Host & Stay | The Burrow — Guest Reviews

Perfectly located on the Main Street of Alnwick but with beautiful views of Alnwick castle and the rolling hills surrounding it. The air bnb was great for what we needed. My little boy loved the bunk beds - it was great for us having a lounge on the upper floor so when our baby woke early one person could go upstairs while the rest of the family slept. The kitchen was well equipped. All nice and clean.

Great location and good value. Positive: Perfect location, we really enjoyed our stay in Alnwick! We also liked the selection of books and games provided. Negative: Some facilities weren’t working properly (dishwasher) and some felt tired. Also no tumble dryer or anywhere to hang washing. The stairs felt dangerous with a young child as there is a double spiral staircase and a couple of spindles were missing at the top.

Lovely accommodation,right in the centre Positive: Great little hidden spot ,right on the Highstreet. Perfect for a family of 4 with everything needed for a 3 days stay. Negative: Loud noise until approx 1:30am due to music from the bar and then alarm which went on for some time after closing. The accommodation stated free ear plus available in the kitchen however,no earplugs available.

Lovely property right at the centre of Alnwick. Positive: Property was super close to centre of town providing great access to all the bars/pubs and restaurants. At the same time its positioning down a private alley meant it was still very quiet and secure. The open plan layout for the living/kitchen/dining area was ideal for cooking of a morning and relaxing of an evening as a family. Property was very well equipped and felt like a home away from home with great views of the castle. Negative: Bunk beds in small bedroom didn't feel super secure so could maybe do with replacing/tightening. Some areas of property looked like they needed some additional dusting but over all pretty clean and tidy.

Ideally situated in the heart of Alnwick. The property was of a good size for a young family of four. The smart TV worked a treat. Unfortunately the kitchen is now looking a little dated. The fridge needs replacing due to a broken freezer compartment and the tap in the kitchen sink was constantly leaking leaving water all over the worktop. Probably just needs a new seal. The bathroom was nicely decorated but the shower hose also leaked but wasn't really an issue when showering. The double bed was very comfy if a little small. The parking is very limited but fortunately we managed to get parked behind the property when we arrived and left so unpacking/packing the car was easy. Rest of the week we used the free car park about 100yds away. Overall it was a pleasant stay and ideally situated but could do with a spruce up. If you like your real ale pubs I would wholeheartedly recommend Harry's Bar (immediately outside front entrance to the left) and Tanner's Arms.

Perfect for us. Positive: You really couldn't be in a better location, right in the centre of Alnwick over looking the Castle walls, in a quaint historic building. Plus there is a huge Morrisons 2 minutes walk away, which is really convenient. My daughter was delighted to discover it used be part of a toy shop, after reading the accommodation information pack. This actually prompted us to go and look at the train in Barter's bookstore and have a lovely brunch, which I'd recommend. We'll most certainly be back. Negative: The kitchen appliances need some TLC. The fridge freezer door was broken which means the freezer is full of ice and the fridge is too cold. The dish washer also has buttons popping off. Nothing major, but I think it's worth the owner investing a few quid here and there. Especially as the kitchen is pretty well stocked. The sofa is also horrendous, I'm a big lad and I could barely lounge on it. I felt like one of those fat seals perched on a rock. I guess they are limited with what they can get up the spiral stairs. Just make sure you sit down first and get the shezlong!

Loved the location and accommodation would stay again Positive: Lovely location / living room and kitchen lovely Negative: The stairs were a little scary with having my little dog I could have done with a baby gate to stop him trying to go up and down them / bathroom are did have a fusty smell I appreciate it’s an old building but a plug in or a internal air aroma would maybe help

Okay, due to great location. Positive: Good location. Great potential to become a lovely place to stay. Negative: Double spiral staircase. One from ground floor up to bedrooms. And another up to kitchen and living area. Due to having small dog, found to be a bit of a nightmare. Very slippery for him. Tried to block off. Not dog friendly!!!!!!! Especially if you have a small pouch. Tired kitchen. Broken drain pipe above bedrooms. Very noisy, due to heavy rain falling on porch area. Seal in shower needs replacing. Rather mouldy. Off putting, sorry.

Beautiful property but found the spiral staircase a little difficult for the dog and older people

Overall we very much enjoyed our stay at the Burrow. The location is absolutely excellent and couldn't be more central. It was also wonderful to be able to bring the dog with us! At the time of booking there was no picture of the second bedroom containing bunkbeds on the listing. Despite taking a gamble on this, we were comfortable as three adults. As others have mentioned, the kitchen is looking a little tired and the freezer compartment in the fridge is broken. We also found it to be somewhat lacking in some areas: sharp knives, a peeler and dishwasher tablets. We were also unable to find a parking disc in the welcome pack however there are a number of free car parks around which you can hop between to satisfy the maximum stay conditions. The pub next door is a little noisy on Fridays/Saturdays but it didn't bother us too much. We were not given the code for the external entry doors with our check in information which required a call to Stay on arrival. Despite a few issues, Stay were very quick to communicate with us. They offered us several solutions to the issues raised above and ultimately we were happy with the resolutions we were offered.

Beautiful Property Positive: Great location for exploring Alnwick and surrounding areas. Lovely quirky property equipped with everything you need. Negative: Hard to find along the high street, however probably my fault for not reading the instructions. I’d recommend familiarising yourself with location and entry details prior to arrival! We were going to bring our elderly dog (Labrador) as it’s dog friendly, but there’s no way he would have coped with the spiral staircase, glad our plans changed and he didn’t come.

Because of mobility issues and poor layout this spoiled our stay Positive: The flat was beautifully furnished Negative: The spiral staircase was difficult for my husband and mother. The bathroom was on the ground floor, the bedrooms on the first floor and kitchen and living room on top floor! Poorly designed very difficult carrying luggage and shopping up to top floor and going to bathroom on bottom floor! If you have trouble with mobility this flat isn’t for you! The double bed was also very uncomfortable!

Really enjoyed it. Positive: Lovely flat, great location. Good facilities. Negative: Noisy springs on the metal double bed. We couldnt sleep because every time either of us turned over, it woke the other up. Mattress was fine. The shower design/angle ensures the floor was covered in water. Noisy extractor fan. Had to keep the bathroom door open to dry the room out each day.

Cosy central location. Positive: Such a warm and cosy place. The bottom floor has a bathroom and utility- great for storing pram/ coats and boots. Probably the most central place to be in Alnwick, but very quiet and private with its own access lane. Negative: The dishwasher buttons were broken.

Just what needed Positive: Clean, convenient, location, comfortable Negative: The stairs only due to arthritis 🙁

A hidden gem Positive: The facilities were great and the location was excellent. Glad you mentioned the radiator making a bang when cooling down! Want to mention the Strawberry Lounge a few doors up on Narrowgate...if you like cake, it shouldn't be missed,! Negative: The main light flickering in the double bedroom, suspect the bulb is about to die. Couldn't find a spare.

This is a lovely place, in a great location. We really liked the living area, which is at the top of the building and bright and cosy. It felt good value for money.

Great stay over Christmas and New Year Positive: I really liked the locations. It was right in the middle and just about a 5 min walk from the shops. Could carry heavy food and drink home no problem. The fire and the living room were fantastic. It held heat decently well. The kitchen was really nicely laid out and fit very well with the whole aesthetic and design. Some might find the 3 floors odd but I think it's very cool and my partner also thought so. We hope to stay here again it was a really really great stay. When the guttering broke off and fell during the storm that happened. I let the people know and they offered to send out people to fix it that day. We didn't think it was that much of an issue but good to see they were ready to get a quick response out. The room sizes were great. I didn't feel cramped or closed in, they all felt open and a great size. The TV was a decent size, I had to wear my glasses to see any text due to the distance and size of the TV but no complaints. Negative: There were a few problems that didn't look or do so great. The bed for my tastes was very very soft. That might be some people I get that but not mine. I had a bad back every night and couldn't sleep very well. The noise from the bars were a little annoying but that's to be expected from being near them so it's not too much of an issue. It was only an issue if you wanted to sleep before 10pm. The cleanliness of the carpet and walls were not great, this could have been stains from past guests making it unclean able, but the fan in the bathroom has mould in it, not very nice. Unseen by most I'd assume but I noticed. The bathroom shower door doesn't exist, making all the water from the shower just spill onto the floor. Not a great design. The sofas were ok. But they lacked depth the feel of them was great but the lack of depth made it a little hard to get comfortable. The only comfortable place was the far right side of them.

Positive: The property was in good condition and had everything we needed. It is upside down house with spiral staircase, so would not suit everyone, but we had no issues. It is in the centre of the town so great for location. Negative: Nothing

Positive: Lovely place, all comfy, very local next to castle, everything perfect

A great central location. Thr house doesn't have parking because of this but Alnwick has lots nearby on the street behind - much of Alnwick is disc parking so all free. The house is down a narrow passage. it has locked (by code) doors at each end ... a sensor light one direction but if you enter from the front there is a switch to your left as you enter. The passageway opens into a small courtyard shared by all 4 houses off the passageway. This was house no. 3. The house is upside down. You enter into a utility room and the bathroom leads off. Bathroom is large, good shower and other facilities. Then the spiral staircase takes you to the 2 bedrooms.. a bunk and a double. The bunk is small room. The double also has a dressing table and chair. Good power points. Window faces a room. Bed comfortable. Linen clean. Another spiral staircase to the kitchen diner. Good views, large room. The kitchen was fine. The dishwasher was out of order but oven and microwave worked. Good hot water.

Lovely cottage located right at the back of Alnwick Castle - perfect location!

We loved the location and surrounding areas but slightly disappointed in the accommodation Positive: Location Negative: The instructions for entering the property were incredibly confusing and took us and another lady at property number 2, 40 minutes and three very unhelpful phones to work it out - it was made much more confusing having another key safe on the outside door which it turns out we didn’t need to use The musty smell on entering The dishwasher wasn’t working It all looked quite tired and shabby The outside path was incredibly slippery and quite dangerous and there was no lighting further along the path causing one of us to trip over a dustbin when it was dark

Pleasant stay Positive: Right in the centre of Alnwick Negative: Very difficult to find. Wasn’t as clean as it could be.

Positive: Great location in Alnwick for all the town’s attractions. But quiet at night for relaxing after a day sightseeing, nice big lounge dining area. Recommend drinks at Harry’s Bar & meal at The Market Tavern, booking recommended. Negative: Not a dislike, but access to two floors by spiral staircase. So not recommended if mobility an issue.

Enjoyed our stay, property was spacious, however as the bathroom was on the ground floor and the house on three levels, the spiral staircase took some time getting used to. Some things need updating, especially the sticky paintwork on the kitchen cupboards. Otherwise it’s a comfortable property in a good location, just very noisy at weekends from the local bar down below in the late evening even with the double glazing. Alnwick is a lovely town and recommend the Market Tavern for a meal out just need to book due to its popularity , Harry’s bar for great music and friendly banter. Alnwick castle and gardens place to visit. Beautiful beach at Alnmouth Village, definitely worth a visit.

Very average Positive: Nice location Negative: Wasn’t quite like the photos shown.

Positive: Central Location was good. Free parking was close. Tastefully decorated Negative: Dishwasher was temperamental. Surrounding bars were noisy until 11pm but this was highlighted

Lovely 2 nights in a home from home appartment Positive: Beautiful appartment right in the middle of Alnwick. Everything we needed was provided. Clean, modern and spacious. Negative: The only thing I didn't like was the keybox which we found difficult to open.

Great accommodation right in the centre of town. Comfortable stay. Great host.

Overall a really good stay! Positive: The location was ideal. The property was clean and comfortable Negative: Lack of facilities to leave luggage pre booking in and after check out. Timings not good for us as came by train and had to book an earlier one home as we couldn’t leave our cases.

Fantastic place. Was clean, tidy and perfect for what we needed. The location is spot on

Excellent location!

Great place to stay Central location. pub next door with range of real ales. Indian restaurant across the road. What more do you need?

A great place to stay in Alnwick. Very central and easy to get around the town

Quaint, quiet and peaceful.

Positive: The property was nice and the location was great! Lovely place would definitely recommend staying

Positive: Great location right in the centre of alnwick. Negative: Dated interior. Poor cooking facilities. Damp smell in the ground floor and 1st floor. Tiny main bed in main bedroom which was uncomfortable.

Great base to recharge & to venture out from. Positive: It was very central, yet quiet. I slept really well. It was nicely furnished with lots of nice little touches. The kitchen area had everything so we could make our own meals. Negative: Parking is available nearby but it means moving the car around to avoid fines - however, parking is very cheap: £1 for a Northumberland parking discount that can be used in many places.

Positive: Het huis heeft een bijzondere indeling. Er is een fijne sfeer. We voelden ons alledrie heel erg op ons gemak. Heel grappig dat Alnwick Castle onze achterbuur was. Bezoek aan het kasteel was top. Bezoek aan de Alnwick Gardens ook. Negative: Geen.

Positive: The location is great, right in the heart of Alnwick. Negative: There is only one toilet/bathroom that is right down on the bottom floor.

Enjoyable Positive: The beds were very comfortable and the property was clean and stylish Negative: The property could have done with some cosmetic issues being taken care of. Also the ally to enter the property is a bit treacherous, pavement uneven and slippy.

Lovely comfortable apartment, central location

Positive: Great location in Central Alnwick, plenty of space and comfy beds Negative: A little damp in places

As others did, we also struggled to find the place using the directions provided and feel these could be clearer. Calling a number to ask for directions, only to hear a recorded message was disappointing after a long car journey. Alnwick castle is definitely your next door neighbour, but was on our visit wrapped in scaffolding so I'm not sure how incredible the view really is. I concur with the comments about the property looking tired and needing some TLC. The kitchen most definitely needs it, and we felt there was a lack of good kitchen tools generally. The property particulars need updating. There is still mention of a parking disc which has clearly long since disappeared. Despite all that the location is good and the property is full of character.

our stay at the flat was fine. It's a great location with a view of the castle. Unfortunately the flat was inadequately cleaned before our arrival, but this was resolved when I called the manager of the property. Also, only a few tea bags and a singular dish washer tablets seemed a bit cheap. Still, not bad overall

Central location, very clean. Positive: Central situation. Comfy lounge. Very clean.Well equipped. Negative: The two spiral staircases. The alley was quite dark even with the outside light on. Could perhaps include a hairdryer?

It's a great location but could do with a tidy up and a few things fixing Positive: Great location Negative: Signage could have been better, not clear about parking, no loo rolls, the little alley was very slippery, the lock box was hard to open

Although the apartment has a good location and was as described there is maintenance which needs doing. Stains on the carpet etc We reported the dishwasher as broken on day 1 and by day 4 when we left nobody had come to fix it. We had problems with the deposit where we ended up paying it twice through an error on their side and have had to argue and chase to get it back. 10 days later I’m still waiting for the additional admin charges to be refunded. This is a real shame as the location is great and Alnwick is beautiful but I would not book through Host and Stay again

Needs some attention Could be a great property if some money was spent on maintenance. It’s in a central location right next to the castle and shops. However, the carpets are stained and need replacing or cleaning. The curtains are falling off the rails. The sofa cushions smell like a dog slept on them. There is also a really noisy outdoor bar next door which plays loud music all day and evening at the weekends. I think the bar has opened since we made the booking in March so we weren’t aware how loud it would be. The front door needs to be made more secure too - the lock is not very sturdy.

Positive: Waschmaschine war sehr praktisch. Negative: Zentral, unweit mehrerer Pubs. Die Terasse eines Pubs mit lauter Musik ist in unmittelbarer Nähe, im Wohn- und Essbereich ist es dadurch teilweise so laut, als wäre man selbst im Pub. Insgesamt könnte alles etwas sauberer sein. Fenster waren sehr dreckig, in der Küche waren einige Motten. Bad hat einen leicht feucht-modrigen Geruch. Matratzen unangenehm weich.

Cosy, little flat in a great location! Positive: ThI location was amazing and perfect to be able wander around Alnwick and visit other areas of Northumberland. Negative: The property was clean and on the surface well presented. However, some aspects were a bit run down. For instance, the curtains were hanging off and I had to hook them back on, the blind in the bedroom was frayed, the carpets had marks on and there were 2 plants looking worse for wear on the windowsill. It would also benefit from a new front door and some hand soap in the bathroom. There is also a strong drainage smell which I suspect might be due to the building being so old!

Positive: Everything, it's out second visit

We stayed in a Host and Stay property in Alnwick. The town is absolutely lovely and within easy access of the jaw droppingly beautiful Northumberland Coast. If you fancy a visit, do go to Alnwick, but please stay anywhere but this property. I was contacted prior to arrival to request that I pay either a £25 insurance policy or an additional £250 with a £10 admin fee (it has not be explained what this charge is for). The £250 was to cover damage. I was not provided with information about accessing the property and had to telephone the Host and Stay call centre for instructions. I have stayed in many different places, with Air BnB and other booking sites, and have never been asked to make such a payment. The request seemed out of touch with the market and inappropriate. I did however pay £250. We did not cause any damage. The £250, which was in addition to the cost of the property, has not be refunded. As such, I would advise everyone to avoid booking with Host and Stay at all costs.

This is a good apartment in a nice area. Very clean, perfectly well kept. A little noise from neighbouring pubs but not enough to be a problem. Very convenient for town. Note there are two sets of spiral stairs: not a problem for us but could be for some people/animals. Private parking at rear is very limited (not available when we were there) and there is potential to get trapped in neighbouring private parking. Best not to park at rear.

The house was in a great location, right in the middle of Alnwick, and close for a few good pubs. It matched the description and photos reasonably well although a few of the finishes were a little lacking and some of the decor was a little worn. Overall great stay and would recommend

lovely accommodation Positive: lovely and modern Negative: no negative comments

We had a lovely stay at the Burrow. The property was easy to find, down a private alleyway. Everything was as described. The kitchen could be updated but was perfect for the cooking we did. The building was very warm but we were staying at the end of May - it was cooler with the windows open. There is a slightly weird smell on the ground floor but it didn’t bother us too much. It’s a shame that it’s operated by an agency as the messages they sent felt very corporate and scripted. We would 100% visit the property again - it is perfect for exploring Alnwick.

Really enjoyed our stay, great views of the castle. Great place to use as a base.

beautiful and relaxing with the best location in town Positive: loved the kitchen and warm and cozy feel of the space.

Great property in super location Smart, loft-style property set on 3 floors. Comfortable, clean and cosy. Little bit of noise from next door but not much. Located right in the centre of the town next to Alnwick Castle. Highly recommended.

Lovely flat overlooking the castle.

Great location! Easy access to town and other locations. Steep, spiral staircases between each floor of apartment. Bathroom on bottom floor. Middle floor 2 bedrooms (1 bedroom has a bunk bed). Top floor, really lovely open plan living, kitchen. View of castle from top floor. Good communication from holiday company.

it has everything you need and is very comfortable. Positive: Really comfortable and clean. Superb location. Negative: We heard some noises from neighbours / pubs nearby and can imagine that this may be louder in the summer but overall definitely recommend this property.

Excellent Guest! We love to host you again.

Lovely little house in a central location, right beside the castle. We enjoyed the quirky three-story layout with the spiral staircases, and the kitchen was particularly lovely. Especially appreciated the selection of board games on rainy days. Only complaint was that the fridge didn't shut properly, but the owners assured us they would fix it ASAP once we reported the issue.

Excellent location for many areas of this wonderful part of the coastline.

The property is conveniently located but hard to find and not suitable if you aren't reasonably fit. Negative: The agency Host and Stay demanded verification - a 'selfie' and a photo of my passport - before details of how to access the property and I found this quite intrusive. I still had to get in touch and ask for the details before they were sent. Every communication from Host and Stay included a long email trail which was confusing and I was asked repeatedly for 'verification' despite it already have been done. The details given of how to find the property were not very helpful. It was difficult to find by car as it could only accessed by car from the back. You needed to drive through the public car park to an area which said there was no public parking and then find an unmarked gate. Then you had to walk along an unlit alley to find the correct door and key box. Luckily it wasn't completely dark when we arrived or this would have been really difficult. The property is on three floors with a spiral staircase between the floors. Not great if you need to go to the bathroom in the night as this is on the ground floor.

Great stay at the burrow, perfect location in Alnwick

Gorgeous property! Would definitely stay again. Lovely and tucked away but in the middle of the city centre; felt very safe.

Cosy place next to the castle Positive: Nice place with cosy open kitchen/living room on the 2nd floor Good location right next to the castle Negative: Housekeeping to be improved (cutlery dirty on arrival)

we had a great time in Alnwick. The burrow was clean and warm and functional. I would give it a 6.5 out of ten. Positive: location Negative: Access scruffy. Parking misleading. Sofas v uncomfortable.

Lovely place. Central location - right by the castle. Good base for beach days. Accommodation clean and comfy. Would recommend.

We had a lovely long weekend in beautiful Alnwick in an ideal central location for easy exploring. Positive: The accommodation was clean and well presented and in an ideal location for our stay. Negative: For the first two days there was a very strong smell of 'weed' throughout the property, which was not pleasant. The pub was noisy, but that wasn't a problem, although some of the loud arguments were unsavoury and we were glad we didn't have young children with us.

Lovely apartment extremely close to castle and Alnwick shops, pubs and restaurants. There is parking nearby but you need to purchase a parking disc at dirty bottles pub or nearby car park for £1.

Nice place, however we found the cleaning to be lacking. Given the price and reviews I would have expected better, and it did but a bit of a damper on our stay to have to clean the bathroom and kitchen items ourselves in order to feel happy using them. Location is excellent, right next to Alnwick Castle and in the centre of town. Communication was good. Living area and kitchen seems newly decorated and is nice, ground floor and bedrooms could do with renovating also as they're looking a bit tired but any place rented out gets to that point so not a big issue. Overall enjoyed our stay, however the cleanliness (or lack thereof) really was disappointing.

Lovely property, well presented and clean and tidy. Great location in the old part of Alnwick, central to bars and restaurants with the castle next door.

Sttessful. Positive: The property was clean, stylishly decorated and location absolutely fantastic. Negative: Layout! Unfortunately it was completely inappropriate for a stay with elderly parents as it was across 3 floors up and down a spiral staircase. My understanding from the pictures was that the property was across two floors, kitchen living on the top floor with bedrooms and bathroom lower ground, floors accessible by a small spiral staircase. This would of been manageable however the bathroom was on ground, bedrooms second and living 3rd. Nowhere in the property description was this explained. Travelling with elderly parents who use the bathroom regularly throughout the night and having them navigate a spiral staircase was quite stressful. We asked to be moved and was told it wasn’t possible. We actually booked an alternative space for 1 night at great expense but had to return to the property on night 2 & 3 as there was no availability elsewhere. There was also a drain issue in the back alley which backed up into the property. Smell was horrendous.

lovely location, very convenient but wouldn’t stay again Positive: location Negative: the wrong check in time is given on the website, we arrived at 3 which it states on booking.com but there was someone in the property, not very welcoming and told us to come back later. He also mentioned a few people had told him about the check in times so I’m not sure why this wasn’t resolved before we got there. The toaster didn’t work No hair dryer lack of Amenities floor downstairs was dirty could hear lots of noise from neighbours no parking water from the tap didn’t get cold and the hot tap didn’t work at all

An enjoyable long weekend Positive: Stunning views across the roof tops to the castle. Very comfortable bed; clean and well equipped; stylish decor; good wifi; helpful letting agency Negative: Tricky to find the location on arrival

Positive: Lovely lovely place! Spotless, has everything you need. Shower was great. Negative: Bed was squeaky and pillows not too comfy but nothing major. I didn't really like the booking process through the 3rd party, it was clunky. But all was sorted, just I'd rather that personal contact.

The location was ideal, really central for easy access to the castle and the town but the apartment and courtyard felt private and peaceful. The layout of the apartment was great, it was lovely to sit in the sun with a view of the castle grounds. The only thing I would be picky about was finishing touches - generally a wee bit more TLC needed.

Really lovely, spacious yet cosy apartment, best location possible. We really enjoyed our stay. Positive: ,Brilliant location for the castle and garden Really comfortable, a home from home. Negative: Next door were building and hammering from 8am. Could've had tea towels and a bath mat, the shower wets the floor outside the cubicle.

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