“On a positive note, the property is ideally located to places to eat and dog walks which suits us perfectly.”
On a negative note, the property needs a thorough clean and could do with a lick of paint. There was cobwebs everywhere, the lampshades in one of the bedrooms and hallway were filthy. Even on the floors, there was still dust in places. The mop that is being used to clean the wood flooring is disgusting and needs replacing.
The sofa and chairs and worn out so we’re uncomfortable.
We will look at other places to stay in future during January as compared to a year ago when we stayed, it really has got worse.
Hi Nicola
First of all I’ll introduce myself if I may. I’m the eldest son of the owner of Halewood, and I’ve got one brother. Data rules prevent me from stating our names unfortunately, otherwise I’d have happily included them!
Our mum and dad finished working in the late 1980s, and moved to Halewood for their retirement.
Sadly our dad died in the mid-1990s, in his early 60s, leaving our mum on her own, although after that she spent a lot of time with her sisters and her friends.
She absolutely loved living at Halewood.
She stayed there until moving into a nursing home in 2021, because she’s got dementia. She’s doing okay, being very well looked after, and really enjoying the company of other people. In February 2024 we celebrated her 90th birthday!
After she left Halewood, I spent time there clearing out 60 years’ worth of my family’s belongings, helped by two of her sisters. I couldn’t have done it without them. Then the property was refurbished in 2022.
I asked Lakelovers to manage Halewood, because they already look after the cottage next door, and I noticed when visiting my mum’s what a terrific job they seemed to be doing, with people from the company going in and out, and how the guests looked like they were enjoying themselves.
I think they have also done a great job looking after Halewood, because until recently the feedback from guests has been really good.
Unfortunately though there has been just a bit of a blip recently, in terms of the cleaning not being up to standard.
And as an earlier reviewer said in his review, you don’t want to have to balance the upsides of the property, against the downsides of how you might find it condition-wise. Life’s too short for that sort of complication. You just want to get there and find the place clean, simple as!
On seeing the earlier review and yours, and having previously expressed concerns about cleanliness myself in early January, I contacted Lakelovers again, and they’ve arranged for a new cleaner to look after Halewood. He’s previously worked for another large holiday lettings company in the Lakes for over a decade. I think that speaks for itself. Says me who wouldn’t last five minutes doing that job before it finished me off. I believe we’ll now be back to exactly where we should be in terms of cleanliness. I’m writing this at Halewood in late February 2024, having gone to check for myself, and I’m pleased to report that it’s spotless.
So I’m really sorry Halewood wasn’t as clean as it should have been when you stayed.
Believe me Nicola, I know how just important that is. 20-odd years ago, my partner and I stayed in a caravan on a campsite for our holiday. It hadn’t been cleaned properly when we arrived. Let’s just say my partner made her displeasure very clear to me indeed. Put it this way, it still came up in conversation in our house from time to time for years afterwards.
Where I find we disagree though is about the decoration and furniture. The house was professionally decorated throughout less than two years ago, and the décor is still in excellent order, and the photos still accurately reflect it.
Likewise, the sofa and matching chair are still nearly new. In response to your review though, my partner has sent me over with some more cushions, because apparently you can never have too many of those!
So I fully understand and respect your decision to find somewhere else for your January stay. Although if you change your mind in the meantime and decide to come back to Halewood, you’ll be more than welcome.
While I’m writing this, I’d like to say something if I may in response to comments in other reviews about Halewood having a fridge but not a freezer.
When discussing the kitchen design with the builders, who did a fantastic job, their view was that it didn’t need a freezer, because guests would either eat out a lot, or wouldn’t need food to keep for a long time if they were only staying for a week.
I wasn’t sure it was that clear cut, because I like my fish fingers, and they only keep a day or two in a fridge. But what swung it for me is that we have a half and half upright fridge freezer in our kitchen at home, and we’re constantly struggling for room in the fridge. We have two shelves each, but despite that my partner keeps pinching space off mine. I’m sure it’s the same for a lot of people. So I thought a full-sized fridge, where you have more space than you know what to do with, would be a bit of a luxury on holiday.
I totally get it though that without icecubes, drinks just aren’t the same, and it’s also handy to freeze the odd thing. When I was growing up we didn’t have a freezer, so one day I thought I’d put a jug of water in the fridge, so I could have cold drinks. I was so pleased with myself for thinking that one up on my own, that I thought I’d reinvented the wheel. Until I bragged about it to my dad, who just looked at me very unimpressed, and said he’d done the same thing when he was my age. Cheers dad! I wanted to say something back about did they have fridges that long ago, but thought best not push it.
So that’s the trade-off. Big fridge but no ice-cubes. Sorry if you think it was the wrong call.
Anyway, I hope everyone who stays at Halewood has a great time. I think there’s something magical about the Lakes. I know my parents did too.
One simple thing I really like, is walking into Bowness up through Back Belsfield Road, first thing in the morning before there are people and cars about. If you do that walk early doors, particularly at the weekend, it’s a bit special, I’ve always thought.
Anyway, as this is nearly as long as War and Peace now, it’s time I signed off.
Thanks very much for staying at my mum’s, Nicola. Apologies again. And wherever you decide to stay in the future, all the best to you.
Cheers.
Property Owner
