Self-Catering Top Lodge, 4 Skiptory Howe in Kendal

Mr Tait

October 2020

The lodge smelled musty when we arrived but once the heating was on it disappeared, the rug under the coffee table was a bit scruffy.. Very pleasant atmosphere with the trees around and the birds too, saw our first nuthatch. Our main tv stopped working but was quickly sorted by Jack at Sykes. No wi-fi or Netflix during stay but had DVDs and tv Overall a lovely break even with so much rain (luckily overnight)

Mrs Caird

September 2020

The cabin was in a nice quiet wooded position .. The wildlife was a pleasure to watch each day . Deer and woodpecker's were the highlight. Warm and we'll equipped. Being so close to lake Windermere the paddle boarding was great, especially at this time of year.

Mrs Caird, September 2020

December 2019

The cabin and it's location in the middle of a forest were fantastic.. The cabin had everything we needed (except for a mop and broom) it went beyond expectations and even the fact the tv's in the bedrooms didn't work (not connected to an Ariel as we couldn't scan for channels) did not spoil the week away. We saw deer,foxes and other wildlife right at the cabins front and rear.It was also well placed to go sightseeing at all the Lake's attractions.

Mr Howe, December 2019

November 2019

We had a great week away in this lovely lodge.. Well positioned, the lodge was very clean and the most well equipped holiday accommodation we have stayed in. Great size decking, and having direct access into the forest was a real bonus. The torches the owners provide came in very handy for our night walks, they've thought of everything! Ample parking space. The facilities on site are very good, would recommend a meal in the bar or breakfast, was very good and dogs welcome inside too. We were fortunate enough to have the deers visit our lodge every morning, a very special experience to have them so close ( keep an eye out between 8 and 10 am). The lodge is very central for visiting all the beautiful places the lakes have to offer. A short walk to The Sun Inn where you will be made very welcome. Bowness is definitely worth a visit, so many great places to mention. Including drinks outside the Hole in T wall in Bowness under the patio heater in November was great. Thankyou for a very memorable stay for our anniversary break. would definitely return.

Mr Sykes

April 2019

Couple of problems but owner sorted them out Thankyou

Mr Evans

March 2019

We encountered an issue with the shower head being broken.. rang sykes and they had it replaced within 24 hours

Mrs Renshaw

January 2019

We arrived on the 2nd of January.. The cottage was nice, clean and had all the facilities. The park was pleasant also. We’d not been there half an hour when we had an urgent email from Sykes cottages to call them. We did so, sorry I cannot recall the name of the lady we spoke to, but she said the resort was closing on the 3rd and we’d have to leave a day early. We had originally booked the break from the 1st to the 3rd but altered it to the 2nd to the 4th at the property owner’s request so they could get cleaners in on the 1st. If we had known the cottage was only available for 2 days instead of 3 we would never have booked it and sought alternatives. We were very disappointed. We were offered alternative accommodation at nearly £300 for one night! Three nights had cost us £400 so this seemed extreme. We were told the cost of the night would be refunded, but no compensation was offered. We then enquired as to what time we needed to leave. The lady at Sykes said she had made an executive decision and we could stay on the Friday for as long as we liked. The next day another representative from Skyes told us the owner wanted us out by 11 am. I am very disappointed in this total failure of communication. At the moment it seems both the owner and the agency are more than happy to take money but are not willing to do the right thing when they make a mistake.

Mrs Mcgowan

September 2018

Lovely lodge and ideal location.. The lodge is equipped with everything you need. The only drawback is dogs are not allowed in the bar so when it’s raining it's a bit of a letdown. I would still return regardless

Mr Newton

September 2018

I was very pleased with Sykes on this holiday .... I was very pleased with Sykes on this holiday We had a slight issue with the shower and it was fixed whilst we were out the same day The only issue we had was finding the contact number should there be a problem but other that that our holiday was not marred in anyway

Mr Stone

September 2018

Dear Sykes, we have stayed in a number of your cottages over the last 5 years and have always had a very enjoyable holiday.. Unfortunately this lodge did not live up to expectations. On arrival the lodge was unbearably hot and we discovered that someone had put the boiler on its maximum setting. The following day when the building had cooled down, it smelt musty and damp. Possibly the heating was left on full to mask the damp! The bedrooms were both very small with inadequate storage space for our clothes, no chest of drawers in either room and the wardrobe was only equipped with three coat hangers. The double bed had what was without doubt the most uncomfortable mattress I’ve ever had the misfortune to sleep on. It sagged in the middle and was so soft I could feel the slats in the bed frame. The duvet was at best 20 mm thick and the cover was torn around the popper fasteners. Despite the fact that the holiday was to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary we ended up in the two single beds in the even smaller bedroom because they were marginally more comfortable! The bath had a very obvious repair in it and the basin was so small you banged you head on the bathroom cabinet when you tried to use it. We discovered on our last day that the shed contained a black bin liner full of decomposing kitchen waste, which probably accounted for the number of flies around the property. We had stayed the previous week in one off your lodges named Iona in the village of Strontian in the Scottish Highlands. This was a delightful cabin and was £200 pounds cheaper than the Skiptory Howe lodge. We paid more than £100 pounds a night to stay in this property and consequently expected a much more luxurious well equipped lodge. I have taken photographs of the problems we encountered which I am happy to send you. I also would expect some form of compensation because this holiday was not a memorable experience in a positive way!

Mr Hegarty

August 2018

Overall a very nice lodge.. However there were a few issues which were also picked up in the visitors book, for example, the double bed was uncomfortable - felt like it was sagging in the middle, the mechanism to switch from shower to bath didn't work and I found it difficult to maintain a relatively constant water temperature, also there was initially a musty smell to the property including the kitchen cupboards.The window in the main bedroom room didn't open and the cushions on that bed did smell so they went outside for the week. The sofa positioned in front of the TV was quite uncomfortable. That sounds like quite a moan but it isn't, this is a well equipped property and we enjoyed our stay there. The lodge is quite overshadowed with trees which suited us but if you wanted to sunbathe on the generous decking area then this isn't the place for you. At the rear there is a shed which we used to store a couple of bikes and a gate into the woods which was a god-send for the dogs. Fortunately no-one was in the lodge above us so it was a peaceful place to stay. With regards to the site I would say it is quite limited in the facilities on offer; there is a small shop. a small-ish 1.5m max deep pool which opens to guests from 10am to about 5.30pm and you have to book in 45 minute sessions at least a day before to use it, there is a small gym, jacuzzi and sauna, a play area for children under 12 and a sports court. There is a pub/restaurant which does a take-away menu (our burgers were really nice but beware the roasted veggie option - dire - perhaps we hit it on a bad day). The site was tidy and well maintained with plenty of woodland - all in all the positives outweigh the negatives.

Mrs Hodgetts

June 2018

Generally we were pleased with the lodge and the site.. Staff were helpful and nothing was too much trouble. Only complaint, we needed lights on most of the time, it was very dark inside the lodge due to the mature trees all around us. Even the large patio only got a little sunshine! We would definitely holiday at White Cross Bay again, but would choose a lodge in a more open setting.

Mr Williams

May 2018

We got home yesterday and we had a fantastic week at your cabin at White Cross Bay.. It was clean and comfy, our dogs quickly settled in and we certainly had enough living space in the kitchen and lounge. I'm pleased we stayed at Top Lodge on the edge of the camp rather than in the middle of the site where I'm sure it would have been noisier and busier. It was very quiet and peaceful until our final night when we got a rowdy party of five blokes staying at a cabin 10-15 yards away - and they were out drinking and talking loudly till well after 1am. Perhaps the camp owners should impose restrictions on all-male groups renting lodges as well as insisting on a lights out, silence first policy after midnight. We loved the woods behind our cabin, taking our pets up there every day. As for the minuses. The lodge seriously needs more shelf/cupboard/drawer space. We had to keep the food/drinks we'd taken up in bags because there wasn't anywhere to put it. The same applies re our clothes in the bedroom. We could have done with more cupboards for pants, socks, shirts, tops, etc. The bed was just OK and the duvet just about big enough. Easily the biggest bugbear for me was the joke of a basin in the bathroom. I could hardly clean my teeth in it never mind have a shave! I ended up having to shave in the kitchen sink! I just do not see the point of having such a ridiculously impractical basin that was neither use nor ornament as my grandad used to say. I've stayed in all sorts of places all over the world over the last 50 years and never come across a basin so pointless. I also had to call you to get the proper key safe code when we arrived after apparently being sent a new code by email. I should have spotted the new number but it would be a big help if you could banner headline such a change in emails in future to make sure customers don't miss it. But all in all we had a fabulous week and would return, perhaps to try one of your lakeside lodges next.

Mr Street

May 2018

Beautiful site.. Weather was gorgeous. Surrounding areas were so out of this world enjoyed the whole experience .will definitely be coming back to the lake district.Disapointed with wi-fi the cabin has a booster but still couldn't receive any thing

Mr Hewitt

May 2018

Very good place to stay and see the lakes

Mrs Blake

March 2018

We spent last week in this beautiful lodge.. Its immaculatly decorated and the kitchen and living area are so light and spacious. We cooked every night in the kitchen and there were plenty of dishes, crockery and cutlery. Bedrooms were clean and airy. Shower was a bit hot and miss temperature wise but that’s the only slight fault. Amazing lodge!

Mrs Shaw

December 2017

If everything would have been working at the lodge we stayed at then it would’ve been brilliant.. Our plan was to make the most from the walks with our dogs then come back to have a shower and get in comfy clothes to watch some films on the DVD player, as my husband and I really needed a break. The boiler only worked when it wanted to rather then when we needed it, so we struggled for hot water, and the DVD player in the living area didn’t work. So our plan kind of went out of the window. It was a shame as the site we stayed was lovely but I wouldn’t book this lodge again until I could be assured everything worked.

Miss Oswald

November 2017

We were very disappointed at 9.. 20 on the day of departure we could hear someone on our decking to go out to find workmen plonking equipment on it. They left the gates open and we have a dog. That said "you're checking out aren't you" Our response being yes but we have until 10. We were put under immense pressure to leave asap. Our dog couldn't go on the decking as she was scared of all the equipment which they still kept putting over the top of the fencing. Very rude and certainly ruined what should have been a pleasant check out.

Mrs Glenister

November 2017

The lodge itself was lovely and stocked well and easy check in.. It could of been a little cleaner. The doors were creaky so our dog barked a lot which led to a few poor nights sleep. We had to reset the boiler a few times as it did go off and led to no hot water and heat for small periods of time. The single beds were very comfy however the double wasn't it was a very thin hard mattress. The lodge was dog friendly however they didn't allow him in the bar/restaurant this would be our main problem because we would of loved to get involved with the entertainment but were unable to. It would of enhanced the whole experience really. Surrounding area was lovely. We would definitely book with Sykes again but not at the white cross bay until they allow fur babies into the bar/ restaurant.

Mrs Lowe

May 2017

The site is kept up to a very high standard there is plenty going on for all ages.. It's an ideal place for going out to other parts of the lakes highly recommend.

Miss Porter

May 2017

We had an absolutely wonderful time.. Lodge is in a fantastic location and has everything you need. Whilst we were there we booked to return later in the year. It's our new favourite place!

Mrs Connors

November 2014

The property was in a lovely location which was immaculately presented and had lots of extras.

Mr Geary

October 2014

The property was beautiful and very comfortable. Provision was made for every taste from books and games to DVD's and puzzles. We loved the whole experienced and await the 2015 prices to book for late next year.

Mr Rocker

August 2014

The lodge was one of the best positioned on the site and we would definitely book again when visiting the Lake District. Excellent facilities on site and stunning location make this a perfect holiday lodge.

Mr Austin

June 2014

Location very good. Property is modern, clean and well equipped.

Mrs Manning

April 2014

There is nothing that you haven't thought of in this property, the lodge is so well equipped; it had everything and more to ensure a comfortable and relaxing stay. The all round enclosed decking was great for the dog as he could wander safely outside. It is warm and cosy, and the setting is beautiful. It's located in such a peaceful location we heard no noise at all from the rest of the site which is quite large. Deer even came down in the wood behind and could be watched from the side door and the decking. We saw one or more every day. It is a fantastic base from which to explore the Lakes. We would recommend to others and would rebook this property.

Mrs Cope

March 2014

It was like being in your own home very comfortable and everything we could need for the week. The cottage was immaculately decorated and in a lovely spot. We would definitely recommend it to friends and we will be back.

Mrs Richardson

December 2013

It was a place that you could relax and be away from it all.

Ms Brunskill

November 2013

The Lodge was situated in a lovely quiet part of the site, surrounded by woodland and it felt really private. The site was in a lovely situation right be the lake and very central for visiting all parts of the Lakes. Heating in the Lodge was excellent, which was important as we had a rather wet week. A very enjoyable week!

Guest

October 2013

An immaculate lodge, which was very clean and well equipped. We had a fabulous stay.

Mr Brook

September 2013

Everything that was provided was of a very good standard, in particular everything we needed in the kitchen was thought of. Being a pet friendly property, the fenced off decking that the dog could be let out onto was completely safe.

Mrs Wade

September 2013

The location was fabulous for getting around the Lake District. The site was of a good standard, and the lodge was immaculate.

Mr Downer

August 2013

Well described. Very peaceful part of a busy site but near enough to the facilities when required. A beautiful well appointed lodge reasonably priced.

Top Lodge, 4 Skiptory Howe

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