Ryehill Farm Cottage, Thropton

We booked this cottage through Skyes Cottages who has given it 4 stars, the pictures give that impression as well, we were disappointed with what we found. The cottage clearly hadn't been cleaned as there was spider webs,spiders and flies everywhere, a musty stale smell greeted us as we entered. The fridge stunk and clearly hadn't been cleaned for a while. With no splash back behind the job or sink means there are stains all along the wall for cooking and washing up All the window frames are filthy and one of the blinds wasn't even put up properly. It was like there was a thin film of grime on everything Rusty bin in the bathroom and hand wash left with next to nothing in it. The bedding was old and dreary and really the the whole cottage looked nothing like the 4star photos found on the Sykes Cottages website. We ended up spending £20 on cleaning products to clean the fridge, work top, front of the cupboards, cutlery and cutlery draw and 2 of each in terms of plates, bowls etc as we didn't trust if they were clean or not. The Hoover hadn't been emptied either after the last time it was used We brought new bedding as well, again we didn't feel the bedding provided was clean. There was a large area of black mould above the kitchen sink that clearly hadnt been acknowledged, light fittings haven't been attached properly or are loose as walking upstairs cause them to flicker. The lock box at the front of the house is broken as well If you intend to rent this property here is a list of things you will need: Cleaning products Bed linen (duvet, pillow cases) Oven Gloves (non provided) Hand wash Tool box Batteries or a clock as the one here is either broken or every battery left doesn't work, again no one has bothered to check it. The only positive was the view We came here as my partner is from the area and wanted to reconnect with her roots but this left a sour note on our holiday. The owners offered £100 compensation which we accepted but we felt they should have offered more The owners really need to spend some time trying to make things right and maybe finding a better cleaner and give the whole property a proper deep clean

This cottage needs cleaning. A deep clean. The place was filthy, thick dust and cobwebs everywhere. Dog hairs in furniture and cushions. Lack of the most basic maintenance. Freezer iced up. Light bulbs needing replacing. A leak in one of the rooms. Generally in a scruffy and uncared for condition. Mainly it was really dirty and not fit for paying guests. Disgusting!

The location of this little cottage is spot on. It allowed us to explore wonderful Northumberland, which is simply stunning. The people are friendly and welcoming and we can't wait to go back.

The cottage is wonderfully located, with peace and quiet and all the facilities that one would need. The cottage is dog friendly, with a nice garden for the dog to play in.

Lovely little cottage in an ideal location for a quiet break or drives out. My wife and I stayed for a week with a friend in July. It has a small entrance hall, a lounge/diner/kitchen and a utility cupboard downstairs and two bedrooms and a bathroom up. There's a wood burner as well (although we didn't use it as it was the height of summer!). The garden is small (and on a slope) - but fine for the three of us and fenced well enough to keep my dog in. Reading back, that all sounds a bit underwhelming. It's not meant to. It's a reasonably priced very comfortable cottage - but the location is where it comes into its own. It's lovely. There's a 15 minute walk over some fields to get to the nearest pub, there's no noise at night (even the local sheep and chickens are sleeping) and the views are superb. It's also very central for many of Northumberland's tourist destinations - the National Trust property and Cragside (dog friendly) is a must and only 10 minutes drive away. We'd visit again (as would the dog!).

Beautiful location, fabulous views and a very comfortable cottage - really super!

Arrived on Friday night and the cottage was freezing. Flicked one switch and it was instant warmth!! This gave us the chance to get the fire started. Beautifully kept and very up to date. There was wine and chocolates for us which was a big plus to start our weekend. Bedrooms very comfortable and quilts nice and thick for this cold time of year. Bathroom very nice but shower only spraying out from a couple of holes. Nothing that lime scale remover won't solve but a great excuse for a relaxing bath. Games and DVDs supplied. Lovely walks with the dogs. Easy to clean at the end of our stay (leave as you find Moto) but could do with a new Hoover to lighten the load!! Lol

We liked everything - perfect location and lovely cottage.

We had a very lovely stay, Ryehill Farm Cottage was just what we were looking for.

This is the second time that we have been to this property, and enjoyed it as much as the first time! The Cottage is comfortable and well furnished, but homely. The views from the garden are wonderful, and the surrounding area is breathtaking. For those who want to get away from it all, and enjoy the countryside it is perfect, but well situated to explore all that Northumberland has to offer.

It was a really lovely cottage in a very peaceful location. Having a single open plan living area was ideal for a family holiday. The cottage was well equipped, well looked after and I can imagine it being very cosy in the autumn and winter too.

An ideal place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

I thought the cottage exceeded my already high expectations. I really enjoyed my stay and will definitely be going back. The location was just amazing with fantastic views and lots of good walks. I was looking to really get away from it all and this was just perfect. There was even a bottle of wine and some treats for the dog waiting when I arrived. Really brilliant.

We loved the position of the cottage; did not feel isolated but so quiet and in touch with all the new life at this time of year. Rothbury gorgeous and walk from cottage to Thropton. So many places to visit and varied in character. Will definitely return to enjoy this wonderful county, cottage and friendly people.

Getting away from the rat race, really beautiful surroundings, totally chilling out.

A lovely place and a fantastic holiday.

The cottage was remote, cosy and very homely; a really comfortable place to stay. We also very much appreciated being able to take the dogs with us. There were plenty of walks from the front door which we loved plus plenty of places to visit. We had a great time, a little bit sorry to come home! We will definitely rebook and revisit Northumberland.

Lovely, comfortable cottage in wonderful location. Owners friendly and very helpful. I'll be back as often as I can!

Lovely cottage in the ideal location for walking and cycling.

Lovely cottage in beautiful countryside. Ideally placed for walking and cycling as well as being near enough to the coast and towns. Very relaxing and an added bonus was enjoying breakfast on the patio as the weather was fantastic. Really enjoyed our stay and will hopefully be back as there is plenty more to do and see in the area.

Lovely peaceful location with lots of great walks on the doorstep but not too far from town (Rothbury) and close to other tourist attractions and activities. Short drive to the coast as well.