Green Stile Cottage, Bowness-On-Windermere

We recently stayed at this Lake District cottage, drawn by its promise of a private, scenic location with a hot tub and highend feel. Overall, it is a beautiful spot in a stunning part of the Lakes, but the stay was marred by quite a few maintenance issues and small oversights that felt disappointing given the rental price. Arrival and first impressions The directions were clear and helpful, though the signage on the gate could be larger and more obvious. It would save drivers from having to stop and doublecheck. Access is via a shared driveway through the neighbours garden, with two manually operated gates. The driveway down to the property is narrow, uneven, and lined with trees and bushes, making it tricky to manoeuvre. There is advertised space for three cars, but turning even one around is challenging, two is just about doable, and three would require reversing uphill on what feels like an offroad track. We managed, but it was not relaxing. Upon entering, the cottage generally felt very clean, wellmaintained, and fitted out to a good standard, with some lovely decorative touches like the coat hooks in the master suite and a fantastic shower unit. The bedding was fresh and clean, and we appreciated the basic cleaning pack provided. It is always a nice touch. There were blankets, games, books, and local attraction guides, which added to the welcoming feel. Furniture was suitable and in good repair, the TV and WiFi worked fine though signal is understandably limited upstairs in a stone cottage, and the showers were hot and powerful. These are basic things done right. Settling in and kitchenliving areasbathrooms The kitchen had some issues that became apparent quickly. Only one roll of toilet paper was provided in one bathroom, with none in the other outside. This was a surprising oversight for such a minor expense to the owner. One hand soap dispenser was broken outside. The kettle was in need of descaling or replacement. Both frying pans were essentially destroyed, with Teflon flaking off badly, and utensils were limited. Knives had plastic handles that were flaking apart. Crockery included several chipped mugs, plates, and bowls that really should be replaced. The dishwasher performed intermittently, errorcoding repeatedly and not cleaning properly. In the living area, plaster was falling off the wall near the door and curtain pole. The door to the conservatory or orangery jammed shut, and the door between the lobby and kitchen had dropped requiring adjustment. Both clocks had dead batteries. Light switches throughout felt oddly wired. They were either upside down or operating in the reverse direction to what is normal. The second double bedroom stood out negatively, with black mould around and near the shutters. This was concerning in a holiday let. Hot tub and outdoor experience The private location delivered fantastic views from the hot tub, with little traffic and a peaceful setting. The tub itself, however, was a little underwhelming. The jets were weak and clearly need servicing. There were no hooks for towels or robes, nowhere dry to place them, and no handy spot for a phone for music maybe install perhaps a small ledge above the light switch? We would have loved a tall table nearby for cups or cans glass is not permitted. A pathway up to the hot tub would also be ideal. Even in flipflops, walking across wet grass in the dark is not pleasant. If the privacy screen is closed, there is no way to retract it from inside, and no easy step around the corner post to reach the tub area. A small additional raised flagstone would solve this nicely. During the stay A neighbour was out servicing the garden and driveway around 4pm on both days. He was perfectly pleasant, but it is worth noting as that is often checkin time. Another neighbour appeared with a barking dog around 7 to 730am each morning. This is not controllable, but something light sleepers or those with dogs should be aware of. Departure and general notes No instructions were provided on what to do with the bedding at the end of the stay. We also were not sure where to dispose of dog poo bags. Clear guidance on that would help. In summary, the cottage has a lot going for it a truly private and scenic spot, high overall cleanliness and quality in many areas, and thoughtful extras like games, books and guides. The views from the hot tub alone make it special. However, the accumulation of smalltomedium maintenance issues, worn kitchen items, and practical oversights detracted significantly from what could be a fantastic experience. A few cost effective targeted updates new pans and crockery, servicing the hot tub, addressing mould, better driveway access infosignage, basic supplies like toilet paper and maybe some provisional kindlingwood would elevate it considerably. We would hesitate to return in its current state but appreciate the potential which might make it seem better value for the price.

Lovely cottage, shower could have been cleaner, Outside area could have been a little tidier . Hot tub was great and well maintained. I would definitely recommend book .

We stayed here for 3 nights on a girls pre Christmas weekend. Location is very central and we walked into Windermere about 40mins The cottage is cozy and has everything you need. The hot tub was an added bonus. The beds were so so comfy and the shower powerful. Great weekend

We were only able to use the hot tub twice the whole stay and each time it was cold. We read the information provided in order to try and increase the temperature , and also contacted customer services although no answer each time we just gave up in the end which was quite disappointing given this was an attractive feature when booking. Also the outside toilet was absolutely not usable due to how unclean it was. Apart from that the stay was ok but don't think we would return in the future

Perfect! Check inout both easy. Arrived to a beautifully clean property. Perfect for our girls weekend. This is also suitable for a family. Will definitely re book. Gorgeous views from hot tub & well maintained.

Lovely stay cottage was beautiful, comfortable and the hot tub especially was brilliant! Struggled a little with cooking in the kitchen a little more equipment would have been helpful things like a large mixing bowl, wooden spoons, a bread knife and a weighing scale. Other than that the stay was absolutely perfect, we're hoping to book again next year and would recommend to anyone.

We enjoyed our stay, beds were clean and comfy the cottage was peaceful and quiet. It was nice to just relax and we were spoiled by the lovely weather. The hot tub was a nice feature although not the most powerful. It was great to sit in and enjoy the views. There were a few issues and I must reiterate that it did not spoil our stay. The bins were overflowing with rubbish and dishwasher was broken when we arrived. The customer care team did their best however the dishwasher could not be repaired while we were there. The wine fridge also broke down although not being used, therefore the team came out and switched it off, they also took away 1 full bin, emptied it and bought it back I think putting in the information booklet about bins and they should be taken up the drive to be emptied would be a big help. There was also no hairdryer I'm not sure if its provided or not. Most hotelsholiday lets supply them and lastly the top of the driveway leading to the road, the bushes are quite overgrown on one side and you have to 'take a leap of faith' when pulling out. I would suggest arrange to have them cut back or position a turning mirror across the road from the drive to allow for a safer exit.

This is a pleasant well situated cottage, clean and warm but I question its five tickr rating. As a veteran of dozens of holiday cottages I think the hot tub has swayed you to give a five star rating to an otherwise fairly standard premises with a rustic living room with a log burner with broken glass which you are encouraged not to use. The kitchen is not particularly well equipped, The living room lighting is either bold clinical white or dark as inadequate lighting is provided, The lighting in the bathroom is not working properly and for a cottage sleeping five a single bathroom is not adequate and the external unheated toilet needs some TLC. In all a pleasant stay in a well situated cottage but not five ticks. Needs revision

Great property,clean ,warm and welcoming.

We had a fantastic couple of days at the cottage. It is in a great location. It was exactly as described on the website. It was very comfortable, cosy and clean. The hot tub was brilliant too. We have recommended to our family and friends and hope to stay again one day soon.

Wonderful cottage and fantastic location. Comfortable beds and loads of towels which was handy with having the hot tub there, which was also great. Perfect for exploring the Lakes, close to BownessonWindermere and Ambleside, with Hawkshead close by too via the car ferry. The WiFi and Smart TV worked well, which was helpful to entertain the kids whilst cooking dinner. Kitchen is small but has everything youd need if you dont want to eat out everyday. Modern bathroom with a great shower. Only slight negative was that the website says dogs are allowed but when booking, it turns out they arent, so the website needs updating. Perfect cottage for the Lakes, well definitely be back.

Green Stile is a lovely cottage with great facilities, well finished and very homely. I was specifically looking for somewhere with a hot tub and it makes a special extra touch. Would definitely stay again and recommend to anyone looking for somewhere to stay nearby to the amenities of Bowness but sufficiently rural for a peaceful and relaxing stay.

Excellent response when we had heating and hot water issues. Shrubs on the driveway could do with being cut back.

Brilliant family holiday. Superb cottage very clean and comfortable.Hot tub was ready for use on arrival . Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Outstanding! !! Everything we expected plus so much more

We really enjoyed our stay at Greenstile Cottage. I was a little apprehensive booking it due to a small number of critical reviews, but our experience was fine. Nice little cottage in a great location, a short drive from Bowness Although finding parking when you get there is another matter! and Windermere. The cottage is perfectly fine for a family holiday with the highlights being the hot tub and the conservatory which my partially sighted partner in particular loved because it's nice and bright. It did take me a few days to get used to some the low doorways, I did manage to hit my head a few times before I remembered to duck, but that's period properties! A few ideas to make things even better...somewhere to put the shower gel or soap in the shower, picking up a slippery bar of soap off the floor can be tricky! Fix the refrigerator door to the outer cabinet door, as at the moment you have to open the fridge from the top, and our little people couldn't reach! Finally, a little thing, a wooden spoon or spatula for the kitchen for those self caterers who cook! Loved it, would we stay again, definitely!

Gorgeous cottage. The house is comfortable and spacious. It had everything we could have needed. There is a massive smart TV with comfortable sofas. The bedrooms were a good size and beds were comfortable. The garden was so beautiful with patches of wild flowers and stunning views. The hot tub was an absolute highlight and fit four adults inside with space to spare. Can't wait to go back!

Great Location & Hot Tub. Poor Maintenance POSITIVES great rural location near Bowness, lovely garden with hot tub overlooking valley, light conservatory dining room, cosy living room, well planned small kitchen, good shower NEGATIVES Maintenance our holiday was marred by constant issues including no running water for a day water was delivered to us, but no showers were possible, heated towel rail not working, no light in outbuildings or hallway bulbs?, hot tub privacy screen not retracting, electric car recharger not working on last day, plug in bathroom sink not holding water, wardrobe drawer knob unattached, mixing bowl cracked. Sykes. It was difficult to speak to the staff as we always got the message we are experiencing longer than normal wait times. They offered to resolve the maintenance problems but we didnt want the inconvenience and hassle of tradesmen calling during our stay had to for the water problem. Cleanliness Outside and outbuildings not sweptcleaned and no outside broom to do it. Bathroom dusty. Bedrooms 2nd bedroom mattress saggy. All duvets too thick for summer Intrusive neighbour male on driveway said owns near house, and dog barked at us in hot tub and in conservatory was called back. OTHER Garden Furniture Sykes incorrectly told us there were none. There is a table, umbrella, 6 chairs some arms rusty and 2 reclining chairs. We wasted precious car boot space taking our 2 Fishermens chairs. Not provided bread knife, measuring jug, butter dish, biscuitcake tin, plastic picnicware especially glasses for hot tub, kitchen scales, oven gloves, thin kitchen handtowel, laundry basket, clothes airerline for swimwear, outdoor broom

Green Stiles cottage was gorgeous. The house is very comfortable and tastefully decorated. It had everything we could have needed. There is a beautiful conservatory where we ate our meals when we werent eating in the garden as the weather was fantastic. Theres a massive smart TV with very comfy sofas. The bedrooms were a good size and beds were comfortable. The garden was just so beautiful with patches of wild flowers and stunning views. Our kids played in it for hours. The hot tub was an absolute highlight of the stay, especially during sunset. The house was perfectly situated for us to spend lots of time on Windermere and do lots of local walks around Ambleside, Tarns Hows, Rydal Water etc. We had a slight issue one day and it was fixed really quickly with good communication. Cant wait to go back!

We had consistent problems with the hot tub during our stay. It failed to hold temperature and only on one night was it at an acceptable warm temperature. There were frequent error codes and a visit by an engineer just resulted in a work around putting on the jets. Not an option when you are out all day and come back to find it's at 18 degrees. This is a great shame because in all other respects the cottage is excellent.

So not seeing the comments, I didnt realise the hot tub wasnt working. However and thankfully as and engineer, I fixed the horrible and got to enjoy on the last night.. So as of 15th feb the place is fully fictional

Wonderful cottage, quiet and quaint as advertised, lovely to get in front of a lovely log burner after wet and windy walks. Would love to return and defiantly recommend to anyone else looking at this property. Geordie

Lovely clean cottage. Vews are absolutely lovely everything from home to home provided .Hot tub with views top notch .Definitely be back soon .

Would love to go back,home from home it certainly was. Directions were easy enoughSykes info excellent.But if you are travelling from the South and especially in the dark,rain etc....watch your speed as you will miss the turngate.The gate is bright enough to see.The views, amnienities make the experience very worthwhile and you are within shouting distance of Windermere.Aiming to go back at some stage for sure.....if you are tall low beams and if you don't like spiders don't go in September!!...They are by no means criticisms though, beautiful place.

Beautiful cottage in an ideal location for exploring the Lakes. The house had all we needed as a family of four. The rooms are well furnished with traditional features and modern design. The outside space was fantastic with countryside views from the hot tub and a private patio area for outside dining. We really didn't want to leave!

Lovely cottage just perfect

Green stile cottage is very cosy and comfortable. The hot tub was the highlight of our holiday! The only thing I felt it lacked was a washing line to hang towels and swimwear after being in the hot tub! Would definitely recommend.

The cottage is in a wonderful spot with great countryside views. The facilities were excellent including everything you need linen, towels, tea towels etc. All the rooms were nicely decorated and still felt modern despite all the great period features. I would note the key collection said the safe was on the wood store but its been moved to next to the front door. We also found the front door key rather stiff struggled to get the key out so used the patio door key for the rest of our stay. 100 would stay again!

Really lovely cottage in a beautiful peaceful location. We loved the hot tub! Only very minor faults kitchen somewhat underequipped for those who, like us, mostly selfcater no cheese grater, no colander, no fish slice, no whisk, no baking trays. We found it quite tricky to find the cottage for the first time due to the entrance gate being difficult to see when travelling north on the B5360.

We arrived later than expected, dark and raining. The entrance to the property is difficult to see especially if coming from the wrong direction. The entrance is angled to the road and very difficult to turn in to it you are coming from the wrong direction with a larger car. The key safe was in an obscure location, not mentioned in the arrival instructions. Took some finding in the dark whilst getting wet!. Once we had found and finally gained entry, the property was very pleasant and ideally located for exploring the southern lakes. We partly chose this property over others because of the hot tub. A very nice and relaxing feature.