Host & Stay | Harbour Cottage — Guest Reviews

Quaint cottage in a near perfect location. Positive: Really great location. It’s a petite little cottage, but totally suited our needs. Great being a 2 bed for the kids. Heating was excellent. Kitchen had everything we needed. Negative: The shower was really hit and miss! Beds very springy. Struggled to find the cottage as the sign was the same colour as the building’s render. Minor issues.

lovely stay with my 8 year old daughter. pubs were great and lots of amenities within a 'stones throw'

Would not recommend this property for a family

Perfect location to relax and unwind after a busy day exploring the area. Bed was comfortable and the house was immacul Positive: Location was perfect. It was clean too with decent WiFi and heating; I liked that it was modern. Negative: Very little surface space downstairs and lack of utensils (chopping board, teaspoons, tongs). Only small things, don’t affect our stay at all, just would have been handy. The bathroom door doesn’t close completely so not very private; not ideal if sharing with friends. Stairs need concentration! Again, none of these affected our stay, we had a lovely time.

Great stay! Lovely little place perfect for a short weekend with friends. Excellent location to shops, pub and beach. Had a wonderful time!

Perfect place to stay . Second time I’ve booked this cottage . Warm , comfortable , perfectly placed . Ideal for a couple

Harbour Cottage is situated in a prime position in Staithes. Although small it was perfect for the two. The stairs however would perhaps present difficulty for anyone less mobile. All in all a lovely cottage situated in a stunning part of the North Yorkshire coastline.

The cottage was great and just a few steps from the harbour so perfect location. The host was very quick to respond to my messages and check in details were concise and helpful. The cottage is small but fine for 2 of us and had everything we needed. We did notice a damp smell in the cottage though that we couldn’t get rid of. Not sure if it was just the fact it’s an old building. Fab stay though, good value considering the location.

We have just stayed at the lovely cottage for 3 nights. The location was perfect. We thought the price that we paid was good too, especially with it being the height of summer. I’m very fussy about pillows but the pillows were perfect. Would return again in a heartbeat.

A very cute and well kept little cottage in the heart of this beautiful fishing village. Positive: Location is brilliant. Clean, cute fishing cottage Negative: It was exactly as expected. The stairs are very steep so be aware before you arrive not suitable for less mobile folks!

Beautiful little cottage, fabulous location Positive: Location Negative: Needs handrails on all stairs

Harbour Cottage Positive: Lovely little cottage in a beautiful harbour, cozy, well equipped, good communication from host and dog friendly Negative: The open staircase, if we were there for longer than a night we would've wanted something in place to make it safer, especially if we'd gone with young children. There was also a strange smell to the accommodation which seemed more obvious when the kitchen cupboard doors were opened (maybe a leak causing a bit of damp)?

Positive: The cottage is beautiful Negative: The stairs are very dangerous we took our dogs and one fell through needs a gate at the bottom to improve safety

I absolutely loved my stay here. The accommodation is clean, comfortable and warm and with everything you need. I stayed here alone and felt extremely safe, the check in was easy and host was extremely responsive. Just advise for future guests to make sure you get the location on your phone exact as the signal goes off in the bottom of the village. Other than that, id most definately recommend and will be booking again soon.

What a lush little cottage and so close to the water -perfect access to stunning views sunrise and swims :) really happy and will return

Great stay for dad’s birthday . “Lovely location

just a few steps from the wonderful harbour and the excellent Cod and Lobster pub, fantastic atmosphere, food and beer. Best to book a table in advance though.

Nice place, just full of mould. Positive: The whole house has mold up the walls, in each room. The beds were very worn, its a shame because the house could be lovely. Upon entering the house it smelt very unpleasant and mouldy. We had to wipe the walls down, not want I want to do whilst on holiday. Negative: The location,

Health and safety hazard Positive: The location in staithes near the harbour Negative: The property was damp, the fridge had no shelves, the shower cubicle was filthy with soap/skin scum down the lower walls, the grill pan was very dirty under the foil, the stairs were painted in gloss and sign asked us to take shoes off...socks are slippy, the stairs on the upper level were open and unguarded/no support resulting in an open hole close to the bed (very dangerous) the overall state of the cottage was shabby with paint bubbling and falling from the walls near the entrance, the bed was terrible with lumpy springs which was very painful though we used 2 quilts to try to pad up. We did not sleep well. A fridge without shelves and a broken salad box was shocking. We took food but were unable to seperate raw meat from cooked. This is a very very serious issue. Its a food hygeine and therefore health and safety issue along with the open stair aperture on the upper floor. It smells of damp which will have resulted in spores in the atmosphere. The shower walls were disgusting. I rang the staff who said they would tell the cleaning staff for the next customer. THE NEXT CUSTOMER???? And what about us? I regularly rent holiday cottages and i can say i am utterly appalled.

Very disappointed with the condition of the property, which was much smaller, darker and less spacious than shown in the photos. There was a strong damp smell and the property was dusty and poorly cleaned, with issues that also triggered allergy symptoms. Overall, it felt unhygienic and poorly maintained, and was not what we expected from the listing.

This place was nothing like the pictures online. It was damp and smelt damp. Cooker not cleaned and the floor was still wet when we arrived and gritty under foot.It had not been maintained at all...peeling paint, damp patches, weeds in the cutter ,shower and bathroom units rotten.

Location was nice, but it wasn’t spacious as shown in picture.

Very disappointing stay — poor condition and inaccurate photos Positive: Location Negative: Very disappointing stay — poor condition and inaccurate photos Unfortunately, our stay at this cottage was extremely disappointing. The condition of the property was poor, and the photos online were clearly not up to date and did not accurately represent the cottage as we found it. The shower was a major issue. It didn’t work properly, flooded and leaked, with water coming through the ceiling in the front room behind the TV. As a result, we were afraid to use the TV or properly use the shower. The leaking clearly does not appear to be a new issue, as mould was also found on the wall, suggesting the problem had been ongoing for some time. There was also an awful damp smell throughout the property, which made the stay unpleasant and uncomfortable. Overall, the cottage was not in the condition we expected from the listing, and the inaccurate photos were particularly disappointing. The obvious signs of ongoing damp and water damage were concerning. We would not stay here again and would not recommend it based on our experience.

A little gem by the harbour Positive: Clean. Ideal location . Easy to locate

Positive: Excellent location for the beach. Negative: Reported slow draining shower on day 1, led to flooding of bathroom floor and subsequently flooded into kitchen wetting picnic bag and camping chair. No lock on bathroom door. Very small fridge with shelf missing so useless if you wanted to use it. Open stairs over kitchen utensils/side...hygiene?

Beautiful village, quaint cottage Positive: The village of Staithes Negative: Accommodation had 2 flights of narrow, steep stairs, difficult for older people. Fridge didn't have a shelf, had to pile up groceries which fell out onto the floor when opening the door. Half a J cloth for washing up. Pots pans in a cupboard on floor Parking 15 minutes up a steep hill.

Dated property needs a deep clean but great location

Generally very enjoyable. Good location and very relaxing Positive: The location was good for the harbour/beach and other aspects in the village. The cottage was cozy and clean Negative: There are no shelves in the fridge so all the food had to be piled on top of each other which made things a bit of a mess. The shower did not drain very well so I had to be very quick to be in and out before the water came over the top of the tray and onto the bathroom floor. The sofa could do with a good clean as has been mentioned on several other reviews and has obviously not been addressed

We booked this stay as a last minute get away for a couple of nights and for us was suitable for this length if stay. Conveniently located next to the harbour and within short walks of all the amenities/cafes/beach/tearooms and interesting nooks and crannies of Staithes.

Positive: Good company they help you through everything, the transition was very good I will be staying with host and stay again Negative: The only thing I didn't like ....was leaving the place

the cottage is in a perfect location the upstairs was lovely and clean couldn't fault the bedroom Positive: the location was perfect Negative: the downstairs smelled really bad of damp and mold very overpowering

Positive: Beds Negative: No enough comfy chairs

Fabulous location.

Great cottage in a great location. Positive: Great location. Lovely cottage. Perfect for our trip away. Negative: Kitchen is small and shower wasn’t great.

Quick stay in Staithes. Make sure you download the info you need before you get there - mobile signal is terrible. House great - be aware there are open stairs if you have little ones. We would recommend slippers for the downstairs room/kitchen area as well. Took our morning tea down to the harbour side - lovely!

The house was lovely! We love Staithes so picked the house for perfect location. It was smart and clean, and as described. It could do with a few improvements such as sofa deep clean, some nice air fresheners to help with the damp smell of an old house plus the shower also leaked through the ceiling and into the living room! We had reported this to company, it didn’t affect our stay but not ideal.

They messed up our booking and we had a to leave a day early, only finding out the morning of leaving. Spoliing our last day for our kids and elderly dog.

Quite disappointed with accommodation which I have passed on to agents but only given a stock answer. Outside door and surrounding area was messy. House smelt very musty and damp. Sofa was dirty,fortunately we had taken a throw to sit on. Bathroom showed obvious signs of damp on floor and smelt musty. Would not recommend.

Positive: Full of characters and has everything we need. Negative: Almost slipped on the stairs.

Perfect little cottage in an ideal location!

Relaxing Positive: Compact but well equipped. Negative: Looked bigger in photos, stairs may not be suitable for the old or very young (not a problem for us though)

Will read the reviews next time Positive: It’s in a lovely place Negative: Terrible check in process and communication - there is no signal in the village and I had to go to another cottage to be able to use their WiFi call and get directions and the door code to get in. Nothing was sent via email apart from a ‘pay for earlier check in’ message. Damp smell in kitchen. Stairs lethal. Shower went from boiling hot to freezing cold. It has the potential to be a lovely cottage but it was so unwelcoming, not even a throw on the sofa or a coaster. I’d recommend the owner goes and experiences it and I hope makes a few improvements.

Had a wonderful stay here 10/10

Beautiful modern cottage Positive: Very modern, lovely cottage. Very clean and well presented. Close to local pubs. Staff were friendly and helpful when contacted prior to arrival. Beautiful old building with good views. Good location. Negative: I couldn't help but think the stairs (both sets) weren't brilliant, no hand rails. Difficult to get up and down and I think there a little unsafe really. Im sure something could be done. The noise travel from bottom to top of the cottage was quite bad, could hear everything. Cottage is at the bottom of a VERY steep hill, not a criticism as we were fine with it. Just a warning to those who may not be.

lovely little cottage near the beach and pub . lovely coffee shops. Bit of a walk from the carpark. excellent are to stay.

Lovely cosy retreat , with two pubs/eating houses within a 100 yards Positive: Location Negative: Smoke Alarm beeping all night 🤬

Relaxing stay in Staithes Positive: Fantastic location Cottage ok for 2 people Negative: The cottage downstairs has a very strong damp smell which is quite unpleasant No storage for clothes in the first floor bedroom apart from a few clothes rails but not everything can be hung up like underwear etc

Very relaxing and chilled Positive: The closeness to the sea , easy to warm up Negative: Stairs were a bit worrying but left the light on to prevent any falls during the night

Positive: I love everything about Harbour Cottage stayed here a few times . Has everything you need and great location to explore beautiful Staithes. 10/10 from me.

Compact cottage, bed was too small (I’m only 5’8” tall) and the mattress was very uncomfortable. Positive: Location was good. Negative: Bed was uncomfortable, stairs felt unsafe. Window in front door meant it made you feel a little uncomfortable. Shower door didn’t close properly meaning a small Pool of water when getting out of the shower.

Would not recommend Positive: Location Negative: Not clean , mould , bathroom dirty and broken, no blinds on bathroom window, Damp smell horrible down stairs

Was a lovely real. Clean comfortable and cosy,pub and tearoom excellent. So peaceful in December.

Positive: Pretty cottage in fabulous location. Negative: Shower not great but understandable in small cottage/location. Bed quite uncomfortable.

Positive: Character, cleanliness, simple check in, location Negative: Maybe a bit more local artwork on the walls - was a bit Spartan on that front - but that a very minor comment

We loved our stay at Harbour cottage. A close walk to the Cod and lobster-fantastic menu and friendly staff. Staithes is beautiful. The only down side was the foist smell as you walk in. But we bought a scented candle for the lounge and our cooking smells soon helped. Shower in the bathroom leaks under the door but not a big issue We enjoyed our stay

Nice cottage in a very good location. The property would benefit from refurbishment in some areas.

Great location, in a lovely place

The cottage was as described , tad smaller than it looked in the pictures , great location .The fridge was hard work as the shelves were missing including the door racks , luckily brought my own tea towels and tissue roll as only one towel was there . The beds looked clean in white cotton as did the towels , shower room was ok quite a bit of mould on the lower walls . Unfortunately the morning of leaving as I normally do I stripped the bed , sorry to say dirty stained mattress .. and hairs on the pillows . Maybe time for a deep clean . All said we enjoyed our break and would like to stay there again if note is taken of concerns raised .

Filthy black mouldy shower, dirty windows, black mould in kitchen sink, dirty unwelcoming doorway, dirty stained cutlery. Shower was either cold or scalding hot. Kettle positioned on top of microwave, dangerous! Staircase an accident waiting to happen! Host & Stay pestering for booking form completing when they had only just sent it to me. Cleaner sat outside waiting for us to leave 30 minutes before we were due to go! Host & Stay asking for me to review the property, I told them I was waiting for a response to my complaint regarding the state of the place, got another reminder but still not had a response to my complaint! The place could be lovely, but needs updating and safety issues rectifying. The cottage has been for sale for over a year so I guess the owner isn't bothered! Such a shame as the location is perfect!

Agree with other reviews in that this isn’t a “luxury” listing. A nice little place to rest your head but the stains and marks on the walls, and well used kitchen take away the luxury level. Shower needs some attention as kept over spilling. And be careful of the steps, they are quite steep and narrow. And no place to hang your wet coats after a day walking in the rain. Otherwise, you can’t complain. It is what it says on the tin and it’s a brilliant place to explore the rest of what the coast has to offer.

Lovely little characterful cottage in a great location near to the harbour and amenities in the village. We drove down to empty the car but it is very narrow - there is no parking but there is a small residents car park a hundred yards or so further on to turn around in and drop your belongings off at the house before heading back up the hill to the public car park. We had decided not to take our dogs and were so glad we didn’t, as the staircase is open plan with a gap between each step. Also although it’s a cute little house, it did have a pervading smell of damp, especially in the cupboard which housed the fridge And a little bit lacking in a few basics - toilet rolls, kitchen towel and maybe some tissues We enjoyed our stay and although the house is in a lovely location, the stairs could prove to be tricky and the smell of damp was not ideal

This cottage is in a perfect location in Staithes with a pub and a tea room on your doorstep and the beach just around the corner. It is a great base to rest your head after a long day exploring Staithes and surrounding areas but I would not describe the accomodation as "luxury" as there are lots of improvements that need to be made. Please note the stairs are not very safe for anyone unsteady on their feet, for young children or dogs.

Booked this lovely cottage for my father in law after we told him how good our stay was a few weeks previously. Lovely cottage in the perfect location. Can’t wait to revisit.

L’alloggio è nel complesso funzionale, gli spazi sono un po’ ristretti (soprattutto il bagno). Purtroppo al piano terra c’è odore di umidità.

Sadly the property was not as described. Damp and mouldy and not fit for people to stay in at present. Be careful to check reviews as we found the reviews on the advert related to numerous other properties under the hosts company rather than the specific one we were booking.

Lovely little cottage in the middle of Staithes. Really easy to find, we had no issues at all.

Very good location and pleasant property. Positive: Lovely location, facilities were good for a short stay Negative: Shower was slightly blocked

lovely tiny cottage, Staithes was beautiful even in the rain.

Great - everything we needed for a couple of days. Local pubs were sound with good food. Positive: Great location if you accept the walk from the car park. Staithes doesn't have a whole lot in the way of convenience stores etc (i.e. none), so make sure you stock up with whatever you might need before you arrive. Property does have milk tea and coffee so no problem there. Negative: Stairs were pretty steep so might be troublesome but manageable for young kids or old types like me.

Lovely cottage, beautiful village, the cottage had everything we needed, cosy and clean, the only thing I would suggest is a good pair of ear plugs, noisey seagulls throughout the night. I would definitely recommend to family and friends and I would stay again without ant hesitation.

Staithes is such a delight. Great walks, vibe, friendly.

great place to stay, clean tidy with prime location within the village,with easy access to the beach and pubs

Nice location but cottage smelt of damp which made it extremely uncomfortable and unhealthy to stay. Positive: Location of the property. Negative: The Cottage had an awful damp smell which made the whole stay very uncomfortable , so much so we left a day early. We couldn’t cook or eat in the cottage because of the smell. The stairs were hazardous with no outer bannister. Shower very small.

Good location in centre of Staiths by the harbour.

Positive: Location is great if you want to be in in a middle of a village and near the sea

Lovely stay 🩷 Positive: Lovely and cosy.

A great location, just a few metres from the harbour and the pubs. Nice and quiet, especially when the daytrippers leave. Comfortable sofa and bed. Stairs are steep. Dodgy shower, could only get boiling or freezing water! Need to pay for parking at the village top, so would recommend travelling light so you can walk down, as driving down is no fun!

Had a lovely couple of nights here. You do have to park at the top of a very steep hill and take your stuff down, it was £7.20 for 24 hrs. I did notice others were driving down to unload but I wasn’t aware this might be possible? Couldn’t get in cottage until 4pm but it was a lovely day to be outside. It’s on the Main Street right near the Cod & Lobster pub. Lovely peaceful place but got busier on a nice day! Visited Runswick Bay, Guisborough and Whitby for days out. Lovely little cottage with everything you need! No complaints at all! Nearby on the main road into Staithes before you turn off is a Co-op and this is walkable (20 min walk) from the cottage, for supplies! Would go back!

A idyllic cottage a few steps away from the sea. The cottage was extremely clean with everything you need making our stay just perfect ! 👌

Staiths is a beautiful village and the cottage was in the very heart of the village. It was easy to find, there is a need for the parking information and costs to be updated by the hosts. The car park is in one area at the top of the village, different costs depending on area where you park within, only takes cash or ringo app, no card payment. When we entered the cottage there was a noticeable damp smell which we assumed was due to lack of airing. However on day 2 after using the shower it was obvious there was a water leak running down the wall downstairs with damp patches on the ceiling, over electric points. We contacted the host immediately with photos. We were unable to use the shower for the rest of our stay as it felt unsafe. Still waiting for a resolution to the complaint after 8 days. Other than that there were some nice touches, tea, coffee, milk etc as you'd hope from a stay at this price. Definitely recommend Staithes, not sure about the cottage due shower situation.

Lovely seaside cottage. Perfectly situated, close to the pub.

Liked the property, just ashame about the parking Positive: Fair size Near the beach Negative: No parking, so hard to carry bags up and down the hill Car park cost quite a bit

Love Staithes and Harbour cottage is in perfect location near the harbour and most importantly The Cod and Lobster

it is I lovely cosy cottage in great location. The stairs are narrow and two flights so perfectly adequate if you are fit and agile.

Positive: Everything Negative: Nothing

Not recommended, The sofa damaged my back. Positive: After support was really bad and no courtesy to call although I requested it. When we arrived a for sale sign was up on the property and I’m guessing that as it was an agency of some kind simply didn’t care. I wouldn’t recommend this place and I’m sorry to say as the location is amazing

The cottage is in a brilliant location on the High Street, near to the harbour. It was minimalist but very clean & stylish. Beware the stairs if you have eldeley, young kids or dogs. Very steep & quite slippery! Overall, it's a lovely place & we would be happy to stay there again.

We had a lovely time Positive: Location Negative: The stairway in the property

Great location, although difficult to find in the dark when we arrived. Also phone signal is limited so have a good look at where it is before you arrive!! Cottage is well placed within Staithes and is cosy. Its on the small size, so great for a short stay. Pubs, cafes and beach / harbour all within a short walk.

Really lovely little cottage immaculately clean great position

Beautiful Cottage in the most perfect location. Just wish we could have stayed longer!

excellent stay and lovely accommodation. Thank-you :)