Whistlewood Reviews

We had a wonderful time and loved the large openplan kitchen area. The kitchen however needs some improvements with some of the equipment for example the pan, which did not actually sit flat to work on the induction hob, the fridge had a broken shelf and a lot of the utensils were old or broken. The kitchen table was also quite small for 6 of us. The outdoor area looked lovely but there was a lot of bird poo everywhere so we could not use it. We would come back but upstairs needs some TLC and decoration especially the small bedroom as this has a few issues. There was also a TV that was not tuned in. Many thanks and we did like it there especially the location and kitchen.

The accomodation was reflective of the photographs, the property was full of character, spacious and in a wonderful position close to the beach, cafes and pubs. The decor reflected the character of the property. The stone kitchen floor was great for coming in with wet, sandy and muddy feet.

The cottage is great and it would be wonderful in the summer as the back garden is made for celebrations with friends and family. Would recommend replacing the floor in the kitchen it is broken tiles and makes sounds when you walk on it. It really lets the rest of the cottage down.

Lovely house, in a lovely location.

Good value, lovely cottage in a great location, cosy living space and large kitchendiner with plenty of cooking equipment. Nice outdoor space for good weather summertime. Had an issue with the combi boiler which was rectified within 30 minutes of reporting it. Think this property could increase its star rating with a little TLC such as freshening paintwork, new soft furnishings, addressing some minor snags, bit of tidying up in the garden and a deep clean. Also there was no hand soap or general basics such as salt and pepper although there was a small cleaning pack plus small pack of tea coffee and biscuits. We would definitely return though.

Lovely stay, we really enjoyed our time at this well designed and comfortable cottage, perfectly located within the village. The dog proof garden was a bonus as we have a canine escape artist. Property could do with a little refurbishment as some of the electrical goods are past thier prime from heavy use, and the drainage from the shower soon backflowed. Needs a better system for enptying the bins as collection is mid week, we had no idea if it was for balck bin or reccyling waste, and both the house and wheelie bins wer already full on arrival!

Whistledown is in a very convenient location in Bamburgh village . Its a warm , comfortable property but it is tired and in need of refurbishing to reflect the rental prices , particularly regarding heavy stains on the bedroom carpets and very tired curtains blinds . The shelf in the door of the fridge was broken and we were amazed that there were no cleaning products whatsoever , including washing up liquid or bathroom soap left for guests . There wasnt a hand towel in the downstairs toilet . We have stayed in many holiday houses in Bamburgh and they have always provided the above which is not a great ask . The vacuum cleaner there was very inefficient too . It would have been a lot easier if more mugs cups and crockery were available .

Beautiful cottage in an ideal location for the castle, pubs, restaurants & shops. Very well maintained inside & out. Had everything we needed for our stay. Very quiet & peaceful in the garden. Would definitely stay here again if we're in the area.

The cottage was lovely and was our second visit, however a bit disappointing to have no soap or towel in the downstairs cloakroom. The lack of basic cleaning products just one j cloth and one scourer is not acceptable. The cooker also needs a good deep clean.. the en suite bathroom needs attention. To use the shower its unavoidable to get water everywhere, a shower curtain or screen is definitely needed. However cottage is do well situated and the outdoor space was lovely only stayed in winter before

We stay in cottages a couple of times a year and in general it was lovely. The location was perfect. Comfy beds and sofas are important to us and the sofas were very disappointing in desperate need of replacement. The beds were comfy but I was suggest new pillows in the master bedroom as they were quite flat appreciate this is personal preference. In the kitchen there were plenty of pans and oven dishes but I would be inclined to provide fewer better quality pans and baking trays. The washing machine is very loud, it likely needs a good clean.

Lovely cosy comfortable cottage. Well equipped. Perfect location. There seems to be a leak from the shower with water dripping through the ceiling just above the kitchenutility room door the plaster looks water damaged so likely begin leaking for a while. Didnt affect our stay but probably something that needs sorted!

Very spacious with good linen and towels. Very well equipped kitchen but some bowls etc dusty. Grest location. However house wss very cold and no wood was left for the fire. Back gsrden is unusable and dangerous. Shower ran hot snd cold and chairs in lounge grubby. Could be amazing if above points addressed.

This was our second visit to Whistlewood. The cottage is ideally situated in the heart of Bamburgh and is perfect for our family. Unfortunately, we were a little disappointed with our stay this time as there were a couple of issues which, in our opinion, were unacceptable given the amount we paid. Firstly, the shower leaks pretty badly and leaves a large puddle in the kitchen. Water damage is visible in the kitchen so I dont think this is a new issue and I would recommend the owners address it urgently. Secondly, we were given no information about when the rubbish would be collected during the holidays our stay was over New Year. We assumed the owners would take care of it at the end of our stay, however, when we took our waste out towards the end of our holiday, we were shocked to find the dustbins overflowing with rubbish from previous guests and bags piled up beside them. We had no option but to just add to the piles of waste. It was pretty unhygienic and I hope the owners sort it before anymore guests arrive.

Comfortable cottage for family of four and dog in a brilliant location for the village and castle of Bamburgh and the beach for the dog. The cottage is warm comfortable and facilities are good for the price. We loved the open plan kitchen dining and the space was bigger than expected. The small garden was perfect for the dog to have some space and in the summer it must be lovely. Only gripes are that the crockery is tired and chipped and should be replaced and more mugs and cutlery esp knives would be helpful for families staying. But a lovely break thank you

We loved our stay. Wonderful homely cottage with good facilities and a great location. Only a 10 mins walk to the beach and a pub, restaurant and 2 hotel bars just a few minutes up the road. Lovely outdoor space for the dogs too.

The house is in excellent location but is looking very tired. The boiler needs servicing as the house smelt of the oil from boiler. The freezer is constantly buzzing and as it is in kitchendining area it is quite intrusive. The Sky box subscription needs updating. And I was very concerned about location of microwave. Bring only 5ft tall the microwave was almost above head height and very dangerous when removing hot foot. Finally maybe invest in front door mat.

Great place and great location would def recommend and would like to re visit

Chest of draws need attention as they were difficult to open and close. More cleaning items and dishwasher tablets, we had to buy some. A few more mugscups would be useful. Apart from this it is a lovely cottage and we would stay again.

My dispute is not being managed on a personal level I am unable to talk to a ... My dispute is not being managed on a personal level I am unable to talk to a person at Sykes all I get is emails and in the chat I have been ignored

Whistlewood is an utterly charming property in a superb location in the heart of Bamburgh. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and hope to return in the future. I've only taken a point off the Facilities and Maintenance section because the shower was leaking, which caused a puddle to form on the kitchen floor!

The property was very spacious with a very well equipped kitchen. It was great having 2 bathrooms and downstairs WC. I loved having a larder and 2 fridges meant we had a food fridge and drinks fridge, very convenient. Quirky little lounge area upstairs is good to have quiet time from downstairs lounge. There is a bbq covered area but it would be useful in the property description if it added that you need to bring your own portable bbq set as we brought coals, firefighters and bbq food only to find there wasnt a working bbq. The mugs need replacing as a few were cracked and leaked but that is not a complaint, just feedback to the owners. Fabulous location, straight off the high street. I would return to this property.

When w been emptied for weeks e arrived the bin in the en suite had not been emptied. As there were no plastic bags in the bins this was unpleasant. The recycling bin in the kitchen had not been emptied. The general was bin in the garden seemed not to have been emptied in weeks, it had also had grass cuttings in it. It was so heavy I had great difficulty moving it to get the recycling bin out. The general waste bin is now full to overflowing and, had I been staying this week, I would not have been able to move it. There were no spare toilet rolls. The oven had been cleaned but the cleaning medium had not been cleaned off Doubtful it was safe to use.

Lovely spacious house, well fitted out and wonderful location.

Whistlewood is a very comfortable, pet friendly cottage. The large kitchen is well equipped and was a great space to enjoy with the whole family. The cottage was warm and clean and on our arrival and remained comfortably warm throughout our stay. The enclosed back garden was great for the dogs and was quiet and peaceful. The cottage is in a great position as it is tucked away from the Main Street but is within walking distance of the beach and castle. The parking spaces were a real bonus in this busy little village!

On arrival we were met by overwhelming oil fumes. We feel we should have been informed of this before arrival and offered the chance to cancel, be relocated, or proceed with our stay at discounted rates. We were informed that there had been and oil leak and the fumes should go. However there remained a strong smell throughout our stay and we informed you and we left a day early. We would appreciate some compensation for this unpleasantness.

What a lovely cottage everything we needed and more. Website and company are great to deal with. We will definitely be returning. Thank you

We have stayed in many holiday cottages in Bamburgh and agreed that Whistlewood was our favourite by far. Its like a home from home and is very well equipped, we had everything we needed and enjoyed cooking in the amazing farmhouse style kitchen and then relaxing in front of the perfect wood burning stove. The bedrooms are comfortable with lots of storage. Location is great for dog walks on the beach followed by a nice meal or drink in the village and two parking spaces was an added bonus. The only areas for improvement and there arent many would be a family size toaster 4 slices as this would speed up breakfast and the curtains in the main bedroom could also do with replacing as they kept falling off their hooks. We will be back!

An absolutely 'home from home' property where we had an incredibly comfortable stay. Everything was just as listed or better. Thank you for thinking of all the little things that make a holiday away from home work so well. We only used a fraction of the TV sets at Whistlewood, but the books especially the recipe books were very appreciated reading. We had a lovely, peaceful holiday.

We booked Whistlewood early last year for a stay over Xmas. After seeing recent reviews we were dubious about the cleanliness, comfort and heating with the cottage however, we absolutely loved our stay! Yes the sofas could do with an upgrade but all in all it was perfect. Plenty of space, the facilities were superb! 2 fridges and a washing machine and tumble dryer made our stay even easier! Beautiful location just minutes walk from the beach. We would definitely recommend!

We have just returned from a lovely week in Whistlewood. Weather a bit iffy but one doesnt go to Northumberland for the weather. We have stayed in this cottage many times and we love it. It is immaculately clean and well presented. Yes there are some issue but what home doesnt have those. What I can never understand however is that when the cost of energy is so high why there is a huge sofa blocking the heat from the radiator in the sitting room and same with the church pew and old chair in the kitchen diner, removing those would give more heat, more space especially getting round the kitchen table. The armchairs in the sitting room are terribly comfortable but sad to say the sofas are too big for this room snd are past their best by date, We did have two problems both of which were resolved promptly snd with kindness and patience. The agency lady who helped me, Jaquie, is an absolute star. Kind, helpful and patient particularly when I seemed to be stupid enough to lock myself out because I didnt have the strength in my hands to turn the key properly in the back door. We have already booked for next year Thank you to the NCCC staff for letting us stay in Whistlewood. Sarah

The cottage was comfortable enough on the whole, well equipped with most things, but there were a few issues. Firstly, there is now only one log burner, this needs updating on your website. There was no starter pack for the fire and only 3 logs supplied, so we had go directly to the shops on arriving in order that we could have a fire on the first night to buy kindling and matches, there was nowhere in the village that had firelighters, so we purchased those the next day with more logs. There was no ash bucket unless we were supposed to use the little 'coal skuttle' next to the fire, but this wasn't fit for purpose as it was too narrow for the size of the ash collecting pan from the log burner and there were no heat resistant gloves to prevent being burnt when wanting to add extra logs. Unfortunately we ran out of hot water when we wanted a bath and there seemed no way of boosting the hot water all on a timer. The curtain rail in the lounge also collapses when you draw it. We also found the beds a little saggy

This is a pleasant, cosy and warm cottage that is well furnished and our needs were well provided for. However it was badly let down by very poor cleaning with dead insects and dust on most window ledges. The garden is cosy and quite well laid out but the garden furniture had to be cleaned of dirt and bird droppings before it could be used perhaps it should be covered up rather than guests having to clean it before it can be used. The specifications for the cottage do not mention the front access, which is some 20 yards away from the parking area along a narrow pathway trip hazard where cracked which has bushes either side along its length. These bushes need cutting back as some caught on clothing. Also, this path is used as a thoroughfare, with people walking directly past the front windows, causing dogs to bark. In the bedrooms, the pillows wer too flat, the mattress was not comfortable and a larger than double size would have been appreciated. The shower cubicle is small and tired and the ensuite to the main bedroom has a bath only. For a cottage that cost 1200 for a week it should have been better. We enjoyed our stay, the cottage is perfectly adequate, Bamburgh and the area are lovely and we would go again but not to this same cottage.

Excellent accommodation for family friends break. Contained garden is great for kids and dogs. Lamp bulbs in lounge not working but hot and light so didnt need them! Note bbq area does not include equipment so need to take own. Otherwise fully equipped and highly recommend this property!

Just some hand soap to start you off in the bathrooms would be helpful a few little touches would make this 5 star. Beautifully clean and comfy though

Ideal cottage for large family and dog with three good size bedrooms, two bathrooms, very cosy lounge and kitchendining area. It has everything in terms of facilities and great outdoor space for all including dog. It is ideally located in the centre of Bamburgh with its own parking space an added bonus. Perfect location to explore Bamburgh itself and the beautiful Northumberland coast. Would highly recommend.