Cottage vacation rentals in Durham

Gatecroft barn (& spa!) is a delightfully quaint little cottage in a fairly remote part of the North Pennines area. My wife and I were looking for somewhere almost off grid, from which we could walk our dog, enjoy walks together and indulge in a spot of fell running. We needed it to be not tooooo far from some kind of shops and close enough to drive if we fancied somewhere special to eat. We were also looking for somewhere with a little something else, a cherry on top. Well we found that, in spades! Garrigill is picturesque and then some. There are walks/ runs from the front door! The cottage is well equipped. The hot tub (the cherry on top!) is perfect for after the adventurous days in the great outdoors - hygiene and cleanliness of which is exemplary. The host was as helpful as you could hope for (def one of the better hosts we’ve come across!) and made some great recommendations - most of which we used and welcomed! Including a meal at Langley Castle. We’ll definitely go back… 5*

I absolutely loved our stay at Barnacre Alpacas, we stayed in the rose cottage, it was very clean and the hot tub was a bonus. We enjoyed the alpaca walk and talk, that was something I’ll never forget! On arrival the cottage was dressed up for a birthday surprise and champagne and chocolates was left for us. Thank you to Paul and Debbie, we will be back!

We loved our stay in Rambling Rose Cottage! Stayed a couple of nights and having walked miles along the coast from the house, it was a real treat to come back to relax in the hot tub in the sunshine. Lovely cottage, fab location and Dawn is a great host - would highly recommend booking!

I loved The Loft, it was just perfect. The house was beautifully decorated and had everything you could want or need, lots of lovely little touches made it really special. The view from the decking and the hot tub was spectacular and we spent many mornings and evenings just enjoying the peace and the surrounding views. I would definitely book again.

Loved our two night stay in Stanley Cottage. Great parking to rear of the cottage. Lovely wee touches like, bread, prosecco, milk, orange juice and biscuits. Ben was great and will return when back down in that area.

We stayed for one night at Deans place to celebrate a 40th birthday. there was 4 of us that stayed and there was lots of room. The place is gorgeous! We had a great stay and would definitely stay again. We took an Uber to the nearest high street which was approx 10 minutes, there was lots of bars and place to eat there. Dean was a great host, always replying to messages and when we realised we'd forgotten our milk he brought some over for us. Thanks for a great stay

Thank you David for a lovely stay! We stayed for part of my husband’s 40th as a short family break. The neighbours were lovely and the pool was fab! We enjoyed the surroundings and felt very chilled 😊 thank you!

Hot tub was fantastic, loved every minute of our stay, so relaxing, can't wait to book again.

We had a lovely couple of days at Brandybuck cottage. Superb location in the heart of Kirkby Stephen with the high street a minute walk away and some gorgeous walks around the local area straight from the cottage. The cottage itself is a real home from home with a well equipped kitchen,comfy beds and a decent shower. There was plenty of space for our family of 4 with 2 older children(who appreciated the TV in each bedroom). Communication from the host was excellent with directions and check in details clearly explained so arrival and check in was a smooth process. Parking is on a road to the rear of the property which again was clearly explained and Marks directions took us to the exact place to park with further clear directions from there to access the rear of the cottage. Tea,coffee,sugar,milk and a packet of biscuits was provided upon arrival which was a nice touch and much appreciated. We booked this cottage as a last minute break and it is a real gem of a find.

The Hemmel was a really nice cottage to stay in. It's probably one of the best airbnb's we've been to. Kate was very nice and helpful. The photos don't do it justice as it's even better in the flesh. We were a family of 4 including a baby and it was super comfortable. The cottage is very private and peaceful. The lambs were out when we were there and we saw the red squirrel in garden each day. We'd would definitely return.

Absolutely perfect little get away in a lovely area. My girlfriend really liked it and wants to go again. Very cosy and private place with a little garden for the dogs. Beautiful surroundings will 100% be booking again. Very responsive host even though we got there late. Thanks again

I really enjoyed my stay. The bed is comfy, as is the living area, and the kitchen had all the essentials. There's a lovely outdoor area too. The cottage is in a great location; there are a few places to eat drink and shop within walking distance and lots of areas of interest are within an easy drive. Before I arrived, Kay sent over really clear instructions for finding the property, including info on the parking situation. There is a parking space but it's down a fairly narrow passage at the side of the house. I have a fairly wide car which I was able to park without an issue, however the area to turn your car around is only small, so do consider the length of your car before driving down.

My third stay at Nicks place was brilliant. Looking forward to going again soon.

We booked The Nest last minute and Anette was extremely attentive from the start to finish of our stay. The house was exactly as described & was immaculate. Bed was so comfortable & lots of attention to detail! Great location for exploring the local area. Pub right across the road with good pub grub , Co Op literally paces away& a fabulous foodie pub The Eskdale is a 10 min walk away. Thank you Annette we loved our stay as did our dog !

Lovely cottage in a great location. We really enjoyed our stay. Very comfortable, Diane has thought of everything and the little extras like the dog blankets/bowls were very much appreciated. The wood burner made us extra cosy when we had a rainy evening. Great to have parking and somewhere near to exercise our dog. An ideal location , we had days out to Kielder Forest & Seahouses as well as exploring the Roman fort sites. Would definitely recommend this cottage and hopefully we will be back. Thank you.

What can I say... Absolutely fantastic place. You couldn't ask for anything more. Really peaceful location with fantastic views of the hills etc. We had a strange issue but this was sorted out very swiftly by Malcolm 👍 We will definitely be looking to book again and have another peaceful time just watching the world go by. Thanks Bob & Chris

We were a group of friends walking the Herriot way and Leeside provided an overnight stop. Carey was outstanding, nothing was too much trouble. We enjoyed the open fire and the cosy surroundings. We would not hesitate to recommend Carey to family and friends

Very relaxing break in a lovely home. The area is quiet and peaceful. Lovely walk along the promenade to cafe needles eye (definitely worth a visit!)

The cottage is beautiful, peacefully located in the farm yet very easily approachable. It has everything you'll need for your stay. Best part of the cottage is many windows, the are numerous windows and each one is giving beautiful view of outside farm, courtyard or sky. Rach is lovely and very helpful, would definitely recommend this to everyone.

We had the most wonderful time at Joanna’s lovely cottage. It is even better than we imagined! The garden space was perfect for our dog, she could stay off the lead and we knew she was safe because of the wiring on the fence. Great location with lots of walks that were recommended on a leaflet left in the cottage which we found really helpful too. We would definitely return and recommend to others! Thank you again 🥰🥰

What a find! Amazing place to stay. Not only is it a 5 star accommodation, it's a perfect place to explore the local area and has the best back garden I've ever experienced i.e. "The Himalayan Gardens & Sculptures". The accommodation itself was warm, cosy and spotlessly clean, plenty of space for two adults and two springer spaniels. We valued the entrance with it's stone floor to rub down our wet pups when arriving back after our adventures. With plenty of logs for the burner it added to the feeling of home from home. Everything supplied in the cottage is top class quality. The outside area included an enclosed patio which many need if they have dogs with them. We were there when the gardens were closed so it was quiet and such a treat to be able to walk around not sharing it with anyone else. We will be back and have already recommended the cottage to our friends and family. Thank you Will and Sophie

Second time my husband and I stayed here. It didn't disappoint, a wonderful home from home in a peaceful and beautiful location. The accommodation is warm and very comfortable.

We had a great family gathering to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary with our eldest son and his family next door in #12 and our youngest and wife with us. I am partially disabled due to a fall after our initial booking and expressed my concern about the showering facilities before arriving. Michael responded to this by adding grab rails, shower stool and mat before our arrival. Full marks for that. I had also been concerned by the prospect of climbing stairs, but managed them well enough. The cottage was light, bright and very clean . It is 5 minutes to Cullercoats Bay beach, albeit down a steep hill. There is Co-Op store 5 minutes walk in the other direction. Didn't try the Queen's Head but did go to the free jazz lunchtime session in the Cullercoats Crescent Club and was made most welcome. We would use this cottage again if the occasion shoud arise.

We had a wonderful stay at Haven cottage. It was our first holiday with our baby and the cottage had everything we needed to make our stay comfortable and easy, with a travel cot, baby bath and even a baby carrier provided by Anna. The cottage was lovely and the location was perfect being a short walk to a pub, cafe and lots of country walks. I would highly recommend staying here and hope to do so again!