45 South Green, Staindrop, Durham, DL2 3LD

Had a week there and having come from another holiday cottage in northumberland found this to be very disappointing. The 19 year old gas boiler failed the day after I arrived and needed to be replaced with consequent disruption and a few days without hot water or central heating at a time when it was unusually chilly for the time of year.

The instructions in the cottage mention that unless the wood burning stove is lit correctly with paper to warm the chimney first there will be a risk of smoke filling the room - somewhat off putting!

Even if the boiler had been replaced on time in a responsible manner I probably would not stay again. The cottage gets noise from the A688 through Staindrop. The small road directly in front of the cottage was often full of cars and so I frequently needed to park on the other side of the village green. In addition, while the village has a pub 3 doors down it does not serve food. In fact there was nowhere in the village to go out for an evening meal or get take away and the nearest good places to eat were miles away.

Finally, while the living area is quite dark there is too much light in the bedroom for sleeping well at night. There is actually a streetlight outside the bedroom window so you need more than a thin cream-coloured fabric blind in that room!!!

We were a bit concerned reading the previous revier but completely unnecessarily. The cottage is stunning, fully equipped with lovely log burner ( we also got a basket of logs). Very comfortable beds (even the bunkbed). The garden is magical and fully secured what is great when travelling with dog. We met neighbour, very helpful and lovely lady. Staindrop is beautiful, specially in the autumn. We walked to the Raby castle and had few local trips. As requested we left the house tidy and clean and had no problem with the owner ( Kate texted us before and during the stay, was very kind and helpful).

I can highly recommend the cottage, im sure we will be back soon.

We stayed here as our house was being built !!

Just to say I have excessive ocd on cleanliness enough to have been referred to a counsellor from my gp so I was mortified that we recieved a message to say we owed £65 for cleanliness.

Because there was a bit of dust under the settee she pulled sofa out and sent it to us, which I said have you not got a brush as a holiday property owner this is what you do ? , we made her aware that with the winds due to a storm which was highlighted on the news that day, ( had blew her back gate down )but tbh we thought it was someone else's garden out the back with old rotten furniture and the fence itself is dilapidated with gate wedged open with old chairs , I even had to tidy back garden near her property as it was a mess and now she's asking for money for gate!! , I had to unblock drains and dishwasher did not work but there was tools and stuff to use for this so it's obviously

a problem she knows about.. soon as we left she messaged asking where blankets were I had washed them she didn't even look!! then apologised as she found them .

Please if you stay here take photos of everything as this women is angling for money , also we left belongings such as xmas presents which she hasn't returned !!

This is the darkest property I've ever stayed at it has no actual lights just old table lamps which work now and again , very disappointed in people like this !!

So upsetting