Reviews

One of the best holiday cottages we have visited. Rather like a self catering boutique hotel.

Absolute perfection- we stayed at Stag cottage for my mums 60th and we were blown away by how lovely it was. Christine & her team have thought of everything – the welcome hamper is such a nice touch with all local produce- delicious (which we ended up buying more of – great advertisement) dog treats were a cute touch too. The cottage is so well equipped – we love cooking and were very impressed with what is available to use in the kitchen. The beds are soo comfy, and we loved the products in the bathrooms- we also bought these! The log fire & lounge is super cosy too. We all didn’t want to go home! Will definitely be back – thank you for a wonderful stay! Robyn, Ryan, Sandra, Gary & Arlo xx

Just got back from a great weekend at Melmerby Hall and Stag Cottage, this is the second time we have stayed at a Rowley Estates property and I can’t recommend them highly enough. We were originally due to go in October 2020 but had to rearrange due to the mess that is Covid, Rowley Estates were great to deal with and made rearranging a doddle. Stag Cottage is very well equipped and in a great setting. It has a direct indoor link to Blencowe Hall if you need more space. There is plenty of space in the grounds as well to stretch your legs and work off a few of the calories you’re bound to have indulged in. The village of Melmerby is a delight, the Shepherds Inn in the village is superb for any meals you want and the owner is very helpful in getting larger parties sorted, with a bit of pre organisation our party of 17 were fed and watered with very few issues, he even opened especially for us on the Friday afternoon. The staff there were friendly and sorted us out easily. The village bakery is great for those wanting a naughty snack and also does breakfasts, they fit 17 of us in before we left on the Monday morning and it was good stuff, no skinny bacon or a manky sausage in sight, all good. We got a delivery from Tesco and Sainsbury on the Friday of snacks and beer, it saved anyone having to travel to Penrith for supplies. Another great property from Rowley Estates…well done…PS…also check out Melmerby Hall and Blencowe Hall if you have a larger party, they are owned by the same people, truly stunning properties that we’ve been lucky enough to stay at as well

Spent the most wonderful birthday weekend here with friends. Everything from start to finish was of the highest standard to ensure luxury & comfort. On arrival, waiting for us was a fabulous ,luxury welcome hamper containing all daily food essentials complete with bottle of wine. Most of contents supported local businesses which made it even more meaningful. Stag Cottage was very well equipped, maintaining similar high quality in connection with all the furnishings in each of the rooms. Each bedroom was extremely comfortable with en-suites containing a wide selection of toiletries, again supporting Cumbrian suppliers…Liked them so much that when out and about I purchased some to take home. If you like to explore there are endless lovely walks accessible from the cottage, with access to beautiful countryside and some on the Estate itself. At the end of the day you can curl up in front of a large log burner in the sitting room of the cottage ,visit the local pub or relax with coffee and cake in the village bakery. It really is the perfect place to kick back and relax and I can not recommend it highly enough. I certainly would not hesitate to go back again or even try some of the other properties Rowley has to offer. Thank you so much to all the Rowley team for making our stay so enjoyable

We recently spent six nights at Stag Cottage with our daughter and two young grandchildren and we had a wonderful time. The cottage was comfortably furnished, well equipped and in a lovely village. The welcome hamper is full of wonderful treats – love the homemade raspberry jam! The gardens and grounds provided wonderful space to explore and burn off energy. This was our third booking with The Rowley Estates and we find they always exceed our expectations!

My family and I spent 4 days in the gorgeous Stag Cottage the week before Christmas and everything was absolutely perfect. This was our 3rd stay with The Rowley Estates and everything is always absolutely faultless. Christine, Charles and Gill all bend over backwards to make sure our stays are just as we requested and if ever there is an issue it is dealt with asap. We have stayed in other cottages in the lakes and nothing ever beats The Rowley Estates. Stag Cottage in particular is perfect for breaks away in this cute little village. This cosy cottage set in beautiful surroundings is just what we all needed, our children loved exploring the grounds, going for local walks and loved visiting the Village Cafe and Toy Shop. I will always recommend The Rowley Estates purely for the high quality, we will be back again very soon! Theres just too many lovely places to choose from! Thanks again to Christine, Charles and Gill, wishing you all a very happy 2023.

Stunning location in the heart of Melmerby. The Eden valley is gorgeous and much quieter than the neighbouring Lake District but still within easy access of Ullswater and the central lakes. Stag Cottage is set within beautiful grounds and there are lots of walks from the doorstep. The cottage itself is characterful and functional with everything you need for a relaxing stay: the bathrooms are really luxurious and the kitchen is spacious and well-equipped. A perfect base for exploring. Our group included my 92 year old grandma and my 3 year old son and the cottage was great for both of them as well as us! It’s really nice to find bowls and cutlery for children provided, made meal times much easier – thank you. The welcome hamper was a delight.

We visited Stag cottage in August for my mother-in-law’s 60th birthday. We had a fabulous few days and the grounds were beautiful. I was surprised that we also didnt hear any noise from the adjoining Melmerby Hall which was also booked out at the same time. When looking to book the trip I really struggled to find anywhere affordable and high quality so, having stayed at different Rowley properties for both my hen party and the hen party of one of my bridesmaids, I contacted Christine directly to ask if she had anywhere that suited my party and our budget. I’m so glad I did. The cottage was beautiful and well kept and we had plenty of outdoor space to enjoy the “sports day” I organised. There were two dining tables that each fitted the six of us comfortably. I would definitely recommend a stay at either Stag cottage or any other Rowley property and I am sure we will find an excuse to visit again!

Stag Cottage is a wonderful place to stay. Melmerby itself is brilliant location – ideally placed so that you’re near to the Lakes but not in the madness. The Eden Valley and Pennines are absolute gems and worth exploring. We booked Stage Cottage for Christmas 2019 – the cottage is beautifully decorated, superbly well equipped and very comfortable. The welcome hamper was the most generous hamper of any holiday cottage we have stayed in and the log supply for the log burner was plentiful. It is one of the nicest holiday cottages we have stayed in. Christine Rowley was very helpful and responsive from the moment of making enquiries to when we arrived (and even after our stay). I can highly recommend – a wonderful place to stay to explore a less well know but incredibly beautiful part of Cumbria.

We stayed at Stag Cottage for the week over New Year 2019. My whole family and our dogs had the most wonderful time. The property, the location, the walks, the people…… everything was perfect. We will certainly be heading back there as soon as possible.