Roa Island House

78 Customer Reviews

• "The Jacuzzi jets was not working, Petty it may seem, however, noting the cost of the establishment, this should have been working which in turn would have made our stay a lot more comfortable."

  thank you for your feedback. However, we are a bit at a loss in terms of what happened to the Hot Tub as it worked perfectly both before and after these guests arrived...the only thing that may have happened is that the guests put the hot tub into sleep mode by mistake. Also we do have a number that the guests can call if there is a problem, and if the guests had called us we would have dealt with any problem. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Craig3.8★Nov 2024

• "It was brilliant for us as a large family in all there were 18 of us, we all had ..."

  It was brilliant for us as a large family in all there were 18 of us, we all had a great time and fully relaxed during our time there

  Thank you very much for this joyful feedback. Roa Island House actually featured to some degree on Simon Reeve's mini series on the Lake District when he was sailing out to have a look at the windfarms. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew5.0★Nov 2024

• "Great house for a large group."

  Really enjoyed our stay, could do with providing more wood for the sauna. Also hot tub needs checking every couple of days when a large group is staying. Overall a fantastic property, would highly recommend.

  Thank for your very positive feedback. We do our best, and during this outgoing year we have done many things to further improver the property. With regards to the firewood issue: we do provide sufficient firewood for the first evening, as mentioned on the website. We also have bromine tablets in the hot tub which will normally last for more than a week (when rules for the use of the hot tub are observed such as having a shower beforehand) and of course the filter is jet washed every time together with a change of water if the hot tub has been used by the previous guests. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kenneth5.0★Nov 2024

• "Brilliant cottage in a wonderful location."

  Had a brilliant weekend. Thank you

  And this is brilliant feedback. Thank you - makes our day! We almost completed the refurbishment of the tower room and a few days ago installed a heat pump for the hot tub, as always, everything is work in progress... Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ian5.0★May 2024

• "This was the perfect holiday house and such an awesome base to explore from."

  Would highly recommend fora unique family experience with all you could hope for at your fingertips. The garden was perfect for the kids and the kitchen/patio set up was perfect for our wee puppy! Amazing stay all round!

  Just saw this very positive feedback and what a great start to the day? So thank you. As we said many time before, Roa Island House is always work in progress given its unique position and exposure to the elements, but it is very pleasing to see that our efforts are rewarded with positive experiences by our guests. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Gregor5.0★May 2024

• "Myself and my family enjoyed every minute of this Beautiful house , my grandchildren and our dog had so much freedom, they loved playing hide and seek the houes had almost everything we needed it was missing a clothes maiding as we didnt want to dry everything in the dryer ."

  I have been disappointed in customer care from Sykes holiday lets I have emailed them and WhatsApp them in the end I had to telephone The Office to let them know my Daughter -in - law had left her coat hanging up on the down stairs bedroom door with her house keys in also my Grandson had lost his phone we all spent the monday morning looking for it, he hadnt left the house during our stay.when I rang sykes on Monday I Told the young lad on the phone it might be under the puffy in the livingroom or under the couches he said he would get on to the cleaners and get back to me he didnt ring me back, I gave him till today Wednesday talked with another young man who said he would ring the owner of the house and would ring me back even if he couldnt get in touch with the owner he would let me know again no phone call from sykes we really need to know about my Daughter in laws coat and if the phone had been found

  Thank you for this uplifting feedback on the property itself. In fact, we have been in the process of making things even better by updating the tower room, redesigning the entrance hall, redesigning the sea front, etc And as always there is more work to be done...so we hope all our future guests will enjoy Roa Island House even more! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Maria5.0★Apr 2024

• "We had such a lovely time in Roa Island, everything about the house helped our big group make the best of our time together."

  Plenty of room for everyone to hang out and be entertained, particularly on the days when the weather kept us indoors!

  We are delighted over this very positive feedback...and very happy to hear that Roa Island House has helped you to make some good memories...that really is its purpose! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nik5.0★Apr 2024

• "This house definitely has the wow factor."

  Its so vast and the views out to Piel island are amazing. Our family all had a lovely time and there was something for everyone . On a practical note the house would benefit from some interior work(particularly in some of the upstairs bedrooms). Coat hooks would be useful on the back of the bathroom and bedroom doors and coat hooks or a coat stand in the hallway or utility. There is nowhere to hang wet coats. More clothes hangers would also have been good. We couldn't find any coasters either. Agree with previous comments that the kitchen lighting is quite dim when trying to prepare meals. Loved the views and the sauna was fabulous. It was clean in all the right places although would benefit from some high ceiling dusting as there were some large dusty cobwebs. Also a couple of smaller side tables would have been useful in the living room closer to the sofas. Overall this is a pretty special house with a great atmosphere. Quieter than being in the heart of the lake district national park and less touristy. Sandscale Haws nature reserve has a lovely beach and great views towards the mountains and only half an hours drive. We made some great memories as a family. A pool table as well would have made it even better(commented my 85 year old Dad! !). A guest hoover with a longer lead would also be helpful. Thanks for a great stay. We will be talking about this holiday and this house for many years to come.

  Thank you for your detailed feedback. And we are of course looking into some of your suggestions. But as anybody knows that for a house close to the sea - or in the case of Roa Island House essentially in the sea - the jobs are endless...over the last few months we spent a significant amount of money on updating the sea defences and replacing the windows in the tower room, as well as restyling the entrance hall. And managing constantly changing fire regulations is a challenge in itself. But rest assured that we are doing our very best to give our guests a safe and happy holiday experience, and it is of course pleasing to see that many of our guests are having a very good stay at Roa Island House. Just a little update: small side tables in living room have been added, as well as coasters and a clothes stand in the reception area. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Sally4.1★Mar 2024

• "Roa Island House had everything you could need for a lovely weekend."

  The house is so big, it felt like the kids had a separate holiday to us. The house is full of character and everything you would expect from an older building. My only slight on it, and this is just personal preference, the lighting- in particular in the kitchen is really dark. It took me a while to get used to it. Apart from that a wonderful time was had by all 7 adults and 6 children. Highly recommend.

  thank you very much for this positive feedback...we actually have a floor lamp in the kitchen but it is being moved around and sometimes it is difficult to keep track of it...anyway, we will check on that. Apart from that we are in the process of making some further improvements...around the house and in the tower room...so watch this space! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Rachel5.0★Feb 2024

• "The property was great just as described and pictures show the property exactly as it is."

  Beds were great and very comfortable. As we were there in winter the central heating was excellent and very warm. We had a problem with the hot tub and it had be turned to Eco mode, but we communicated with owner and they got back and resolved issue immediately. The weather was not great for us lots of rain, but the kids just loved playing in hot tub or hide and seek in the fabulous big house. My only slight complaint is the fact there was no little welcome tea/milk /sugar hamper. Would have been nice just to have a brew as are shopping was not getting delivered for another hour. And also there was no condiments such as salt or pepper even. I have stayed in a lot of properties/ cottages and there is normally a few essentials such as salt and pepper. On the up side there was lots of cleaning essentials such as dish washer tablets and bin bags dish cloths etc. a fabulous property and would definitely recommend for a large family we stayed for New year but I would imagine it would be great for summer to enjoy the garden more

  well, not sure what happened there as I had a actually purchased spices, tea, sugar and even a bottle of bubbly and this seems not to have found its way into the property. I will investigate that. Otherwise it is of course very nice to receive that positive feedback. There are of course some plans to make some improvements this year...and of course with a very large property located essentially in the sea it is a constant battle with the elements...but we will give our best! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Leanne5.0★Dec 2023

• "Super place."

  We compiled a list of issues on the first night, and the owner sent a lovely chap over to address all of them the following morning. All the rooms were lovely, and the wraparound conservatory and outdoor space deserve an extra mention. There were nine of us, and we all had our own little special place to retreat to. Oh, and the tower room is particularly special. Highly recommended.

  Thank you for this very positive feedback. It is true that in a large and historic house - Roa Island House used to be the weekend retreat of Mr Schneider who was instrumental in making Barrow-in-Furness an industrial power house - things can go wrong but we strive to rectify any issue as quickly as we can and ideally preempt them... Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nicola5.0★Nov 2023

• "This was our second time staying at Roa Island House and was as enjoyable as the first."

  We stayed as a family, and the house was perfect for us. The ground floor bedrooms and adapted bathroom were perfect for my son who is in a wheelchair. Our family ranged from 4 to 62 and there was something for everyone. They had everything covered that you would need. The views are amazing. Having nearly all of the rooms ensuite was perfect. Will definitely be back and would certainly recommend. Charlotte

  Thank you for this very positive and encouraging feedback. And of course we hope to welcome you back for a third time! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Charlotte4.7★Jun 2023

• "We had an excellent stay and the house was perfect for our family re-union."

  The latch on the bedroom door of No6 Didn’t work and the handle on the bathroom door of No 6 was awkward. Maybe labels on the downstairs room would help those older members of the group to be less confused! The Conservatory was lovely and the lounge was great for our group. We enjoyed a boat trip to Piel Island too. Thank you.

  Thank you for your very positive feedback. We will have a look into your suggestions. Given the age of Roa Island House - some 160 years - we always try to find the right balance between modernity, comfort and historic features...never quite straightforward. But new floorpans have just been made for the house and hopefully they will help future guests to navigate the property. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Angela5.0★May 2023

• "Incredible, well-equipped property situated in a very unique place with fantastic views."

  Couldn't recommend it any higher. Perfectly located for a group weekend away doing activities within the western Lake District.

  Reviewed by David5.0★Mar 2023

• "Lovely location ."

  Beautiful house , furniture and fittings. Everything we needed for a wonderful family holiday

  Reviewed by Lesley3.8★Feb 2023

• "We visited in early Feb - 15 of us, to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th birthday."

  WOW!!!!!!!! what a place? Great facilities! The overflow kitchen area with 2 toasters, a second dishwasher, second microwave and second sink is a great asset. The games area with table football, table tennis and air hockey was a hit, especially with the guys! There aren't any shops close by, but we took loads of food with us, lots of fridge and freezer space. We ate out one night, at the Fisherman's arms, about 10 minute drive away, on the road to Ulverston, we would definitely recommend this place. Wouldn't hesitate to return or recommend to friends.

  It is always great to get a "wow" as it means that we have exceeded expectations...especially given - and that is simply what it is -that Roa Island House is a historic building and the original weekend retreat of one of the industrialists that developed Barrow-in- Furness as a major shipbuilding location, where there days the nuclear submarines of the British Navy are built. So this week we have replaced many of the old radiators, but there is always more work to do. But we believe it is true that even as a *work in constant progress" Roa Island House is truly a special place to stay and great value for money. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Elaine5.0★Feb 2023

• "Wow!! Couldn’t believe how big the house was"

  !! You will definitely not be disappointed if you book this place. Beautiful location with views out of nearly every window. Worth every penny…

  Thank you for your very positive feedback. Roa Island House is a very large house, is more than a 160 years old, and located in a unique place but where it is also exposed to the elements - so maintenance and upkeep is a constant challenge. So we always appreciate positive feedback as I makes our efforts worthwhile. And we agree that Roa Island offers incredible value for money given that it can sleep 16 people in comfort. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Christopher4.4★Jan 2023

• "A fantastic venue, we really enjoyed it, would definitely recommend it"

  Thank you for your feedback. We are doing our best to make Roa Island House a great place to stay and keep it up to date - we recently changed all the mattresses, duvets and pillows - but it is a 160 old house located on a former island, and so in many ways a constant challenge...so it is always encouraging to get positive feedback. And given that the house sleeps 16 people it is actually also outstanding value for money. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Neil4.7★Nov 2022

• "Pool table would be a good addition Couple of board games also would have been excellent"

  Thank you for your feedback. Overall it seems you were very happy given your score. Unfortunately there is no space for a pool table, but we will of course get some board games. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Samsheer4.7★Sep 2022

• "Clean, spacious house with stunning sea views."

  Set up well for large family groups. Kitchen fully equipped though no basics eg. pepper, sugar. Bathrooms all excellent with plenty of hot water. Overall thought this one of the best holiday homes we've stayed in but bring everything you need e.g. hairdryer. Ferry to Piel Island round corner and lovely local cafe next door. Don't miss Walney Island, Furness Abbey or superb Base Restaurant in Ulverston (lunch daily or tasting menu Thurs/Fri/Sat). Roa Island is a hidden gem and this house is a bargain.

  Reviewed by Celia5.0★Sep 2022

• "We had a wonderful week at the beautiful Roa House."

  From the moment we walked into the large entrance hall we knew we'd found somewhere special to stay. The house is big, with tall ceilings and impressive rooms, as well as the lovely garden with gorgeous views over the water. We stayed during a heatwave and were very pleased that the inside of the house remained cool despite this. The hot tub, games tables, comfy lounge and long dining tables were all fab, and it was only due to the heatwave that we didn't have a go at starting the sauna up! Our only tiny niggle was that the kitchen could do with a few improvements - the lighting was rather dim on an evening, and we couldn't find a grill pan or measuring jug to use despite the otherwise impressive array of kitchen utensils on offer. A draining board next to the sink to aid in washing up pots and pans would also be an asset - cooking for 13 does create a fair bit of washing up and we were very grateful for the two dishwashers! It's also worth noting that there was a little confusion with the beds - the info received beforehand stated that if we wanted the zip lock twin beds made up as doubles, we should email two weeks beforehand. Since we wanted them as individual beds, we didn't message - but although this worked fine for the triple room downstairs, we found the upstairs room had been made up as a double alongside the small half bed. We were able to separate the double and use the spare bedding from the triple room downstairs and the small bed to fix it, since we only had two people staying in each room, but it was a bit of a hassle. Usually with a Sykes stay the host texts before arrival so we have a contact for things like this, but oddly we hadn't received anything other than the standard Sykes emails for this holiday so couldn't ask about it. These were really only tiny niggles in an otherwise idyllic holiday though, hence my five star review rating. Thank you for a fabulous stay!

  Reviewed by Beth5.0★Jul 2022

• "Had an amazing week in this perfect house."

  It was an amazing place to stay for a large family. Had everything that we needed including sauce pans big enough to cook pasta for 16 in!!! Would recommend to anyone. We had a party member in a wheel chair and he could get in and out all the rooms without help. My only recommendation would be to have ramps, removable if necessary, to get the wheel chair into the garden. We could cope without but some people may find in tricky. A brilliant house in a fantastic location. Thank you.

  Reviewed by Elizabeth4.7★Jul 2022

• "We loved the property and thoroughly enjoyed our stay!"

  Ticked all the boxes for what was a memorable vacation with a large family group. The support we received during our stay from Matt the caretaker was excellent! Part of the appeal was the large size of the property so perhaps this is the reason but it was noticeable that there were areas of the property that hadn't been cleaned in a while (under beds and sofas), and when walking around inside bare foot, the kids feet were black. There was also an accumulation of bird poo all over the front door floor entrance which wasn't ideal. I'm nit picking but some WD40 on the door hinges would also be swell. There was also no can opener in what was otherwise a very well stocked kitchen! None of this detracted from the stay however as we would recommend it and would love to come back again!

  Thank you for this overall very positive feedback. There is actually a can opener on the counter top but it is electric so maybe the guest overlooked it. Like many service operators our cleaning company is struggling with recruiting good and well motivated staff but they assured me that they are on the case. So we will try our very best to maintain our high standards and make sure that our future guests have a similar positive experience as this guest without the cleanliness problems. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Phil4.4★Jun 2022

• "We had a wonderful time with our large family of three generations."

  The kids loved the large garden, games room and hot tub. The views are stunning. The sailing club within a short walk from the house with friendly staff and locals and superb real ale was a bonus. The trip to Piel Island was exciting and we found some fantastic walks suitable for all ages and fitness levels. There were plenty of quiet places to enjoy in the house, particularly the observatory for the amazing views and a peaceful drink after the young ones were in bed. Parking area was fine for our needs although we had one issue with someone using it when we were out at a busy time. A few little things might improve the house. A larger sign in the house parking area stating it is for private use might be good.Hooks on the backs of bedroom doors for dressing gowns would be nice. The caretaker, Matt, was extremely helpful with advice on the occasions we consulted him. But overall we had a great week in a quirky but wonderful house in a unique location.

  We are very happy that you had a good time. Private parking sign is on order and we will be looking into having hooks on the inside of the doors...and we very much agree with your description of Roa Island House...quirky but wonderful... Property Owner

  Reviewed by John5.0★May 2022

• "Hygienic issues like lack of mattress and pillow protection"

  We are very sorry to hear that...and obviously this should not happen. So I have taken this up with our cleaning provider and get his feedback how and why this happened. And clearly ensure that this will not happen again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Adebola4.1★May 2022

• "Our holiday was booked for a selibration for my wife and I 80th birthday and ..."

  Our holiday was booked for a selibration for my wife and I 80th birthday and have all our family with us but the problems we had ruined the holiday

  Admittedly, there was a drainage issue and we did everything to address the problem in a timely and constructive fashion, and all was resolved as quickly as humanly possible...and I met this guest and his family, and was told by other family members that they had a fabulous time and that they appreciated our efforts. However, the communication of this guest with our cleaning provider was of such an aggressive and below the belt nature that it brought our contractor close to tears, and my experience of this guest - and not his family members - has been of a similar nature where truth seems to be of little importance and everything becomes about emotion and anger and entitlement...so not somebody we would like to ever see back in our property. But all of our future guests should be assured that we do everything we can to make their stay a pleasant experience as it has been for many guests in the past. Property Owner

  Reviewed by James2.8★May 2022

• "We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in a fascinating old house and a very interesting landscape."

  We found that cleaning wasnt 100% and one of our party has asthma and had to deep clean the bedroom on day 1 as it was very dusty. The beds didnt have mattress protectors which we felt was unhygienic and the sheets kept on sliding off the mattress. My husband and I slept in the double room downstairs and the mattress was awful and needs replacing. The hot tub smelt foisty as did anyone who went in it. The kitchen and bathrooms were good and looked fairly new and the gaming facilities and conservatory were really good. Sorry to sound moany but I think it's best you know.

  We are very sorry to hear that the house wasn't perfect and I have already taken certain aspects of the feedback up with our cleaning provider as naturally there should be mattress protectors and there should be no dust. And I will of course replace the mattress. I personally make sure that all is good with the hot tub which means we change the water, ensure the correct chemical balance and powerwash the filter...however, we use bromine instead of chlorine and it does smell a little bit different to chlorine and also colours the water somewhat green. But of course all is safe. All of this said we take this feedback very seriously and will address all the issues so that our future guests have a very happy stay at Roa Island House. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Diane4.1★Apr 2022

• "We had the most fabulous time 2 birthdays within the family and we loved the ..."

  We had the most fabulous time 2 birthdays within the family and we loved the house loads of space and there was loads of kitchen utensils so well equipped loved every minute

  Reviewed by Elaine5.0★Mar 2022

• "Fantastic stay in a stunning house."

  Few issues with electrics first night however handy man there within an hour of reporting and all fixed. Kitchen renovation makes all the difference (stayed here 2015 & 2016) and the addition of the sauna house is fab. Great place to go with friends or family as there's so much room, you can get lost in this house!! Will definitely be back again.

  Many thanks for this positive feedback...we do try to improve the property and make it better and better...and more comfortable and nicer for our guests...so it is always interesting to hear from people who stayed there before and can see the difference...so hopefully when you come back it will be better again! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Sally4.4★Mar 2022

• "We really enjoyed our stay, the house was exactly what was listed, we will book Roa island house again through Sykes."

  I have just booked our next year March tip though Sykes too.

  Reviewed by Denise4.7★Mar 2022

• "Fantastic location and a great house with an interesting history, some of which is documented in a folder in the entrance hall."

  We visited in the week of the three named February storms and encountered problems with the fit of three windows but have been assured by the owner that these have now been resolved. The house, nevertheless, has an excellent and effective heating system and, despite its size, it felt very warm and cosy. The youngsters really enjoyed the hot tub outside in its own enclosure although we did not make use of the wood-fired free-standing sauna in the garden. The house is well-furnished with quality furniture and the kitchen and breakfast room are well-equipped while even in February it was very pleasant to sit on the enclosed verandah which also has table tennis, air hockey, table football and quoits to entertain visitors. DVD and books are also available to borrow and, for the musical visitor, there is a piano. Despite storms, we were able to enjoy good, sunny weather as well to explore the Barrow area and, with appropriate clothing, enjoyed kite-flying, exploring and other beach activities on Walney Island, the Coast Road and Roanhead ('Sandscale Haws'). The Dock Museum (Wed to Sun) and its playground were popular, the children enjoyed looking at 'Anson', an Astute-class submarine in Devonshire Dock from the High Level Bridge and we visited the Lifeboat Station adjacent to the house, by arrangement. (The RNLI volunteers do such good work and appreciate donations from visitors.) One daughter called at the Barrow AFC shop with her two young boys and a great fuss was made of them by a kind employee when they asked if it was possible to look at the pitch. We didn't have chance to visit the North Walney and South Walney Nature Reserves on this occasion but can recommend them from previous knowledge of the area. On the island, the adjacent Bosun's Locker Cafe (Thurs to Mon) is excellent in both quality and value - book an afternoon tea for a treat, go for breakfast/lunch or order a tray pie to cook/heat in the house while at the other end of the island (400m) the Roa Island Boating Club offers access for drinks (including beers brewed on site and local real ales) from Thursday to Sunday and great value home-cooked food from Friday to Sunday. (The Sunday lunch is excellent!) A great house and area for family reunions and friendship groups!

  Reviewed by Peter5.0★Feb 2022

• "Everything you could have wished for at this lovely property."

  Clean, comfortable, an ideal location for our new year get together. Everything you needed was in the house. The hot tub, sauna, along with the games available kept everyone entertained. Lovely views from the tower and with a local pub within walking distance and the town a short drive away. Highly recommended

  We recently added an air hockey table to the games available so it is nice to hear that our guests at Roa Island enjoyed the facilities which are located in the conservatory...and we can only recommend the local put at Rampside, called the Clark's - good food and at a decent price...what's not to like! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Beverley5.0★Dec 2021

• "The house was fantastic."

  Extremely well equipped and we found that everything we could think of was provided. We managed to make a Christmas dinner for 11 people with no issues at all. The size of the house is great and the rooms are all such a good size. Our own gripe was the cleanliness. After being asked to check in later than usual due to more thorough cleaning for covid, we did expect a spotless house. We mopped the wet room on the very first morning and the water that was gathered in the mop bucket was brown, skirting boards were thick with dust in some areas and glasses had lipstick marks on. The fridge did not look like it had been cleaned between stays either. This was such a shame as the house was so great and we would love to return, the owners have clearly thought of everything and it is obvious that they care that their guests enjoy the stay but cleaners are letting the owners down.

  Thank you for this honest feedback. In fact we have had a discussion with the cleaning company and they acknowledge that they let themselves down on this occasion. As a matter of fact the owner of the cleaning company is now taking care of the cleaning of Roa Island House himself. We therefore believe that this was a one off incident…but we are on the case! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jenna4.4★Dec 2021

• "Lovely property."

  We will definitely be back

  Reviewed by Adedamola5.0★Dec 2021

• "Absolutely brilliant weekend with the family at this amazing house."

  The owners provided much more than we expected.

  I am very happy that you had a great time at Roa Island. Admittedly it is a large house and not very easy to look after being right next to the sea...but we will always do our best to make this property shine and provide a wonderful home from home in a special location! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Katherine5.0★Nov 2021

• "Me and my husband got married in lock down just the 2 of us so we booked this for us to celebrate with our friends and family."

  It was amazing accomadation fully equipped with everything we could ask for and more.only downside is that maybe the cleaning could be a lot better.The hot tub lights and outside lights wasn't working but we found the trip switch had gone off so that was soon resolved.There wasb12 adults and 2 children in our party and this was the perfect accomadation.beautiful location also.Great pub down the road that accomadated all of us called the Clarkes Hotel however driving is recommended to there.Windermere was about 40 minutes away by ferry with lovely views on the way.

  We are of course very happy that you have had a good time at Roa Island House. It really is a special property in a special location. We have been aware that our cleaning contractor has let us and our guests down on a number of occasions so we have decided to change contractor in close discussion with Sykes as we felt there was no way forward. So we are determined that cleaning standards will be where they should be, and our new contractor is fully in line with it. But as the owners we are now keeping a much closer eye on this. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Chantelle4.7★Nov 2021

• "The house is huge but the kitchen and living room isn't big enough when everyone ..."

  The house is huge but the kitchen and living room isn't big enough when everyone is up and about also the lights in the conservatory didn't work only the table lamps and there isn't enough outdoor lighting to the rear of the property

  We have taken note of this feedback. Although this is the first time we have had this specific feedback both with regards to the available space - usually we are told that the house is massive with plenty of space . We are looking into the lighting issue we do have outside flood lights and plenty of lights in the conservatory. Thanks for taking the time to provide us with your comments Property Owner

  Reviewed by Chris3.4★Sep 2021

• "We had a wonderful, fun, and relaxing holiday."

  We enjoyed the facilities and amazing views. But one of the room's shower and sink was leaking so unable to use it. Qlsono vacuum cleaner or sweep to use for cleaning. Aside from that everything was perfect

  Thank you for your feedback. We have since then rectified the issue over cleaning equipment and are in the process of replacing the macerator in the bathroom concerned...there can be issues with macerators if nappies and female hygiene products are flushed down the toilet...and although suitable warning signs are in place but it can still happen. All this said, we of course apologise for the inconvenience. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Mary4.1★Aug 2021

• "We will definitely be back"

  Reviewed by Lisa5.0★Jun 2021

• "We had a wonderful holiday, the house is lovely and the location is fantastic."

  However the cleanliness left a lot to be desired. The floors in the house were filthy and the doors and skirting boards were thick with dust, cobwebs and dust was hanging from the radiators. We found a pair of jogging bottoms stuffed behind one of the chairs in the entrance way. At the present time this standard is especially not acceptable. There was no television in the large bedroom downstairs and the television in the other downstairs bedroom could not be used as the aerial socket was broken. The shower in the walk in shower room was blocked so that the water ran all over the bathroom. We are fairly tolerant and did not let these things spoil our holiday but I fear you might get a lot of complaints from others. It is a shame as the house is a lovely house and if cleaned up we would definitely come back.

  As the owner of Roa Island House I am of course very focused on client feedback. As such I have been in touch with the cleaning and maintenance company. Although the head of the cleaning company was somewhat puzzled by this client feedback as she had personally checked the property she has nevertheless assured me that they will double their efforts so that future clients can be sure that they stay in a safe environment. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Julie2.8★May 2021

• "Thank you so much for your assistance!"

  I’ve had the best time of the 2020 and enjoyed full of holiday! Hope to get back again soon and enjoy of great places and new environment! Kind Regards Sergiu

  Reviewed by Sergiu5.0★Dec 2020

• "Had everything we needed."

  Reviewed by Alice5.0★Sep 2020

• "The house was ready to occupy as we arrived, a member of staff called in and checked that everything was fine for us."

  The grandchildren loved the space available to them to run around. We liked the conservatory area which was lovely to sit in in the sunshine. The kitchen was particularly well equipped for all our needs. We had a very enjoyable family weekend.

  Reviewed by Ruth5.0★Sep 2020

• "I marked down the cleanliness as the house did have bits of litter here and there in some of the rooms, also the floors on the entire ground floor were not very clean, it barely looked like they had been hoovered but really needed a scrub/mopping."

  everything else was really good, we struggled as a family of 10 without a clothes airer for the week as we did wash clothes so had to just be inventive with places to dry them.

  Reviewed by Omar4.7★Aug 2020

• "We had a lovely family break here."

  Loved the view and extra luxuries such as the hot tub and sauna. Also really useful that most bedrooms have their own bathrooms, and kitchen is well equipped and clean.

  Reviewed by Victoria4.1★Jul 2020

• "We another amazing weekend at Roa Island."

  We love the house and it’s position. New kitchen fitted which is a lot more functional. Plenty of kitchen equipment and crockery. Definitely recommend a visit.

  Reviewed by Dianne5.0★Feb 2020

• "Brilliant made some Amazing memories Definitely going back"

  Reviewed by Nicola5.0★Nov 2019

• "This is a beautiful house with beautiful views of Morecambe Bay ,it is the best equipped house I have ever rented and I have rented a few both in this country and abroad."

  There were also quite a few unexpected items provided. All the appliances were top of the range as were the bathrooms and showers, the beds were very comfortable.The house is ideal for parties of family and friends, there were 15 of us and we were never on top of each other at any point.The hot tub and sauna were a huge success and the table tennis table was enjoyed by the younger members of our party. We hired this house for our Golden Wedding anniversary and had a very special week here.The locals were very friendly and the boat club and bosuns locker were extremely helpful in accommodating our large party for meals.The food in both these places was excellent. There was virtually no criticism of this house and the only comment the family made was that the addition of a pool table would have been the icing on the cake .

  Reviewed by Elizabeth4.7★Oct 2019

• "We were a family of 16 staying at the roa island house."

  We had the most amazing time and the views were beautiful! Couldn’t have asked for a better weekend away, and the good weather was a bonus. The only problem was there were no cleaning products to wipe down tables, floors etc. So if you are looking to stay here don’t forget these items if your clean freaks like me and my family haha.

  Reviewed by Jodie4.4★Sep 2019

• "It would have been helpful if the floor plans (as provided at Roa Island House) had been included on the website as this would have assisted sorting out accommodation among our multi-family group."

  As the owner clearly has them it is a pity they were not visible on the Sykes Cottages website at the time of booking. Overall, very spacious house which is let down by a number of issues, such as the size of kitchen - which could get very crowded. The cleaning being done between lettings is clearly very limited as dust and lost belongings (e.g. sock, perfume bottle), from previous holidaymakers, were found under beds, sofas, etc. All a bit ironic when you keep reading notices about how you will be charged extra if things like the hot tub are not left in a pristine condition. Not surprised therefore when we had an extra guest one evening in the kitchen in the form of a live mouse. We showed the mouse the door but guess he had his own access route back in somewhere. Had to report a blocked drain just outside the front door which had clearly not been maintained, and caused the effluent from the laundry room blocked drain in the car park and not great when you have small children in the group. Mobile reception was patchy on certain networks. The third party maintainer seemed to have to be instructed to clear the drain and it appeared that it was up to renters to spot these issues. House related, the mechanism which controlled the cover for the hot tub was broken. Instructions for various unfamiliar appliances were scattered through drawers and cupboards, which we found eventually, but that was all really unhelpfully disorganised. The lack of recycling bins was a very very odd feature, which we agree with the comments of previous occupants needs addressing. So, interesting location, very quiet, lovely views and garden for the children to play in and great to unwind and relax but the cleaning and pest control both need attention. Some aspects of the house are now looking very tired and need addressing at Roa Island House.

  Thank you for your comments. As the owner of Roa Island House I wish to apologise for the experience Mr Shaw and his family had. However, after investigating Mr Shaw’s comments it appears that there was a string of unfortunate circumstances, but of course also some outright shortcomings. The inadequate cleaning has been taken up with the maintenance and cleaning company, and measures have been implemented to avoid such an experience from reocurring, as has the issue over the blocked drain, where informaton was not passed on in a timely fashion within the maintenance company. We do have a contract with a pest control company who had actually just rebated the traps one week before Mr Shaw’s arrival, so the incident with the mouse was unfortunate, and we had never had such an incident before and haven’t had since. The hot tub cover has since then been replaced, and is now in fine working order. More recent client feedback has shown that our measures are bearing fruit. It is very clearly my prerogative to give our clients a very good experience, and as the owner this will continue to be my focus. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alan2.8★Aug 2019

• "An excellent venue for us - an extended familly with small children."

  Plenty of space to explore and a very peaceful and interesting location overlooking the bay, Piel Island and the lifeboat station. Scenery constaantly changing with the tides. A safe garden for the children to play in. Information in the house could do with updating eg information on hot tub gives instructions for using a red button that has not worked for ages and prices quoted for ferry years out of date. Also instructions for opening the door could be amended to key in number then turn keypad handle anti clockwise. We did not understand the instructions given and spent about half an hour trying to get in. Also some information about recycling would be welcome. Kitchen very well equipped but there was a shortage of spoons.

  Reviewed by Anne4.1★Aug 2019

• "Whilst the description of the property was accurate, I felt it gilded the lily and the whole property was in good need of a thorough clean, fresh paint and general smarten up."

  A drawer full of a former occupant's shoes was present in one of the bedrooms, further underlining my point about the whole property needing to be really well serviced between lettings. None of the previous hirer's comments had been acted upon and it felt as though the owners took little interest in the property and were content to merely take the fee and leave it all in the hands of the agency. Not nearly good enough for the price and very poor value for money. Disappointing.

  As the owner of the property I am embarrassed by these comments. We employ a third party to service the property and the issues have been addressed with them directly to ensure these are immediately rectified. I deeply care about this property and am investing substantially to maintain the quality of the property. Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback as this is invaluable to ensure standards remain high. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew3.1★Jul 2019

• "Fantastic location ,comfortable rooms and lovely hot tub Would have liked to have soap/shower gel in the bathrooms and better pans for our large party."

  Generally very pleased with our stay and appreciated the owners flexibility regarding our requirements.

  Reviewed by Fiona4.4★Jun 2019

• "This is a fabulous place if you want a tranquil quiet place to stay."

  Sitting out the back watching the sun glistening on the sea is just beautiful. The locals are fantastic, we had a great tour around the RNLI which was on our doorstep (literally) and a great meal at the local boat club which we were able to use as we were staying at Roa House. We had an issue with the mini bus we hired and another local and his dad came to our rescue even without being asked just nice lovely people. The house was lovely seven decent sized bedrooms five with en-suite just what five couples needed and one of our party was especially please with a downstairs bedroom with a wet room as they had mobility issues so a godsend for them. Beautiful dining room if you want a formal night or a large kitchen area if you want a nice cosy get together. We would all definitely recommend this house as a base for a stay lots of space and if the weather is kind then you wouldn’t need to venture out. Didn’t use the steam lodge although it looked great but did have a session in the hot tub which again was fabulous especially sitting watching the scenery very therapeutic.

  Reviewed by Theresa5.0★Apr 2019

• "We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend stay at Roa Island; the place was beautiful and perfect for a family get together."

  It was spotlessly clean with nice white bedding and towels and fulfilled all our needs. The views were incredible and we can’t wait to return.

  Reviewed by Paula5.0★Mar 2019

• "Having had an issue at the start, the support was fantastic from both Sykes and the property owner."

  We had an amazing time in a beautifil house. Great location and I will definitely be booking through Sykes again.... Roa House is highly recommended too!

  Reviewed by Nicola5.0★Mar 2019

• "We booked the house at Roa Island as a surprise weekend for our Mum for her 80th birthday, what an amazing weekend it turned out to be."

  The house exceeded our expectations, the photos don’t do justice to the space available. A well maintained house with fully equipped kitchen, plenty of room, beautiful views, everything you need for a relaxing weekend with a hot tub and sauna. Sykes Cottages we’re great to deal with and very helpful. We would highly recommend staying here and look forward to visiting again

  Reviewed by Dianne5.0★Jan 2019

• "If being over critical of which I am , probably needs a couple of smaller pans , ..."

  If being over critical of which I am , probably needs a couple of smaller pans , but that is all , everything else was superb

  Reviewed by Bob5.0★Dec 2018

• "We had a lovely relaxing weekend with loads of fantastic memories made ."

  Thank you to the owners for providing a fabulous place for our ladies to be all together. Only down side the information folder was missing

  Reviewed by Joanne5.0★Nov 2018

• "When we arrived the single beds had been made up as doubles, but after one phone call, Sykes sent someone out to rectify the problem."

  Great service!!! The house is great for adults and children alike.

  Reviewed by Alan4.7★Oct 2018

• "The whole family loved it."

  Plenty of space for the children to run about

  Reviewed by Helen4.4★Oct 2018

• "We visited Roa Island House as a family group, we picked the location to explore the Lakes and the area in general, the house was fantastic and with large downstairs rooms and lovely conservatory where we could all sit together in the sun and out of the wind."

  It was the perfect place to get together and enjoy a break away.

  Reviewed by Tony5.0★Sep 2018

• "Great location ."

  The Concle pub and the cafe great food .

  Reviewed by Pam4.7★Sep 2018

• "Great family get together."

  To celebrate my 70th Birthday.

  Reviewed by Colin5.0★Aug 2018

• "We had a great week celebrating a 70th birthday, with all the children and grandchildren."

  A terrific house with plenty of room for different activities, large garden, wonderful views and convenient for walks and nearby shopping in Barrow or Ulverston. We've now left a cheese-grater so the kitchen is fully stocked!

  Reviewed by Quentin4.7★Jul 2018

• "Roa Island house is fabulous."

  We thoroughly enjoyed it, no criticisms but a couple of things at the house that could be considered: An outside line for drying clothes. The mirrors in the bedroom/bathroom at the far end of the corridor (room 7 I think) are too high up so us shorter people can't make use of them so we were having to go into others bedrooms to use them. A cheese grater would be useful. We also thought we had access to a table tennis table which was locked in the garage but when we asked the managing company they wouldn't get it out for us.

  Reviewed by Penny5.0★Jun 2018

• "First of all we would like to say that we had a most wonderful holiday at Roa Island House and everyone had a memorable experience."

  If you would like us to make any comments or suggestions we would say: 1) Slight disappointment that we had to wait outside until almost 4pm before we could access the house. 2) Being honest it looked like the main carpets hadn't been hovered. 3) On the one hand the lawn hadn't been cut (which meant that it looked a bit weedy) but on the other we experienced the company of many rabbits who had a most enjoyable feed. 4) Towels were not the best and an upgrade might be better enjoyed by future guests. Not sure if you are allowed to advertise / inform via the web site but we would mention that: a) The Bosun's Locker Cafe, effectively attached to Roa Island House provides an excellent range of food and drinks albeit limited hours of opening. b) The Roa Island Boat House (200 yards away) provides cheap and cheerful food and with a lovely atmosphere. Sadly also subject to limited opening hours. c) The short boat trip over to Piel Island; a walk around the Castle and a beer at the pub is a most relaxing experience.

  Reviewed by Stuart4.7★Jun 2018

• "We had a wonderful stay at Roa Island House."

  I think the house could benefit from a little "TLC" in areas, a lick of paint here and there but this did not detract from our enjoyment. Its a shame that the kitchen area is relatively small compared to other rooms in the house, it got a little congested with more that 2 people in it at a time. We were extremely lucky that we had lovely weather and were able to enjoy the garden and its outdoor facilities to the max. There were a couple of window blinds that need some attention, broken and stained vertical blinds in the lounge and especially in bedroom 7 on the ground floor as they do not close properly and the curtains are see through. Also the fire alarm went off on the first night - no apparent reason for this happening and the noise was deafening. There were no clear instructions of how to turn it off/re-set and when we phoned the number on the box for assistance they said that they would get someone to call us back with instructions on how to turn it off - they finally called back after ONE HOUR!!!! By that time, by some fluke of luck we had already managed to reset it, but obviously as we were not sure how we had done it we were nervous in case it happened again. When they did finally call back my friend said that we had fixed it and when the caller asked how, my friend jokingly said "Oh we axed it off the wall" and the caller said "oh thats great then" - was he not listening to us or had this happened before? not really an acceptable service, especially as we had my young grandchildren with us who were notably frightened by the noise. Clear instructions in the house manual are essential. However, even with the above we all said that we would definitely go back, house felt very homely and relaxing!!!. Yours sincerely Gylian Darnley

  Reviewed by Gylian3.8★Apr 2018

• "Road Island house was beautiful."

  It was perfect for 12 us celebrating a year of 30ths. I would say the kitchen needs a bit of tlc and we moved the sofa and found a lot of food/stuff there which had not been cleaned previously. Something which wasn’t on the listing was the table tennis we found in the garage and that is probably where we were if we weren’t in the hot tub!! We are already looking at dates for a Roa reunion.

  Reviewed by Katie4.7★Apr 2018

• "We had a wonderful family holiday in lovely Roa Island House which had everything necessary for a group of 13 people with ages ranging from 20months to 73years."

  Reviewed by Valerie5.0★Mar 2018

• "We were a group of 16 ladies enjoying a relaxing weekend away."

  The house was brilliant, very spacious and comfortable with a well stocked kitchen. The hot tub and sauna were great and used by all. There are a couple of things that would have improved our stay - the heating was not on when we arrived so the house was cold and there was no wood for the fire or if there was we didn’t find it. It would have helpful if there was some information in the book about how to get the sauna heated. Also we couldn’t get the music system working, so again some instructions would have helped for all appliances. Apart from the above we had a fabulous weekend and some of the group are considering a return with family and friends. D Walker

  Reviewed by Deborah5.0★Mar 2018

• "Room 2 toilet cistern ran 24/7 & radiator cold."

  Downstairs shower room didn't appear to drain away veey well. General house decor needs a refresh. There were dirty tissues and other rubbish under one of the setters. Most disappointing of all, on arrival the hot tub was only luke warm. We were also unable to use it after Sunday morning as the water was cool, a dirty grey colour and smelled unpleasant. We were all sad about that and wondered why it was daily maintained. That apart it was a great location and ideal for our size group. If these issues are attended to we'd be happy to use the house again. Regards. Allison Hardy and 13 others.

  Reviewed by Allison3.1★Feb 2018

• "Fabulous house with everything we needed."

  Plenty of space and great facilities for all ages. Loved our stay here

  Reviewed by Kimberley4.8★Jan 2018

• "We rented this house for a family get together- it was perfect, spacious, clean and very well equipped."

  Everyone had an amazing time!

  Reviewed by Salma5.0★Oct 2017

• "What a truly magnificent house."

  Spacious, beyond our expectations!! Amazing views, right on the beach, hot tub and sauna!! This property blew us away. What a great family holiday home!! Highly recommended!!

  Reviewed by Nichola5.0★Mar 2017

• "This is the second time we have stayed at Roa Island House."

  It had everything we required for our wkend away. Both times were for a 40th and both times have been amazing and the accommodation exceeded our expectations each time

  Reviewed by Louise5.0★Nov 2016

• "Amazing location."

  Description does not do it justice - you have to go and find out for yourself !!

  Reviewed by Susan5.0★Sep 2016

• "Very enjoyable holiday for all ages."

  Reviewed by Robert5.0★Aug 2016

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