The Old Barn | Ambleside | Briery Close | The Lake District And Cumbria

3.9★

6 Guests
3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Pets No
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Features

Garden / Patio
Cot available
Highchair available
Dishwasher
Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing

Cleanliness

Comfort

Facilities and Maintenance

* Based on a combined average customer score

25 Customer Review(s)

Nina
October 2024

“The property is in a fantastic location, great location for Ambleside and Bowness-on-Windermere.”

Access to the cottage is gated which makes it very secure. Lovely gardens and grounds around the cottage. Really handy having 2 car parking spots right outside the property. All rooms inside the property were really large, much bigger than the description of the property and pictures made out. Such a great space for sharing with other family and friends. Great little additions in the house for little ones. The only very minor areas that require some attention would be: - mattresses are not ...

Access to the cottage is gated which makes it very secure. Lovely gardens and grounds around the cottage. Really handy having 2 car parking spots right outside the property. All rooms inside the property were really large, much bigger than the description of the property and pictures made out. Such a great space for sharing with other family and friends. Great little additions in the house for little ones. The only very minor areas that require some attention would be: - mattresses are not very comfortable - the stair gate for children was broken but usable but needs some repair work or replacing to ensure it is fully secure - the children's little trike in the lounge was broken (we did end up fixing it) - the towel rails in the bathrooms upstairs were very rusty - some spot lights out in the kitchen - childrens toys need a good clean These areas listed didn't impact on our stay but it would be really good if they could be rectified. We will definitely be returning to the property. Thank you

- Nina, October 2024
Linda August 2024

“Upon our arrival the downstairs toilet was heard to be dribbling water continually and would not fill or flush - unusable.”

waste discharge on bathroom sink was broken -unusable. unwashed plates and cups found in cupboards. Difficulty in use of electric oven. TV broke down during stay Cottage felt tired attention to kitchen and plumbing required. Lakelovers customer care is a joke - prepare to be ignored.

- Linda, August 2024

Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear of the issues that you experienced during your stay. We will ask our Property Services Team to take a look. We would like to add that had we been made aware during your stay, we would have attended to try and resolve. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Amy August 2024

“We enjoyed a lovely stay at this cottage recently.”

It was perfect for my 2 sisters and I to have a double room each. The lounge was very comfy and we enjoyed the kitchen and outside space. The items in the kitchen cupboards would benefit from being cleaned, which has also been mentioned on other previous reviews, but it was fine for us to wash what we needed.

- Amy, August 2024
Elaine July 2024

“Spacious and lovely place.”

Mostly very good. However in the front upstairs bathroom the basin sink is not draining properly. Also the outer kitchen door was sticking in damp weather.

- Elaine, July 2024

Thank you for your comments. We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay. Thank you for making us aware of the maintenance issues, we will let the relevant teams know. Thank you The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Simon May 2024

“Superb location and spacious accommodation.”

Tired decor and cleaning could be improved. Lots of grime around inside of window panes. Cobwebs and spiders in situ on arrival. Pans not clean and bottom oven not working. More trays for oven would help as two of party were coeliac and needed separate trays. Soap and shampoo holder in en suite coming away from wall so couldn't be used. Beds in two smaller rooms not comfortable for couples who slept there. Blackout curtains would improve sleeping. Despite these things we all enjoyed our stay.

- Simon, May 2024
Jeremy September 2023

“This is a really lovely house; Superb location, very “safe” environment, large rooms, close to bus stop and Brockhole for strolls and Lake cruises.”

Would recommend it and we would happily book again. Points for improvement: the downstairs toilet sink had a disconnected plug mechanism making it unusable, there were many pan lids of all sizes but only three oversized pans. Bring your own DVDs/CDs.

- Jeremy, September 2023
Andrew September 2023

“We really enjoyed our stay.”

It's a beautiful peaceful location and a really spacious house. We had a great week. It does, however, need some TLC to bring it up to the highest standard. There are a lot of things either missing, broken or just not working very well, which is a shame because it could be really fantastic. I'd be happy to provide a list should the owner be interested.

- Andrew, September 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We take all comments on board. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Dorothy August 2023

“We were very pleased with the property.”

It was spacious, clean and comfortable. Luckily the weather was good so we could make full use of the lovely garden and outdoor space. It was so pretty, pleasant and peaceful. We had no negative issues and hope to return one day. Thank you

- Dorothy, August 2023
Nikita May 2023

“We had a very enjoyable stay, with very clear directions to locate the barn and a simple check-in system.”

I approached the team with a query before our stay, which was dealt with promptly. The property is as advertised- clean, spacious and generous proportions for a family of four. The location is excellent, a 10 minute drive from Ambleside and we had two parking spaces. A peaceful, calm location which I would highly recommend if you want a communal feel, with a small group of neighbours. My only points for improvement- a simple welcome basket would have been appreciated, as the nearest Tesco is 15 mins away with limited parking, the front door doesn’t have a blind or cover which was slightly unnerving as it is clear glass, and the beds whilst comfortable- are very firm- so perhaps the option for a mattress topper would have been a nice touch.

- Nikita, May 2023

Thank you for your kind comments, we are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay. Welcome baskets are not always provided. We take all comments on board. We hope to welcome you again. The Lakelovers Owner Relations Team Property Owner
Andreas April 2023

“Such a beautiful cottage and great location.”

We all had a fabulous time. The layout was spacious all rooms finished to a high spec and it was very clean. If we were to grumble about anything it would be the beds. We all struggled getting a good nights sleep.

- Andreas, April 2023

Thank you for your comments, we are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay. We do find that beds and mattresses are down to personal preference. We take all comments on board. Thank you. Property Owner
Meryl October 2022

“The houses was spacious.”

Could do with a lot more in tensels in the Kitchen,Small saucepans,kitchen clock etc.The house was nice and warm.Could do with new comfortable beds.We had nice weather and the Old Barn was in easy reach to go every were.

- Meryl, October 2022
Peter August 2022

“We enjoyed our stay in the Old Barn, a spacious home for one week, equipped with everything you need.”

From here you have a perfect start to visit many places in the Lake District. Thank you, we really liked it.

- Peter, August 2022
Amanda July 2022

“The cottage itself is clean, comfortable and was more spacious than expected.”

The kitchen could do with a few extra utensils and a decent set of saucepans. And 6 table mats. Ideally located for Windermere and access to the lakes. We had a lovely stay. Would definitely recommend a stay here.

- Amanda, July 2022
Neil July 2022

“Location of the property is superb.”

Having Brockhole within a 5 minute walk allows you so many opportunities of exploring the lakes and entertaining the family. Lovely peaceful stay with a very spacious accommodation. Mattresses could all do with being replaced. Mattress springs were found to be noisy. Staining from water penetration on living room ceiling and peeling paint within en suite would be rectified. Would return as property has a lovely seating area and access to a decent sleep sized communal garden which is ideal for children.

- Neil, July 2022
Robert May 2022

“Very clean comfortable property in great location with ample parking and ...”

Very clean comfortable property in great location with ample parking and spacious interior Kitchen utensils urgently need updating as some pans not fit for purpose especially at the price we paid

- Robert, May 2022
Lisa March 2022

“We had a wonderful stay at the Old Barn.”

It is ideally situated on Windermere with easy access to the lake and nearby attractions. The house is set among a small group of other holiday lets making it feel secure, with plenty of parking and is afforded lovely views of the surrounding area. Well appointed facilities inside with huge sofas in the living room and well stocked kitchen. The bedrooms are comfy and the whole house has a light, airy feel to it. It's a real home from home. I can't really think of any negatives except a note that the mattress for the travel cot is very old, stained and torn so unsafe to use, but luckily we had brought our own anyway. I would most definitely return again.

- Lisa, March 2022
Phil February 2022

“We had previously stayed at The Old Barn and were disappointed with the overall cleanliness and facilities although the amount of space was great there were a lot of things that needed repainting, cleaning & replacing, this aside we decided to rebook.”

On arrival we were greeted with a warm and welcoming accommodation that had been updated, cleaned with new sofas and curtains. We were blown away and the experience was amazing and worth every penny. It was great to see the updated Barn and we would 100% book again. The only issue was the freezer needs defrosting which was passed onto the agent so I am sure that will be sorted and the cooker had been turned off. If you don't reset the clock the oven doesn't work, thanks for the challenge and we had a great week.

- Phil, February 2022
Petty October 2021

“A clean, spacious accommodation in a fabulous location.”

This property could be truly fabulous if the owners took care of the small details. However, the previous critics were rather harsh (in my view) although somewhat understandable as if you pay premium prices, you expect the details to be premium standard too. But they did not spoil or detract from the fabulousness in any way. Recommend.

- Petty, October 2021
James August 2021

“The property is situated in a fantastic location, with easy access to beautiful walks to Ambleside and trout beck.”

To property also benefits from easy access to brockhole which contains amazing activities for kids and the pier for ferry rides to Ambleside,Wray castle and Windermere. The property is generously proportioned and the kitchen was sufficiently equipped to accommodate home cooking. The disappointing attributes were the state Of condition of the facilities inside the property which were as follows ; freezer was heavily iced up rendering it unusable - it needs a good defrost, the ensuite shower was blocked up meaning all the shower water collected in the shower tray, the sofas in the living room need replacing (as other reviewers have mentioned) and the kitchen is short of glasses. Despite these minor agrievences we had a fabulous stay and would highly recommend.

- James, August 2021
Helen August 2021

“The cottage was so spacious and well appointed.”

We lacked for nothing. Being able to access the outdoor centre and the lake without having to drive was perfect. We’d love to return soon.

- Helen, August 2021
Mark August 2021

“Sadly our stay at the Barn was very disappointing as the facility did not reflect what was advertised.”

The external setting and appearance of the property is exceptional, with the grounds well kept. The disappointment was internally as the décor was very tied and in desperate need of renovation, the curtains on the ground floor were hanging off the curtain poles and draped across the floor as they were 200mm to long. The two settees in the lounge were so old and dirty that we had to drape over a cover before sitting on them. The stair carpet was covered in stains and appeared not to have been cleaned since originally being layed. The disappointment continued upstairs as the beds and linen were of a low quality and very uncomfortable, certainly not what you would expect in a quality holiday let! I note that a number of these points were previously made by other guests with no action being taken! To say that our holiday was tarnished would be an understatement as having nice accommodation with comfort is an important part of any holiday. We have been using Lake Lovers for the last fifteen years plus, and have always been extremely satisfied with both the service and accommodations, but on this occasion the Barn was unacceptable! I would highly recommend that you have one of your senior customer service representatives carry out a full facility audit of this property, so that you fully appreciate the extent of this complaint as we do not feel in its current state that it should be marketed to future guests. I look forward to your response in due course. Sincerely, Mark Bates. P.S. With regards to publishing our feedback, we leave that entirely up to you as you are the agents!

- Mark, August 2021
Murray June 2021

“This is a nice cottage in a lovely location but it is s in need of some attention.”

The sofas and curtains need to be replaced in the living room. The kitchen needs to be supplied with crockery, glasses, chopping boards and other essential items. The carpets need to be cleaned and/ or replaced. We stayed for two weeks and found the mattresses uncomfortable. Some attention and it will be a great place to stay.

- Murray, June 2021
Anna June 2021

“The booking and communication process with yourselves has been very good.”

It was however hard to contact you when leaving the property and our out of hours emergency wasn't answered until the next day. The property itself has an amazing location and beautiful grounds, but could do with some modernisation and a deep clean. I pushed the sofas back to find something and it was clear that hadn't been done in a while!

- Anna, June 2021
Kenneth May 2021

“Initial Location reference is misleading, felt somewhat conned on arrival.”

property showing signs of use and requires a clean up. curtains in lounge hanging of hooks and require attention both sofas in the lounge are well past their sell by date and require replacement chipped glasses found on arrival, cups required cleaning. overall we enjoyed our stay at this property and if the above was addressed would consider staying again

- Kenneth, May 2021
Miss Taibot Jun 2019

“The Old Barn was a brilliant place to stay and we shall consider staying again in the future.”

The cottage was well equipped and very spacious.

- Miss Taibot, Jun 2019

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Summary

Over 2 floors
3 bedrooms; 1 x king size with ensuite shower room, 2 x double bedrooms, bathroom
Spacious lounge
Kitchen/ diner
Cloakroom with 3rd WC and wash basin
Private patio with furniture
Landscaped gardens
Walking distance of National Park visitors centre and Lake Windermere
Private parking for two plus visitor's space
Wi-Fi
Double electric oven, gas hob
Dishwasher
Washer/dryer
Microwave
Fridge and freezer
Gas central heating
Bed linen and towels provided
Travel cot & Highchair provided

Awards

The property

This wonderful converted barn is part of a converted coach house and stables, a couple of miles from Ambleside village and a 2 minute stroll from 'Brockhole', the National Park Visitor Centre on the shores of Lake Windermere.

Within beautiful landscaped gardens, The Old Barn has a peaceful and secluded feel without any compromise on convenience, nestling amongst a group of Lakeland stone buildings once belonging to the 1st Earl of Lonsdale in the late 18th Century.

Inside, you'll find fabulous light and airy living and dining space overlooking the gardens towards the lake and the spacious bedrooms ensure every guest feels special.

Don't forget the beautiful patio also, a perfect place to truly relax and enjoy al-fresco living alongside the visiting wild deer. Accommodation in detail A private drive leads to The Old Barn with two private parking spaces right outside plus an addittional visitors space.

A large entrance hall has access to a cloakroom/3rd wc/wash basin.

The bright and airy kirchen/diner has everything you may need complete with a patio door to the furnished patio, ideal for alfresco living.

The spacious living room has deep cushioned furnishings and is flooded with natural light, perfect for relaxing or planning your day with 'free' WIFI access; also with patio door access to the patio garden.

Upstairs to the bedrooms and bathrooms, full of space and light and with beautiful views; the master kingsize with substanial en-suite shower room; the other two bedrooms are double bedrooms and the house bathroom has a bth with shower attachemnt.

Outside there is a delightful patio and use of the landscaped gardens.

There is also a complimentary cot and highchair for you to use. Location This imposing Lakeland holiday home near Lake Windermere provides a fantastic base for a holiday in the Lake District, or a sociable gathering, being ideally placed between Windermere village and Ambleside.

The A591 is the main route into the heart of the Lakes, leading from Windermere on to Ambleside, Rydal Water, historic Grasmere, then branching off to scenic areas such as the Langdale Valley and Coniston.

The National Park Visitor Centre at Brockhole is a must for all who visit, with fabulous grounds leading down to the lake shore and a wealth of activities for kids and adults, they have also built a new pier here, so you can enjoy Brockhole car free - check the website for event details.

Nearby Windermere is ideal for stocking up the kitchen; you'll find the Booths supermarket well-stocked with local produce and everyday essentials.

The village also has a traditional butcher and several other local shops.

Ambleside is only a few minutes drive away; an attractive historic village with sophisticated shopping, tempting caf?s and acclaimed Lake District restaurants such as The Glass House.

There are also two good cinemas in Ambleside - perfect for a rainy day.

Windermere Lake Cruises depart from Waterhead Pier, just outside Ambleside, providing a car-free route to explore Bowness and Lakeside.

No worries about parking!

Please be aware external painting work will commence on 17th June 2024

Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £200.

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About the location

AMBLESIDE

Grasmere 4.4 miles; Windermere 4.7 miles; Keswick 16.7 miles.

Lying at the northern tip of Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake, Ambleside makes a superb base for touring the central Lakes, with Grasmere and the Langdale Valley just a short drive away. There is plenty to do here - cruises, boat trips and watersports on Lake Windermere itself and numerous shops, restaurants and pubs in the village to suit all tastes. On the lakeside at Waterhead, the parkland offers lovely views down the lake and a short stretch of beach, whilst a walk in the other direction, following Stock Ghyll through woodland, will bring you to the entrancing waterfall of Stock Ghyll Force. Along with the Lake and the great walking on offer, Ambleside is also famous for its annual rushbearing ceremony and the diminutive 17th century “Bridge House” - one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District and now the National Trust Information Centre.

This property offers the following short breaks:

Winter
Off-season
Last minute
Christmas

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Features

Reviews & Ratings

“The property is in a fantastic location, great location for Ambleside and Bowness-on-Windermere.”

“Upon our arrival the downstairs toilet was heard to be dribbling water continually and would not fill or flush - unusable.”

“We enjoyed a lovely stay at this cottage recently.”

“Spacious and lovely place.”

“Superb location and spacious accommodation.”

“This is a really lovely house; Superb location, very “safe” environment, large rooms, close to bus stop and Brockhole for strolls and Lake cruises.”

“We really enjoyed our stay.”

“We were very pleased with the property.”

“We had a very enjoyable stay, with very clear directions to locate the barn and a simple check-in system.”

“Such a beautiful cottage and great location.”

“The houses was spacious.”

“We enjoyed our stay in the Old Barn, a spacious home for one week, equipped with everything you need.”

“The cottage itself is clean, comfortable and was more spacious than expected.”

“Location of the property is superb.”

“Very clean comfortable property in great location with ample parking and ...”

“We had a wonderful stay at the Old Barn.”

“We had previously stayed at The Old Barn and were disappointed with the overall cleanliness and facilities although the amount of space was great there were a lot of things that needed repainting, cleaning & replacing, this aside we decided to rebook.”

“A clean, spacious accommodation in a fabulous location.”

“The property is situated in a fantastic location, with easy access to beautiful walks to Ambleside and trout beck.”

“The cottage was so spacious and well appointed.”

“Sadly our stay at the Barn was very disappointing as the facility did not reflect what was advertised.”

“This is a nice cottage in a lovely location but it is s in need of some attention.”

“The booking and communication process with yourselves has been very good.”