,
Which? Recommended Provider for UK Holiday Cottages May 2024 Which? Recommended Providers are companies that are both rated highly by Which? members and meet the high standards of Which? researchers.
Starter pack included View details
Welcome hamper included View details
Welcome hamper included
A complimentary welcome hamper is provided on your arrival which includes essentials such as tea, coffee, sugar and milk is provided along with a few extra goodies. Please note that the size and contents of the hamper may vary from property to property and there may be seasonal variances. Sadly we are unable to vary the contents according to preference, or cater for individual dietary requirements.
Starter pack included
A complimentary starter pack will be awaiting you on your arrival containing fresh coffee, tea, sugar, fresh milk and biscuits.
A complimentary starter pack will be waiting for you on your arrival, containing; Tea, Coffee, Milk and Sugar
A complimentary starter pack will be awaiting for you on your arrival containing fresh coffee, tea, sugar, fresh milk and biscuits.
A complimentary starter pack is provided on your arrival which includes essentials such as tea, coffee, sugar and milk is provided to get you started.
A Dorset complimentary starter pack will be awaiting for you on your arrival containing fresh coffee, tea, sugar, fresh milk and biscuits.
A Cornish complimentary starter pack will be awaiting for you on your arrival containing, Tea, Coffee, Fudge, Shortbread, Sugar, Milk, Salt and Pepper.
A Cotswolds complimentary starter pack will be awaiting for you on your arrival containing fresh coffee, tea, sugar, fresh milk and biscuits.
An Isle of Wight complimentary starter pack will be awaiting for you on your arrival containing fresh coffee, tea, sugar, fresh milk and biscuits.
Local knowledge
Our local, passionate team are experts on all things in the UK
Handpicked Diverse Portfolio
We personally hand-pick only the best properties for our guests
Exceptional Customer Service
We are proud that our service has been rated 4.7 out of 5 on Feefo
Out of hours support
Need a hand? We're always available during your break
Flexible Short Breaks and Arrival Days
Breaks of two or three nights are available at many of our properties
Personalised Service and Support
We're here to help you tailor your perfect holiday
Everything was excellent!
Stunning location Property was beautifully presented with lots of lovely details
Booked at very ,very short notice and specifically because there is no WiFi and very little phone signal. Definitely a rural holiday - quirky and charming building with a sun trap courtyard garden. Basket of lovely produce from the local bakery/shop in the nearest village. We loved lighting the woodburning stove every evening even though it was June. Could not fault this retreat at all. 10/10
We had a wonderful holiday at Scargill which is the perfect base for exploring the Dales. The Castle is beautifully furnished and the welcome basket with lots of locally sourced treats was a lovely touch. We would also recommend taking the opportunity to try the Tudor feast which was delicious and so atmospheric to eat in the castle itself. Scargill Castle is a great little holiday spot and we look forward to returning soon!
Beautifully presented historic building in a lovely setting. Generous welcome hamper, and well-equipped kitchen. Caroline & Niall have thoughtfully renovated the castle to a very high standard. We enjoyed walks on Barningham Moor and in Barnard Castle & Richmond.
Wonderful to experience a snapshot of history. Beautifully decorated and large fully enclosed dog friendly outside space. We stayed in February but with underfloor heating it was cosy after a day out. We hope we can stay again and would recommend. PERFECT.
An amazing stay and experience. Far exceeded our expectations! The welcome hamper was exceptional. By far the best we have ever had. Such a peaceful and relaxing location, with plenty of walks and lots of local history to keep you interested.
Unique holiday stay with comforts of home but quirkiness of the castle stay. Very enjoyable and would recommend fully. Welcome basket was lovely and overall a great experience and if you add the Banquet to the stay, it completes it.
I actually would give less stars, but I have a feeling I just didn’t realize quite how inconvenient certain things would be. This place was amazing and so cool. I wanted sooo much to love this place. However, having the toilet on the ground floor was just the worst experience. Having it on the first floor (2nd level) would’ve made more sense. But having to go from the bedroom to the ground floor in the middle of the night was terrifying. And unfortunately I was allergic to something in the castle. I don’t know if it was related to the strong musty smell, but the first night my neck started the hurt. The second night I felt so out of breath. And we climbed a lot of hills outdoor with no problem. After the second night I also noticed that my lymph nodes were swollen and extremely sore to the touch. We knew there would be no WiFi. But we had no mobile signal either. So even just trying to look up the weather to plan our next day was impossible. We couldn’t look up car parks, order tickets for events…nothing. We actually left a full day early and only stayed 3 nights instead of 4 because I knew something was wrong. But obviously that couldn’t have been predicted. Again, the place itself was very cool and I wanted to love it. They left us nice food, a lot of which we didn’t have time to eat. It was very clean. Be prepared for dogs and cows as alarm clocks though. There were dogs not too far that barked a LOT. It was nice having a washer and dryer there. And the garden was so perfect. I wish I had not had such a bad reaction to something there. Just be prepared to FULLY unplug. If you’re prepared for that, and prepared for going up and down two flights of spiral stairs from the bedroom to the bathroom, you’re good.
Phenomenal Rural Retreat (and we've been to many!). We had the Tudor Banquet on arrival and it was superb. The accommodation is fantastic. A lot of tricky stone spiral stairs, but you have to expect that in a castle! Lovely, spacious bathroom. Comfortable bed. Really lovely farm setting with many friendly birds and animals. We were very sorry to leave but did so with lots of lovely memories.
Very peaceful considering its next to a working farm but the sheep, goats and Guinee fowl were all entertaining. A very well appointed place with a interesting history, the time team DVD is worth a look. One of the best welcoming hampers we have had. Be sure to read the house instructions on arrival it does help with lights, heating and so on. Be advised the stone spiral staircase to the lounge and bedroom is 25 steps with the lower section having no guard rail, a bit risky if you have a energetic dog. Overall we had a wonderful time and enjoyed the closed in and secluded garden
Fascinating place, beautiful landscape and the best welcome hamper ever (even the dogs were not forgotten)!
Great place, great welcome hamper. Fun to stay in a castle. We'd love to come back it felt like a special place.
Very well appointed. Luxury finish. Very relaxing. Would definitely stay again. Good secure space for dogs too.
This was our 6th visit. Think that says it all. We have already booked visits 7 and 8. Amazing property, gorgeous location, and very friendly owners. The attention to detail with everything from the cleanliness to the welcome hamper is amazing.
Very quirky place to stay which is full of character. The location provides peace and quiet. Not good if you aren't very mobile (a recent knee injury meant the stairs were challenging). Loved the medieval banquet. The main living room is cold until the fire gets going. Just what was needed for some quiet time out!
It was a unique experience to stay in a Tudor gatehouse. Just the perfect balance of history and luxury. Lots of thoughtful touches such as the welcome hamper and chocolates. The castle is in a very pretty location which is perfect for walking.
Had an absolutely wonderful weekend and hope to stay again. Lovely restoration and all the little touches including the welcome hamper, make this a unique and special place. Do order the Tudor Banquet as this will make a special place even better.
Unfortunately, the page you were looking for cannot be found so you are seeing our error page. Perhaps you tried to enter a miss-spelled web address or you have visited an old link?
Either way, never fear! You can still find what you're looking for. Use our menu above, go to the home page, search for a property below or take a look at some of our latest news. We look forward to welcoming you into one of our many stunning holiday cottages very soon!
Click here to begin your search
By submitting this form, you consent to receiving Rural Retreats' holiday offers, including Rural Retreats initial information, using the contact details as above.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
We will come back to you as quickly as we can.
Monday to Friday - 9am to 8pm
Saturday - 9am to 5.30pm
Sunday - 10am to 4pm
My Personal Sanctuary is a Luxurious and truly indulgent beauty therapy service delivering 5 star quality organic treatments carried out in the comfort of your cottage.
Updated at 10:00 on Friday 8th April 2022
As all restrictions have been lifted across the United Kingdom, you are no longer legally required to self-isolate upon a positive Covid-19 result. You won’t be asked to take daily tests or isolate following contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. This means, if you would like to modify or cancel your booking due to Covid-19, our normal terms and conditions now apply.
If the restrictions are reintroduced and you are forced to cancel your holiday due to legal restrictions, please be rest assured that we will help you to move your booking within the same property, offer a voucher to be used within the same property within a year or cancel your booking in this instance and we will refund you the price you paid in full.
If you are concerned about the potential impact of Covid-19 on your holiday plans, outside of legal restrictions, we strongly advise you to seek out travel insurance which covers you in these and other eventualities.
Which? Recommended Provider for UK Holiday Cottages May 2024
Your
Clear all selectedShare this list Are you sure you want to clear your shortlist? Confirm Cancel
There are currently no properties in your shortlist.
Begin your search and when you find a property that you like click on the icon and your chosen property will then appear on this page for you to compare.
Begin searching
Sign up to our e-newsletter
Before you go why not sign up to our e-newsletter mailing list to stay updated about new properties, offers and promotions?
Thank you for signing up to our e-newsletter mailing list
Please allow up to 7 days before you receive your first e-newsletter. We hope you like receiving them.
Find your perfect getaway with any of our sister companies
Explore our sister companies below and find your perfect getaway