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Self Catering Reviews for Dunsdale House

Average rating: (2 reviews)

5 2

Dunsdale House, Kirknewton, Kirknewton, Northumberland, NE71 6TS

Description of the cottage holiday

This superbly renovated farmhouse nestles on the slopes of Cheviot and is surrounded by most beautiful and totally unspoilt scenery and an abundance of wildlife. The peace and tranquillity of the College Valley is unsurpassed, access to the area is restricted and there is little to spoil the enjoyment of what must be the quietest place in Northumberland.

Best Features

"Spectacular views in all directions.Fabulous base for walkers and mountain bikers. Ideal for a group or family booking.

Highest cottage in the Cheviot hills. Isolated, remote with no light pollution and no neighbours.

Very spacious accommodation with some bedrooms on ground floor for easy access. Dogs welcome.Extra bathrooms, 3 in total. Lovely open fire. Dog friendly accommodation, kennels provided."

Sleeps: from 0 to 8

Pets: Yes

Contact Details

Contact Name: Vicky

Telephone: 016977 46777

Email Agent or Owner

Reviews

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16 of 70 people found this review helpful
Recommended?  Definitely Date of visit: 11/2012
Cottage Review:  

The house inside is very lovely, and far more luxurious than remote holiday cottages tend to be.

It sleeps 8 comfortably (REALLY comfortably – the beds are lovely and the bedding is excellent quality… as are the towels, actually), and has all you need to make your stay easy – the kitchen is well-equipped (though the cooker's dials are worn away and lots of guesswork is involved whne using the oven!), the utility has a washer and dryer and the excellent heating is a godsend after a (freezing!) day outdoors.

There is a fabulous range of books decorating every available windowsill or shelf, so you’ll not be short of reading material. There is a TV, but no TV signal, making it videos or DVD’s only.

It doesn’t get much more welcoming on a cold dark night – the star gazing was something to behold. Just add thermals and hot chocolate!

There were small niggles, however, which are worth mentioning. None were big things; but we did notice them – and Dunsdale House isn’t a cheap property to stay in, so expectations will in all fairness be really high.

The welcome pack – or total lack thereof. I know this isn’t promised, but any one who regularly has a self-catering holiday will know it’s pretty normal. On top of which, we had driven a very long way, and having finally landed at the cottage we were then over an hour round trip from the nearest shop. We piled out of the car to explore the cottage, and naturally headed for the kettle. Disappointed faces all round when we found no welcome tray – no pint of milk in the fridge, no handful of teabags… nothing. The very last thing on earth we wanted to do was unpack and then turn around and go back out again for a pint of milk and a few teabags just so that we could have a cup of tea. Thankfully we had come fully stocked for the week, but to not even have a means of a hot drink on arrival was pretty poor, we felt. At other, far cheaper, cottages I’ve been greeted by not only means of a hot drink but also home baked bread, cake, wine, flowers or soft drinks for the children.

The dog – this dog-friendly cottage in the most dog-friendly of locations actually only welcomes dogs into the kitchen. I totally understand that not every dog-owner is considerate, and no doubt some cause damage or mess – but to most dog owners, having to keep the dog in the kitchen, even if you’re stretched out in front of the roaring log fire in the living room for the evening, feels a bit harsh. We’d far rather be told to vacuum up after her, pay a cleaning fee or sign a disclaimer and take responsibility for our pet’s behaviour. Totally agree those who cause damage must be charged, but on the whole we dog owners do love our pets and wish to spend our holidays with them.

I think the biggest issue with this property is that it’s not owned by ‘a person’. It is owned by the estate, and it is no one person's home/house. When an owner has a holiday property, they tend to also use it themselves. It then naturally gains small touches which make it feel more homely – plenty of board games, pens and paper, kitchen cupboards stocked with small things like herbs, utilities like dishwasher tabs & washing powder in the cupboards… Those small personal touches were what was lacking. That doesn’t make Dunsdale House a bad place – quite the reverse; we actually cannot wait to go back, and in the summer we anticipate never leaving the valley. But those very small things don’t take a lot of thought or effort, and really do make a difference to the feel of a property, and to your holiday experience.

Make up of party:  Family - Mum, Dad and four children, plus one large dog.
Cleanliness: good Location: exceptional
Facilities: good Views: exceptional
Value: adequate Overall rating:
Review Added by: LittleStuff Review Added: 20.03.2013
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32 of 85 people found this review helpful
Recommended?  Definitely Date of visit: 04/2010
Cottage Review:  

This is the 2nd of the 4 College Valley houses which we have stayed in. It is probably the highest house in the Cheviots and therefore in the North East. You are literally just below Bizzle crags and above that the summit of the Cheviot itself. The house is really large and with the bedrooms arranged the way they are if you bring two families then each party will be in a separate section with their own privacy. It also works for disabled people as two of the bedrooms are on the ground floor.

Walking is great up here and the evening light as it falls across the crags is unforgettable.

The drive out of the valley is slow an dit takes 20 minutes or so before you at Westnewton.

Make up of party:  Usually just two plus an older disabled relative. And of course 4 dogs.
Cleanliness: exceptional Location: exceptional
Facilities: exceptional Views: exceptional
Value: exceptional Overall rating:
Review Added by: ColinC Review Added: 19.02.2011
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