Host & Stay | The Old Rectory — Guest Reviews

Comfortable & chilled Positive: Great spacious, clean property with comfortable beds and plenty of showers and privacy for all guests. The property had everything we needed. The open plan kitchen,living and dining area was perfect for our family group to spend time together. Great big gardens. Negative: Comfort, location and privacy

Rented for 10. Nice large bedrooms. Not enough seats to sit round table together, not enough cutlery for everyone, no corkscrew, kitchen was shabby and uncared for feel. Mismatch of what looks like charity shop kitchen ware. Only aga for stove top cooking. Most communication was reminders of penalties if didn’t leave by 10 am. Small sachets of milk. Coffee machine was filled with old pods and stagnant water and only came with chai tea pods and not compatible with ones the public can buy. Not suitable for catering for large group. Only indication of a welcome was card from cleaner. Currently on the market so felt staged - all style with no substance. Was intended for a family celebration gathering which is why we spent so much but did not live up to expectations and felt mean. No personal touches - have used many air b n b and an effort has been made to be a welcoming home from home - this sadly wants to take your money and get you in and out as quickly as possible- not recommended.

As a family of 9 members that went to go visit the countryside before heading to Edinburgh for the weekend. We found this tranquil and lovely home overlooking fields and a clear horizon to rest a few nights before embarking on another journey from our home in London. The house offers a remarkable large space for a family and the utilities around the house are spot on! I travelled with a family member who uses a wheelchair to move around and the house accommodated her needs to access around the house and in and out with any hesitation. On the other hand, the kids loved running around playfully due to its large outdoor space (including the tennis court). As an overall experience the house truly met every need that I was looking for; for the satisfaction of my family’s impossible and overdramatic needs that each individual has 🤣🤣. A job well done to the host and all team members of this remarkable haven.

A brilliant family weekend in the Durham countryside Positive: A beautiful big house ideal for our family. Lovely big bedrooms, lots of bathrooms and a fabulous kitchen/diner leading out into the garden . Negative: It was all great

Great house for a family get together. Plenty of space and good size rooms. Spacious bedrooms, comfy, large beds, lots of storage/ drawers wardrobe space, large clean modern bathrooms, lots of hot water. Close to Durham city.

Positive: The house was so big lots of room for all our family the location was excellent to get to where we wanted to go the outside space was massive Negative: There was no welcome pack so had to use guidebook which was downloaded on my phone but it wasn't very helpful at all needed to know how to use appliances but it only focused on the aga cooker there was no recycling advice so everything was put in the bin which we think was a waste and out in the garden there was only one bin which was overflowing and rubbish strewn around

We booked the house for over the Christmas period and it served as a great base for us to gather as a family. The house was spacious, clean and decorated beautifully. The bedrooms were all a great size and had the bonus of en-suite bathrooms (to most). The children enjoyed playing in the gardens, accessing the tennis courts that are in the grounds and they enjoyed spending time in the “snug”. We enjoyed a lovely, local walk out into the woods and had food at a local pub on Boxing Day - both of which we all enjoyed. The only thing that we said as a family was that the kitchen could do with a freshen up, but we understood that this is the main room in the house and is probably used the most. Great stay and would return.

Lovely big size property which is great for a large group / family. Very secluded and you definitely wont be over looked by anyone. The property lies just off a busy main road, that if you planning of spending a lot of time at the house could be an issue if you wanted to sit out in the summer and enjoy the peace and quiet! As we were out and about everyday this never bothered us. This property offered great value for money as was only a stones throw from Durham which was a beautiful city to visit.

A good stay in a big and well decorated house. The accommodation is warm and welcoming, easily accessible and a great place for a bigger group. Things we’d have like to see done differently: - There were not enough glasses, cutlery, mugs, plates etc for the number of guests it holds (only 4 wine glasses!) - The admin fee of £15 on a £500 compulsory deposit set the wrong tone for the booking. If the £500 is for the landlords piece of mind and security, then they should pay the admin cost. If it’s for the guests peace of mind then it should be optional. That being said, deposit was returned in full within the 14 day window without any quibbles which reflected that we’d left the property in the same condition we found it. - We’d have liked to see window restrictors on the sash windows as we were staying with kids. Things that can’t be done differently, but guests should bear in mind: - This house is next to avery busy and loud road.

A huge house, perfect for our family holiday. The furniture was comfortable and modern and the bedrooms were all great sizes, some were enormous. Loads of parking and we loved having our own tennis court. There was a lot of information sent in advance and on a QR code. The older members of our party commented that they would have liked some hard copy instructions and recommendations of things to do. We had booked it for Beamish, which was about 30 minutes away. It could do with more mugs and plates and someone just needs to spend a few hours working through some minor maintenance repairs. Overall though, it’s a great base for a stay in the north east, finished to a high standard with oodles of space. Would definitely recommend and return.

Huge property perfect for a large family break in beautiful grounds, plenty of space Positive: The house is much bigger than it appears on photographs and is tastefully decorated with three sitting rooms. It’s a peaceful location surrounded by greenery and great views with gardens to all sides, there are pheasants roaming nearby and we even saw a mink! Tennis courts were a great bonus as was the large table in the kitchen\lounge as plenty of room for board games. The standing bath is in the en suite for the main bedroom and all of the rooms are huge! The downstairs bedroom is opposite the shower/toilet room which my father loved as he was concerned about getting up stairs. Negative: Very minor things, no. Instructions for aga or other oven and confusing to operate. The aga is great but does make the kitchen area very warm, some of our party appreciated it but it was too much for others and with no manual and a warning not to turn off we were too nervous to fiddle around with it. I have since learned our welcome pack was missing so hopefully the next guests will not have the same issue.

Beautiful home set in lovely countryside. Very spacious rooms, which were amazing. Would definitely stay again and recommend to family and friends. Hosts were very attentive. Jackie & family 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The property was amazing! We booked it for a family gathering, there was loads of space and the gardens were perfect for the dogs. The bedrooms and bathrooms were immaculate the only thing that let the cleanliness down was the kitchen dining area. The tile floor was very dirty and the surfaces were greasy/grubby. We soon wiped the surfaces down but the floor could have done with a really good steam clean. Our socks were black from the floor. This wouldn’t put me off visiting this property again though, it was very good value for money and lots of space. The pubs in the village were very friendly and lots of accessible walks. The property isn’t obvious from the roadside but my satnav took me straight to it from the post code.

we had family gathering at this property. everything pleasantly as described. Host in good communication. Beautiful private property. Would stay again. Thank you

Great house, loads of room and well laid out. Location is fantastic for Durham, short Uber ride into the centre. We used it for our sons graduation, plenty of room for family and friends. Small criticism is that the bathrooms need some re-grouting and sealing, bits of mould around, and the kitchen could do with a deep clean, eg the fridge had old food under the shelves. But we were the first ones in after a New Year booking!

The house is beautiful and very spacious which makes it a perfect place for a large gathering, will probably come back once the below has been addressed. The instructions to reach the house were not clear and the host was not very helpful in indicating the correct location. Hosts and Stay is an external organisation that requires additional insurance payments, and this is now made clear on the listing, but wasn't when we booked. They will also retain a 10£ for "admin" reasons, which feels very much against AirBnb rules requiring no additional payments outside of the platform. The property listing advertises for 10 guests, and there are enough sleeping spaces but there are not enough wine glasses, plates, etc. Furthermore, the dining table has 7 chairs, with an additional chair that could be collected from another room, but it is hard to seat 10 people around. The AGA in the kitchen could not start and the host was unreachable for help, which prevented us from cooking for the kids.

The house had alot of space, both inside and out, which was great for a large group. The bedrooms were all really spacious and it was nice to have lots of bathrooms.

Just had a fantastic 2 night stay at this beautiful property. The house was immaculate and plenty of rooms for a party of 10 to enjoy. The outdoor space was a real bonus, the kids made great use of the tennis courts.

Excellent house for large groups with great communal areas in the kitchen and living rooms. Tennis court a bonus!

It's a very spacious house for 10 people, nice and warm with the AGA being on all the time and plenty of rooms to sit and chat. The bedrooms are very big, clean and comfortable. It would be easy to make it perfect by adding a few essential items to the kitchen like a tray, a water jug, a tea pot, some oven gloves, enough cutlery, wine glasses and chairs for the dining room. We would be happy to come back another time!

Great property for a largeish group. What we loved: Lovely furnishings and furniture and the garden was great. The bedrooms and beds were really comfortable. There were some areas that really need attention though and our main gripes were as folllows: Some tlc - walls need a repaint and oven needs a good clean. The floors were quite dirty, the fridge had a fly in the bottom of the drawer and the cupboards were grubby, there was one toilet roll per bathroom - very stingy, only 2 tea towels to last the whole weekend - for 10 people, no pan scrub or washing up brush, and (worst of all to me) there is a wheelie bin in the big garden, just round the corner from the garage, that is overflowing with rubbish and dirty nappies which clearly were there from previous occupants. I think that the price we paid for the house we would have expected those 'gripes' NOT to have been there. Definitely need to improve on those areas to make the house worth what we paid.

Lovely show home. Very comfortable, and tasteful. It is next to a noisy A road. Spacious for large groups, but the kitchen needs attention to cater for advertised numbers and the cleanliness of the kitchen area and utensils marked it down for us. There was confusion over the address on original listing. The kitchen door didn't open into the garden, which meant travelling round the house to outside. For the price, the outside furniture and amenities were quite basic. A charming old house with potential to be five star but not there yet. The host responded promptly to our concerns and apologised that we had to clean the kitchen cupboards, utensils and crockerybefore use, but hopefully this can be rectified for subsequent guests. I have to say I was slightly disappointed for the money we paid.

Massive property with plenty of space for 10. Modern interior but could do with some TLC in places. Everything you could think of provided but could do with a few more mugs and glasses. Would definitely stay again.

We spent the Easter weekend at The Old Rectory with family, 6 adults and 3 children. It was a beautiful house and the grounds were lovely! Although we didn’t use the tennis court for its purpose, it was the best fenced in hard area for the children to play on their scooters! All the rooms were very large and perfect for all of us! We are hoping to stay again in the future!

Lovely place which was ideal for our friend’s catch up for the weekend. Great communication, very clean, spacious bedrooms and living space and well connected - would highly recommend!

Absolutely fantastic st weekend with friends! Beautiful home with lots of space for big groups/gatherings. Very private with lots of garden space and a tennis court to play. The bedrooms were wonderful with super comfy beds. Hosts were fantastic-very friendly and responsive, would recommend to anyone

Great stay with a large group - lots of room! Kitchen glassware was all a bit mismatch, but on the whole had what we needed for the weekend. Gardens felt a bit un loved - some better furniture and set up could make it amazing! Easy access to Durham and Newcastle.

Lovely place for a gathering of friends. Beautiful walk right from the door. Slightly tricky finding the place in that the postcode took us over the road but easy to rectify. Comfy sofas!

a little hard to find , the address took us to a few streets away but after asking a neighbour we managed to find it quickly. Place was immaculate so clean and big! Loved how it didn’t have any neighbours around so as a big group you didn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone. Would definitely recommend, so cheap for what you get!

Perfect location for our get together, easy walk into the village Positive: Lovely house with lots of character, outside space was a bonus Negative: Nothing

Lovely big house for our weekend visit with friends. Great communication before/after.

We have just returned from a fantastic stay at The Rectory. The property felt very spacious for our group of 8. We really enjoyed having 2 living rooms, and a bathroom per couple was very much appreciated. The enclosed rear garden made it ideal for a dog friendly stay. \n\nThe only downside was I felt bombarded by the sheer volume of emails and text messages from Host & Stay prior to arrival and during the stay, which I think would potentially put me off booking an AirBnb run by Host & Stay again.

We had a fantastic stay at the Old Rectory. We were a party of five and two dogs so we had tons of space, a very comfortable double bed for everyone. Lovely Aga-warmed house on our return from rainy outings, and tons of hot water. But a couple of comments were that there were only nine mugs and eight dining chairs for a house that sleeps ten and basics like salt, pepper and washing-up liquid were missing. It was also not made clear when I made my booking that there would be an extra obligatory charge for insurance - this was tucked away in the house rules. It feels like a place run by an agency rather than an individual, which is what it is - but we hugely appreciated the space, didn't notice the traffic noise from the main road beside it, slept very well in the extremely comfortable beds, and had a lot of fun on the slightly neglected tennis court.

We had an amazing stay at the rectory, the house was huge with so much storage and plenty of living space. For a family get to gether it was perfect. Bedrooms are really spacious, lots of bathrooms, kitchen has everything needed. The grounds were fantastic perfect for dogs, kids absolutely loved it as well! The area was perfect, everything you could need right by the location. Durham was a five minute drive and has lots to do, great dog walks and little villages on your door step! House felt like home and everyone said it was beyond expectations!

Great place matching description, very spacious with enclosed garden area fantastic for our digs, highly recommended

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Old Rectory. Communication from the owners was prompt and helpful. The photos don’t capture how large the property is, each bedroom is very spacious and beautifully decorated. We enjoyed the multiple living areas, and the multiple bathrooms were ideal for our large group. The garden is extensive and fully fenced which is great if you’re bringing a dog. The entire property is modern and has a luxurious feel. The online guidebook could benefit from being updated and include important information, such as appliance instructions for the oven, ice dispenser etc. However overall we would definitely recommend staying at the Old Rectory.

Stayed for two nights for a family birthday. The house was perfect for our group of 10 adults. Each bedroom was huge with immaculate linen and towels provided. The four bathrooms were all spotlessly clean. The kitchen area with large dining table and spacious seating area was where we spent our time. Two lounges were lovely but we did not use them, or the outside space, which is extensive and private. We spent our days at Beamish Museum which is a short car journey from the house. For evenings, I recommend The Travellers Rest in the village - food was amazing. The host was very responsive. We had to ask about electric vehicle charging - this is not permitted. A minor negative as we were not aware until after arrival. Other reviews have commented on the kitchen area - yes it needs a bit of a freshen up, and the Aga could do with a deep clean, but does not impact your enjoyment of this lovely house.

We had a fantastic time at The Old Rectory. We were there to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 83rd birthday with wider family who lived locally. it was a lovely spacious house with everything just as described and we had a very relaxing stay I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this property and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay again, we will definitely be back! Excellent communications with the owner.

A fantastic and extremely large house, even bigger than the photos made it look, with more than enough room for the 9 of us of various ages who was there to celebrate a birthday. All rooms we massive and plenty of things to do in the house and outside the house, including a tennis court for the kids to enjoy. WiFi was great throughout the house, which is a must with 9 people. Very close to Durham, Beamish and local shops, restaurants and takeaways. Lots of clear communication about our stay and very quick responses to any queries prior to us arriving. Would definitely recommend and hope to be back in the future.

Positive: Great location for our family birthday celebration. Large bedrooms, lovely bathrooms and family space.

Great space to celebrate with friends and family, 9 adults one baby and dog. Everything you need home from home

We stayed at The Old rectory to celebrate my son’s graduation from Durham university. We collected not have wished for a Positive: Very roomy and very warm. Excellent facilities. It was extremely cold outside when we stayed, the house was very welcoming. The kitchen was very well equipped to cater for our party of 10 people and the Aga was a bonus. Great for the dogs to run around in the secure garden Negative: Absolutely nothing, it was perfect !

We have an amazing stay its a gorgeoyus house and had the best time with 4 generations. My 87 year old gran had the best family time.

Stunning house in great location made for great base for a Christmas family gathering. Spacious, well appointed rooms with fabulous bathrooms. MIL loved her downstairs 'suite' as she did not need to negotiate the stairs and wanted to take her mattres home! This time of year we did not have much use for the garden but it would have been superb during the warmer months. Only let down was in the kitchen/dining area: dining chairs for 8 when house comfortably sleeps 10 and shortage of kitchen equipment. If this issue was resolved the old rectory would make a 5* house for get-togethers.

A lovely property. very spacious.. We had a family meet up there so spent more time in the house than out of it really. The only thing missing was a few extra glasses! Loved the tennis court. which did need a little TLC but served our purpose. The host responded quickly to questions but the place was perfect for us. so not many questions to ask!

The Old Rectory is a great venue for a large family gathering with plenty of space and off road parking for several cars. It is well located for visiting Beamish, Diggerland & Durham.

Really great accommodation for a large group of friends. All the bedrooms were outstanding and luxurious. The Aga was marvellous for cooking breakfasts and big dinners. I would say that there is a dual carriageway running alongside the gardens and the noise from that is intrusive. Also, very sparse selection of mugs, cutlery and glasses. I note others have commented on this and it does not appear to have been rectified. Other than that, really well placed for visits to Beamish, Durham and Whitley Bay. Durham University's Botanic Garden and Oriental museum were both exceptional.

Heerlijk luxe en prachtige lokatie Negative: De kook voorziening was een Aga oven met 2 kookpunten die werkte op gas. Er was wel een kleine gebruiksaanwijzing aanwezig, maar daar kwamen wij niet helemaal uit. De oven moet heel de dag aan staan om avonds een iets te kunnen koken, wat erg lang duurt. Nadeel is dat daardoor de woon-keuken de hele dag heel warm is.

A stunning place! We stayed while in the area for a wedding and loved it. It’s a bit hard to find, think the postcode listed isn’t quite right and it was missing a few kitchen essentials like tea towels but other than that was amazing and we’d definitely visit again :)

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at The Old Rectory. Spacious rooms and hallways, plenty bathrooms, cosy & sociable living areas, ginormous enclosed garden for the kids and dogs to play in. This is a great house for big family get-togethers. Best Christmas ever.

We had a great girly weekend here,plenty of rooms for everyone,We are looking forward to another stay

Had a weekend away with mine and my partners families and was more than accommodating for us, would recommend it too anyone, secure gated entrance easy enough to get to and get in just follow the instructions the owner sends to you, few bars/restaurants near by, took our dog who loves running around plenty of grass it has a tennis court too if anyone wanted to play that, 3 areas you can sit and relax watching tv, big kitchen lovely bathrooms bedrooms were nice and tidy comfy too, feel at home when you arrive I’d recommend this to anybody

House has been nice at some point but sadly the pictures on site bear no resemblance to how it looks now. Positive: Great location Negative: In poor state of repair with damp on walls, broken furniture and gate and we had to clean the kitchen when arrived - also found wine glasses with drinks still in, in the wardrobe. Garden overgrown and full of weeds, window sills rotten and crumbled

Amazingly spacious property with plenty of room in the grounds for the grand- children to run around.

Although a beautiful and spacious house which we needed for our party of people visiting Durham to attend my dad’s memorial, we were dissatisfied with some elements. Quite jaded and dusty. There was no WiFi and the aga which was only hob cooking facility was off. On messaging host and stay unfortunately AI bot was not what we needed! It made for a fairly stressful evening after a 6 hour drive. Maintenance only arrived late at night on the day before we left and could not sort out any of problems. Shower was slow to drain and nearly overflowed and bath in main bathroom took about half hour to fill as water just dribbled from tap. A property with lots of potential but just lacks attention to detail.

Does not live up to its rating at all.

The property was not signposted and difficult to find. The patio door would not lock and the gate into the garden was broken. The property was in need of TLC overall. A welcome pack would also have been welcome.The location was however ideal for the trips we had planned.

What a lovely place. We were a group of friends. We spent the day at Beamish and a lovely balmy evening in the garden.

The Old Vicarage is a lovely old house and was perfectly comfortable and clean when we arrived. Plenty of room for our group of six to relax. Comfy beds and sofas. Easy access to Durham via the P&R just a few minutes drive away. Very responsive hosts. Any questions were answered quickly and in a friendly manner. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

We enjoyed our stay, however the place is filthy. There was a noticeable smell with areas clearly dirty. The kitchen wear had been used and not washed. The floors were disgusting. Lots of dust and muck, walls dirty and scuffed. Stains in toilet. If you want a clean place this isn’t for you.

Amazing stay at this beautiful house. Would love to come again.

Awful conditions of the home and not worth the money we paid Positive: The location Negative: From the moment we arrived we complained to the host and stay they said they would send someone out but. o one arrived. Unclean floors, broken chair and wobbly chairs. Plastic wine glasses. Scum/ dirt in downstairs shower also upstairs en-suite black mould and tiles unclean. Windows were filthy and not been cleaned for months, dirty nappy left outside. Leak to kitchen bay window with water cascading in across floor we emailed about this and called management team requesting our money back someone arrived and mended the chairs wasn’t able to fix the leak but they took photos of all our concerns to report back.

Nice property that requires a refresh in an excellent location. Positive: The location was excellent. It is a little difficult to find though from the main road. The beds were comfortable and the property had a nice homely feel. Negative: The property is looking a little tired and could do with a refresh. The cutlery was poor and needs to be replaced. The knife sharpener was in a really poor state and needs replacing. Glass wineglasses rather than the very poor plastic ones provided would help to provide a more upmarket feel. We reported that the Wi Fi didn't work on arrival and received no support at all by the time we left. Fortunately we traced the fault to a poorly installed sim card in the remote box and resolved ourselves. The heating controller in the hallway has intermittent connection and requires further attention.

Positive: Great location Private Large bedrooms Plenty of bathrooms Dish washer worked Cosy at night Gorgeous bath Negative: We were not given the code for the pad lock on the gate luckily my partner worked out it was same as the key safe but with a zero infront Electronic gates not working Internet not working - no signal on the mobile router No instructions for the electric oven so could not use No instructions for Aga so had to look up online (had to use own data as no WiFi) Gate at side of the house was broken off completely and fence blown down so not safe for dog to run around 3rd light in hall way not working Several lights on stairs case bulbs had gone. Living room light bulb gone Tennis court were in poor condition, net not fully up and weeds poking through the cracked tarmac Quite a bit of dust on skirting boards, lamp shades Windows looked like they hadn't seen a window cleaner in a few years Pizza oven filled with old ash and outside table grimu just a shame it looked tired and although surface clean it wasn't deep cleaned and needs a bit of love and maintenance - the photographs on website must have been taken a while ago lots of minor damaged to wall and paintwork kitchen wall plaster work damaged and scruffy Crockery mismatched scratched up and well worn. It fell below expectations

Beautiful house in gorgeous gardens. Was exactly as described and perfect for everything we needed!

All fabulous, visited the famous Beamish Museum, wonderful garden centre and cafe near by. Positive: As soon as you went in the door the comfort and homely feeling you felt was amazing. The decor was calming, the bedrooms, ensuites, bathrooms, sitting rooms were wonderful. You were surrounded by trees, lawns, it was so peaceful, even though the main road was near. Negative: The only thing that we thought was overpowering was the heat off the AGA, which would be fabulous in the winter. We wedged the kitchen door open, not a problem, the rest of the house was very comfortable. This is not the hosts fault, but I wasn't getting any messages through about the entry codes for the padlock at the gate, as the signal was so bad. I had to ring the company to gain entry. The messages came through eventually. Could have been a teapot,

A memorable stay for a family celebration (a 70th birthday) Positive: The place was very clean with plenty of room for nine people. The grandchildren especially enjoyed the tennis court and gardens whilst I enjoyed the nearby country walks. The property is in a convenient location just an 11 minute bus ride to Durham. There are two local pubs in the village - one of which has an extensive menu (including Gluten free and Vegetarian options). We encountered 37 species of birds in the garden (as registered by a sound identification app). The building is set back from the by-pass road and not easy to spot - entrance is via a long drive approached through a gateway. Negative: Wifi would not connect and the pod coffee maker dispensed liquid into the spent pod bin. Internally, the property was perfect but externally could do with some TLC e.g. windows require cleaning.

-10000000000 rating Negative: I stayed at The Old Rectory from 15 February to 18 February, and this has been one of the worst accommodation experiences I have ever had. Firstly, payment was taken from my bank account on 13 February — two days before my booking date and entry to the property — despite the policy stating “pay at property.” This was already concerning and misleading. Upon arrival, the property was in an unacceptable condition and lacked basic functionality and hygiene. The issues included: • No Wi-Fi access throughout the stay (despite multiple messages asking for help) • Stove and oven not working • No pans available to cook with • No serving dishes provided • Grill trays broken, mouldy, and unhygienic • Only two glasses provided, broken cups • No cleaning materials to wash dishes • Broken vacuum • No tissues or basic essentials • Missing or unusable items that were advertised • Bedding condition questionable — my son developed a skin reaction during the stay, forcing me to purchase replacements myself These problems made the property unsuitable for basic living and caused significant stress to my family during what was supposed to be a relaxing break. Communication with Host & Stay was extremely frustrating. Messages were repeatedly delayed, responsibility was avoided, and I was told they needed 7–10 working days to “investigate” despite the stay only being 3 nights. It often felt like the owner was “not responding,” which was used as a reason for inaction. Even after raising a formal complaint and providing evidence, there was no clear confirmation of a refund — only generic apologies and offers of a discount for a future stay, which is unacceptable given the circumstances. I have since contacted Booking.com and my bank, and a payment dispute has been raised. Booking.com also attempted to contact them, which appears difficult — suggesting this may not be an isolated incident.

Great place

Great character and spacious. Easy check in / check out. Clean and tidy on arrival. Exactly what we were looking for.

This is an amazing place. Just needs a bit of update. Positive: Everything. The place was amazing. The light the comfort Negative: It was slightly cold

Positive: The location was great. Negative: The property would have been originally stunning and then appears to have been taken on as a let and had its charm and character removed. Everything is very tired and unloved with the property requiring attention and is actually up for sale. The property had received a token cleaning, the kitchen receiving the least attention. I would not book another property via Host and Stay, very pushy regarding additional services and additional insurance.

We loved the house it was beautiful, just very tired and needs a deep clean . Silverfish in the ground floor bathroom, lots of flies and moths all over the house. Easily rectified with a good clean . We couldn't use the bbq as no grill grate which was disappointing as the weather was perfect and we didn't want to be cleaning the kitchen all the time . The bedding on one bed was stained, again not what we expected when paying the price we did . Attention to detail like the windows all over the house were filthy, easy to make right .

We had a great time during our stay! The house was spacious, clean, and well-equipped with everything we needed. The amenities were excellent, and the whole experience was comfortable and relaxing. Would definitely stay again!

Fantastic air BnB, plenty of room and very clean we had a great weekend. Would come back again

A lovely house, bedrooms and sitting rooms were perfect, bathrooms nice, but didn't have much toilet paper provided. For the price we expected a spare roll in each bathroom. Grounds are lovely, but outside table and patio covered in some kind of grit or sand, which was odd. Kitchen was lovely, but had several items missing that would be cheap and easy for owners to resolve e.g oil, salt/pepper, adequate cleaning supplies. Selection of glasses seemed odd and unfinished e.g. four unmatching pint glasses. I asked to ensure there were enough, they sorted wine goblets, but nowhere near enough prosecco or pint glasses. We didn't find instructions for the Aga, just a couple of confusing and incomplete pages in the online guidebook, so we didn't get the best out of it. It said there should have been a printed version of the guidebook “in your welcome book” but we didn’t find this book or guide anywhere. The microwave is an unusual model and not clear how to operate, also no guide.

Fantastic private location and the house is massive.

Great location and lovely property.

What an absolute shame. !!! Host and Stay address you’re in house cleaning procedure . Positive: Period property. Land and gardens . Negative: Where shall we start. On arrival - clear to see cleaning standards disgraceful !!! No floors cleaned throughout for a seriously long time . The main living/ kitchen area was disgusting. Sofa armchair broken . Dirty settees . Floor hadn’t been cleaned in months . Wall damp in areas. Plaster falling off. Downstairs bathroom hadn’t been cleaned properly . Upstairs surrounding of bath tiled area hadn’t been cleaned . Dirt, dust and shampoo remnants on tiles . Floor in our bathroom hadn’t been cleaned . Radiator full of splash marks, dust, cobwebs . Totally disgusting . We were left a card from host n stay saying enjoy you’re stay- you’re property has been cleaned !!!! What an absolute joke . No it had not. We tried to contact them the following morning . Left 3 voicemails . Also contacted booking.com - who tried to contact host and stay.- who denied any correspondence . Health and safety need to visit this property urgently - host and stay housekeeping are failing this property . In the laundry room , a disgusting old mop full of spiders, cobwebs was on the floor. Hadn’t seen any activity in a long time . The washing machine handle was broken so not sure if you needs to use that - you COULDNT . !!! A baby high chair in there- not the cleanest. A baby low level cot in the dirty pantry area . Stains on the mattress . Please DO NOT use . Our bed mattress upstairs was in the shape of a V . The mattress was rubbish. My husband and I used the next bedroom with twin beds . Dust on all light fitting, picture frames . Skirting boards . Headboards. I have photographic and video evidence of all. I could carry on . Sadly .

So much wasted potential! Positive: The people I was with. The surrounding location. The size and layout of the property. Diggerland. Negative: The uncleanliness of the property, including whitish stains on the settee (hopefully yoghurt!) The inability of the staff at Host and Stay to action our requests for general maintenance to be carried out. Exposed gripper rods and a broken floorboard The lack of level access to the property due to the back door not working. The overflowing bins on the grounds of the property. The inaccurate description of the property as being newly refurbished and in immaculate condition.

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The old rectory is a magnificent house. all the rooms were very large and decorated to a high standard. There were a few issues. There was a sign on the Aga saying do not turn off which meant the Kitchen area was very warm. There was also a loud noise coming from the hot water system when someone was taking a shower. The outdoor area was very nice but unfortunately there was a lot of traffic noise from the busy road when sitting out in the entertainment area. Despite these slight negatives the place was beautiful and I'd be happy to stay again.

It was great. All,had a room to ourselves and a bathroom

The house was fab. Very big loved the Aga. Lovely and warm. Made homemade bread in the Aga. Loved it.

Charlie is a fantastic host, he is very easy to communicate with. The accommodation, well its simply beautiful and is no surprise this property is booked out, our guys loved stayed here so its a shame we were unable to book further but definitely would return given the opportunity. Thank you for hosting us, they had a wonderful stay. 10/10.

Stunning bathrooms, loads of space and lovely furnishings

Beautiful home, and very helpful hosts. My guests loved staying and we will definitely be booking again in future.

Nice stay, the house is beautiful and very clean. Host and stay are an external organisation so they ask you to pay an extra damage deposit (either £250 refundable or £25 non refundable) that was not mentioned in any other reviews and this is done through a link in a message. Once I called to check it was legit it was ok to navigate. The check in instructions were clear but unfortunately the code for the gate was missed off which meant we had to wait on the phone for a few minutes until we had a response from host and stay so make sure you have this before going.

Great

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The host communicated extremely well and responded to queries quickly and efficiently. Highly recommend!

Best Airbnb I have used, the property is well beyond what I expected in regards to size and decor. Nice and private location with ample surrounding area. Hosts were really responsive will definitely use again.

Positive: Inside was lovely. Negative: Outside areas very untidy. Rubbish overflowing. Gardens overgrown. Weeds everywhere including the front entrance. Hanging baskets were dead with weeds in too. Patio areas needed weeding and cleaning.

Beautiful home with secure gardens. Within easy reach of Durham. Would definitely return.

A beautiful house, great location, easy to reach Durham (by car). The house was mostly wonderful as described, and the hosts were very responsive. However, there were some aspects of attention that could have made the stay better.

Beautiful property beautiful location but in need of some TLC especially for the price paid

Recommend this property! Very clean & tidy.

Highly recommend! Great property

Returning guests! Great property.