North Wing

Lake Cottage was very clean and comfortable. It’s lovely to find a holiday cottage with good mattresses as well as supportive chairs and sofas. We had everything we needed for a great family holiday, and our dog was welcome too. The estate was peaceful, and the view of Lindisfarne and the sea from the kitchen window and on our daily dog walks was an added bonus. We were lucky with the weather and made good use of the barbecue and both garden seating areas. There are lots of beautiful places to visit a short drive away, so it’s a great base for sightseeing. We found some good brunch spots: Saltwater Cafe in Beadnell, Sunny Hills Farm Shop, which also had good barbecue food, and Seahouses Golf Club. All were dog friendly. Sunny Hills only has one table, so booking is recommended. Dinner at The White Swan at Warenford was excellent too. We’d definitely consider another stay at Middleton Hall estate. It would be fun to try all the different cottages!

We had a lovely week staying in the historic Middleton Hall with three generations of our family, including seven young children and babies. It also sits close to great beaches, Lindisfarne, Bamborough Castle and Barter Books in Alnwick, so it made a terrific base for a holiday. The house was once the grand Victorian home of the Leather family. Their engineer founder started the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds. In the cellar, there's a long-disused 1904 Gilbert Gilkes vortex water turbine that powered the house dynamo before mains electricity. It's the same design as the vortex turbine at Balmoral Castle. On our way home to Cardiff, my wife and I visited its maker, still thriving in Kendal, and got the warmest welcome.

We had a brilliant week at Middleton Hall with 19 people from Sandwell Ramblers, full of fun, laughter and great walks. There were plenty of places around the property to relax, and having two kitchens was a real help for a group that size. There was lots of fridge space too, and we made good use of the drinks fridges. A couple of things could be improved: the internet was very unreliable, and two bedrooms had trouble getting the heating to work. It wasn't cold while we were there, but that should be sorted for future stays. A place to hang wet coats and walking gear after a rainy walk would also be useful. None of this spoiled our stay. Thanks, Middleton Hall!

We stayed at The Hall with 19 family members for my mum's 80th birthday, and there were a lot of problems. The water failed completely twice. The first time was just before our stay and it was fixed right as we were about to leave, which was a relief. Halfway through the week it went off again and stayed off until after noon. By 3pm it was reaching all the rooms, so we could shower with hot water and flush the toilets. In one bedroom a broken window had been covered with a black bin bag and a board. The board fell during the night and hit the little girl sleeping in the bed. Fortunately she wasn't hurt, and her parents moved the bed away from the window (see photo). Both en-suite baths in the four-poster rooms had damaged enamel and corrosion. In one bath a lot of the enamel had peeled away. One oven was plugged into an extension lead, which made us question whether it was safe, and we didn't use the other because its knobs had no markings. There was also a huge hole in the skirting board in another bedroom, adding to the property's tired feel. The list goes on. After three and a half weeks of complaints to Sykes Cottages, I was offered a "good will gesture" of £50. The week at The Hall cost us £5,880, so that was under 1% of what we paid, or £2.50 each. I asked for my complaint to be escalated, but was told I would need to take it to the small claims court. I'd suggest finding somewhere else to stay. This place wasn't worth the money. You've been warned!