6 guests
2 bedrooms
3 beds
2 bathrooms
Hecklers Cottage is a stunning property located in the market town of Barnard Castle. Beautifully renovated, this traditional stone cottage has stylish interiors with character and flair in abundance. Perfect for dog friendly retreats, you’ll have plenty of country walks to discover plus a whole host of independent shops, restaurants, cafes and bars to enjoy.
Trip Details
The Space
Hecklers Cottage sleeps up to six guests across two bedrooms. You’ll have full access to the property during your stay which also includes a cosy living room, fully equipped kitchen, separate dining room and two bathrooms. Ideal for family staycations and getaways with friends, it is the perfect base to explore the area.
On the ground floor, you are welcomed into the dining room. With soft pink walls and dark wood accents, this space is warm and luxurious. The dining area features a large oval table with seating for up to six guests.
Head to the kitchen and you’ll find a sleek space. Grey shaker style cabinets complement white brick style tiles creating a great balance of traditional and modern. Fully-equipped, the kitchen includes an oven, hob, microwave, kettle, toaster, fridge freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher.
At the rear of the property, you’ll find the ground floor bathroom. This space includes a walk in shower, WC and basin.
Featuring blue wood panelled walls and a stone fireplace with a log burner, the living room is the ultimate cosy spot to unwind. Every care has been taken to ensure you have the most relaxing stay possible so the space also benefits from a 50” Smart TV with access to BT TV and Netflix, plus two comfortable velvet sofas.
Take the stairs up to the first floor and you’ll find two bedrooms plus the family bathroom. With vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, the rooms on this floor have an incredible feel.
The master bedroom boasts a statement king size bed, an oval freestanding mirror and two bedside tables. Sleeping four guests, the second bedroom features two double beds, a wardrobe and a clothes rail. In keeping with the style of the rest of the cottage, you can expect beautiful interiors in both bedrooms.
Spacious and elegantly designed, the family bathroom includes a free standing bathtub, large walk in shower, double sink vanity unit and WC.
Hecklers Cottage also boasts an enclosed yard space with an outdoor seating area.
Neighborhood
Hecklers Cottage is located in the heart of Barnard Castle. Featured within the Guardian’s ‘10 of the UK’s best small towns’, there is something for everyone here. If you love to shop, the town has many antique shops so treasure seekers will be in their element. There are a host of small independent stores and you can take your pick of restaurants, cafes and pubs which serve lovely home-made food.
Step outside the cottage and enjoy lots of lovely walks. You can easily reach the 12th century castle with great views over the Tees Gorge. You can try to spot Richard III’s boar emblem carved above the window in the inner ward or explore the sensory garden.
The ruins of Egglestone Abbey are also within walking distance. The Bowes Museum is just a 5-minute stroll away and it is a lovely place to picnic after you’ve viewed the art collection. If you fancy live entertainment whilst you’re away, check out The Witham to see which performances, films or exhibitions will be available when you visit.
Watch out for the agricultural shows over the summer to get an insight into farming life in the North Pennines. The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty holds events at the Bowlees Visitor Centre to provide insights into the flora and fauna of the upper dale, including rare blue gentians at Cow Green. The Grassholme Observatory at Mickleton is a good place to explore the dark skies.
Getting Around
The closest mainline train station is at Darlington, offering easy access to Durham, Newcastle, Saltburn and York. A number of connecting routes can also be found from these stations so getting to other locations around the UK could not be easier.
There are a number of bus routes throughout Barnard Castle. Hop on the Arriva X76 or X75 which travels to Darlington.
- Bathtub
- Bed linens
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Cleaning Disinfection
- Coffee maker
- Cookware
- Dishes and silverware
- Dishwasher
- Dryer
- Enhanced cleaning practices
- Essentials
- Extra pillows and blankets
- Fire extinguisher
- Free parking on street
- Garden or backyard
- Hair dryer
- Hangers
- Heating
- High touch surfaces disinfected
- Hot water
- Internet
- Kettle
- Kitchen
- Laptop friendly workspace
- Microwave
- Oven
- Patio or balcony
- Pets allowed
- Private entrance
- Refrigerator
- Shampoo
- Smoke detector
- Stove
- Suitable for children (2-12 years)
- Suitable for infants (under 2 years)
- TV
- Toaster
- Towels provided
- Town
- Washer
- Wireless Internet
Guests have access to the full property. The keys to the property are accessed via a secure key safe and full details will be provided shortly before your arrival date.
There is on-street parking to the front of the house, on a first come first serve basis and a public car park to the rear of the property. Charges may apply.
Check-in: 16:00
Checkout: 10:00
From the guestbook
4.41
(47 Reviews)
Robert
05/10/2024
We enjoyed the property very much. Minutes on foot to a large supermarket and many restaurants. Friendly and responsive hosts once they were finally contacted (see below) through Host and Stay. <br><br>The only downside was the management firm Host and Stay. They were very inflexible on the 4 pm entry, and they would not even allow us to place our luggage in the foyer prior to this time. When we asked for help with heating and using the clothes washer, all we got were text messages. It took an entire day for them to relay our needs to the hosts, who then drove over and sorted things out. This is unacceptable. We also did not appreciate the coercive manner in which we were 'asked' to buy damage insurance for our stay. Note that each bathroom only had 1 toilet paper roll and we were expected to purchase more. How cheap! The hosts kindly provided more. <br><br>We will be avoiding Host and Stay in the future.
Monica
28/09/2024
Clean, cosy, beautifully decorated.<br/><br/>We couldn’t stay longer!
Paul
15/09/2024
Spent a couple of nights here for my wife’s big birthday. It couldn’t have been more perfect, it was just what she wanted. Thank you ?
Caitlin
07/09/2024
Lovely cottage in centre of Barnard Castle.<br/>Very close to local supermarket and within walking distance of local pubs.<br/>It was very clean and a lovely place to stay.<br/>Parking is limited on street but plenty of parking available within walking distance.
Amber
01/09/2024
I’ll start of by saying the cottage is absolutely beautiful! Stunning location a short walk from Barnard castle, everything that you may need is already in the house. <br/>We really enjoyed our stay :)
Jane
30/08/2024
Location, location, location. Such proximity to shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs and local landmarks.<br/>We had a couple of issues with lack of storage and the back yard area not being cleaned. But they were immediately addressed to our satisfaction.<br/>Lovely interior design and a beautiful stove fire. <br/>Would definitely recommend as a unique bolthole in Barnard Castle.<br/><br/>The cottage is not particularly user-friendly for those staying 2 weeks or more. We asked for a clean midway through our stay but were told it would cost extra, which didn’t seem too fair.<br/>There should also be more supplies provided for a 2 week stay such as bin bags.<br/>Finally, the decor - while very tasteful - is very dark toned. It would be fantastic if more lamps were added in the ground floor rooms.<br/>But, over all, very few complaints at all. Thanks for a great visit.
Angela
09/08/2024
Immaculately clean and beautifully furnished, our cottage was a delight. Just a couple of things to be aware of - some room doorways have a step, also there is a £60 cleaning charge and a £30 damage waiver so you need to add £90 to the first price you see, quite a lot if you are only staying a couple of nights.
Lois
22/07/2024
Beautiful cottage which was close to everything and was extremely clean, and beautifully decorated. We loved our stay
Kiaran
10/07/2024
Alan
10/07/2024
Lyndon
02/07/2024
Bathroom was great. Shower room also makes it good when there's 2 couples.<br/>Room cosy with log burner would be great for a winter break.<br/><br/>Not much to dislike. Road works outside made parking a little awkward especially as it's a residential area. But that can't be helped; we were just unlucky to book at that time. I did complain that I had to pay an insurance premium AFTER I'd confirmed booking and paid. Think this should've been made clearer.
Patricia
04/06/2024
Te
01/06/2024
Fantastic location just off the main high street. Large and spacious with enough space and room to accommodate 4 adults and 2 kids. Cottage is modern with all the main amenities and a small courtyard at the back!
Ann
16/05/2024
Suzanne
06/05/2024
Excellent location. Shops bars and supermarket minutes away. The house was beautiful and very clean. The facilities and equipment were amazing.<br/><br/>Everything was perfect.
Sarah
28/04/2024
This is a very special place to stay. The cottage is decorated beautifully and the town is so picturesque. Charlie is an excellent host and always quick to reply to messages and help if needed. We would definitely recommend the cottage and location. The photographs do not lie!
Julie
22/04/2024
Avoid this cottage whilst building works are going on (which will be months). <br/>Totally ruined holiday. <br/>Absolutely no mention of this beforehand, we would have cancelled our trip had we known. Once paid full amount, key code was withheld until we paid more money for ‘insurance’, this detail was hidden in small print. <br/>Both bathrooms smelt of drains. <br/>Such a shame as it was a birthday celebration, one guest never stayed at all and one left early. <br/>Completely useless ‘customer service’.
Ann
25/03/2024
Excellent location <br/>Beautiful property - really cosy and well maintained with everything we needed.<br/><br/>Request for further payment for insurance before they would send the key safe details. <br/>The extraction fan in the kitchen was very noisy <br/>There was a faint smell of drains in the kitchen and shower room end of the house.
Ashlyn
19/03/2024
Property had everything I needed. Good facilities, warm and spacious. The old style of the property was great and good to see original structures in the property.<br/><br/>I requested a late checkout by 2 hours and was denied it. I think if people are travelling for work etc it would be nice to have the option.
Janet
30/01/2024
Very comfortable<br/><br/>Parking was difficult, plus it was dark as we couldn’t enter property until after 4pm
Amy
09/01/2024
The location was perfect and the decor is lovely!<br/><br/>The bedding smelt a little bit foisty, as though it had been dried on a radiator.
Fiona
19/12/2023
Location was good. Good amount of living space for x4 people. Kitchen had good facilities, bathrooms both fitted nice. Living room cosy,especially in winter<br/><br/>The beds were horrendous. Mattresses were awful in all x3 beds, felt like lying on concrete and we prefer a firm mattress! The x2 beds in the big room were so squeaky which meant every time someone turned over in the night (which was a lot because the mattresses were awful) the other person woke up. Also, if you are over 6 foot, the foot board in the other bed makes in uncomfortable to sleep as the person keeps kicking the footboard. <br/>Charged full price for the place 63 days ahead of arrival without warning which I was unhappy about. Only meant to be x30 days. Took hosts a while to sort out and get money back to me. Also we were staying here for a wedding, asked for late checkout which was not accommodated even though the cottage did not have anyone checking in that day. Only really wanted an extra hour or so as we were travelling back to Scotland.
Gary
20/11/2023
Vikki
04/11/2023
Anonymous
31/10/2023
We loved the location as were staying n Barnard Castleto visit family.<br/>The cottage itself is amazing, beautiful furniture, lovely decor, the beds were comfy<br/><br/>Sadly the cleaning was below Satisfactory. <br/>We had planned to cook all our meals, spent a fortune on food however the kitchen was not clean, greasy plates and cutlery, cooker had not been cleaned at all which was disappointing. <br/>It felt like the entire cottage needed a deep clean. Having said that we adored the cottage and are already planning our next stay as I’m sure this was a one off
Luke
30/10/2023
Lovely place, really well decorated. Heated flooring was a nice surprise!
Tracy
27/10/2023
Susan
29/09/2023
Great central location, very well decorated throughout.<br/><br/>Nothing to dislike
Bunn
25/09/2023
Neil
11/09/2023
A very well decorated, comfortable and well equipped house in a very central location of a nice town with a great curry house.
Al-Karim
03/09/2023
Good location and very convenient check in
Carl
01/09/2023
me, my wife and daughter used Hecklers cottage as a base to explore the Northeast. <br/>barnard castle is a beautiful little town, plenty to see and do. Every room was well sized and the cottage well decorated. Had everything we needed and the coal fire added to it. <br/>The hosts communicated everything well and we're very helpful.<br/>I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to people and the only downside was we didn't stay longer!<br/>Thank you again for everything!
Wesley Paul
28/08/2023
Overall the property is as described and perfect location for a break in Barnard Castle. However, we had to vacuum the floors in the kitchen and dining room on arrival, clean the dining table, and the master bed had animal hairs and marks on the bedding.
Brenda
21/08/2023
Lovely cottage, full of character and very tastefully refurbished to a high standard. Great location, only few minutes walk to Barnard Castle town centre. On street parking a bit hit and miss but Morrissons literally at back of property and parking there for through the day after 2pm. Just be aware the there are two steep steps into the bathroom which could be a problem for elderly or those with mobility problems as no handrail. <br/>Really enjoyed our stay and would certainly go back again.
Lindsey
07/08/2023
Lovely place to stay!
Lyndsey H., Huntingdon
26/07/2023
Beautiful property. Spotlessly clean. Very well equipped kitchen and comfortable sitting room. Only one thing is bedroom with 2 doubles, beds a little hard but that is just my preference. Great location for day trips. Would highly recommend
Stacey
24/07/2023
I booked this for me and my children so we could visit High Force for my birthday and it housed us all perfect! The house was absolutely gorgeous, every room was gorgeous and even had a little garden to sit in with a glass of wine. My little boys wanted to stay longer as they loved the interior so much! The house was situated in the middle of town and close to Barnard castle so if you was wanting to visit there it’s a perfect location! <br/>High Force was 30 mins up the road and a lovely drive!<br/>Everything was fabulous and we will definitely be booking back in to visit again. Thank you!
Yvette
22/07/2023
Clean, comfortable and cosy - the cottage is a lovely place. It’s a short walk into town, castle, museum, shops and restaurants/pubs. Morrison’s supermarket is also around the corner to pick up bits and pieces which was handy!
Hill
28/05/2023
Sylvia
01/05/2023
quality of the fittings and furniture. modern and quirky in a very old shell . well stocked with lots of yhiught into needs<br/><br/>no designated parking
Jackie
24/04/2023
Great stay in the middle of Barnard Castle. Lovely accommodation every thing you need . On street parking was good, always found a spot. Thank you
Lorna
09/04/2023
Well decorated and cosy place. Location is very near to the shops.
Claudine
12/03/2023
Cosy, relaxing cottage. Comfy beds. High spec furniture. Very clean. Warm. Excellent location to centre.<br/><br/>Nothing we didn't like or even love.
Chasmond@Aol.Com
18/02/2023
Lovely place and very helpful hosts.
Amanda
10/02/2023
Paul
03/01/2023
Fantastic stay here. House is beautiful, lovely and spacious. Location is really good for local amenities and there are some amazing walks just a short drive away ?
Shaun
26/12/2022
Property is well situated in Barnard Castle, a stones throw from shops, pubs & restaurants. <br/><br/>furnished exceptionally well, cosy and modern. underfloor heating used in conjunction with the log burner means the property is toasty always.<br/><br/>The microwave doesn’t function. whilst it turns on it doesn’t heat
Home Truths
Due to the nature of the property, there isn't private on site parking. However, there is on-street parking to the front of the house on a first come first serve basis.
The second bedroom in the property sleeps four guests as it has two double beds.
The dining area is located in the hallway of the property.