Old Oak Cottage

36 Customer Reviews

• "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.

  Reviewed by Gemma5.0★Oct 2024

• "The cottage was fabulous."

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

  Reviewed by Valerie3.8★Sep 2024

• "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.

  Reviewed by Lyndsay4.7★Aug 2024

• "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.

  Reviewed by Thomas5.0★Jul 2024

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

  Other than that, perfect

  Reviewed by Dominic3.8★Jun 2024

• "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.

  Thank you for your feedback. The problems with inconsistent hot water noted by previous guests have indeed been addressed with a new boiler being installed in May. Also the kitchen tap has been replaced following guest feedback. We are delighted that you found the cottage to be a good base and hope to welcome you back in the future. Lakelovers Owners' Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Malcolm4.7★May 2024

• "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

  Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback on your stay at Old Oak Cottage. We are pleased that you enjoyed the location. Our Maintenance Team will be attending to ensure that all comments are looked into. Thank you- The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Julie2.5★Apr 2024

• "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.

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that you found issues with the property on this return visit. Unfortunately, we were not made aware of them during your stay and so could not rectify to make your stay more comfortable. We will raise these the necessary teams. Lakelovers Owner Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Philip John2.8★Nov 2023

• "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

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to read that you had a problem with the water pressure, unfortunately, we were not made aware of the problem and so unable to see if we could rectify this to make your stay more comfortable. We are glad that you enjoyed the property and it's features. Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Richard2.8★Nov 2023

• "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.

  Reviewed by Eve5.0★Oct 2023

• "Blissfully quiet with a lovely calm feel"

  Reviewed by Ian4.1★Oct 2023

• "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!

  Thank you for your feedback. The owners have taken your comments on board and have replaced the mattress with a brand new one. We are glad that you enjoyed all the property and the are has to offer. Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Yvonne4.4★Sep 2023

• "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 .

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear of the issue that you experienced in regards to the gym, had we been made aware during your stay, we would have advised you to look at the key collection email which informs you how to gain entry to the club. We will ask our Maintenance Team to look at the bath. Thank you- The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Stuart1.9★Sep 2023

• "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.

  Reviewed by Nicholas4.4★Aug 2023

• "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.

  Reviewed by Julie2.5★Jul 2023

• "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.

  Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate you bringing the mattress to our attention, the owner is aware of the issue and is currently in the process of getting it replaced. In regards to the garden, we are sorry that it wasn't what you expected, it does state on the website that there is a lawned front garden but it does not state that it is private. You can also appreciate this from the main photo in this listing. Regarding the small grassy area to the rear of the property by the car parking space, we are sorry this did not live up to your expectations. This area is not referenced at all in the description, and only featured as a part of a rear photo of the property – we agree that it potentially could be a misleading photo as the grass has been allowed to grow as a wild flower garden and the photo includes the entrance to the next door property, not Old Oak Cottage. Therefore we have removed this particular photo from the listing. We hope the issues raised did not overly impact your stay. The Lakes Owner Relations Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Deborah3.1★Jul 2023

• "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.

  Thank you for your feedback. We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay and all the area has to offer. Lakelovers Owner Relations Property Owner

  Reviewed by David4.1★Jun 2023

• "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.

  Thank you for reviewing your recent stay at Old Oak Cottage. We are disappointed to hear it wasn't the property you were expecting. As a property that's over 500 years old, it has an abundance of character and quirks, with beautiful original oak floors and spiral staircases which you wouldn't find in a modern day property. The Owner has asked their maintenance team to attend the property after your feedback to ensure anything required is remedied. Lakelovers has been letting Old Oak Cottage since 2005 and has provided many happy memories with hundreds of holidaymakers. We believe we've made every effort to point out the unique charm of this property, with the location of the leisure facilities listed on the page. As a self-catering property, none of our cottages are equipped with consumables such as fire wood unless explicitly indicated otherwise. Despite the great location and peaceful outlook, we are sorry to hear you wouldn’t choose to return on this occasion. Kind Regards, The Lakelovers Team Property Owner

  Reviewed by Dean2.5★Mar 2023

• "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.

  Thank you for your kind feedback. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay. We hope to welcome you back again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Amanda5.0★Feb 2023

• "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.

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that the fire was not able to be used during your stay. It has been difficult to find a chimney sweep with availability but we are happy to confirm that the fire is now fully functioning again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Joanne4.7★Dec 2022

• "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!

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that the fire was not able to be used during your stay. It has been difficult to find a chimney sweep with availability but we are happy to confirm that the fire is now fully functioning again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Sophie3.1★Dec 2022

• "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.

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that the fire was not able to be used during your stay. It has been difficult to find a chimney sweep with availability but we are happy to confirm that the fire is now fully functioning again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Philip John3.1★Nov 2022

• "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.

  Thank you for your feedback; we are pleased to read that you loved our cottage. We are sorry that the fire was out of action during your stay; the chimney was blocked and we have had difficulty finding an available chimney sweep to deal with this. We are happy to report that the problem has now been resolved and the fire is functioning as normal. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Steve4.1★Nov 2022

• "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

  Thank you for your feedback; we are pleased to read that you loved our cottage. We are sorry that the fire was out of action during your stay; the chimney was blocked and we have had difficulty finding an available chimney sweep to deal with this. We are happy to report that the problem has now been resolved and the fire is functioning as normal. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ian4.4★Nov 2022

• "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!

  Thank you for your feedback. We are delighted to read that you liked our cottage. We are sorry that you had problems using the fire; we have since discovered the chimney had been blocked by a bird's nest. The chimney has now been cleared and the fire can be used as normal. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Trevor4.4★Sep 2022

• "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.

  Reviewed by Steven2.8★Sep 2022

• "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!

  Reviewed by Prakash5.0★Aug 2022

• "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.

  Reviewed by Mike4.7★Aug 2022

• "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.

  Reviewed by Trevor4.7★Jan 2022

• "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.

  Reviewed by Phil4.4★Nov 2021

• "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.

  Reviewed by Philip John4.4★Oct 2021

• "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?

  Thank you for taking the time to feedback after your recent stay at Old Oak Cottage. We are sorry to hear you found the bed uncomfortable. We have always had positive comments about the comfort of the bedrooms but we will monitor this as we do understand every guest has different preferences. Regarding the TV and CD player, these are in the property to increase guests’ enjoyment. We feel they are in line with the traditional style cottage Old Oak Cottage is. We are sorry that fuel included gave you the impression that unlimited wood would be provided. Fuel provided meant heating, hot water etc. We will update the description to reflect this. Unfortunately it is difficult to ensure wood is left out each changeover when the owners do not live locally. We hope you otherwise had a lovely week in the Lakes. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Barry2.8★Oct 2021

• "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 !!

  Reviewed by Angus4.7★Sep 2021

• "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.

  Reviewed by Sharron5.0★Sep 2021

• "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.

  We would like to thank you for your feedback. We communicated these points to the owner and the following has been rectified; The microwave has been replaced alongside the washer/dryer. The missing breadknife has been reinstated with a new knife set. The scratched cookware has also been replaced with any damaged cutlery. We can confirm that the lead picture is has now been amended to show the front of the property and the back of the property can now be seen in a later photograph on the website. We really appreciate these comments and we hope to welcome you back to Old Oak Cottage in the future! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jon4.4★Jun 2021

• "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.

  Reviewed by Shaheda Natha And M3.8★Jun 2021

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