Each review shows: source · star rating · date · guest comments. Reviews are grouped by traveler type. Persona ratings reflect the average score from guests in that category.
Positive: Excellent location. Property very clean with good facilities. Negative: A little difficult to navigate for more elderly or infirm visitors - steep stairs to bedrooms and living soft sofas. Access to property directly from main road so difficult to clean yourself and pets before entry to living space ( especially 8n bad weather)
Great stay for our family and dogs. Location fabulous with pubs close by
Fantastic Cottage perfect for our requirements - Pet friendly, easy to get to, easy to access for a late arrival and near to the Riverside stadium to see the Mighty Boro win 2-1 with a trip to Betty's in Northallerton to cap it all off. Perfect and spotless
The house itself and location are lovely and perfect for us for a couple of days, (storage in bedrooms and bathrooms would be tight for any longer). I would describe it as allows dogs instead of dog friendly. Mostly due to the rules, but also due to the neighbours with their aggressive dog and their attitude surrounding the house being an Airbnb. I appreciate this is totally out of airbnbs control but it did put a dampner on things.
Perfect location, easy walks and cosy house Positive: Perfect location for our travels Negative: No issues - only minor point, for those that may have a flighty dog, the front door goes straight onto a road (busy during rush hour times)
Waterlily was a real home from home. Really comfortable, warm and well presented, had everything I needed . The enclosed yard was really handy for the dog. Parking was easy outside on the street, there was always a space. It is perfectly situated to be walking distance from shops and restaurants and endless lovely walks for the dog. Host and stay were very informative and responsive. I would definatley stay again.
Positives; - clean linen - beautiful decor - dishwasher - plenty of cutlery, crockery, glasses, mugs and espresso cups ect provided. - bed were comfortable - quiet location Negatives - wiped the kitchen side and it was filthy, a shame as everything else was spotless. - a 2 slice toaster which was broken, had to hold it down to cook toast, as a family would have preferred a 4 slice. - placemats were bad quality. - bathroom had a distinctive fishy smell which wasn't pleasant. - creaky floorboard which couldn't be helped. - the twin room is on the 3rd floor and there is a gap where there's no banister, felt unsafe for our children. - sofa and chairs are very soft and low so difficult to get out of. - loved the coffee machine but it was dirty and only took a few minutes to clean. The stairs are very steep and our 9 year old fell down them luckily he was okay. There are hidden costs like insurance you have to take out which felt unfair. Overall a nice stay.
Lovely cottage and great location, kids loved paddling in the stream
Lovely family friendly cottage. Well equipped in a beautiful village very close to the North Yorkshire Moors.
Pretty cottage in a wonderful thriving Yorkshire village Positive: This was a great place to stay whilst we visited our family nearby. Location exceptional. Parking never an issue. The cottage is beautifully appointed and has lots of lovely little touches to make it homely. We would have appreciated the cottage to have had a baby cot& high chair which we brought with us. If you have young children we used our own stair gate for their room as it’s over 3 stories and the stairs are really steep. Communication prior to arrival was poor and caused some stress on arrival but this did get cleared up. We would definitely recommend the cottage and stay again.
Waterlily Cottage was perfectly placed for visiting family in Guisborough. This is such a beautiful part of the world, with great walks on the moors close by, or a little further drive to the coast and amazing beaches. The cottage itself was spotless, the beds comfortable and it was so nice to arrive after a long journey to find a pint of milk in the fridge and tea bags in the cupboard! The nespresso machine was also very much appreciated. Great Ayton is a very pretty village and Suggitt's the sweetshop a not to be missed destination for old fashioned sweets of every variety. The Velveteen Rabbit Luncheon Club, just a minute from the cottage, makes the most delicious cakes! We loved Waterlily Cottage and would definitely stay here the next time we're in the area.
It was really refreshing to stay in a place that hadn't had its character whitewashed away. So many places go too far down the "neutral" path to the point where the place feels stark and uninviting. Gladly, this was not the case with Bridge Rd Great Ayton as we immediately felt at home. The kitchen came with everything we needed for our stay right down to cooking essentials, tea, coffee and milk in the fridge. There was a a Co-Op and convenience store a short walk into the village for anything else we needed. Great location to be based for exploring the North Moors area Charlie was responsive and proactive ensuring we had a simple Check In/Out experience I cannot recommend this property or Host & Stay highly enough. Thank you for a fantastic long weekend in North Yorkshire
Beautiful cottage in the delightful village of Great Ayton. Very comfortable and home from home. We particularly loved: * A pint of milk in the fridge for the all-important first cuppa after a long journey. * Toilet paper for the all-important first........ after a long journey. * Night lights near the back door and on the first-floor landing. Brilliant idea. * Shower was fantastic * Listening to the horse riders in the mornings * The Church bells ringing on a Sunday morning, not intrusive. * The Pubs! Recommend the local Parmo. * Easy access to the Yorkshire Moors. Stunning, and the sheep were a hoot! The communication from Host & Stay was very much appreciated. Easy to contact or email, and responsive to any questions. Roofers were working on the cottage next door. It would have been nice to know, as they started very early. Additionally, we needed to barricade the back gate to stop the dog next door from trying to enter. Wonderful, relaxing stay. Thank you so much.
We had an absolutely fantastic stay at Dale's place. The property had everything we needed and was lovely and clean. The cottage was perfectly positioned for exploring Yorkshire with lots of beautiful walks near by. We will most certainly be back.
Lovely few days away in a gorgeous homely and nice clean cottage, great village location with absolutely stunning walks in the surrounding countryside 100% recommend
A great little cottage in a lovely village Positive: A super base for exploring the moors and coast Well presented, comfy and clean and well equipped Lots of parking options directly by the cottage The village has plenty of shops, cafes and pubs and is not too busy Highly recommended Negative: A washing machine for a longer stay would be a useful addition
A great cottage in a great location on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. We parked right outside the cottage and the cottage was well equipped and modern - inside a traditional stone terrace. We visited local coffee shops and pub restaurants such as Stamps and the Royal Oak. The Coop opens very early, 6am I think, for early birds. Roseberry Topping and Kildale are easily walkable. Great Ayton is easy to find off the A19/A168 : and should you be called, Middlesbrough, Billingham and Stockton are only 30 minutes away too: we were on family business in Billingham as much as walking (be we did ascend Roseberry Topping). The road to Whitby isn't far and there are trains there from the nearby station too.
Lovely place to stay in Great Ayton, close to everything.Could always find parking just outside cottage. A washing machine would be useful if staying longer and using for a walking holiday base, could also do with a knife sharpener for those who are cooking a lot, but otherwise a well stocked kitchen. Would love to stay again when next visiting relatives up North. .
Home from Positive: Perfect accommodation for my parents, myself and my little one. Up visiting family in the area so ideal location for what we wanted, will definitely stay again. Negative: The squeaky floorboard in the bathroom/landing!!!! It drove me insane I can’t lie!!
Brilliant location for working in Middlesbrough but beautiful walks and lovely village for your down time Positive: Well equipped clean and tidy property Negative: The bed is quite soft which was not ideal for me but that’s personal choice so not really much of a negative
Great place to stay for a couples or a family of 4 : very close to the National Park and especially Captain Cook's Monument, Roseberry Topping and the coast. The cottage is great, clean and well equipped. Good amenities in Great Ayton such a nice coffee shop, a coop, two pubs and a river side space.
We had a wonderful Christmas here. The house is luxurious, comfortable, clean & homely. High standard of decoration, everything needed there. Such a lovely space to relax in whilst we visited family in the village. Thank you!
Cosy and comfortable, perfect for a week long stay Positive: A cute wee house in the middle of a small English village. Negative: No washing machine.
We had a lovely stay in Great Ayton. Lovely selection of places to eat out and a well equipped place to come back and relax in .
It is the second time we have stayed in Water Lily Cottage and each time has been just as enjoyable as the first. It is conveniently situated for the shops, pubs and for the best fish and chips. The cottage provides all the home comforts and is well equipped with comfortable furniture including the King size bed. Nestled at the foot of Roseberry Topping there are so many accessible country walks.
Loved staying there. Positive: Nice and clean, ideally positioned in Great Ayton. No problem parking Negative: Creaky floors
No hassle, all you need is there Positive: Very well equipped, comfortable, clean bedding, comfy pillows, great sleep, parking on the doorstep.. Negative: 2 things, one can be easily addressed second would be difficult to resolve, shower difficult to operate- knob stuck, very hard to move even for 6,5” man and leaking shower head from the handle grip - yes spraying from the grip. Second thing which would be hard to resolve is creaking part floor on 1st floor partially on landing and toilet, very loud, has to learn how to avoid not to wake up the kids. These 2 things don’t affect my score
Will be back Positive: Cosy with good facilities Negative: Smaller than looks on photos but still lovely Outside furniture needs replacing
We had a lovely stay and would definitely recommend this Airbnb. The property was clean, comfortable, and the kitchen was exceptionally well stocked with all the essentials you might need for cooking, including things like salt, pepper, cooking oil, and other basics. Check in was very easy and parking was no trouble. Our only minor criticisms are that there isn’t any back gate access as the photos seem to suggest, so it’s worth being aware of that. A stair gate would also be a useful addition for anyone travelling with dogs, as it would help keep them downstairs. Finally, the WiFi code provided in the welcome message was incorrect, so that could do with being updated. Overall, these were only small issues and we really enjoyed our stay.
Perfect place for our family visit to Yorkshire
Positive: The place felt homely with nice pictures on the wall, a friendly colour scheme and lots of lights. Check in was easy. I was given the wrong wifi information and had to call but the call was answered immediately and the problem solved. Negative: Nothing about the property but Host & Stay have sent too many messages where they wanted to sell partner products or sell an extra night at their property. I do not have the time nor interest in reading non-essential messages and I do not appreciate it when a company has an agressive commerical strategy.
Waterlily Cottage was perfect for a short stay in Great Ayton. The cottage was clean, tidy, cosy and fully equipped for our needs. Host & Stay provided helpful instructions and were very responsive. We would stay again!
Comfortable and well equipped cottage. Enjoyed our stay. The village has a wide range of facilities, and is interesting historically, we found the local people friendly.
Ideal Holiday Cottage Positive: Very comfortable, ideally placed for the village and lots of country walks. We'll equipped and clean
Lovely cottage, with everything we needed. The village had good amenities & a good base for day trips out. We'll hopefully be back again
Really well fitted out house, all furniture and equipment were in great condition and modern. lovely beams in the house, a couple of creaky floorboards upstairs but to be expected and added to the charm. We did replace the TV remote batteries and the kitchen clock one too, there were spare batteries alongside other bits n bobs in a kitchen drawer so no hassle to do that. Chalie was very helpful and responsive to a query that I left late at night expecting a reply in the morning, but he replied almost instantly, above and beyond I would say, thank you Charlie. Would stay again in this property as easy walking to nice coffee shops (Stamps is our fabourite for coffee and a scone) the village centre is 5 mins walk along the riverside and the Poorhouse serves great food and beers. Home relaxed and chilled after a "Great" Great Ayton break.
Great stay, lovely location and ideal little cottage.
Great location, easy on street parking, clean, comfortable.
Lovely cottage in the midst of Great Ayton. Very convenient for local shops and walks in the countryside.
Pleasant & good value for money. Positive: Nice location, had everything we needed and had good range of cookware provided Negative: Bed wasn’t overly comfortable - was two singles pushed together and large chunk in middle of bed that was uncomfortable - as well as a tired bathroom with shower taps that weren’t the easiest to control
We had a very cosy and comfortable stay at Water Lily Cottage. It was tastefully furnished and sparkling clean. It was conveniently situated in Great Ayton close to the shops and eating places. We had the best fish and chips from the Ayton Fish and Chip shop (including scraps which melted in the mouth ) and a warm and welcoming coffee in the Velveteen Rabbit. We will definitely stay in this lovely little cottage again.
Cute cottage in a great location, friendly host…would definitely book again when next in the area!
A fabulous clean and comfortable little place, perfect Positive: The property was immaculate and comfortable with everything we needed Negative: Door straight off rd,
As soon as we entered the cottage we felt right at home and welcomed The cottage had everything we needed for our 5 days stay and felt really comfortable throughout the place The furniture was comfortable and the beds were more than what we needed after a long drive from Somerset The cottage was perfect location for what we needed with plenty of free parking right outside the cottage
We loved our stay at Waterlily Cottage. The cottage had all the amenities we could need e.g salt, pepper, ice, dishwasher tablets etc. It was extremely clean and tidy and the bed was massive!! It’s in a great location- can easily walk to the lovely Fletcher’s Farm shop then up Roseberry Topping. Great Ayton high street was lovely- we loved the pubs and fish and chips shop. Will definitely be staying here again.
Great stay here in Great Ayton - a lovely cottage.
A lovey spot!
A very handy location in the village and comfortable accommodation. Positive: Very quiet, clean and comfortable. Negative: The person sleeping in the top bedroom, needs to be agile enough to descend the stairs as there is no toilet on the top floor and the stairs are quite steep.
Lovely break away, Waterlily cottage had everything we needed, was super clean and comfy, and a great location. Would definitely stay again!
Lovely cottage in and ideal location
Cosy cottage decorated and equipped to high standard. Positive: Good location with easy access to shops etc. Cottage is well equipped, clean and inviting. The main bed is super king and very comfortable. Very nicely decorated and lovely fluffy towels. Negative: Not easy to park if you have bigger car as road is narrow. An awful lot of emails from Host and Stay (over 10 in total)
Great place to stay clean and tidy would use again
We had a wonderful stay in a well appointed and warm, cosy cottage. The facilities were excellent and we felt very much Positive: The cottage was beautifully furnished, warm and cleaned to a very high standard. Everything we needed for our stay was provided, the kitchen was well stocked and the toiletries in the bathroom were a lovely touch Negative: We really liked everything about this cottage
Positive: Lovely, cosy and comfortable cottage in a very good position within Great Ayton. Very handy for local shops and for exploring the area. Well equipped and clean. Thanks for the milk on arrival. Negative: Nothing
We had a wonderful week at Waterlily Cottage. It is a beautiful and cosy cottage in an amazing location. The villiage itself is lovely and it is easy to get to the coast and the moors. Lots of beautiful and diverse countryside on your doorstep!
Good comfortable , quiet location Positive: Location was good and we managed to park outside on arrival which was very helpful . Milk in fridge thoughtful . Kitchen crockery utensils okay you need kitchen scissors Liked the wee products in the bathroom Negative: I didn’t like the preset heating tried to override setting of the boiler not as advised on line when your cold tired looking at a boiler with its front of on the ground not an easy option Written guidance on using the oven would be helpful
Great location, lovely cottage.
Lovely sweet cottage in a very pretty village
Lovely convenient cottage with comfortable beds, lots of amenities and a welcoming feeling. Parking was busy but a spot could be found within a 5 minute walk.
What a lovely cottage, clean and tidy with everything you may need. The host was quick to respond with recommendations and questions I had. Definitely would stay here again.
Perfect location in nice village. Close to shops and pubs. Very convenient for North Yorks Moors. Positive: Very comfortable and clean. Pleasant decor, nice linen, well equipped kitchen. Easy parking on the doorstep. We will be back. Negative: Nothing. (A few too many emails from the hosts)
Beautiful house very clean and free of clutter great location, parking outside the properly. Great to access local cafes and shops, the Buck pub serving lovely food only a short walk from the home. The house has a private area to relaxing at the back, kitchen has all the utensils you need to cook a family dinner. Would recommend to friends and family, host responsive and friendly, thank you
Lovely cosy cottage with everything thought about. Even a pint of milk was left for us. Much appreci
A great place in a lovely location! Would recommend to everyone who is considering!
The cottage was lovely, welcoming and cosy, just the right place to relax after being out for the day. Plenty of places to go for a meal, but the cottage had everything we needed to look after ourselves. We would definately choose to stay in Waterlily Cottage again. We did not need to contact Dale on our stay,but that is not a bad thing. We had a lovely time, it went far too quickly. Thank you for letting us stay in your cottage xx
A great base in a lovely village. Positive: We had a wonderful stay. The cottage is clean, cosy, beautifully presented with quality linen and everything you should need in the kitchen. We didn't have any trouble with parking or noise. The village has great restaurants, cafes and independent shops. I couldn't fault anything. Negative: We loved it all!
Lovely cottage clean with all amenties. Ideal location close to bars shops and restaurants with beautiful walks on your doorstep. Host professional and friendly. Would recommend to others and re visit
Fabulous well equipped holiday home cottage in the lovely village of Great Ayton.
What a great host and great cottage. Will definitely be returning to this cottage. The village is great and a good base to get to various locations. I can’t recommend this cottage highly enough. 10 out of 10
Perfect for our requirements Positive: Everything Negative: Nothing
Excellent overall. Our stay coincided with a cold snap and the heating struggled a bit. Always top of a wish list is a woodburner/fire to feel ‘at home’
Great value, clean and comfortable Positive: Clean, comfortable, well equipped, good location and easy parking. Lovely to have milk in the fridge and toiletries in bathroom. Negative: Recycling aspect a bit confusing as the bins were not as specified in cottage info.
Beautiful cottage in a lovely village Positive: Lovely cottage in a great location - close to everything. Good kitchen with plenty of facilities. Easy parking close to the cottage and great pubs close by
Very enjoyable stay in a lovely cottage in a beautiful village with multiple attractions nearby. Positive: The cottage was very clean and well furnished. Although small, especially the lounge, the hosts had made the best use of the space available. The kitchen was spacious. Easy walking distance to centre of village. Negative: No washing machine although there was a dishwasher. Many aggravating stacking & confusing emails from Host & Stay. Unexpected insurance payment before given key code to get in.
Great location - proximity to North Yorks Moors/ National Park. Walking distance to The Buck .. decent pub grub. Also close to other eateries and pubs .. not forgetting Suggitts ! Would not hesitate to book again.
Great place and lovely location. Host provided a few necessities which was much appreciated.
Charming house with great location in a lovely village
Positive: Lovely location near the centre of the town. Great breakfast at The Fuzzy Duck cafe just across the road. Negative: TV kept switching the screen off while we were watching Wimbledon and asking for a google code. Which was frustrating.
Positive: We had everything we needed. In the centre of the village too. Plenty of places to eat and drink. Negative: Large stain on dining area carpet. Inside bathroom door grubby and lock rusty.
Beautiful little cottage in a gorgeous small village. The cottage was immaculately clean and had all amenities. The cottage is central to the village and in walking distance of a few lovely pubs and restaurants. The area is gorgeous and ideal for walks. I would highly recommend and would definitely stay there again
Very good location. Would have liked to get in before 4pm. Surprised about being asked for insurance for accidental damage. Something that should be the responsibility of the host. Overall, would highly recommend.
9/10 - great place to stay Positive: Very good location Comfy bed Lovely cottage Negative: My only complaint was around the deposit, it wasn’t clear when booking that the deposit would be refundable less an admin fee. When I reached out to Host and Stay they agreed to refund the deposit in full, but I did have to contact them again to get this done, as initially I was still charged the admin fee.
Lovely cottage, exactly as described. Perfectly located to explore Great Ayton and the local area.
Beautiful area and home. Lovely stay. Options for walks, pubs. There's a small selection of restaurants in the village (including the pubs). A short drive to other options in neighbouring villages. Host was very prompt when we the hot water became sporadic one morninh. It was fixed within the day (which leads me to believe it was simple and our incompetence with boilers)
great little terraced house in good location everything we needed in the house. stairs may be problem for anybody with mobility issues. finding parking space nearby was difficult.
A lovely little property to stay. Would consider to go back. Positive: Ideally situated for where we wanted to go. Clean tidy and had everything we needed. Negative: Nothing bad to say.
Positive: Enjoyed all of it, the accommodation, the area, a very good weekend
Don’t book any property with this company Positive: Location and comfortable Negative: Appalling management company that is dishonest and uses hidden charges to make extra money. Failed to listen to concerns and failed to amend listing to reflect actual charges that would be applied.
great place to stay , accommodation was spotless and very comfortable in a great location for walks and drives out . We wouldn’t hesitate in booking it again
Such a lovely property! We found Waterlily Cottage to be a great place to spend a couple of nights in Great Ayton. The cottage was really homely, with tasteful decoration, super comfy beds, great central heating and a very well equipped kitchen. The communication from Host and Stay was very efficient from start to finish, making it a very easy to find out in advance everything we needed to know about the property and the local area Great Ayton is a lovely, scenic village, with a good selection of bars, cafés and restaurants. The Velveteen Rabbit, just across the bridge, is a great breakfast spot and The Tannery is worth seeking out for a drink in a lovely atmosphere. There is ample free parking and we managed to park right outside the cottage on both nights of our stay. We’d have no hesitation in returning to this property, if we were looking for somewhere in the area.
View rate calendar · Full listing · Reviews as of Oct 2026