Kessock

We feel that only being allowed in at 5pm in the first day and being requested to leave at 9.

30am in the final day meant we paid a substantial amount of money for the house but only really had it for 6 days out of the 7 we paid for. The kitchen needed more saucepans considering the amount of people residing in the house and the amount of people there was to cook for. Otherwise the rest of the kitchen and appliances were excellent. When we removed the sheets from the one double bed on the main floor we found a stained mattress cover underneath that had obviously not been cleaned/replaced before our arrival. Other than thise small feedback points the rest of the property was of an excellent standard.

A special couple of nights with plenty of room for all the family.

Stunning property. Stunning views.

Overall, the property is lovely, with a wonderful view over lake Windermere.

The bedrooms are generously proportioned and all en-suite, and the beds were comfortable. The kitchen is well-stocked with appliances and utensils. It is handy having the Beech Hill Hotel right next door for food / drinks when you want to have a break from cooking. We all felt however that there is room for improvement. When it is (very) warm, as it was in the week that we stayed, there is little/no chance to regulate the temperature or find shade from the sun in the main living area. There are no blinds on the windows, nor a parasol if you wish to sit outside. It is impossible to watch the TV in the main living area when the sun is shining directly into the room (which is most of the time from midday onwards). The table / bench outside is not big enough to accommodate all the guests, so we had little choice but to eat inside. We were also surprised that there were no BBQ facilities. (There is a TV room downstairs, but the seating is arranged awkwardly / there are not enough seats for everyone). We were also mildly disappointed by the welcome to the property. In similar properties we have stayed in around the country, the hosts have made an effort to provide some basic provisions such as bread and milk (and often some local specialities). This would have been all the more appreciated as access to the property is only possible from 5pm and there are few shops in the immediate area. Instead there was an instruction booklet telling us firmly about all the things we were not supposed to do. We were also astonished that there are no recycling facilities; everything just ended up going into the bins - is this normal for the area? Finally, and this is something which it is probably impossible to change now, the interior walls of the property seem to be constructed from something resembling cardboard, which meant that noise travelled throughout the property...not great when some of the party want to sleep earlier / later than others.

A WOW property that didn't disappoint.

The views from the house are stunning, we loved the layout and top class appliances at the house. We travelled as a group of 10 adults & 1 baby for 3 nights to celebrate a 30th birthday so the open plan living/kitchen/dining areas worked perfectly for us. There is noise in the lower 2 bedrooms when people are walking above and then the other 3 rooms on the main floor do suffer from noise if people are in the living area but didn't bother us at all. All rooms are ensuite and additional toilet on 1st floor, open plan upper mezzanine level with fossball table and some games. TV in main area linked to different streaming options (own log ins needed). Couple of points to remember - it is very steep to get into.out of villa and anyone with walking difficulties could struggle, we walked up the hill a few times to get taxis from hotel next door with Uber and also there is a bus stop outside to get out and about. We did walk (2 adults) into Bowness-on-Windermere one afternoon but wouldn't recommend with children or prams as no pavements so walked along roadside. No matches in the house to light the citronella candles that are needed if you sit outside on an evening. No hairdryer that we could see so need to take your own. Would highly recommend a stay here and a dip into lake Windermere from your own private jetty was one of our highlights as well as the spectacular sunsets from the balcony.

Had a wonderful few days staying in your very comfortable, beautiful house, with spectacular views over Lake Windermere.

We were very lucky with the weather and we were able to spend time outdoors, down at the lakeside with our own paddle boards and canoe and relaxing on the very spacious balcony. The gardens were gorgeous with a steep winding path down to the waters edge, which would not be suitable for people with limited mobility. Some minor repairs are required eg the vertical window blinds in the master bedroom but overall the house was well maintained and had a well equipped kitchen. One little detail which would be very helpful would be to have a bigger and clearer sign of the house name at the top of the driveway , ideally which can be seen if travelling from both directions. It was a steep driveway down to the house and tricky entering and exiting the property onto the main road however plenty of space for 5 cars. Would definitely return to Kessock.

Kessock was a beautiful place.

The accommodation is as described. The only downfall is you can’t walk on the roads as there’s no paths so we had to pay for taxis to get around. The WiFi in the book needs updated as it’s been changed. We spent so days on the phone as we had no WiFi. The new WiFi was on the blackboard in the kitchen on a small card not updated in book. Some of the guest needed to work and couldn’t. Other than that kessock overall is amazing place to stay and the views are out of this world.

Peace, views, and comfort – a wonderful Lake District stay We absolutely loved our stay at Kessock.

This beautifully designed holiday home sits high above Lake Windermere and offers truly breathtaking views — tranquil, panoramic, and endlessly calming. The large terrace with its comfortable outdoor sofa quickly became our go-to spot for morning coffee and evening drinks. Inside, the house is spacious, stylish and very well equipped. The kitchen is particularly impressive, with quality appliances and everything you need for self-catering. The living area is inviting and full of light, and the shower is — without exaggeration — the best we’ve ever encountered in a holiday rental. The beautifully landscaped garden, complete with a stream and charming little bridges, adds to the sense of retreat. Paddle boarders will love the direct lake access, and the boathouse and pier are wonderfully picturesque. A few practical notes for future guests: the entrance and exit to the property are quite steep with limited visibility onto a busy road — so do take care. Also, there are no walking trails directly accessible from the house, so you’ll need to drive to reach most routes. That said, there’s plenty to enjoy nearby. Bowness is just down the road and has a wide range of restaurants — we especially recommend Bowness Tap Rooms for a great burger — and Windermere town just beyond offers even more shops and eateries. For walking, the Brant Fell & Post Knott circular from Bowness is a short but rewarding route, and the Loughrigg loop from Ambleside offers a more varied 10km hike through stunning scenery. The Cat Bells circular walk from Hawes End (reached by ferry from Keswick) is a proper Lake District classic — steep at the start, but the views are unforgettable. In short, Kessock is a luxurious, peaceful base from which to explore the Lakes. A few tweaks would make it flawless, but we wouldn’t hesitate to return.

Hi all, the steepness to the Lake wasn't mentioned that we could see, it's a hard go from my parents in late 70's & early 80's.

The blinds in the master bedrooms don't shut properly, not good. The TV at times worked but due to the poor internet kept freezing. Please read the writing in the dust on the lights above the dinning table...above where we're eating. The two bedrooms in the ground floor, lovely location, however the noise from above was horrendous, absolutely no noise reduction insulation at all, anyone moved you heard it, put a cup on the floor you heard it, walk you heard it, those of us in thee two rooms did not sleep well. We're little confused why the owner class it as dog friendly, "not allowed on furniture", "no dog hairs to bee seen", "not allowed on the beds", why have white bedding? Why even allow dogs? Games room was deceiving, very small as it was in the eves, may have been used twice. Great points, the kitchen was well equipped crockery and cutlery. Very warm (too much for some of us). Fantastic views. Great fridge freezer that packs loads. Really good ovens to cope with the big group. Great location for travelling and great walks.

Just fabulous.

Location on lake perfect and villa has everything you could need and perfect for puppy Johnny.

Fantastic property in the most beautiful location.

The property had everything you needed for a relaxing stay. We spent the week here with our family and had a great time.

We found the accommodation of a very high quality with all of the necessary amenities available.

It was warm and comfortable with amazing views and a beautifully landscaped garden with our own private jetty. The shower pressure was 'amazing' and the beds were very comfortable. The only exception is that it would have been nice to have a bbq to use. Some clients have made reference about the TV in the living area being poorly positioned with reference to shining light from outside, but TBH there is the added benefit of the cinema room so we would not mark it down for that. Would definitely go back, so for us that is the best measure of a great place to stay. Thank you

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Kessock.

House is modern. spacious and well maintained. View over Lake Windermere is delightful. We would certainly return for another stay.

Every thing was nice the house has every things we need and the kitchen was full of everything we need , one small point i wish the house keeping clean more especially the rules allow pet & the refrigerator wasn’t clean from inside but , I mentioned this for improvement for the next guest .

But still we enjoyed our stay the is full of love “ five stars “

A spectacular location (although drive & garden quite steep) with great views and easy lake access for water sports or cold water swimming.

Plenty of parking (extreme caution needed on exit) A spacious home with a well equipped kitchen & excellent bathrooms (no hairdryer(s) provided

Lovely house in a perfect location.

Stunning views and overall a very relaxing place. House provides comfort and luxury. No issues at all. A bit pricey but still worth the experience

Wow, what a special holiday we have had in this property.

The house is beautiful in an amazing location. There is nothing better than waking up to that view everyday and walking down the garden to your very own jetty. The house is so comfortable with everything you need. The only thing that was missing was a hoover/sweeping brush and mop. Maybes it was in one of the locked cupboards but there was nothing about this is the welcome pack. Minor issue of no locks on the bathroom doors either but overall an amazing property and beautiful location

Excellent stay with 5 couples, plenty of space perfect lakeside location.

You will need to take toilet rolls , bin bags , spices ,dishwasher and washing tablets.

Fabulous views from property. Shame not good footpaths alongside main road .

Kessock certainly has the WOW factor for both its location and facilities.

Previous reviews had us worried but everything we could have wished for was included.We took kitchen supplies but didn't need them apart from salt & pepper. Everything was luxurious and of the highest modern standards.We enjoyed our celebratory week with family and friends despite the ever changing lakeland weather. Having your own jetty made it very easy for our paddle boards and lake swimming.

The property was lovely.

A beautiful setting. However, for this price of rental property, we would have expected a higher standard of cleaning (floors not clean, cobwebs, infestation of ants on the terrace, kitchen units not very clean). We were also told there was a Games room - it had a few board games and a foosball table with no ball! Think that was not quite as described. We were also surprised that there was no BBQ or Welcome Pack. Most disappointingly, hand soap that needed replenishing as well as a lack of basics such as salt/pepper, extra toilet rolls, kitchen worktop cleaning spray and scourers. When reported, we were advised that the Property owner had advised this was for us to bring. Given the amount you pay for the property, I think that's unreasonable. Don't market your property as being high end, if you are not willing to provide the standard that would be expected. It is a gorgeous property - just a few basic changes and i would recommend it.

It appears you are not taking note of the previous reviews!

This is potentially a very comfortable house but for the money one does expect at least the basics covered.....for example not enough toilet roll [some loos without any], 1/2 filled soap dispensers, no shampoos etc & only one tea towel, no salt & pepper or cooking oil, no dishwasher salt or anything!!! Houses of this calibre usually have all this as standard plus more. There were only 6 wine glasses & one of these was cracked - we had to buy our own. I am not the first to say all this. Furniture is from Ikea so OK but not quality. A few more soft furnishings would reduce the echos & dampen the sound so worth considering. How about putting the name outside the house on the road so guests don't miss it!

We had a fabulous week here.

The location is superb. The weather was kind and we spent a lot of the time in the lake with our paddle boards. It is very well equipped. I had bought spares of some items just in case but not required. I did have my dog with me and agree with past guests re the warnings in the information pack. Most dog owners take care to abide by the rules. There is a fire-pit provided and we took our own BBQ. There is still no hand towel in the communal toilet? We used one from the bedrooms in the end. The accommodation is lovely and warm, views spectacular! Short drive to shops and nice 5 mile walk from the door. Heed the warnings provided by the owner…steep drive with limited view on exiting. Chicken wire on the pontoon etc. We found the instant hot water tap a bit lethal too! All in all a fab stay and highly recommend

The house was wonderful with the selling point being the location.

This is effectively why a high price is paid for this rental. We had a lovely holiday particularly due to the good weather for most of the week. The house itself was beautiful although the quality of some of the furnishings were not necessarily to the high standard expected for the price but this didn’t detract from the holiday as they served the purpose. Given the price of the rental I would have expected the provision of some basic items which you generally receive with the majority of holiday lettings and I would say expected when renting eg a hairdryer, docking station or Bluetooth speaker and BBQ. Finally we felt the tone of the messages left ( not sure whether this is Sykes or cleaning agency) with regard to cleaning/actions at the end of the stay could be softened and even though we did not have a pet staying with us, particularly the tone of the note regarding cleaning up after pets. I appreciate there may be a minority of people who may not clean up adequately but the majority of tenants do and thus should be reflected in the notes left in the house. Overall a wonderful place to stay and thoroughly enjoyed.

Fantastic property and very well designed.

The view was breathtaking and a pleasure to wake up to every morning with a nice cup of coffee on the terrace. I would highly recommend this property.

A lovely house in a great position on Lake Windermere between Bowness and Newby Bridge.

Well equipped property with beautiful views over the lake. The only issue we had was the entrance to the property from the main road which was obscured, hard to find and dangerous to exit with vehicles parked near the entrance to the drive blocking the exit view.

Lovely well-equipped accommodation in a beautiful location.

Owners have responded to feedback from previous holiday makers (eg there was plenty soap provided). The entrance is very steep with limited hand rails which was not ideal for older members of the party. Unfortunately we arrived on night after snow and the access was treacherous. We were directed to grit but there was no shovel or brush available so we had to clear a path using our car scraper.

Following the initial "wow factor" of the house our experience was very disappointing.

The house looks fabulous but failed to deliver on a number of occasions as follows. 1. The central heating broke down and we had 24 hours without any heat or hot water, this resulted in the following day having a workman in the house for a number of hours. We spent the night huddled around in blankets - not what we had been looking forward to! The plumber was unable to fix it but managed to set the emersion so that we had hot water. Bill spoke with the owner on Saturday night he asked if there was an immersion heater, the owner said no. The workman turned it on when he arrived to give us hot water. The workman also said that there were a couple of heaters in the locked cupboard! We wanted to swim in the lake but were unable to do so as the house was so cold, and we couldn't have hot showers. 2. Following the heating repair, the power kept tripping and everything going off. This meant more workmen in the house from 8am the following day for a number of hours again. We eventually worked out that the toaster was faulty, so the power situation was resolved but we were left without a toaster. 3. We brought coffee pods as the description said that there was a Nespresso machine, this also didn't work it would produce weak coffee and the milk "heater and frother" didn't work at all. We had to use a pan with a whisk 4. Some of our party decided to go home early as a result of the issues as they needed to work and felt we couldn't rely on the services. 5. There have been workmen next door for the last few days who have blocked the drive with their vans a few times and the noise has disturbed the tranquillity we expected. This work started before 8am most mornings with banging and loud music. We had planned long walks with the dogs which didn't happen as we had to stay in for the workmen. We had planned a big dinner which was spoilt. We all work really hard and were looking forward to some lazy mornings, between the workmen coming to sort out the faulty facilities and the persistent noise next door this just wasn't possible. You described it as ‘pet friendly’ but you mention additional charges unless there is “no evidence of the pet on departure”. which did not sound pet friendly at all. Overall, we have been extremely disappointed with what promised to be a fabulous weekend. It wasn't what we paid for or what we expected. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on resolving the situation. Sylvia

House and facilities are amazing as are the grounds.

All in all we had a lovely restful stay and the views over the lake are superb. A few constructive comments - the entrance to the property is so difficult and dangerous to exit due to lack of vision either left or right, and entering from the North is also difficult. Mirrors opposite the entrance may help? When exiting, our passenger had to leave the car to check for traffic and we needed to always turn right and turn round at the public car park a short distance away. The toilet off the lounge on ground floor would benefit from an engaged/vacant lock. Duvets could benefit from being upgraded. The glass door to the master bedroom en suite could be more opaque for privacy purposes. Many thanks David Mojic

We had a fabulous family holiday making lots of wonderful memories.

Kessock is such a special house with fabulous views over the lake. Very well equipped for catering for our large family. Would highly recommend this house to anyone we had a wide range of ages in our family group from 2 - 67 and everyone loved it and we would definitely use this house again.

Fantastic property that matched all our expectations.

The property is well-maintained and enjoys an elevated position looking out and over Lake Windermere. It's also in a great location, slightly away from the hustle and bustle of Bowness town centre. You're close enough, though, to get to all the walks the area offers within 10/15 minutes. We will be booking again for the summer of 2023. 100%!

Amazing property and host was great.

Would definitely stay again. Sunset views from the balcony were a highlight.

Property itself is great however no basic amenities provided eg.

Shower gel, hand wash also property was not as clean as it should be considering check out is 930am and check in is 5pm giving ample time to clean to a high standard. Also no welcome pack was provided usually at other properties there is a welcome pack. This should come as standard. Finally on the bottom floor phone signal is poor and WiFi doesn't connect either.

The house was absolutely lovely and we had a fantastic week.

It's as good as the photos suggest, it is well equipped, comfortable and easily absorbed nine of us. Being able to launch from the bottom of the garden was great and meant we went out on the lake every day. We did feel that the housekeeping let it down a bit- although the house was clean when we arrived it wasn't spotless and two blinds were broken and stuck shut which wasn't ideal. We reported this to the company and they responded promptly and sent somebody out but they weren't fixed. We would have been less bothered by this had the messages left in the house and those sent by Sykes been a bit better phrased. I understand the need for clear instructions but the tone was rather unwelcoming. We agreed with the other reviewers' comments about the wifi and table football. For what we paid, and compared to other places we have stayed, we would expect to have tea towels, bin bags and hand soap provided, and a hand towel for the first floor cloakroom. These are all minor things, inevitable in a new property, and didn't stop us thoroughly enjoying our holiday.

A superb property with stunning views over the Lake which was ideal for an extended family holiday.

There was plenty of room for 10 of us and the cinema room downstairs was an added bonus. The kitchen was full of mod cons and nobody minded cooking as we could still see the amazing views over the Lake from the kitchen area. It was great being able to use the jetty at the end of the garden for our canoes and we could store them safely down there. The only minor criticism is that the table football upstairs kept breaking when the boys tried to use it as one of the handles kept coming loose.

We had a great time in this lovely property and have a few suggestions that we feel would make it even better.

Overall this is a wonderful place so these are minor gripes.Thank you. - Preferably provide soap in all the bathrooms or be clear that guests need to bring it. - Please put light switches in the bathrooms and remove the sensors - it is annoying to be having a shower and for the light to automatically turn off and also for the light to come on when using the bathroom in the middle of the night and then take severl minutes to turn off. - It was very sweet to be given two little bags of fudge as a welcome gift but for a property of this standard we would expect a more useful welcome pack e.g. fresh milk in the milk, perhaps a nice cake and a bottle of wine. - We were very disappointed that there was just one rubbish bin at the property and no facilities for recycling but are not sure if this is the owners' choice or if Cumbria does not offer recycling collections and bins. - Also in regard to the kitchen it would be useful to have a sieve and/or colander. - We loved playing table football but were frustrated that the nuts holding the bars in place kept coming off. We suggest the owners fix this better or get a new table.

This is a stunning property with an even more amazing view - if you're thinking about somewhere truly special to stay, book it!

We had a wonderful time in this house. Everything is perfect in almost every way apart from a couple of easily fixed niggles, as highlighted below. Some hopefully positive feedback for the property owner to help enhance the service you're offering your guests: 1) Please consider a Wifi extender for the bottom floor - it's pretty cheap to do but would mean the wifi reaches all over the house, rather than only the top two floors. 2) Please recognise that using Covid as a reason to insist people strip their own beds in what is a very expensive, premium holiday property is becoming rapidly out of date - swapping a simple job for professional cleaners who are paid to do it to something you ask guests who have paid you several thousands of pounds makes no sense at all. Please provide a level of service that reflects the price paid. 3) Similarly to the point above, whilst we really appreciated the biscuits, wine and coffee left at the property, when you're charging what you are for a delightful property, we felt it would be more in-keeping and welcoming to offer a modest welcome hamper perhaps with some basics like bread and milk etc, as per other similar properties. All in all a wonderful stay and I hope our feedback helps shape future guest experience in time for when we return :) :)

We enjoyed a fabulous week at Kessock.

The house is very well equipped and everything is well planned. The views are amazing and we loved being able to launch the canoes from the private beach on the lake shore.

Beautiful home with the most amazing views.

So happy we were able to take our dogs with us as it would be a shame for them to miss out. The home is that clean/well maintained that you wouldn’t even think they allowed dogs. We already can’t wait to come back. Best holiday home we have ever stayed in.

Outstanding property, superb location, excellent facilities.

We will definitely be back !!

Fantastic accommodation - brilliant location and access to the water.

We felt very comfortable.