Guests say
Gatesgarth is a well-received property with stunning views and a prime location in Coniston, ideal for groups and families. Guests appreciate the modern amenities, spacious rooms, and sociable layout. The hot tub and high-spec kitchen are highlights, though some guests encountered maintenance issues. The property's cleanliness and comfort are generally praised, contributing to a memorable stay.
Most guests found Gatesgarth clean and well-presented, but there were instances of dust, debris, and unemptied vacuums. Some kitchenware was not clean upon arrival. Overall, the property maintains a good standard of cleanliness with room for improvement.
The property boasts a fantastic location with easy access to local amenities, pubs, and scenic walks. Its central position allows for exploration of the Lake District, and the proximity to Coniston Water is a significant plus. The views are consistently praised.
Guests find the bedrooms and living spaces comfortable and well-styled, with ample room for relaxation. Some guests mentioned the beds being hard and issues with temperature control in the upstairs area. Overall, the property provides a comfortable environment.
The property is equipped with modern appliances and a hot tub, which are generally appreciated by guests. However, there were several reports of maintenance issues such as a non-functional car charger, problematic locks, and difficulties with high-tech kitchen equipment. The hot tub also had cleanliness and temperature control issues.
While the reviews reflect a well-equipped property that caters to guests' needs, there is no mention of gifts or special touches that would indicate extra thoughtfulness. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a score in this category.
About this property
Surrounded by countryside, with the Old Man of Coniston as a backdrop and with views of Coniston Water, this luxurious, contemporary, converted property has been tastefully and thoughtfully designed by award winning architects Ben Cunliffe. In 2020 Gatesgarth was awarded the prestigious prize of Best Residential Build at the Northern Design Awards, highlighting the build and design quality of the property. Using creative cutting edge design the property has been built to the highest standards and showcases local materials and craftsmen's qualities from stonework to joinery to roofing, to produce a stunning and exceptional holiday home for large families or groups and all within a 5 minute walk of the centre of Coniston, with the many pubs, shops and restaurants it has to offer. Ideal for those wanting to retreat to a peaceful rural location, but within easy reach of busier towns and local amenities, Gatesgarth is an opulent haven in the heart of the Lake District National Park. Off the main road, you will find parking for up to five vehicles with a charge point for electric cars. As you walk towards the entrance of the property, you will be amazed at the quality of the local craftsmen's stonework and the large areas of minimalist glazing in the walls, roof and particularly the front of the property, which has floor to ceiling glass so you can enjoy the glorious views towards Coniston water and allowing the natural the light to flood in. Such is the impact of this spectacular house that it was a major 6 page feature in the May 2020 edition of Cumbria Life. Entering the property, you will be met with the large and spacious kitchen/diner, with a long wooden purpose-built dining table built by local artisans and seating for eight on resin chairs made with local Herdwick sheep wool. The wall to wall and floor to ceiling sliding doors open fully onto the large, quality outdoor decking area, with the option for outdoor dining or taking a dip in the private Scandinavian wooden hot tub; all while basking in your peaceful surroundings and taking in the property's glorious rural views. Subtle lighting gives the decking an elegant touch. The unique kitchen is minimalistic and was designed, hand-built and installed by the Rusland Movement, a local Arts and Craft company based in the Lake District. Of exceptional high quality build its colourful high-end design with Decton worktops incorporates a fridge/freezer and dishwasher, which are hidden inside drawers, and also features built-in oven, microwave and even a wine cooler. The electric halogen hob is discreetly built into the island worktop, you may not even spot it upon first glance! A top quality Nespresso coffee machine and Quooker tap, which provides instant boiling water, completes the technology to provide you with the utmost convenience for that morning tea or caffeine fix. In addition, there's a separate utility room featuring a dishwasher / dryer, sink and additional fridge. The house has been built for easy wheelchair access from the car parking area to the front door and to the downstairs open plan kitchen / dining area, utility room, large decking area and 2 bedrooms, one featuring a wet / shower room suitable for wheelchair use. Please note there is no easy wheelchair access to the 1st floor. Up the uniquely designed staircase, the mezzanine-style sitting room has large wall to wall, floor to ceiling windows that make the most of the views towards Coniston, along with a choice of modern quality seating around the Smart TV and a cosy woodburning stove. There is even access to a decked balcony area where you can take a moment to yourself to absorb in your beautiful surroundings. Next door, the purposefully built TV room / snug, with a sofa and bean bags, is perfect for watching TV in private or for children to keep themselves entertained for hours. The property was built using Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) with further added insulation and double glazing throughout to provide a very thermal efficient home. In addition, to provide exceptional air quality, a heat air exchange system has been installed, along with underfloor heating and supplementary radiators in the bathrooms and living areas. The result gives the vast space a cosy and homely feel. The property has been built with the holiday maker in mind, with all 4 bedrooms being en-suite and of equal size, each immaculately designed with built-in wardrobes and furnished with high quality furniture, carpets, local artwork and seductive lighting. On each floor there is one bedroom with a super-king-size bed and a twin-bedded room that can easily be converted into a super-king. Each room has its own TVs discretely built into the wall. The first-floor bedrooms feature velux windows angled into the wall and roof angle to maximise the stunning mountain views. On the first floor the TV room has a sofa bed that can be converted to a double bed, suitable for 2 children. Each en-suite has been individually and tastefully designed with their own sink, shower, toilet and discrete lighting. On the ground floor one of the en-suites has been designed as a wet room for wheelchair access. On the first floor there's an en-suite features featuring a very inviting oval free-standing bath and shower. All are finished to an immaculate standard with high-end furniture and tiles in a modern style that suits to the house. There's also Jack and Jill access to an en-suite on each floor. Coniston village is just a short walk away, along with a small selection of cafes, restaurants and pubs, along with The Ruskin Museum, where you can learn about the extensive and important history of Coniston. Coniston Water is a short distance from the property, providing plenty of activity options for watersports enthusiasts, or simply enjoy a picnic and a lakeside afternoon stroll. A great way to explore the lake is by taking a trip on the National Trust's steam yacht gondola, a rebuilt Victorian steam-powered yacht that originally set sail in 1859. Take advantage of your national park setting and enjoy some picturesque walks, including the challenging Old Man of Coniston, a fell in the Furness Fells that stands over 2500 feet and offers views over Coniston and its lake. Further afield, Grizedale Forest is a hub of walking and cycling woodland trails, while the popular village of Ambleside is just a 15 minute drive away. A further 15 minute drive around lake Windermere you will find Bowness , where you can enjoy plenty of lakeside activities, learn more about the life of author Beatrix Potter, or enjoy browsing a range of independent shops and its selection of cafes, bakeries, bars and restaurants. Well-placed for exploring some of the Lake District's best known attractions, make Gatesgarth your luxurious base to return to each evening.
Located at the head of Coniston Water, the pretty village of Coniston is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the Lake District National Park, making it a superb base for touring. Within easy reach Hawkshead, Ambleside, Windermere and Grasmere, there is plenty of opportunity for exploring and visting attractions. Superb walking, mountain biking and climbing are available locally on Coniston Old Man and Wetherlam and the lovely woodland trails at Grizedale Forest. For watersports enthusiasts, the quiet lake is ideal for dinghy sailing and canoeing, whilst the less active can enjoy a leisure cruise on the beautiful steam yacht 'Gondola’, or visit Brantwood, the former home of John Ruskin. Nearby attractions include the award-winning village of Hawkshead, home of the Beatrix Potter Gallery, Tarn Hows, one of the most visited beauty spots in the country and Esthwaite Water, famous for its fishing. A first class holiday location at any time of the year.
Accommodation
Four bedrooms: 1 x super-king-size with TV and en-suite shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x twin (or king size), with TV and Jack and Jill bathroom with shower over bath, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x ground-floor super-king-size with TV and Jack and Jill shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x ground-floor twin (or king size), with TV and en-suite shower room with walk-in shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC.
Kitchen/diner.
Utility.
First-floor sitting room with balcony and woodburning stove.
First-floor snug/ TV room
Gas heating with underfloor heating and woodburning stove.
Electric oven and hob, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, wine cooler, fridge, 6 x TVs and WiFi.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
Off road parking for 5 cars.
There are 2 EV-charging points nearby, one in the centre of Coniston village and one at the Blue Bird cafe.
Small balcony on first floor and rear decking with furniture and private hot tub.
Two well-behaved pets welcome.
Sorry, no smoking.
Shop 0.2 miles, pub 0.3 miles, Coniston Water 0.7 miles.
Note:No stag/hen parties or similar.
Note: This property only accepts a Friday/Monday check-in, Any booking that does not coincide with this will be subject to cancellation.
Nearby points of interest
- Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead
- Hawkshead Grammar School Museum
- Hayes Garden World Ambleside
- The World of Beatrix Potter
- Lakes Aquarium
- Lakeland Motor Museum
- Esthwaite Water
- Lake District National Park
- Lake Windermere
- Church of St Olaf
Reviews (29)
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Brendan
We loved the property and really enjoyed our stay, but in the interests of constructive feedback the following are improvements that could should be made The heating was far too hot and we could not easily control it having to resort to leaving windows and doors open to regulate The equipment and appliances too clever by half, not instinctive or easy to use especially dishwasher, cooker and grill/microwave The entrance to house is positively dangerous No visibility, extreme slope which has to be negotiated very slowly and car grounded repeatedly, getting out was only possible with helper standing out in road to give all clear This must be improved and is serious health and safety risk and will result in accident if it hasnât already Besides these time in the house was a joy and we would come back
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Alexander
However, we had some issues. The dishwasher was woeful - far too small for party of eight and didnât work properly anyway - so we had to hand wash just about everything. A maintenance visit was planned but on the final day of our stay! We also had some issues of cleanliness - there was litter and other debris under beds and sofas. The hot tub maintenance guys were obtrusive walking right in front of the massive main window whilst we were preparing breakfast. Finally, we have two electric cars and we were only told the chargers werenât working a day or two before our stay. We were told by the owners that they had asked for a goodwill gesture from Sykes - so far weâve heard nothing.
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Virginia
After some initial cleaning by us, further issues arose from being unable to use the main oven for two days before we chanced across the mains switch hidden behind umpteen pans (which had all seen better days) in a cupboard. The wine chiller unit wasnât working, neither was the ice dispenser in the fridge. Had these been labelled as not working, we would not have wasted time trying to work that out. The dishwasher is straight forward to work but buttons worn out (and it is very small and doesnât clean well) so take your marigolds as youâll be washing up all week. We couldnât adjust the temp of the hot tub which was set at a ridiculously hot 40 deg. We had to wait until tub man came on 5th day of our stay. The roof windows in upstairs bedrooms had fallen out with their control units so we were unable to open them - very uncomfortable as we had hot weather. We found it difficult to get managers to deal with all these issues as there is no one living locally. We singled out several chipped items of crockery and washed dirty pan found in cupboard. Weâre very dissatisfied with derisory compensation offered subsequently as felt our holiday much compromised. Feel place very overpriced given all these difficulties.