Bowlees Farm Holiday Cottages and Pool - Bishop Auckland

Claire B.

Booking reference: 37818063
I never leave negative reviews but I feel I need to so that people who stay here know what to expect as I'm very surprised with the positive reviews Raby cottage receives. I do need to note that Tony did try his best to resolve my issues and was as helpful as he could be in the circumstances. As soon as we arrived at Raby Cottage we saw instantly that it was filthy. The handrails were dirty, all of the walls were marked anf some holed, the floors were filthy, the doors and frames and skirting boards were dirty, the windows inside and out were dirty, the glass shower screen was full of limescale and you couldn't see through it, the sofas have seen better days and when you sit on them you can feel the wood underneath making it uncomfortable to sit on, you also dont get cushions and a leg on the sofa was broken. The oven was full of muck, food and grease and when using the oven the door kept popping open so had to stand close by to keep closing it. I raised our concerns and Tony showed us round 2 other cottages so we could pick the best one and move cottages however, there wasn't a best one and all of them were as bad and as dirty as each other. As we dont drive we got an Uber to the cottage which was £40 one way, had I drove I'd have drove straight home but our food Asda shop was on its way to the cottage. Tony said he'd pay for our taxi home which was nice of him but declined as we were unable to cancel our Asda order which was en route. I was really upset and disappointed to say the least. It was agreed that the cleaners would come back and reclean the cottage. So we sat outside on the bench with a drink while 2 cleaners and Tony cleaned the cottage. The floors didn't get recleaned though but we always kept sliders/slippers on our feet as they were the dirtiest floors ive seen. Also, there was loose quavers under the tables, we didnt have quavers so they were from the previous occupiers, which confirms that the floors werent cleaned. The tea towels stunk of chip pan grease so we gave these back and got more provided. They were a bit better but still had an awful odour so we cleaned them ourself and dried them outside.
I queried the WiFi as on cottages.com it states you pay for it, however Tony said this website is out of date and needs to be updated, so WiFi is free. It said on the website that you get a welcome pack, again I questioned this and was told that the people who udually book to stay e.g. hens and parties don't want scones etc, I told him that me and my mam are not there for a hen or a party. The welcome pack included 2 (dirty) tea towels, 1 dishwasher tablet, scourers and washing up liquid oh and 2 toilets rolls. We stayed 3 nights out of 4 due to commitments on the fri and if I'm honest I was pleased to leave early, we came away on the afternoon. Don't get me wrong the views and walks are stunning but this does not compensate for the accommodation. We didn't go in the pool or the games room at all and we only went in our hot tub twice but it was full of leaves, petals and flies so didn't feel it was clean enough. It's very dated, lamps, furniture, the kitchen etc are very worn. It needs a very good deep clean and a full refurb with new furniture to be acceptable. I apologise for leaving this review but it's an honest review which needs to be taken seriously. Thank you.

Robbie C.

A brilliant stay with a group of friends to celebrate a 40th.

Facilities are excellent, from a personal hot tub, to the shared swimming pool area.

Tony was a great host, with great recommendations and got the balance spot on in terms of being available when needed without being intrusive.

A beautiful location and perfect home to enjoy it from. I hope to be back.

Kimberly S.

Just had a two night stay in raby cottage, cottage is well equipped, hot tub was lovely, dog friendly, swimming pool, games room and sauna on site for no extra cost, lovely views, located on a working farm, lovely to see wild life around and lots of bunnies

Luke

Lovely place and stayed with a few friends. The views are most definitely the selling point here. Nice pool and hot tubs are exactly what you need for aching joints. Just a few places need some attention. The snooker room does need some lights over the table with 2 missing bulbs. The sauna was ok, but the light didn't work, so it's best to use during daylight hours. The lamp in our room flickered on the highest setting, and the main room lights made a buzzing noise similar to that of old school lights. Some dust in areas and a bit of cleaning around the property was needed, such as the fridge seal, which was loose and a bit grimy. Overall, I would come back again despite those little things that need improvement as it was a very nice place to be and was very much like a home away from home, and being pet friendly meant that we could happily have our little friend with us. We also finally had a clear night, so the view of the stars was fantastic. Thank you so much for an enjoyable time.

Kelly F.

Just enjoyed an amazing 3 days in the Durham cottage with family. This place is defo 5 star. Tony the owner was so helpful and very accommodating when carrying out our booking nothing was to much trouble. It absolutely good value for money and will definitely be booking up again in October. Views are breath taking while enjoying time relaxing in the hot tub which was well maintained and cleaned. Couldn't think of a better place to relax and spend quality time with family and friends. Other activities to enjoy on site like the indoor swimming pool, pool table and lots of outdoor space to play ball. Or to enjoy a lovely walk.
Absolutely Love this place ❤️
Kelly finney 11/52024 😁

Robert B.

Just have a few days at this hidden gem. I had all my family there and enjoyed the hot tub every day. Tony the owner showed us how to operate the amenities there personally and any questions were dealt with 5* . It made our time relaxing this won't be the 1st time or the last. Ty Bob

lameduck9

We just spent a long weekend in Durham cottage and Wow - what a weekend it was. Perfect location, wonderful facilities and great hosts/owners. There were 5 of us and a dog (sadly my dad, for whom the trip was booked, was in hospital and had to miss it but we will definitely book again so he can come and enjoy it all)

The cottage was cosy yet spacious, very warm and welcoming with all the amenities you need - well appointed kitchen, plenty of seats & sofas and a lovely log fire.

Beds are all very comfortable with luxury cotton linen and fluffy towels.

The indoor heated swimming pool was amazing - my granddaughter loved it and her confidence in swimming went up no end. The full size snooker table made for a great afternoon and then the evenings were spent in our private hot tub, looking out across the valley as the sun set.

The owners deserve a lot of credit & praise; they have created a fabulous place to escape with great attention to detail and a real feeling of being looked after.

Certainly recommended, we will be back again very soon.

Caroline N.

What a fantastic place to stay!

5 stars value and accommodation.

We’ve just got back from a two night stay with my family and our dog. We have all had the most amazing time.

These cottages are absolutely beautiful and the views are stunning.

We met Tony ( owner) on arrival for our key, he kindly showed us around and how to use the hot tub etc- he was kind, helpful and professional throughout our entire stay and always on hand should we have needed him.

The cottage are so well equipped:
kitchen area has a dish washer, toaster, kettle, cooker, microwave and a fridge freeze - there’s masses of cutlery, pans and utensils at hand.

The living / dinning area with tables and chairs it has ample space for dining and relaxing - beautiful stone underfloor heating too, leather sofas , TV, Wi-Fi and coffee table.

There’s a WC down stairs as well as a bathroom upstairs.

The bedrooms were perfect- the beds are so comfortable and there’s ample wardrobe space ( including hangers) plenty of draw space and a lovely makeup dressing area.

The hot tub was superb and just outside the door on the patio . It was on 40 degrees and very clean : fantastic to relaxin in during the day and to watch the shooting stars by night- just relax it’s all set up for you. There’s also a washing line and table and chairs outside to have your breakfast on or just relax with a drink in your hand while you take in the views - the views are absolutely stunning.

There’s an ironing board, washing machine and a hoover ( should you need to use one) in the little cupboard under the stairs.

The large heated indoor pool was a hit with the boys, there’s also a snooker/ pool table, another hot tub and a sauna inside this room, with seating! So the whole family can enjoy this area all together- again, this room was very safe and very clean.

There’s a pub and a restaurant within a 35minute walk but you might want to get a taxi back as those hills are not for the faint hearted.

All in all 10/10 for this stay!

We will definitely be back.

Thanks you again for our fabulous memories.