Barforth Hall Lodge

This is a lovely bungalow in a very quiet location literally miles from anywhere. Calling it Gainford is wrong. It is on the South bank of the river Tees opposite Gainford a 6 mile drive away. It is not that far from any of the places and attractions to be visited in the area. The Oriental Museum at Durham University is noteworthy among these. We had no serious niggles with the property although the showers are a pain. It would be a bit cramped if there were 12 guests but super for the 6 of us. Our cooks managed well in the kitchen despite the awkward layout. The Four Alls pub in Ovington served us super meals on two occasions and the fish and chip shop in Gainford also did us proud. Would we stay at The Lodge again? I think so, there is still plenty to do in the area.

I was apprehensive after reading the previous reviews, but they were over critical! The property was very clean when we arrived. The owner made himself aware and he is very pleasant. Yes, it's 2 properties knocked into 1 but it works, with a large living room and a large dining room. The WiFi was not the best in the east wing but the 4G coverage is excellent throughout. There is a marble chopping board, loads of drinking glasses and crockery etc. The TV's have no issues. There are 2 big fridgefreezers for lots of food and a dish washer. We did not use the hot tub due to the weather but the owner assured us there would be ample fuel available if we were to use it. You can cross the train bridge to the local village and pub but it's not suitable for the very young and very old to cross. The local recycling is just past the Lidl in Barnard Castle. All the 5 bathrooms have locks and there was ample hot water for the 10 of us staying. You do need to bring your own towels but the bedding is provided. There were no problems with the showers. The walk in shower, if the pressure wasn't good enough, turn on the sink taps for 2 seconds and it then works! There is a squeegee for the walk in shower floor too. It is a unique place to go on holiday, nestled in a hidden corner of County Durham. I'm glad we came here and we will most probably return again too!

We had a great holiday. The area was lovely and remote but still easy to get to local villages or Barnard Castle. The owners dogs made the holiday for the children. They absolutely adored them. Very calm and friendly dogs. The hot tub was also great addition.

Positive points peaceful location, owners responded to my emails promptly and visited quickly. Unfortunately showers were not good, fluctuating temperatures from cold to boiling hot, water pressure poor. Even after a new tap was replaced. Floor in property was sticky and dirty. The property looked like two houses had been knocked into one, however all that was done, was a doorway being created between the two which meant there were two separate parts to the kitchen, no thought given to how the space would work best, layout was very odd and wasn't a nice space to cook in. WiFi only works on one side of the house well. Some of our mobiles could just about get reception in the lounge, others couldn't. Some basic equipment not provided such chopping board, kitchen scissors, drinking glasses although plenty of pint glasses available, not enough bowls for a 6 bedroom property. Whilst there many tv's in the property we didn't use ones in the bedrooms, the main one in the lounge is of poor quality. Lots of info provided regarding hot tub but none on essentials like where the switch for cooker is, or booster needs to be switched on for shower. Leaflet on local walks provided gave inaccurate information, we only found this out after attempting to do the walks. Owner then told us not to use the info they provided. Why not just take them out of the folder? In summary, it feels like the minimum effort was put into this holiday let, no care or thought given to customers, did not meet basic requirements, overpriced rental. Not a comfortable stay. I did take the time to email the owner to give feedback on our return, the reply was very disappointing, no apology given, no acknowledgement of poor quality provided, no reassurance that improvements will be made for future customers, just a very short 'thank you for the feedback'.

Stayed over Easter 8 adults 3 children 2 dogs The house was lovely and comfortable and great for a relaxing holiday,hot tub was amazing owners kept us supplied with lots of logs when requested more. Only downside was the hot water not hot when needed had to wait until the booster kicked in. was told at the last minute to bring our own towels which should have been provided for in the price

4 families met and enjoyed a fabulous weekend. The dining table sat everyone around which I was concerned about but we all ate together. The owner couldn't have been more friendly when I contacted her. The hot tub takes a while to heat but that was clearly outlined. The rooms were clean and suited our demands. Everything was ideal really. Follow the owners directions as the SatNav wants to take you a different route. We played board games and had a casino evening on the Saturday night. The cooker was bigger enough to cook easily for 12 people. All in all a really nice location and nice house to stay in ideal for families meeting up to stay together.

The lodge was an absolute treat for me and my family. We were very worried about a few reviews before making way to Barforth however I would like to point out, there must have been many improvements made regarding the previous complaints. The lodge was very spacious, cleaned thoroughly and a delight to spend a getaway trip at. There was farm animals with beautiful scenery at the door step giving you a tremendous country side vibe. All kitchen appliances needed were at your disposal, water pressure was completely fine and water pumps are installed to provide hot water whenever needed. We couldn't have been happier with how everything turned out. We will most definitely be coming back. Thank you and Happy New Year.

Great place, my only complaint would be the lack of hot water and power from the showers.

Despite the later check in time, it was clear that a Covid deep clean had not been carried out. The place was not clean, with cobwebs everywhere, dirty dishes, and a filthy table. We did a lot of cleaning the first day. The hot water system was not great either. Constantly using the boost was the only way to get any, and even then you only get it in one half of the house. Despite there being lots of toilets, only one had an unbroken toilet seat. There were only a couple of them with locks though, and in one bathroom, as the Smiths song goes, there's a light that never goes out. We didn't try the log burner. Broken glass, and parts crumbling away did not give us any confidence. We didn't try the hottub, but next door did, sending smoke and a smell of rotten eggs our way. Also there was a whole folder full of what to do with the hot tub, and including two defunct walks, but no other information. There was nowhere for rubbish, seemingly no food waste area, and local bottle banks appeared to all be removed. Despite this we had a great time, because it's the people not the place. But even though the house is in a wonderful location, we wouldn't go back. It is in dire need of some TLC, and a new cleaning team who understand how to clean. This may be a more affordable option given how astronomical Sykes property prices are going, but it's still very overpriced. This was our third trip with Sykes, and if this passes their quality control, it definitely puts us off going through them again.

The owners were very friendly and helpful. The cottage was generally OK, however there were a few things that required attention. At least two of the beds had broken supports and were being propped up on plastic boxes owners would have been aware when cleaning . The hot water pressure for the showers and bath were poor. The information pack showed a walk to local village across a nearby bridge which when tried to access, had been closed for a long time. Dishwasher was out of saltfinisher so had not been maintained, and did not work or clean even when refilled. Also timer was broken , ran for longer than stated but still didn't clean. As a party of 12, this was inconvinient. The information pack did not make it clear that the cottage had two 'boosts' for hot water, obviously from when it was separate cottages. Each boost worked independently.

Really rundown property, lots of issues with cleanliness and broken or damaged furniture including a bed propped up with a plastic container, screws sticking out of the hot tub lid which was also falling apart. Very overgrown gardens with insecure gates and very tired and dirty paintwork and bathroom grout. We also discovered a wasps nest on our last night after having an issue with wasps and flies all week. The cleanliness was a bigger issue as due to the pandemic we would have expected more care to be taken and at least some sanitisers or antibacterial spray provided. Two of the toilet seats were loose and the hot water pressure was non existent, the two showers gave a trickle of hot water and the bath we had to keep using the kettle to fill as it was so slow. The property whilst advertised as child friendly was not suitable as it had lots of steps and very slippery surfaces, the highchair provided was very grimy and the stinging nettles in the garden were an issue. Whilst the location of the property was picturesque the information pack left inside the property was outdated and lacking, and half of the advised walks were far too overgrown or in accessible yet not updated in the pack. As a family we made the best of our surroundings and the accommodation but it was a real shame that the property is not better cared for and the basics were not provided particularly during a pandemic and when people have not been able to see their families for such a long time. I hope the owners take this feedback on board as with the money we and others have paid I'm sure some of it could be spent on the upkeep of the property. Sykes also need to do their due diligence to ensure that properties are up to a minimum standard and are able to offer the facilities that we customers have paid for. Photos can be provided of the concerns raised in this feedback.

The cottage was amazing! Such a lovely place and a fabulous location. Paula and Jason were extremely friendly and happy to help with any requests we had. For a family of 6 the cottage had more than enough room for us to enjoy! Will definitely be back!

Fabulous holiday cottage, with the bonus of fantastic weather! ! Thank you so much for your hospitality.

I was looking for a quiet place to unwind from work and couldn't have found a more suitable place. The house is lovely and very much off the beaten path. Out the front door is a paddock with goats and a sheep and 20 metres down the track are 2 very inquisitive alpacas. I was staying by myself but this would easily fit a gathering of up to 12 with a huge stove, 2 full size fridges and more than enough plates and glasses. There is no mobile signal but strong WiFi. Highly recommended.

The lodge is in a very rural area not overlooked so very peaceful. Hot tub lovely when you get it going but you have to keep on top of keeping plenty of logs in it for a couple hours first. Family where really helpful when needed. Only draw back is that we found it could of been cleaned better but not enough of an issue to stop us going again. Overall we would recommend

We went to Barforth to celebrate my sisters 30th as a family. We wanted a large cottage in the countryside and that last exactly what we got! The cottage was amazing with everything supplied that we could have asked for! The owner was on hand to help us with anything we needed and was in contact with me before our arrival to ensure we had a stress free visit.

Whilst we did enjoy our holiday, we were disappointed in not being able to walk to the village. In the description of the holiday cottage, it was a mile walk to the village which was perfect after knee surgery and having small children with us and one of the reasons we booked it. However the only access to walk to the village were 2 bridges both of which were closed and had been for some time. This was not mentioned in the description and feel quite aggrieved that we were not informed beforehand.

The cottage was nice but needed a good clean and some tlc, wood provided for the hot tub only lasted one night

The advert says that there is a shop and pub within one mile. this is not possible to get to. the nearest village is a 6 mile drive and that's wear the pub and shop are. you cannot walk it with children. the cottage was not very clean on arrival. With sweet rappers and dirty tissues still in draws and socks and old food on the sofa and a grubby fridge and a general grubby kitchen and utensils.The bridges that your advert says you can walk over to get into gainford are all there . infact there are 3 bridges all within 2 miles of eachother. we walked to all 3. non of them are useable. all been blocked off with 8 foot iron fencing and look like they have been for many years so you cannot get to any village by foot.The owners didn't seem to know this but the villagers and farming locals did. the hot tub was nice but didn't have any chlorine tablets in the pot so after 3 days the water was slimey and pond like so therefore unusable after that.The actual place was beautiful. the scenery was stunning. the children liked the sheep ,llamas and cows.lovely to see them when you open the front door. the water pressure is a little low but not a major problem. the kitchen could benefit with a couple more pots and pans but that's all really. We had a lovely holiday and within an hour's drive there is quite a bit to do. I would highly recommended beamish museum . That is a full day out with lots for all ages to enjoy. If you could walk to the shoppub as advertised and the cottage was cleaner then the holiday would of been amazing.

We stayed here as a large family with 3 generations and it worked wonderfully well. Beautiful setting and lovely stat

We had a truly amazing time. Location is very rural and just what we hoped for. Cottage contained everything we needed, very spacious and comfortable layout worked really well for large family, large dinning room and lounge to all get together spread out bedrooms and bathrooms so you aren't on top of each other. Hosts fantastic available when needed. The children loved all the animals, playing with the sheep dogs, seeing the goats, horses and even feeding the lambs. Local pub and chippy well worth a visit. The Lodge is real find and excellent base for travelling out to explore the Dales.

Peaceful scenic location. The lodge is lovely and spacious. The kitchen is somewhat unusual as it is in two sections however it wasn't a problem and was very well equipped. Some of the bathrooms were a little dated however everything was clean. Our grandchildren loved the alpacas and pygmy goats that are on the farm. The owners were welcoming and informative and kindly lent us their compressor as we had a flat tyre. We shall most certainly return to Barforth Hall.

We spent Christmas 2018 here and it was fantastic. The owners were very approachable and very kindly left us a lovely welcome pack. We initially had an issue with the water on one side of the cottage but they immediately explained how to use the system and after that we had no problems. The cottage is well equipped and spacious. There are plenty of rooms for everyone to have their own space and the communal areas are big enough to accommodate everyone together. The kitchen is split into 2 and we had initial concerns but we had nothing to worry about. We managed to cater for everyone easily including cooking a Christmas dinner for 12 people and 2 dogs! The views from all areas of the cottage are stunning and it was nice to take a walk around the local area. It is only about a 15 minute drive from Barnard Castle which is a lovely place and we highly recommend a trip there. The cottage is situated in a peaceful place with no through traffic so everyone in our party was relaxed and slept well. A big thumbs up from us and we would love to go back there.

Key factor in choosing was disabled friendly but, although it had a wet room and was mostly on one level, you couldnt get a wheelchair into most of the rooms and the wet room and several other rooms were down small steps. I find this more and more disabled friendly is not properly checked. I expect better of Sykes. The hot tub is unusable as, in cold weather, the access is treacherous again up steps and the tub is just a large wooden tub with a fire under it so no way of regulating and takes a ridiculous amount of time to heat. I note this was stated in a previous review which you said you would amend and you havent. It may as well not be on the features as its unusable. The cottage was cold on one side, the heaters in the bedrooms did not work effectively and in our room never worked all the time we were there. Insufficient wood for fires was supplied presumably so we could then be charged for buying extra. When the fires were going, it was warm but that heat didnt reach the left side bedrooms this is obviously two cottages that have been turned into one. The furniture is poor in the living room, far too big and does not seat the numbers the place is supposed to accommodate. The suite needs replacing, especially the recliner chair. The TV in there is ludicrously huge and cannot be watched from all the chairs. Good facilities in the kitchen but again both fridge areas down steps. Some of the walks are inaccessible in spite of the misleading guide in the cottage. The llamas spit and are not friendly although the goats are not a problem but should be mentioned. I didnt deal with the owners but was told they were very nice. However, we encountered a quite rude young woman as were were leaving the property and she was arriving who seemed totally unwilling to give way or sort the congestion issue. Its very isolated and we were worried about the access in the bad weather we encountered, lots of pot holes in the track to the farm buildings and cottages. Wouldnt go back.

The hot water system is inadequate for ten people. There wasnt a cloth or any cleaning materials to clean a toilet or a spill, no dishwasher tablets. No hand wash. Outside security lights not working. Only a couple of loo rolls. A bucket of dirty water and a mop was left in the middle of one of the kitchen floors when we arrived.There needs to be a proper working kitchen, not the mish mash that is just the two kitchens knocked into one with neither being functional, having to go into different rooms to a fridge. On the plus side the beds were clean and comfortable. The location was fine with ample parking and was in a nice quiet location and the garden was secure. Having stayed in many cottages over the years this had the least facilities and home comforts and as such was very over priced. They need to up their game. Glad it was only a long weekend as we all agreed we would not want to stay a week. A pity as it has potential.

We had a lovely holiday. Cottage was warm and welcoming and owners very helpful. Minor improvements. Could do with some table mats, serving spoons non slatted and one or two smaller pans. I think pets are welcome although it said not on the details. Didnt affect us but wondered if it might increase bookings for the owners if this was clear.

Have put complaint in and sent photos in it is wrong photos of cottage on ... Have put complaint in and sent photos in it is wrong photos of cottage on website don't match my photos feel robed of week we can't get back

Unfortunately we did not enjoy the accommodation at all. We Would suggest that you maybe check this property again as it does not match up to the photos that are shown on line. Upon arrival we had to wash the garden tables and the hot tub was been checked by the owners as it was leaking due to the heat that is what we were told. We were asked if we wanted to use it that night but we declined and we would not have used it anyway as it was not really suitable for us due to the access. Water pressure very low in all showers but no problem with hot water itself. The bathroom's had a window looking into another bathroom, yes it was opaque glass but you could still see through, no privacy maybe blinds would help this situation. Toilet seats need attention. The wet room again the shower pressure was very very low and the tiles needed attention The kitchen was spaced out over three rooms a bit of a jumble. There was a wooden table with a split down the middle and was not very hygienic as food had fallen inbetween and you could not clean it out. Dining room only one light bulb instead of three also the same in the bathroom's. Upholstered chairs in the dining room very badly stained, plastic table cloth with rip in it,fireplace dirty , rough wood on the wall which covered the nice wallpaper that is in the picture on line. We could go on but all in all a very disappointing accommodation . We would also advise that this be noted as not suitable for anyone with mobility problems due to steps to get into the accommodation and also to get access to the fridge which is in another room from the kitchen and also steps to get out to the front and back.

We all had a good holiday at barforth hall lodge. The setting is lovely its very quiet and peaceful and we were able to take our dogs which was great. The owners were very helpful my niece came with us and she is disabled and we left the ramp at home however the owners made us one we would have been lost without it. So a big thanks to them. We did have to bath alot as the showers were lacking in power. The house is not luxurious i would probably call it rustic as there,s lots of wood everywhere but it was clean, tidy and large which was great for my family to come visit. We did,nt use the hot tub as i dont like them but the garden was lovely and as the weather was good we were out there everyday.

We booked this cottage for 12 people, a baby & a dog for a week in April and we had a great time. The views are stunning and we loved being on a working farm seeing the animals especially the lambs. There are some wonderful walks in the area and the house makes a good base for you to explore the surrounding towns and villages. The house itself was clean, warm and big enough so that we didnt feel on top of each other. There are parts of the property which are a bit rundown but it still functions perfectly well. The only issue we found was the water, it often wasnt very warm despite pressing the booster buttons and the water pressure meant that showers werent the most pleasant. We only used the hot tub twice on our visit mainly because it requires so much attention to heat up during the day and we often went out so didnt have time to do it. The owners are friendly and on hand if you need anything.

Positives friendly owners clean quiet provided a new dishwasher the ... Positives friendly owners clean quiet provided a new dishwasher the next day after it broke the animals made it interesting lots of space beautiful views dog friendly nice places to visit in the area WiFi two large good quality flat screen televisions good lay out for two families semi detached made into one house so you could have a bathroom each not far from the A1 and close to the A66 about 15 minutes Negatives only one room warm on arrival and the rest was so cold my parents wanted to leave the second car parking space could only be reached if you had boots on and didnt mind getting muddy kitchen picture not accurate as there are no units in there not all beds had mattress protectors low water pressure so took ages to wash your hair garden not secure for dogs and some of it was flooded although they explained it was due to issues with the spring in the garden Points to note some of the road is very narrow for quite a distance and youd not want to meet anyone coming round the corners there were two parts where the potholes had been partly filled with bricks and a lot of damage due to the weather was fixed part way through the holiday so it was ok bring the basics with you as you will need them bring fly spray dont use the postcode for your satnav but click on boat lane on the map as that works

As a group of 11 women, we stayed at Barforth Hall Lodge the one that sleeps 12 for 2 nights and it was the best weekend ever. It was more than adequate to comfortably accommodate 12 adults. The lodge was warm and welcoming, well equipped particularly in terms of the kitchen and kitchen essentials and it was the perfect venue for a girls weekend away. The owners who live on site were on hand throughout our stay to help with anything we needed particularly lighting up the log burners and heating up the hot tub. Both Paula and Jason were friendly and more than accommodating and were never more than a text away. The wood burning hot tub was an added luxury even in minus temperatures and thick with snow, we all spent time in the hot tub which was extra special because of the very cold weather. Jason was tending to it all day to make sure it was ready for us to use on the eveningnight. This accommodation really is worth a visit and we will definitely be returning kids in tow the next time!

Lovely surroundings. Relaxed and comfortable accommodation. Friendly helpful owners

We all had a fantastic time in the cottage. The only things that we could mention not complain about, was the water pressure for the whole building and the time it took to heat the hottub. We appreciate the cold weather doesnt help with this but the lid could do with being a tighter fit to aid the heating of the tub. Otherwise everything was spot on, no complaints, and we were all extremely happy and thoroughly enjoyed the weekend away in a lovely setting. Thank you for your help, support and the hospitality throughout our stay.

Friendly helpful owner. Beautiful location. We would love to go back