Cosy Cave Stanhope Castle

67 Customer Reviews

• "Second visit to this fabulous little hideout."

  Just perfect for a couples retreat. Plus a dog. Such a friendly village with everything you need on your doorstep. Some lovely walks around the area too. Topped off with a hot tub dip - perfect. Owners are very friendly and communicative.

  Reviewed by Davina5.0★Dec 2024

• "Couldn’t get surround sound to work."

  Would’ve liked a net or daily checks to hot tub it was full of all the tiny flies that are about this time of year. Lots of little battery powered lights but no batteries. Solar lights at the hot tub not working. Washing machine wouldn’t drain. Loved the quirky cave and surrounding area. We loved our stay.

  Reviewed by Sarah4.7★Oct 2024

• "Although a nice place in a lovely town the set up didn't work for us."

  Everythig you need in kitchen although a larger freezer would be better. The bedroom is a passage way between kitchen living room and bathroom and doesn't work if one of you goes to bed earlier and annoying if you are the one in bed wouldn't really describe it as cozy

  Hi John, thank you for your feedback. Cosy cave is listed as a one bedroom open-plan property and does only have one bathroom as listed. It is however unfortunate if one person wants to go to bed earlier than the other. The cosy element is that it's a small quirky property which has had many happy comfortable guests over the last three years. Maybe as a helpful suggestion to yourself before any future bookings. Have a good look at which properties would suit you as a couple before you commit to book in the future. We wish you all the best with future accommodation. Stanhope Castle Management. Property Owner

  Reviewed by John2.8★Sep 2024

• "I wrote to Sykes Cottages and the property owner reporting the concerns I had about the property regarding the level of dampness in the cave area."

  My complaint to Sykes is below, which was also copied direct to the owner. "Whilst we understand the cottage is part of the castle, the tunnel area is very damp and smells mouldy. There are three air fresheners in place in the tunnel to try to hide the bad smell which is overwhelming. There is a dehumidifier in what should have been the wardrobe space and the whole cupboard smelled mouldy. Therefore you had nowhere to put your clothes. I have respiratory problems having had pneumonia in the past. The dampness would be leading to spores in the air affecting my health. Each day I had to empty the dehumidifier which was full demonstrating how damp the place is. We did speak to the owner and he admitted there was no airflow in the tunnel area. He said he had tried to drill this previously but failed to get all of the way through. This needs to be fixed or people to be warned. The lack of airflow has exacerbated the issue. People should be pre warned that the place is damp. This should be in the property description. This is a health hazard. Particularly if you have any respiratory problems. We ultimately decided to leave after only 3 nights as I could not put my health at more risk. The place needs air flow to make this safe. This trip was for our honeymoon. If the advert had stated that there was a problem with air flow and damp in the old part of the cottage then we would have gone elsewhere". As noted above I would not have booked the cottage had I been aware of the dampness issues as I was hospitalised when I previously had pneumonia. This break was for our honeymoon. So even more disappointing. I have been in discussion with the property owner about reimbursement as we left the property early. He had agreed to make a refund on 11 September and despite having chased this up no refund has been made. I think it is important that other potential guests are aware of the issue up front and in the listing it needs to say that the cave area is damp. Having looked on line to see if anyone else reported any issues I have now found two similar complaints on Trip Advisor made in March 2024 and August 2024 about the level of dampness in the property. This is a health issue and Sykes Cottages have never responded to the complaint I made either, which I also feel is inadequate. I will be chasing the owner for a full refund, but felt that sufficient time has passed that it was important for me to put the review on line. I will also be putting the same review on Trip Advisor so others are alerted to the issue.

  Hi Deborah thank you for your feedback. When you arrived for your mini-moon we dressed cosy cave with balloons, champagne, chocolates and a card ready for your arrival. You sent me a message saying how happy you were with the property and that it was immaculate. We did buy some brand new air fresheners for your arrival as it was your mini-moon we wanted the place perfect. This property has been running successfully for three years now and had hundreds of happy guests who return year after year and has also won an award. The cave/ tunnel/ cinema room does not have any damp present. The dehumidifier is used as an extra precaution to extract any excess moisture that would be otherwise present in the air. The dehumidifier does need to be emptied when full. We have requested several times now for your photographs of the damp and Sykes have also requested these and you have been unable to produce anything. As you may already know the cost per night for two guests was £70 per night in total. This is £35pp per night. We feel that this is a very reasonable price to pay and once you take off all our overheads we are actually running at a loss since covid. We understand that you were desperate to get money back by any means. Unfortunately threats to leave negative feedback all over the internet does not warrant a valid reason to offer you a refund. Had we received the photographs then that would have been proof and we could of offered you money back. We would like to wish you good luck going forward with any future bookings. Kind regards. Stanhope Castle Management. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Deborah1.9★Aug 2024

• "We were really excited about staying here it was a planned romantic break after breaking my shoulder and also away from the kids."

  Upon arrival we felt it was quite impressive and the cave was a qwerky bonus. The hot tub wasn’t as close as we would have hoped but still it was there and not that much of an issue. However, you couldn’t lift the hood and fold it because the roof was too low, so we had to lift the whole lid off which was really difficult for my wife and for me after the shoulder break. The hot tub didn’t appear clean and was a bit off putting while soaking.

  Reviewed by Steven2.8★Aug 2024

• "When we got to Cosy Cave, the first thing that we noticed was that the garden is not enclosed, what looked like a fence dividing the 3rd property in the photos of Cosy Cave were now a set of planters."

  The grass area is not really accessible as there are no stairs or ramp to get to it. But thankfully as the property sharing the courtyard/garden (of which we were unaware of before booking) was vacant for our stay we were able to make some use of the courtyard. When entering Cosy Cave it presented well, was clean overall but there were a few things that could do with a clean (kettle was extremely limescaled and bed sheets had a couple of small patches of dried blood on them). Getting into the evening, it was getting rather cold so I searched for a heating controller but could not find anything, I changed the heaters from 0s to 5s but no luck in warming the property up. I emailed stanhope castle and they sent someone round really quickly to give us the heating controller. The issue with the controller was that in Cosy Cave it is very hard for it to get a signal to actually turn the heat on or up. We tried searching online and found that someone else also had heating issues here as the heating controller is kept in the property above Cosy Cave. Again we were lucky no one was booked in upstairs! There is a dehumidifier in Cosy Cave that is next to the TV room. After 1 night this gets full and needs emptying other wise will not be running. Whilst it is off you can really feel a difference in your chest when sitting in the TV room. The damp/moisture is a real problem in that room. We also found that our clothes from our suitcase felt damp as we kept our suitcase in the walk through section to the tv room. What also doesn't help is that the heater in that room does not warm up much at all (even when on 5). If those 2 issues were fixed it would make that room so much more enjoyable because the TV is great and the surround sound was amazing. The bathroom was really nice and clean. The pressure in the shower was great! The hot tub was really nice! We did notice however there were some bits at the bottom of the hot tub, not sure if these fell in from the cover or if it wasnt thoroughly cleaned. The cover is a bit worse for wear but with use that happens. We did clean the cover and the gazeebo as it was covered in spider webs etc. If we had known that the courtyard/garden is shared, not really enclosed and that the grass area is not really accessible then we would not have booked Cosy Cave. With the moisture issue in the TV room it feels unsafe for us to stay the full length of our stay so will be leaving on Thursday.

  Dear sir Thank you for your review. The large grasses area belongs to another holiday home called knights corner. Guests that pay to book that property don’t really appreciate other guests wondering through and invading their privacy. The separation planters have been positioned there since 2021. Maybe some of Sykes imagery needs updating. Cosy cave is in fact a cave. Eight metres long and under 12 foot of earth. It has no windows or natural ventilation. Hence the fact we use a small micro dehumidifier to remove any moisture from the air. This small micro dehumidifier only holds 1.5 litres of water. Which isn’t a great deal. Without this in operation and after a period of time. A natural build up of moisture in the air would create dampness. ( it is a cave under ground ) The same dehumidifier has been used in the property since 2019. And we are yet to see any images presented to us of any damp or mould. I welcome these if you have any. We use an external linnen for hire company who collect, wash and drop off for us on a weekly basis. I’m not to sure the ins and outs of the process they use at the factory or premises. But if the house keepers notice any marks of any type. They would immediately strip the bed and go and get a different set of sheets. Regarding the hot tub. This was personally drained and refilled prior to your stay. Sometimes the Caroline tablets dissolve and break apart and drop to the bottom of the tub. Once the tub has been running at a maximum temp of 40 degrees. They dissolve completely. We do try our best at Stanhope castle and we will continue to do so. We understand that we can’t always please everyone. No matter how hard we try. Best regards Stanhope castle Property Owner

  Reviewed by Aman2.2★Aug 2024

• "The property was fantastic - the only thing we found was a blocked sink which we dealt with using a bottle of Mr Muscle."

  ..! If I was being really picky then I'd suggest a little more help with the TV would be good and for the life of me I never managed to fathom the DVD player but that was a very minor issue. What was a more of an issue was the £100 bond which was not a problem but we never received an email with details of how to pay it. We tried to contact the property owners who initially did not respond, we then tried to contact Sykes who to be honest ignored us and we ended up talking to a computer. We did try to telephone SYKES but this just ended up with a 2024 typical disconnect and bugger off. That's not good enough..! Why? If we'd of been travelling we would not have had email access. In our case, this wasn't the problem but for goodness sake pick up your phones.

  Reviewed by Jim4.7★Jul 2024

• "I took my partner away for her birthday, she loved it this is an amazing ..."

  I took my partner away for her birthday, she loved it this is an amazing apartment, she loved the castle and cave , lovely town and people , if your looking for somewhere special To go this is the place , value for money and a hot tub

  Reviewed by Simon5.0★Oct 2023

• "Couldn’t fault the cosy cave."

  Absolutely perfect little get away for me and my girlfriend. The dog loved it as well. Lovely surrounding areas, and friendly locals. 10/10

  Reviewed by Jack5.0★Aug 2023

• "We wanted an unusual quirky holiday cottage to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary, well we certainly got this within a castle, with a living room in a tunnel."

  Everything was brilliantly clean on arrival and plenty of cooking facilities in the kitchen. We had lots of tea,coffee and sugar in the pots. We especially loved the hot tub after a day of visiting places which involved lots of walking.

  Reviewed by Adrian5.0★Jul 2023

• "Absolutely lovely (cosy cave) couldn’t fault anything, the hot tub is brilliant!"

  We took two mini schnauzers and they loved pottering around the courtyard when we were outside

  Reviewed by Trudy5.0★Jul 2023

• "Lovely 4night stay at The Cosy Cave will definitely return"

  Reviewed by Tracy5.0★Jun 2023

• "The Cosy Cave is a must for a short break."

  Great facilities set in a stunning area. We were made to feel welcome by both Scott & Ruth and the process ran smoothly, from booking through to the checkout. We would recommend the Cosy Cave to anyone and have already done so with family and friends. It was that great a break that we are potentially going to book again for later in the year.

  Reviewed by Barry5.0★Jun 2023

• "Poor communication and lack of support with any issues."

  First night arrived hot tub wasn’t ready so couldn’t use until second night. The next afternoon the loo stop flushing and we didn’t have anyone respond to us. Had to go 2.5 days and night with no working loo which was really disappointing, we used the local cafe and pub toilets when we could. This ruined our time away, if this got sorted then I would easily recommend the place as it was a lovely place, nice and comfy however no response to reporting issues was a big let down. A week later and not even had any acknowledgment regarding this. A loo is one of the things you can’t go without, there was a sign saying only toilet roll to go in so not sure if they knew it was broken, I’m past the age of needing anything apart from loo roll but toilet wouldn’t flush. Extremely disappointed in the service from the owners leaving us without a loo for this length of time.

  Thank you for your feedback. We apologise that you felt that there was a lack of support and communication regarding the issues raised during your stay. Unfortunately, our email inbox was not monitored over the bank holiday weekend, however if you were to call the phone number provided we would have responded immediately to rectify these issues. We appreciate your positive comments about the property however we apologise for any inconvenience caused. We hope to welcome you back in the future. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Vincent3.8★May 2023

• "STANHOPE IS A TOWN WITH EVERYTHING NEEDED."

  COSY CAVE WAS COMFY AND FITTED OUT WITH ALL ONE REQUIRES FOR A QUIET HOLIDAY IN THE NORTH PENNINES.RECOMMENDED TO ANYONE.

  Reviewed by John4.4★Mar 2023

• "Wonderful property."

  Perfect for a weekend break.

  Reviewed by Kirsty5.0★Mar 2023

• "This is the second time we have stayed at the Cosy Cave."

  We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend! The decor is great and the facilities did not disappoint. We look forward to coming back again.

  Reviewed by Chloe5.0★Dec 2022

• "We’ve had a relaxing week."

  The kitchen was well-stocked with cutlery, utensils and the essentials. Furnishings and bathroom are lovely- certainly quirky. Outdoor area was nice and we enjoyed breakfast and long days outside in the sun. Saying you had a lawn was a bit of a stretch. A ‘welcome’ basket would have been nice. Other Sykes cottages have left us dog treats, home-baked cakes, butter, biscuits etc. That was missing here. We’d have liked the hot tub a couple of degrees warmer. The bed could be bigger. Wo-if was unreliable. Tab needs more stable connection to channels. We stayed in probably the most expensive week of the year and it cost £931. Although we had a nice time, the accommodation needs some TLC and attention to be worth this much. Around the £700 mark would be a fairer price. Also lacking was a better thought out indoor eating area. The place where we hung our clothes was covered in spiders’ webs and spiders. Yes it’s a property from the 13th century but a bit of TLC is needed. The two arm chairs could be replace with a lovely comfy two-seater. These were not as comfortable as they looked and actually the premise of a cinema room was stretching it a bit far! In essence- a quirky property. Not 5* and excellent - more 4* and good with improvements needed.

  The property Cosy Cave has been our most booked property in 2022. Meaning there has been so much traffic backward and forwards through the property. We've only had a window from 10 am to 3 pm on our change-over system to carry out any essential works. This proves very difficult especially with the problem of purchasing materials now. We plan on giving the whole cottage a facelift at the end of the season when we have more time. Regarding leaving treats for dogs. We used to leave welcome hampers for all guests. But during the covid 19 pandemic, we were advised not to do this. So we haven't done this since. We thank you for your feedback and have taken the comments onboard. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Neil2.8★Aug 2022

• "Lovely cave, the hot tub is very open with people walking past to other rooms not as private as thought from the listing but lovely."

  The decoration and design is really unique and special. Will definitely return.

  Reviewed by Kerry4.1★Jul 2022

• "Cosy cave is a lovely spacious accommodation."

  With everything you need provided. Situated in a perfect location with everything on your doorstep.

  Reviewed by Corinne5.0★Jul 2022

• "Ideal if weather is nice nothing to really fault"

  Reviewed by John5.0★Jul 2022

• "Fabulous property and so unique."

  The cottage was beautifully and tastefully furnished to a high standard. We loved the cinema room which was cosy and atmospheric and enjoyed a full range of viewing on the large screen. As the weather was warm and sunny we ate outside for most of our meals enjoying the seclusion of the court garden behind the castle gates. The hot tub was bliss especially after a days sightseeing!! This property is an absolute gem of a find and I will be recommending it to friends and family. We'll be back!!!

  Reviewed by Margaret5.0★Jun 2022

• "Lovely little quirky place to stay, everything you need for a short break, nipping clean and in a lovely location on the market square."

  If I'd stayed longer I might have missed a dishwasher and tumble dryer.

  Reviewed by Susan5.0★Jun 2022

• "My wife and I greatly enjoyed our stay at the Cosy Cave at Stanhope Castle."

  The accommodation was clean, well laid out and comfortable. The owners Scott and Ruth were very helpful and friendly. Some great walks in the area, the dogs loved it. The local people are very friendly and helpful. Some nice pubs in the village, the Grey bull, Bonny moorhen and the Pack horse inn. There is a very good Indian Takeaway and also a very good fish and chip shop, recommend them all. Definitely give a thumbs up to Stanhope Castle,

  Reviewed by Ray4.7★May 2022

• "Absolutely beautiful property."

  Would stay again. Only small feedback is the light comes into the bedroom quite bright, as a light sleeper I was woken by this a black out blind would be just the ticket! Absolutely brilliant property and the village and location was amazing!

  Reviewed by Katherine4.7★Apr 2022

• "Our stay at Stanhope Castle has been great."

  We where staying. In The comfy cave. It was a totally new experience for us .It was ideal for a base to go on visits all over the historical eriea or just staying in .chilling out taking. Full advantage of the hot tub or watching movies.in the cavern. You are a stones throw away.cafs And five takeaways local Co/op .you really don't need to bring any food.This Holiday location is ideal for winter or summer breaks .with three pubs.what can possibly go wrong. we will definitely com back.The team at the Castle were very accomodating and helpfull.With a special Thanks to Ruth for all her help TANK you for your wellcom pack and my wife's birthday card and chocolates.

  Reviewed by Keith5.0★Mar 2022

• "This was the third time we have stayed at the cosy cave and absolutely love it."

  The attention to detail is top quality, the facilities are perfect and the location and amenities are spot on. We would highly recommend this very quirky but amazing property. The hot tub was so relaxing no matter what the weather and the cinema room has everything you would want for chilling. The whole holiday experience was flawless and we will be returning. Thank you Stanhope Castle

  Reviewed by Julie5.0★Feb 2022

• "What a lovely, lovely place to stay!"

  Couldnt fault in anyway! Lovely little gem in Stanhope! Accomodation is stunning, we had everything we needed from start to finish including a welcome treat of champagne and chocolates! The visitors book was very helpful for restaurants and places to visit in the local area and the hot tub was amazing! A wonderful weeks break in a stunning little cottage - would 100% recommend again and we will be returning!

  Reviewed by Becca5.0★Feb 2022

• "Absolutely fantastic stay, the castle was amazing we will be back."

  thank you for a lovely weekend

  Reviewed by Tanya5.0★Jan 2022

• "Lovely property, nice and clean when we arrived."

  And helpful directions when arriving. The hot tub was great as well as the stereo system with the blue Ray system in the cave. Only problem was the heating seemed to come on at random.

  Reviewed by Benjamin5.0★Dec 2021

• "We had a fabulous time at the Cozy Cave, quirky and imaginative place to stay."

  Beautifully decorated, fully equipped with everything you need and more. We will return !

  Reviewed by Lesley5.0★Oct 2021

• "Cosy Cave was a wonderful property for our holiday, really comfy and clean with really interesting quirky decor."

  We had a great time staying here and would happily come again. The hot tub was also really lovely and so nice to come home to at the end of the day.

  Reviewed by Elizabeth5.0★Oct 2021

• "Lovely stay at cosy cave stanhope castle lovely area with nice walks good ..."

  Lovely stay at cosy cave stanhope castle lovely area with nice walks good stocked shops and friendly bars plenty of equipment in the apartment and superb hot tub

  Reviewed by Steven5.0★Oct 2021

• "This was our third stay at Stanhope Castle, and won't be our last."

  We have also returned with family following our first stay, and have recommended it to friends. We have stayed in a different property each time, and will choose a different property next time. Each property is beautifully and individually decorated, and well maintained. The properties are well equipped and you have everything you need for the duration of your stay. The owners are lovely and very friendly, and easily contactable if the need arises. A bonus with the Cave is the open space and private garden furniture, which not all other properties benefit from - this provides an opportunity to dine or enjoy time and drinks outside. The castle is sub-divided into various other properties, some of which are residential. We have always fround the the residents to be friendly and happy to pass the time of day - you should however, be mindful and respectful of their amenity in terms of noise, hours of hot tub use, parking etc. If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing break, you won't be disappointed.

  Reviewed by Fiona4.7★Sep 2021

• "Thoroughly enjoyed our weeks holiday with our dog, everything we needed was on the door step, pubs, shops, take aways, café yet it was a very quiet town."

  The cottage, which was cosy, was clean and had everything we needed. We would certainly go back.

  Reviewed by Suzanne5.0★Aug 2021

• "The cosy cave was perfect , the village of Stanhope is so friendly and the ..."

  The cosy cave was perfect , the village of Stanhope is so friendly and the location is perfect to go and see all the nearby cities and castles etc

  Reviewed by Michael5.0★Aug 2021

• "The Cosy Cave is a quirky, characterful apartment."

  Very stylish and perfectly situated within Stanhope. We had a lovely time and would love to return sometime soon. I would have liked more information about how things worked in the apartment. Also recommendation on takeaways, restaurants, things to do etc.

  Reviewed by Margaret4.7★Jul 2021

• "We had a great stay in the cosy cave, the house was lovely and extremely clean, the hot tub and outside area were excellent."

  Our only issue hence the 4 stars instead of 5 was the heating especially in the cave, we were cold in the cave which was a shame as it as a lovely place to sit. Stanhope is a lovely place where we had lovely meals out and lovely walks

  Reviewed by Andrew4.4★Jun 2021

• "It was a beautiful place ."

  The “cosy cave “ was lovely . We took our “very well behaved dog “ and I thought we would have our own private area . Luckily the family above us … sharing our drive and area loved the dog as he is very friendly it worked well . There was a lot of information about picking up the dog “ “whoopee” and keeping off the bed etc etc . Maybe this should be emphasised prior to the visit . Taz does not sleep on our bed at home and very happy sleeping in his own bed next to me . We would definitely go back to Stanhope Castle an bring our family .

  Reviewed by Penelope5.0★Jun 2021

• "Absolutely beautiful quirky spot."

  .. we managed to book for what was the hottest weekend of the year so far so didn't get to use the actual cave as much as anticipated just because it would be a shame to waste so much sun! Ruth and Scott were a delight to deal with, very helpful upon arrival etc. The courtyard garden on an evening with the gate closed was very picturesque and relaxing. Only a few minor niggles, we could of had a couple more towels provided but to be fair we never asked and I'm sure they would of been provided if we did. One thought for improving the property would be a proper curtain rail and curtains in the main bedroom for sleeps in on sunny mornings! lack of any form of welcome tray basket was a bit amiss, usually in our experience and in this price range its almost expected, and when reading the guest book it looks like it has been provided previously. That said we had a lovely experience, having the town so close for amenities is really great, shops are handy so close, the pub was nice and the takeaway brilliant, the grounds are beautiful and whilst we were there we have rebooked the Knights Corner for next year to take the family away. Couldn't recommend this place enough.

  Reviewed by Robert5.0★Jun 2021

• "The only negatives were lack of communication and lack of information."

  Reviewed by Ryan4.4★May 2021

• "The most perfect little getaway for me my partner and our pup , the cosy cave was beautiful, it had such a calm And chilling Ora to it ."

  ..hot tub was amazing and the surroundings are truley breathtaking . We will be back for sure ! ❤️

  Reviewed by Dillon5.0★May 2021

• "Really nice accommodation, perfect for me and my dog to come away and chill out for the weekend."

  The property is fun and quirky and the hot tub is great to have. The quirky heating share with the upstairs property and being unable to turn off some radiators meant it was a little uncomfortable and stuffy to come back to. I would come back to Stanhope castle for sure but may consider one of the other properties... and already recommended to others

  Reviewed by Rachel4.7★Oct 2020

• "We had a wonderful break at the Cosy Cave."

  The bathroom in particular was gorgeous and we loved the quirky cinema room. Hot tub was perfect too and the Cosy Cave is in a great location for exploring.

  Reviewed by Rachel5.0★Oct 2020

• "Fabulous quirky accommodation."

  Really enjoyed the cinema room and hot tub. Lovely area to visit.

  Reviewed by Linda5.0★Jul 2020

• "Cosy Cave was the perfect retreat to spend a long weekend and get away from it all, there was nothing to fault with everything provided that you need when away from home."

  The hot tub was relaxing and the whole atmosphere left us relaxed and rested before heading home.

  Reviewed by Sarah5.0★Mar 2020

• "Really lovely cottage will return as soon as I can."

  The town of Stanhope has everything you need and is so friendly.Plenty to see in the local area

  Reviewed by Alan5.0★Mar 2020

• "Perfect, quirky, great hot tub, good dvd selection"

  Reviewed by Sona5.0★Feb 2020

• "Cosy Cave was the perfect place for a relaxing retreat!"

  We loved the cinema room, hot tub and the gorgeous bathroom. We loved exploring the area, with lovely walks from the door or a short drive into Durham. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

  Reviewed by Samantha5.0★Feb 2020

• "Another fabulous stay at the cosy cave, enjoyed every moment and didn't want to come home."

  Every need is catered for and wanted for nothing. Such a stylish and well thought out cottage and the hot tub tops it all. The area is so beautiful and has so much to offer, we didnt struggle for things to do, ventured as far a newcastle one dayp and the food market on Sunday along the tyne is fab and definitely on our list to visit again on our next trip to the cosy cave, the indian opposite is asl worth a try, delicious, and the local pubs are great

  Reviewed by Jaqueline5.0★Feb 2020

• "We booked cosy cave for a christmas getaway, and what a perfect location for Christmas it was."

  The apartment was perfect for 2 people, it was very clean and the extra christmas decorations and nibbles were very thoughtful. The bed was comfortable, the bathtub was a lovely touch, the kitchen had everything but a corkscrew opener (we'd accidentally brought the one bottle of red which had a cork in in it), and the little tv book was so romantic. The whole place was very cosy and comfortable. The village amenities were ample for us at christmas time and the local people were all very friendly and welcoming. We didnt eat out, as it was christmas we got an asda delivery (.and ordered way too much food) this delivery found it's way to cosy cave very easily. There are plenty of walks to go on around the area with some interesting sites, this was wonderful to do after consuming way too much food over the festive period. It would have been nice to have been able to control the heating ourselves. The the radiators seemed to come on only late at night and go off in the morning. We got ever so stuffy through the night but when we went for cold walk during the day we took a while the thaw out once we were back in the apartment due to the radiators not being on. This is only a very small issue as even without the radiators on during the day/evening the cave tended to be comfortable, I just like rooms to be filled with warmth to feel super cosy. I would definitely recommend this accommodation to everyone I know, I think it has features to impress anybody. As soon as we drove away I began thinking about booking it again for a summer holiday. It really is very impressive inside and out.

  Reviewed by Alicia5.0★Dec 2019

• "It was a really lovely place clean & very comfortable."

  Reviewed by Sarah5.0★Nov 2019

• ". Really enjoyed our stay at cosy cave."

  Reviewed by Caroline5.0★Oct 2019

• "Absolutely loved staying here and will 100% be back!"

  ! it made our mini-moon feel so special it was lovely and cosy!

  Reviewed by Sarah5.0★Oct 2019

• "It should be in the description that you do not have live television, that the television relies on the internet and you can only watch internet channels."

  This was a problem and the internet dropped out when the weather was bad. We couldn't catch up with the new/current affairs, and would have liked to have known this about this beforehand. The cottage is beautiful, but seems a bit more of style over substance. There isn't anywhere to sit and eat, except on your lap on the oversized, uncomfortable living room chairs, not ideal. A kitchen to cook in, even if it is only breakfast, is great, but you need somewhere to sit and eat it. It would have been nice to have a bedside table of some sort, as someone who needs to put their glasses somewhere, and need to access easily so that I can see, this was an irritant. As was the lack of bedside lights. You either had to put the lamp on , which was near the window and when you turned it off, had to walk in the dark to the bed, or leave the harsh overhead lighting on, and again had to get out of bed to turn it off. The fixtures and fittings where exceptional quality and the property was beautiful, but didn't work well the way it was set out. The cleanliness was exceptional and the welcome package was very thoughtful. We also never used the hot tub, which is one of the reasons we liked this property. It is in an out of the way corner that is not nice, and the shelter that had built up over it, was quite low, making it difficult to get into the hot tub, so we didn't bother. You have to climb steps to get into the hot tub, but the gap between the steps and the shelter roof, was very low, and made it difficult to get in, it also didn't feel luxurious in the corner they had put the hot tub, didn't feel private, which I guess is why they put up the shelter. Overall this property is beautiful and finished to a high standard, but wouldn't recommend it , as there were too many annoying things wrong with it, I am just glad we only stayed for a long weekend, if it had been a week, I would have left and asked for a refund.

  Dear sir/Madame May I start by thanking you for your feedback review. The contents have been noted. I would also like to thank you for the positive comments regarding the cleanliness and the mini hamper. I would like to reply to some of your comments. 1. HOT TUBE HAD STEPS. All hot tubs come with steps and it is the only way a human can enter a spa unless it is installed into the ground. There is not a snowballs chance in hell the county council or listed building officer would allow us to excavate a hole in the ground big enough to fit a hot tub within a historical asset of a grade two listed building. 2. HOT TUB SCREENING. Hot tub screening is important as it protects you and the hot tub from the elements. And also allows you to have your own privacy whilst relaxing in your swimwear. 3. TABLE AND CHAIRS. After we had our very first guests back in April this year. They brought it to my attention that eating off there lap wasn’t ideal. That same day I went out and bought a lovely small desk complete with two chairs. This is what every other guest has used since and there has never been an issue. 4. TV LOOSING SIGNAL. Fortunately the best feature of the cosy cave is that the cinema room consists of a 30 metre long tunnel.these walls either side of the tunnel are appropriately 6 metres thick. Meaning there are no drill bits long enough to drill a pilot hole through to run an antenna to the tv. And again with this being a grade two star castle and a protected historical asset. We cannot just start sticking sky tv dishes up everywhere. The ONLY way we could get any tv to work at the end of the tunnel was to stream via the WiFi. I have also installed a state of the art home cinema system with Dolby all surround sound and a collection of 70 blu Ray movies to watch.as I understand guests can’t sit and watch prime time television soaps unless they are streamed via the WiFi.i also apologies if the weather was terrible, forcing the streaming to freeze. Unfortunately this sometimes happens and it is out of my control. 5. BEDSIDE LAMPS AND DRAWERS. We are unable to put any bedside drawers either side of the bed as the bed is a large KINGSIZE and access is required both sides. 1. To enter the bedroom and 2. To enter the bathroom.i do understand your point about not being able to turn a light on and off from within the bed. This is something I will be looking into in forth coming weeks. This property has came 2nd out of 15,000 applicants for the best quirky property on Sykes books in 2019. All in its first 5 month of trading. I rest assure I will make all of the relevant modifications required to keep the standards of the property as high as I can. Kind regards Stanhope castle admin. Kind regards Scott robson Property Owner

  Reviewed by Donna3.1★Sep 2019

• "We had a fantastic honeymoon in the cosy cave."

  The hot-tub was amazing and the cottage spotlessly clean on our arrival. The owners welcome package of Prosecco, chocolates and flowers were very thoughtful. The cottage offered us the right mix of relaxation and exploring. However a couple of points that would make the cottage really 5* would be if there was a washer drier. As we used the hot tub a lot there was limited places to dry wet towels and costumes etc. It would also be beneficial for there to be a curtain in the bedroom as the light streams in quite early during the summer months. However having said that we have had a fantastic time and we will be back!

  Reviewed by Hannah4.4★Aug 2019

• "Well equipped, comfortable cottage with lots of quirky touches."

  We loved our stay and hope to come back again!

  Reviewed by Julie5.0★Aug 2019

• "We booked this property for a few days after our wedding with the dog."

  The place is immaculate and just as it appears in the brochure. We had a high end welcome pack of Prosecco and chocolates amongst other gear things. The furnishings and kitchen ware were all of the highest quality. Stanhope itself is a great location as either a quiet retreat or base to explore. There are pubs, a great chippy and Indians all located a few yards from the castle grounds in the market square. I left my iPad in the property after we finished our stay and i contacted the owner who brought it round to my house a couple of days later! You can not fault that for customer service! We had met the owner in passing a couple of times during our stay and he was great and helpful. All in all I couldn’t recommend this place high enough whatever your reason for booking is. PS I forgot to mention the hot tub! Again this was a high end multi-jet hot tub that sits 6 I believe. We spent most evenings in there!

  Reviewed by Lewis5.0★Jul 2019

• "This was just the perfect holiday."

  The cave itself was fantastic! Gorgeous inside, so clean and so many added extras that really made us feel so welcome. The hot tub was a real added bonus. This is the perfect destination for anyone with a dog. Stanhope is a dream get away destination- and you can take your dog to most of the pubs and restaurants. So close to many attractions near by, so there was always something to do. Scott was so welcoming, and helpful. There was a whole file on where to visit, and the best places to eat nearby. Can't wait to visit again already.

  Reviewed by Nicola5.0★Jul 2019

• "Fabulous cottage and location, everything on your doorstep."

  Very well equipped and every comfort catered for. We especially enjoyed the hot tub and Scott the owner was very hospitable and answered any queries we had. We have already booked a return visit which says it all.

  Reviewed by Jaqueline5.0★Jul 2019

• "The owner left a welcome pack of chocolates ans a bottle of prosecco for us."

  The cosy cave is a unique place.

  Reviewed by Lesley5.0★Jun 2019

• "The owner has made so much effort to get things right and has attended to all the "little touches " that make a difference - the welcome pack with e."

  G. bread, jam, chocs and prosecco. Super friendly and accommodating. The visitors book for our ground-floor flat is full of praise. A minor assumption is that everyone knows how to stream data on a TV and work multiple controllers (there were only two). For the benefit of the older occupants unused to latest technology it would be helpful to provide a brief idiots guide to getting TV channels without random button pressing. A large selection of DVD's and Blue-Ray discs was there and of course they self-load once in place.

  Reviewed by David4.7★Jun 2019

• "We had a fabulous weeks stay at Cosy Cave."

  Beautifully decorated, stylish furnishings and immaculately clean. The owner has gone the extra mile with all the extras. Fluffy robes and towels, welcome hamper with Prosecco, Tea, coffee, milk even food bowls and fluffy bed for pets. There is your own hot tub with gas BBQ, patio seating and chimnea. The private gated secure parking is a bonus. Cinema room with an abundance of dvds, a cabinet full of books and lovely imitation candles. The location is great for exploring weardale with lovely riverside walks on the doorstep. There are shops and pubs just outside the castle gates with quaint little coffee shops and the Durham Dales Center just across from the main castle entrance. I would definitely recommend Stanhope Castle and would definitely return. They definitely deserve their 5 star rating.

  Reviewed by Sue4.7★Jun 2019

• "Excellent cosy castle."

  Brilliant facilities and welcomed by the owner who offered any assistance if needed. Also pet friendly.

  Reviewed by Anthony5.0★May 2019

• "The Cosy Cave, was perfect for our short trip away over the Bank Holiday Weekend, the location was perfect, and we really enjoyed our stay, would highly recommend to any friends or family."

  Reviewed by Eleanor4.7★May 2019

• "Everything was excellent."

  There was a warm welcome package and even goodies for our wee dog. Owners were extremely friendly. The cottage is well-situated in the centre of Stanhope, with easy access to Blanchland, Edmundyers, and Durham. The Weardale moors are exceptional and worth their protected status. We had a lovely week and the Cosy Cottage is highly recommended. Hope to return soon.

  Reviewed by Ronald5.0★Apr 2019

• "The cottage was excellent in every way and looking to go there again as we really enjoyed it."

  Reviewed by Scott5.0★Apr 2019

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