Reviews

My partner and I could not recommend Melmerby Hall enough!
After lots of time searching online for the perfect venue for our intimate, period drama themed wedding, we finally came across Melmerby Hall and it ticked all of our boxes. We were able to accommodate 16 guests (plus 2 toddlers) for an incredible price and the venue itself was stunning.
We initially had a virtual tour with Joanna due to some scheduling challenges on our side during the venue hunt. She was so so lovely and walked us through the whole house and facilities. We booked both Melmerby Hall and Stag Cottage immediately after being blown away by it’s charm and the care that has been put into keeping everything looking really tidy, especially given the age of the property.
We then liaised with Joanna to have a couple of in person viewings – one to double check we were happy with the venue after booking and the other to confirm what we needed to bring with us on the day to make sure we had adequately decorated etc. During both viewings, Joanna was amazing, really friendly and accommodating, and very patient answering our questions.
Between our initial booking and the date of the wedding, Joanna and Christine reached out multiple times to make sure we were all up to speed with what was available during our stay and any other logistics we needed to nail down.
When we arrived for the wedding weekend (we stayed Friday to Monday), the house was beautiful – incredibly clean and well maintained, and it’s charm once again blew us away. All of our guests commented on how amazing the house was and were very impressed by both the welcome hamper and the toiletries provided. I, personally, don’t think I’ve ever slept in a bed as comfortable as the ones at Melmerby Hall!!
We spent some time adding our own decorations to the venue on the Friday night, and are really happy with how our own decorations worked with the flowers and period pieces already in the house.
On the wedding day, Heather came to support with the registrars and was absolutely lovely.
Overall, I couldn’t recommend the venue enough!!! It was truly perfect!

Had another fantastic stay here, very relaxing and peaceful with a very nice welcome pack

Hi, we can’t think of a single thing you can do to improve, this was our second time at Elm and the shepherd’s hut has everything you could ever want or need. The welcome basket of food etc is very generous and great quality. We love that there is 3 different areas for sitting outside and the privacy and tranquillity of the area. So sorry we can’t help with any improvements but keep on doing what you’re doing. 

Lovely stay in a beautiful location. Shepherds hut had everything we needed; I was worried about being cold but we were cosy & you only need the log burner on for about 10mins for it to warm up nicely. The welcome package & toiletries were a nice touch. Great hot shower! Christine was great with pre-check in comms & directions etc.

Great setting to go out and explore the surrounding area. Nice and cosy. Loved the log burner which quickly warmed up the rooms. Happy to have some complementary food and drink ready to use for breakfast.

Can’t explain enough how remote this is. Came for 3 days, did the usual tourist bits and then came back to the complete seclusion of the hut. The decking with a view of the stream, birds flying past is just bliss. Super silent throughout the day, not even a whisper of traffic etc.

The hut itself was extremely well put together, everything you would ever need for a short stay was provided. Including some incredible local foods (the jam was incredible)

Well worth

We had the most wonderful stay at Maple Retreat and honestly couldn’t recommend it enough!

Christine and the whole team were incredibly friendly, welcoming and helpful from start to finish. The setting is absolutely beautiful, both inside and out — so peaceful and quiet, surrounded by gorgeous countryside. Waking up in the morning and looking out at the sheep was such a lovely way to start the day, and we really enjoyed walking around the grounds and exploring the area.

The location was perfect too. There’s a lovely little village just a five-minute walk away with a bakery and pub, while larger food shops and everything else you might need are only around a 10-minute drive away, so you get the feeling of being completely tucked away without actually being far from anything.

The cabin itself is beautiful and has been decorated so thoughtfully — it feels incredibly cosy and special while still having everything you need. It was also absolutely spotless. And the bed deserves a special mention because it was SO comfortable! We both said it was one of the best nights’ sleep we’ve had in ages.

Such a gorgeous, peaceful little escape and exactly what we were hoping for. We were genuinely sad to leave and will 100% be coming back. Thank you so much, Christine! xx

Rowan Retreat was simply perfect, there’s no other word for it!

I’ve just come back from 5 nights there, and cannot name a single thing that could be improved about it.
The location is amazing, so quiet and private, yet very easy to get to. It’s wonderfully kitted out – I’ve got used to bringing a few extra kitchen utensils and things from home to huts like this, yet didn’t need any of them here, as everything was provided.
I like to BBQ every day I’m there, and even that was an absolutely top quality item!

It’s lovely and comfy, there’s good storage which is always necessary in a small hut, and the recently installed WiFi was an excellent unexpected bonus.

I will definitely be back for my next stay in the Lakes 😃