Matfen

We very much enjoyed our stay at Matfen.

The property is on a small peaceful countryside site of other similar properties and is fairly central for exploring Northumberland. It would have been useful to have had more specific directions to find the property (e.g. 1st property on the right of the one way road). We arrived in daylight, but would have struggled if it had been dark. The property has a really comfortable living area with plenty of space and the cupboards are well stocked with crockery, mugs and glasses. We used the central heating in the mornings and evenings for an hour or so by increasing the temperature to turn it on and decreasing the temperature to turn it off using the +/- buttons. The en-suite bedroom is fairly spacious and we used this room as there were only 2 of us. Unfortunately the bed linen had a sharp smell (as if it hadn't been properly dried/aired) and this lingered for many days. The towels were ok, but we were expecting more as it was a property for 6 people and there were towels for only 2. We did not use the ensuite shower as it had a fixed shower head. The other double bedroom was smaller, but good. The bunk bed room was very small and used to store the vacuum cleaner, but would have accomodated 2 small children. We used the main bathroom shower which was extremely difficult to get to a usable temperature. For the majority of the time it was scalding hot and there were no instructions available to know how to adjust it. We do recommend Matfen and would stay there again.

The lodge was well furnished and equipped, however the maintenance was poor.

The shared bathroom door would not close and one of the bedrooms was difficult to close / open resulting in a small child getting ‘trapped’ in the room. We noticed that this had been highlighted in the visitors book in May and not acted on. Recycling on site was also not great, and the park area very neglected.

Lovely cabin in a beautiful setting, nothing spoilt the holiday, but the cleaner needs to do a bit more, tops of pictures were full of dust, oven hasn't been touched for months & the two lamps in main bedroom are a fire hazard they are so full of dust in the shades, front door needs attention as I couldn't lock it but my husband could so not a problem for us.

Saying that I would still go again as a lovely area & peaceful so wouldn't let the above stop me.

Accommodation was clean and well presented.

The hosts had gone to a lot of trouble to ensure everything was good. They provided little goodies which were much appreciated (biscuits, wine, etc). Well stocked with towels, tea towels, handwash, cleaning products. Kitchen area provided with tea, coffee and sugar. Appliances included microwave and air fryer. We found that a dining chair had been damaged by previous occupants. Sent owners a message 9:30pm to advise - replacement chair delivered by 8:30am next morning. Nothing too much trouble for them. Well impressed and very likely to return

Lovely, well equipped, cosy lodge to come back to after exploring Northumberland, welcome pack and other little extras included much appreciated!

Would recommend to friends and family, many thanks

1.

The lock on the front door was difficult to close. 2. There were no brushes for cleaning toilets. 3. No mop and bucket for cleaning floors 4. The grill pan was dirty with congealed fat. No suitable cleaning material for kitchen 5. The radiator in en suite bedroom not working. No one came to check on the leaking radiator. Radiators need bleeding. 6. Password for wifi needs to be prominently displayed

Very comfortable stay and very well equipped,only thing we found was the mattress in ensuite bedroom was firmer than we are used to ,still had a good sleep .

Nice views from the outside seating area ,we would love to return as very convenient for visiting the area

A really great lodge, very comfy and clean, there was everything you’d need in there, It’s in a great position for exploring the beautiful countryside and near enough to the coast too.

We would definitely stay there again.

Nice place very comfortable well equipped.

Lovely cottage, very comfortable, had everything we needed.

Lovely quiet location, easy to get to surrounding areas. Would recommend to others. Only negative is the hot water in both showers wasn't anywhere near hot enough even on the hottest setting, just about warm enough to get in.

The Lodge was ok but needed a bit more attention to detail on the cleaning!

Bed in en-suite room, needs new mattress very uncomfortable. This lodge should be sold as 2 doubles and a small bunk bed room only suitable for children. The bunk bed room has a very small small floor space a very tiny child’s wardrobe which you can’t get to as a very large henry hoover sits on the floor in front of it. Under the bunk beds are bags and boxes of towels, bedding etc not ideal these should be kept offsite. Would have been benefit if could put cases under the bed as nowhere else to put them. Didn’t look like the paintwork on walls had any maintenance for sometime, certainly not for the new holiday season! Outside area was very dirty, I appreciate always going to get some dirt blown around but the outside had not been swept in a very long time, if at all. The bench outside most uncomfortable to sit on. Very noisy neighbours outside, permanent residents of the site I believe so couldn’t even sit outside and get some peace. Not an enjoyable stay at all!

Lovely cottage, lovely park.

Incredibly helpful and friendly. Couldn’t recommend it enough.

Great lodge in a peaceful site.

Everything you could need in the lodge, but curtains (not just roller blinds) on the bedroom windows would be hugely beneficial especially when the weather is very sunny.

Absolutely loved our break away.

Well equipped lodge in an excellent location. Extremely quiet and relaxing. Owners have done a fantastic job of making it feel like a home from home. I will definitely be returning.

We had an amazing holiday all those little things were already thought of by the owners such as a pint of milk for a cuppa!

Brilliant facilities lovely and clean and amazing location our children loved being able to be outside and see the stars on the night! We would definitely come back and recommend to others.

A comfortable well equipped lodge in a great location for exploring Northumberland.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Sykes need to update the pictures The lodge had been refurbished and the current pictures do not do it justice Lovely comfy sofas and bed No internet connection or dvd player This would have been a welcome asset Lovely welcome pack of wine and biscuits Also tea, coffee and toilet rolls while you don't always get Definitely would stay again

Sadly the start of our holiday was spoilt by a very nasty phone call with Mark , the owner.

This was in response to 2 queries about the lodge and ended with Mark very nastily saying “ if you’re not happy, find somewhere else and I’ll give you a refund, and putting the phone down on me!!!!” Unnecessary and upsetting. The cleaning was not great. Apart from that, the lodge is comfortable with lovely beds and nice linen and towels.

A comfy cottage, close to all attractions and caring owners local and responded quickly when require

The property was lovely and comfortable although Some areas needed a good clean , under the beds , (there was a false nail on my bedroom floor at the edge of the bed) , top of sockets etc , the bedding and towels were very clean and fresh .

Sykes haven't updated the photos on the website and the lodge looks completely different as it has been refurnished its actually a lot nicer than it looks on the website .

Lovely lodge, very homely and a nice welcome gift :) had a fantastic time and will hopefully be back in the future

Clean.

Very well-equipped. Owners very accommodating. Peaceful area. Comfortable living room. Nice and cozy when the temperature outside was a little chilly. Heating easy to work, and worked well, when we needed it. Hot water on demand, no pressure problems when someone else was using water in another room elsewhere. Two toilets and two showers were much appreciated. There were four adults in our party: A married couple who shared a double bed; one woman who slept in the other double bed, and me, and I slept on the bottom bedbunk. I think the log cabin should have been designed differently, and only included two bedrooms, because space was a little bit tight in the sleeping areas, at least for me. But it wasn't too bad, and we only used the bedrooms to sleep in anyway. In my room, a Henry vacuum cleaner (a bit bulky) was left on the floor in front of the clothes storage, which was a bit odd. The bunk bed mattress didn't feel like a proper mattress, or at least it was a bit insubstantial, and with just a sheet covering it I could feel the bumps of the patterning of it. It was difficult to open any window in that room, as it was too cramped with furniture. The clothes storage was in the way of anybody wanting to climb up on to the top bunk. So perhaps that room is only suitable for small children who can be lifted up and down by an adult, although I would expect that could cause health and safety issues what with a child wanting to move of his/her own accord and not perhaps being able to, needing to use the toilet during the night for example. I enjoyed a few walks, and we twice ate at the Granby Inn, within walking distance, as the meals were good quality at a reasonable price. Thank you for a very decent stay.

Property was clean, comfortable, nice decor and in a quiet spot on the edge of the village.

Within easy walking distance to local shops and pubs. Good location for visiting Alnwick, Bamburgh. Berwick and Seahouses/Farne Islands. Would not hesitate to recommend this property.

Lovely comfy relaxing clean property comfy couches in a very peacefull location close to some beautifull places that were close and great to visit.

The Butchers in Longframlington is fab, the ribeye steaks are brilliant

We had a wonderful break in this cosy cottage.

Nicely laid out, two bathrooms were a real plus as we were sharing with other family members. A welcome pack was a nice touch too. Situated on a small and quiet estate, it is within easy walking distance of a charming village with two pubs, both of which offer quality menus. All the usual attractions, Warkworth, Bamborough, Alnwick and Cragside are all a short drive away. Highly recommended. We hope to return next year.

Lovely cosy place !

Comfy beds, and very quiet.

We’ve just had a fab long weekend!

The lack of WiFi meant we could reconnect and do things IRL. The lodge is spotlessly clean, warm and welcoming, perfect for a quiet base to get out exploring the local area. The host Mandy was brilliant. The welcome pack was nice and we had everything and more required for a wonderful stay. We’re already planning and booking our next trip

There was a lot of rain and after two days the road round the site turned into a swamp.

Not that there was a proper road. The lodge was ok. The interior looked nothing like the pictures on Sykes website. A lot of dust round the windows and air vents in the bathrooms. The welcome biscuits, milk and wine were a nice touch. Sadly the site feels very run down and unloved

The property was perfect for our stay, it had all the amenities we needed.

It was clean and warm, we have stayed on the site many times but was really impressed with the size and comfort in Matfen. We will definitely recommend the site and the lodge and will hopefully be back soon.

Fantastic stay, fantastic hosts, lovely lodge, spacious and very comfortable, great location and everything was perfect.

Would recommend to anyone really if peace & quiet and tranquility is your thing then it's the perfect place. Couldn't fault anything and we will be back.

Lovely lodge, very quiet location 15 min walk to village.

Was not that clean, I wiped some water off the floor and it was filthy, not been dusted either, told main bathroom shower didnt have any hot water and plumber coming to fix then told he cannot het a part for it and finally told having a new bathroom fitted before xmas, dont think ever intended to fix it, would have preferred the truth! Grounds need tidying up and craters filling in on the road around cabins.