastefully done and well equipped with crockery, cutlery, pans and utensils including a commercial-sized cookpot and frying pan! The table seated 10 comfortably. Off the kitchen is a utility with a washing machine and tumble dryer, and a very useful second “drinks” fridge. The dining room has French Doors opening out to the deck, and morning and night we were visited by families of ducks which was areal treat for our grandson.
LIVING
Three big sofas, lots of side tables, and a big open space in the middle for our grandson to play! A big Sony TV with all the usual smart tv features and a soundbar was much appreciated for watching the Euro 2020 football. There is another set of French Doors opening onto the deck – so plenty of air circulation when it got really got.
SERVICE
We absolutely could not fault the service we received from the management team. They responded promptly to queries in advance and while on-site, and there was an office on-site to help with any queries during our stay. We were unhappy with the cleanliness of the floors when we arrived – a by-product on the additional sanitisation required elsewhere because of COVID I guess – but they sent a crew in on Saturday morning to address this.
OVERALL
Cherry Cottage definitely deserves a 4.5 star rating, and we will be coming back again. So we have no hesitation in recommending it as a fab base for a family holiday in the Lakes, with lots of luxury at a very reasonable price.
