Guests say
Gowan Cottage is a well-regarded holiday rental with guests praising its comfortable furnishings, homely feel, and beautiful location. It serves as a great base for exploring the Lake District, with convenient access to local attractions and amenities. While some guests have suggested minor improvements, the overall sentiment is positive, with many enjoying their stay and planning to return.
Guests that stayed at this property said
The majority of guests found the cottage to be spotless and very comfortable. However, a few guests mentioned issues with cleanliness such as a sticky dinner table and dirty high chair, which slightly impacts the overall high rating.
The location is frequently described as lovely, quiet, and ideal for exploring the Lake District. Some concerns were raised about the proximity to a caravan park and the lack of a private garden, which may affect the privacy and suitability for dog owners.
Guests generally found the cottage cosy and the beds comfortable. There were some comments about the lack of garden space and issues with thin curtains leading to early morning light, which suggests room for improvement in ensuring a restful sleep.
The cottage is well-equipped, but guests have noted a lack of cooking pots, a problematic dishwasher, and a need for more kitchenware. Some appliances are reported to be outdated or in need of repair, indicating that maintenance could be better.
There is no mention of gifts or special touches that would indicate thoughtfulness from the owners. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a score in this category.
About this property
Gowan Cottage is a smart character property surrounded by beautiful countryside and is part of the Ings Mill Park development. The property sits alongside the River Gowan and the large wooded valley between Windermere and Staveley and there are wonderful walks in every direction. Stroll through sleepy country lanes, maybe stopping off at the nearby Watermill Inn on your return or stride up onto the fells to survey the glorious views of Kentmere Valley as they unfold around you.
The cottage itself comprises of an oak beamed, open plan living space with traditional slate floors, it’s cosy and relaxing, whilst outside there’s a patio and so al fresco living is also an option. Back inside and Gowan Cottage has two bedrooms, a double and a twin, the house bathroom is well appointed, as is the oak fitted kitchen. A perfect holiday cottage for a small family, or group of friends accompanied by the dog.
The small village of Ings, with the lovely River Gowan running through it, is set just two miles from the popular town of Windermere in the Lake District. There is a selection of walks for you to enjoy in the area and a wonderful local, award-winning pub, the Watermill Inn. The vibrant twin towns of Bowness and Windermere hold enduring appeal for many visitors to the Lake District, both providing a range of attractions, amenities, shops and restaurants to suit all tastes. Boat trips are available from Bowness to Ambleside and Lakeside, where the Lakeside Aquarium and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway are situated.
Accommodation
Over 2 floors.
2 x bedrooms; 1 x double, 1 x twin, house bathroom.
Kitchen.
Lounge and dining space.
Furnished patio.
Private parking.
Gas central heating with underfloor heating.
Wi-fi.
Electric oven.
Gas hob.
Microwave.
Dishwasher.
Fridge & freezer.
Washer / Dryer.
Private patio & furniture with raised private decking area also with furniture.
Short stroll to country pub.
Two private parking spaces.
One dog welcome at this property at an additional £50 charge.Bed linen and towels provided.
Nearby points of interest
- Lake Windermere
- Hayes Garden World Ambleside
- Lakeland Motor Museum
Reviews (22)
-
Phil
The cottage is situated along the entrance of a busy caravan park. The "private patio" is very small and open to the road to the caravan park. There are cars and people constantly passing very close by offering no privacy. Upon arrival we were met with a list of conditions and threats of charges, surrounding the dog's stay, that were not mentioned at the time of booking. The fields surrounding the cottage contain livestock and are not suitable for walking a dog meaning that you have to pass along a very narrow lane that is barely wide enough for a vehicle making it dangerous to walk along. The cottage is very pleasant and ideally located although it is quite dark and gloomy downstairs. We needed lights on quite often in July. Overall the cottage is very nice but it's location and regulations mean that it is not best suited to dog owners.
-
Keely
Would also have been nice if there was a sign showing where the cottage parking was, other cottages had a sign
-
John
Well furnished and comfortable. We really liked it and the site operators seemed nice. It is a nice little place and pretty accessible by road to Windermere and the surrounds. We had no problems at all. I disagree with some feedback. For example, the dishwasher and curtains were totally fine and worked well. There were some points though, which whilst they didn't bother us hugely, could be easily improved on. The microwave is done. It may work but it is rusted inside and out and should be replaced. The cost of this is minor. The dishwasher is clearly on the way given the noise it makes on drying but worked fine for us. We would have appreciated some soap or hand cleanser in the bathroom and the air freshener obviously needed replaced and binned. An extra loo roll would've been good. The fridge drawers need replaced as mentioned in other reviews. The fan in the bathroom doesn't work and leaving the window open wasn't an option as rain got in from the roof even if just left slightly open. Not a problem otherwise and not raining. Extra cups/drinking glasses and a new frying pan (the one there is clean very old) are needed. The lounge electric fire is very loud and above the TV. Settled after a while but sounds like it needs replaced also. On arrival almost all of the dishes were coated with grease. They were filthy. This was obvious on all the cooking tools above the cooker. We just put them all through a cycle and they were fine once out. This I suppose is down to the previous visitors and not the owners with a property like this. All in all it is a charming little cottage that is generally very cosy and comfortable. However at the cost we paid for 5 nights, these small improvements would have meant we'd have given 5 * in all categories. Feel slightly sorry not able to for the above reasons. We would go back though and were talking to next door who were back a second time.