Lake District Self Catering cottage, Maple Cottage, Keswick, sleeps 4

A return visit in March
Stayed here in mid-March when storm Gareth arrived. Jackie the Lakes cottages representative was very helpful in accommodating our change in arrival time due to the storm. My wife and I have stayed here in the summer during a heatwave when the apartment was nice and cool. This time when the outside temperature was 3C the apartment was nice and warm. It was easy to control the heating and hot water. There was also a convector heater in the main room. The apartment is very well equipped and well designed. Hooks on the back of the doors and suitcase stands would be very useful.
JonathanIreland
2019-03-16

We liked it but could do better!
We came hear for a week in the middle of the heat wave in July 2018. One great advantage of Maple cottage in a heat wave is that it gets little direct sunlight and so it was a delightful cool haven. We slept in the rear bedroom which is also nice and cool. The single beds were very comfortable and I had the best nights sleep for many years! This was despite the fact that even with the curtains drawn it was very light at sunrise. The ensuite shower is very good and powerful. The only problem being it does not drain quickly enough when on full power. There is a second bedroom with a double bed, this is a little small and as there were no suitcase stands we used this for our suitcases. There is a large kitchen-dining-living room and I loved the two 2-seater settees which incorporated electrically operated recliners. I also liked the fact that the standard lamp could be switched on/off using a foot operated switch on the floor. The kitchen included a large fridge freezer and washing machine, dish washer and it was very well equipped with everything( pots, pans, plates, cutlery etc) in very good condition. However, there were no welcoming cakes, milk etc on arrival. We found a two page instruction sheet under the TV giving instructions on the WIFI, TV, boiler etc. WIFI was good but we are not high demand users. ITV player was not registered and so was not available to non-uk residents. I found the TV very fiddly to use. There was plenty of hot water on demand. The flat is reasonably quiet and only the most heavy footed people upstairs were just heard. Maple cottage has 2 parking places about 30 yards from the front door. To unload you can bring the car to the front door but you still have to lug you cases another ~20 yards to the cottage which inside a central courtyard. The windows face onto a maple tree in the courtyard. However a short walk to the outside of the house gives great views of the mountains and the grounds contain lots of rabbits as well as bats later in the evening. The walk into Keswick via the old railway track took us about half an hour while it was only a five minute drive by car. The first part of the drive to the apartments is a rough track which might be a problem for some sports cars but was no problem for our 4x 4 and apparently for most of the other standard cars. The most annoying flaw is the absence of any hooks to hang coats, dressing gowns etc. This is especially annoying in the bathroom and bedrooms. Likewise the absence of anywhere to put soap and shampoo in the shower was annoying. 2.5 days before we left we reported a blocked toilet. This was not fixed while we there though about 4 hours after we left we had a phone call apologising that it had not been fixed. As a couple we really enjoyed our stay at Maple cottage and will definitely consider coming again. Potentially this could be a 5 star apartment but the lack of hooks, a welcome tray and poor maintenance means I can only give it 4 star rating.
JonathanIreland
2018-07-11

Great week's stay
Very spacious, comfy, well equipped accommodation, situated in a quiet area of Keswick with easy access to the centre, either in about 15 mins walking or 5 mins in the car. Whilst instructions manuals for appliances were available the only thing we would have expected, but was not provided was a short information sheet with information such as where the bins are and what day they're collected, what time the heating is set to come on and off,etc. We worked it out pretty quickly so it wasn't a major issue , but we're used to having one provided. An excellent , relaxing week's accommodation and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.
A FlipKey verified reviewer
2014-01-18

Comfortable property
The property was comfortable and suitable for our stay. However, the drive up to the property is off road and then when you reach the perimeter of the property it is tarmaced. However, where these two roads meet has been damaged and we were really reluctant and nervous to drive our car over each time. On the up side this meant we did more walking! The property itself was warm, cosy, suitable for 4 adults to stay at a time.
A FlipKey verified reviewer
2013-09-29

A pleasant stay in a convenient and lovely spot
We enjoyed a week at Maple Cottage in mid-June with two friends from Germany who were entranced with the whole experience of seeing the Lakes in wonderful sunny weather. Maple Cottage was adequate for our needs and we enjoyed the views from the shared garden. We had expected to enter the property via a lovely drive as advertised and so the pot holed single track came as a shock. One evening our car stopped half way up and during the half hour it took us to sort things out, we had to stand at each end of the drive to prevent other cars coming up or going down the track. The cottage was cosy but dark as it was off the centre courtyard which even in mid summer gets very little sun. Again, we felt the brochure was a little misleading. However, we were pleased that the central heating could be turned on to warm things up when necessary. We chose this cottage as it is one of the few two bedroomed properties with two shower rooms, which was a real bonus. The ensuite needs a shelf over the sink for toiletries. The lounge area was comfortable and the kitchen well stocked. The kitchen knives need sharpening and if the weather had been bad we were not sure where wet clothes would have hung - probably on the kitchen chairs. The best thing about the cottage is its lovely position with the views from the garden, good carparking and its convenience to Keswick.
A FlipKey verified reviewer
2013-07-10