Information about us
Holiday Cottages Cumbria is owned, managed, and run by me, Simon Cleasby with the help of a team of hard-working housekeepers, gardeners, maintenance staff and a quality laundry company.
I consider myself a very knowledgeable local Cumbrian with a huge passion for the Lake District and Cumbria. I travelled and worked my way around England and a few other countries for a few years before coming back home to the South Lakes in 2003.
I enjoy sharing my local knowledge about the wonderful Lake District and I take great pride in trying hard to offer a quality of service rarely found these days.
I’ve put together some folders in each cottage containing many of my favourite walks and drives around the Lake District. I’ve also included details of many of the great tourist attractions found throughout Cumbria as well as details of some of our favourite places to eat, drink and buy great local produce.
I am very passionate about our local Lakeland produce. My wife and I buy the majority of our fresh, seasonal produce direct from many of our wonderful local suppliers, farmers, markets and fishermen that we are fortunate to have in Cumbria.
Part of the information I provide to our guests is a list of my current favourite places to eat, drink and buy great local produce.
I love Cumbria and the Lake District and I take a lot of pleasure when I hear from so many happy guests that I’ve helped other people enjoy this wonderful area too.
Testimonials
2024
9th December – “Just wanted to say ‘Thank you’, we enjoyed a very much needed break and wow what a cottage! Hats off to you for running such an excellent business where everything really is spot on. Thanks again. Alison Graham – South Shields, Northumberland
19th July – “Simon and team do a magnificent job and from the booking system right through, all is faultless. Have stayed in all but one of Simon’s other properties and all have also been brilliant. Small company yes but big on what matters service, consideration and consistency. Thanks again for all the memories made” – Amelia Welch, Glasgow
8th January – “I have to say I have been really impressed with your responses and communication on all matters.
I feel that I should acknowledge how good the service has been and wouldn’t hesitate to use your company again”.
Kind Regards, Barrie (Port Erin, Isle of Man)
2nd January – Simon, our host, is just wonderful! He’s so accessible if needed and definitely looks after his guests, first class – thanks so much Simon! – Jo Ormerod, Radcliffe, Manchester
2023
21st Oct. – “Hi Simon. I arrived with my dad last night to the welcoming lights of Weavers cottage. Emma and Maxine had done the most amazing job. Weavers cottage looked absolutely AMAZING ! We feel so lucky to be able to stay here again.
Please can you pass on my thanks to Emma and Maxine for making our stay so special and of course to yourself. We couldn’t be happier.”
Sally 😊
1st Sept. – “Thank you to Simon and the team for running such a lovely holiday agency where you know you will be comfortable no matter what” – Alison Graham, South Shields Tyne & Wear
15th June – “After staying at Weavers Cottage, we have now stayed at all the holiday homes that Simon provides.
All have their great features, great Michelin star restaurants on the door step, inns with great beers and food, the hills and fells for walking, local shops etc.
For us, the love of the Lake District and Simon and his staff’s attention to detail in all the homes we have stayed in is what keeps us coming back.
Simon and his staff without doubt, really pull out all the stops to make sure you and family have a great holiday.
We loved Weavers Cottage and have booked again for September.
Thank you Simon you are a real pleasure to deal with.
Regards Glynn and Sandra, Lytham St Anne’s, Lancashire
15th May – “We’ve had a wonderful time and the cottage was a real home from home and we’ll definitely look to stay again. Thank you for making our stay in Cartmel so relaxing” – Stuart Hinchliffe, Stalybridge, Cheshire
6th March – “I have to say that we have stayed in many holiday rentals over the years and I can safely say that the service that we have received from you is one of the best! Thank you.” – Ellen Lomax, Rochdale, Lancs
1st January – “We have always been extremely delighted with Simon and his help and support on all of our bookings” – Andrew Martin, Hornsea, East Yorkshire
2022
27th Nov.
“The booking process was super easy and Simon has been great throughout.
All six of the guests would highly recommend staying at Weavers Cottage and we will be using Holiday Cottages Cumbria should we return to the Lake District” – Leah Purcell, London, SW15
22nd August –
“Hi Simon
Thank for the prompt response.
We have been very impressed with both Cartmel Hill and the service we have received from you. Cartmel was not an area that we are familiar with although we come to Cumbria a lot, and we loved it so will definitely be back!
Thanking you again
Kath”
7th August –
“Hi Simon,
Thank you again for the fantastic cottage. We hope to be back again as the location was perfect to get to places and the lakes have a special place in my heart ❤
I have been coming down for years and was great to show my partner and kids the places I love, now they love it too 😁
Take care
kind regards
Anj, Lyns, Arran, Hanbah & Indi 🐾 x
8th June – “You can tell all your properties are really well managed by yourself. Your attention to detail is second to none. We’ve stayed at many holiday cottages in the UK but this was definitely the best!” – Carol Hartley – Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
23rd May – “We would absolutely recommend staying at Cartmel Hill, Simon was very helpful!” – Holly Farmer and family, Mayfield, Midlothian, Scotland
29th April – “Thank you Simon for your excellent communication and ensuring that our stay was well cared for” – Liz, James, Izzy & Molly 🐾 – Hampole nr Doncaster, South Yorkshire
22nd April – “Myself and family have stayed in Sawmill, Bridgelands and Weavers cottages previously. We really do love the quality of all the accommodation and your service is truly fantastic.” – Thomas Atherton – Liverpool
7th April – “All booked again Simon. Your customer service is excellent! 😊 Thank you again for our amazing stay.” Many thanks, Sally (Islington, Surrey)
3rd April – “Just to say a big thank you to you and the team for all your hard work. We had a lovely stay at Bridgelands, the cottage was immaculate, so very clean and comfortable” – Caroline & Adrian Demoulpied
21st February – “Thank you to Simon for being continuously helpful and available if we had any questions” – Hannah
2021
22nd December – “Good morning Simon. On behalf of my wife, son, his wife and myself, I just wanted to personally thank you so much for allowing us all the absolute pleasure of staying at Charcoal House on our pre-Christmas holiday. The house, its facilities, lovely decor throughout and the wonderful location have all contributed to our expectations being overwhelmingly exceeded.
We have been staying in the Lakes for the past 12 years in hotels and cottages and can honestly say that whilst we have enjoyed some lovely holidays, no accommodation has ever come close to Charcoal House.
Keep up the wonderful work take care stay safe and all the very best for Christmas and the new year” – Kindest Regards Andy Martin
13th August – “I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this cottage or another through Holiday Cottages Cumbria, or to book it again myself. The service you provided throughout was excellent. Thank you very much indeed. Best wishes”, Sue Byron (Bromley, Kent)
9th July – “Simon, you are an absolute legend! Thank you from all of us. Everyone is really looking forward to our weekend in April. Cheers Graham”
2nd July – “We have stayed in other properties managed by Simon and as ever his attention to detail, helpful information, local knowledge, directions and contact were excellent. Thank you and your team for all the hard work and effort, particularly in what has been very challenging times. Until the next time” – John, Lyn, Isla and Rosie, Glasgow
25th June – “We have stayed in Bridgelands cottage many times and will continue to do so. The customer service you get from Simon is also wonderful. Can’t recommend highly enough.” – Jayne Allen, West Bromwich, West midlands
28th May – “Immediately upon arrival we were hugely impressed by the outstanding cleanliness of the property and by the Covid 19 precautions that have been put in place. We could not have felt safer and any Covid 19 related concerns that we might have had were allayed instantly. Communication with Simon was superb throughout, from pre-arrival to any immediate needs. We are looking forward already to returning next year.” – Phil & Lorraine Burrell, Tavistock, Devon
16th April – “Simon was great to work with on the booking, super responsive and helpful, we will definitely be booking this or one of his other properties again” – Chris Harvey
4th April – “Would highly recommend. Booking, communication and customer service were all of high standard. Thanks Simon for the level of detail and care.” – Susan
7th April – In response to my request for ‘NHS Track & Trace information – “The communication and level of care you’re taking to make these breaks viable is wonderful” – Sarah, Bickerstaffe
25th February – “Fantastic holiday cottages, we return every year for our annual girls get together and couldn’t be happier, everything is perfect! Simon always goes the extra mile, booking transactions are seamless any questions answered promptly 😁” – Lindsay Mellors, St. Helens
5th January – “Your company is not one I’ve used before. I travel a lot normally and I have been very impressed with your approach to the pandemic. I have shared my positive experience widely. I will hope to book again in more certain times. Regards Carmel” – Horsforth, West Yorks
2020 – The year we all want to forget
24th November – “You’re the best. Thank you x” – Jennie Hunt, Worsely, Manchester
31st August – “Simon was a really helpful host and we were really impressed with the measures in place due to Covid” – Suba Jones
29th August – “Thank you for the superb service you provide and I have no doubt you will be hearing from me again next year” – Julie Stevens
28th August – “Can’t thank Simon enough for all his help” – Merv Salway, Darlington County Durham
31st August – “Simon was a really helpful host and we were really impressed with the measures in place due to COVID.” – Suba Jones
15th April – During the Covid-19 ‘lockdown’ – “Morning Simon, just sending you our support in this difficult time and to let you know, yourself and your wonderful staff are not forgotten about. As the saying goes – “WE WILL BE BACK”. Best regards and best wishes, Glynn/Sandra Hughes, St Anne’s on Sea, Lancashire
30th March – “Thank you so much Simon, you’ve been an absolute treasure dealing with our booking” – Kristina Cocker
25th March – During the Covid-19 ‘lockdown’ – “Hi Simon, Thank you for moving our booking. Very privileged to be working with people like yourselves”. Mary-Louise Gauld-Ruston
21st March – During the Covid-19 ‘lockdown’ – “Hi Simon, Awful times for all of us but you will pull through and go on to deliver the amazing service you have always delivered. Without any doubt we will support you in the future” – Sue Rigby
2019
7th November – “Thank you Simon for a very warm & cosy welcome” – Chris & Jean & Ruby the dog, Stockton-on-Tees
28th October – “Simon was spot and we’ll organised with communication. Really enjoyed the whole experience” – John & Kate Murphy
28th Oct – “It’s the little things sometimes that make a big difference to us; the well set out arrival tray with proper sized mugs and quality biscuits! The owner checked with us to see if everything was okay – which was a nice touch” – Col Magee
4th Oct – “Thank you Simon for making us so welcome every year. Can’t wait until we’re back again in 2020” – Brian, Yvonne and Emma the dog – Harpenden, Hertfordshire
13th September – “I would definitely recommend this lovely cottage (Sawmill Cottage) and recommend booking with Holiday Cottages Cumbria, Simon was very helpful with any questions and advice. We’ve already booked another cottage with this company for March, can’t wait!! ” – Wendy Pate – Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire
13th Sept – “Simon and his wife were so good to us, to me that makes a massive difference. Attentive and caring” – Dawn
6th Sept – “Simon and his wife are lovely people and couldn’t do enough to make sure that our stay was amazing. We will definitely be coming back again and would highly recommend to all our family and friends” – The Doddman family
22nd July – “Having stayed in Simon’s other properties previously it was just what we expected, which is high praise indeed 😊 Many thanks” – Nut and Regan family
19th July – “Simon was both helpful and prompt in communication” – Margaret, USA
9th July – “I just wanted to let you know that we had a fantastic break in Carree Cottage. In no small measure, that was due to the excellent pre-arrival service from you and the thorough information pack that you provided. You obviously put a lot of work into that and it was much appreciated. We visited many of the places you suggested and had a splendid time” – Keith Andrews, Telford, Shropshire
3rd May – “Simon was extremely helpful, always quickly responding to any queries that we had” – John Mason, Lichfield Staffordshire
1st April – “Simon has thought of everything and his recommended walks written in the guest book were a great help. We will highly recommend staying in your cottages to family/friends/colleagues. Thank you!!” – Liza
31st March – “We will definitely stay again at one of your lovely cottages. I would like to say that your attention to detail and information provided are excellent, so thank you once again” – Sarah Robinson, Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire
7th Jan – “Once again, what a wonderful house and excellent weekend we all had. Your holiday homes are exceptional, very clean and well maintained” – Lindsay Sandilands, Stalybridge Cheshire
2018
16th Dec – “Beautiful home. Simon was super helpful. We’ll definitely be back. Thank you” – The Makins’, Cheshire
10th Dec – “Thanks to Simon for his usual flawless service” – Frank & Wendy Hayes, Lancashire
3rd Dec – “Amazing weekend in a beautiful property in a lovely location. Simon has been great. He was always at the end of the phone with answers to any questions we had and went out of his way to get more logs for us.” – Lauren, Gareth, kids and dogs, Whitby, North Yorks
31st Aug-“We would thoroughly recommend Weavers Cottage and this company on the basis of the support and help we received from Simon” – Nick Jefferies, Oldbrook, Buckinghamshire
14th Aug – “Thank you very much for making our stay in the Lake District so enjoyable and comfortable”. The Kumar family
13th Aug – “You were an amazing property manager and addressed the plumbing problem immediately so that there was no adverse impact whatsoever on our holiday and the rectification was quick and effective (by a very pleasant plumber). We wish you all the very best and look forward to renting again in the future” – Jan, Gosport, Hants
3rd Aug – “Communication and customer service provided by Simon was outstanding making our holiday a very memorable one. Thanks again Simon! we will be back” – The Kirk family, Yorkshire
25th Feb – “Simon was incredibly helpful throughout the booking process & responded quickly to any queries I had; it’s very easy to tell he deeply cares about guests having an enjoyable stay and this adds to the appeal because customer service often lets places down” – Rachel
2017
Whoops, I was so busy that I forgot to add any ‘testimonials’ here. 2017 was by far our busiest ever year and also with more ‘repeat bookings’ from regular guests than ever before.
2016
5th Sept. – “The property manager, Simon, was very helpful and went beyond what you would expect to ensure that everything was perfect for us, which it was. We will definitely be back!” – Jack, Cheshire
30th June – “Thank you for the informative and helpful email and attachments. Thank you Simon for the advice and information about the area and specifically your recommendations for places to go. Much appreciated” – Monica, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
24th June – “From the first point of contact to the completion of our holiday Simon and his fantastic team are a pleasure to deal with. Very professional but personable” – Lynne, Robert, Catherine and Sonny, Barnsley South Yorkshire
29th April – “Another excellent stay. Thank you Simon for all the extra touches” – Rob & Tina, Filey, Yorkshire
8th April – “Shamrock Cottage was a great place to stay again. Simon & Ailsa are lovely owners who really care about their guests. Can’t wait to stay again, thank you” – The Dickinson’s, Cornwall
28th March –“Simon your customer service is second to none. Will definitely recommend . I feel like I have made a new friend”. Ann-Frodsham, Cheshire
2015
15th May – “This is the 4th of Simon’s cottages I’ve stayed in and I have to say, “Simon, you deliver what everyone needs EVERYTIME! Fantastic Fantastic Fantastic!! We highly recommend Simon’s cottage to everyone xx” – Julie, Cheryl, Basil & Percy, Halstead Essex
2014
13th Nov. – “I really appreciate all your help and great advice, we have stayed in many places in the UK over the years and never have I received such helpful and honest advice – Samantha, Lancashire
6th Oct. – “Thanks to Simon and the housekeeper for ensuring this cottage is so special” – Sheila, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
18th Sept. – “Simon, thanks to all of your support, we have enjoyed the stay at Rose Farm.
Our experience there was one of the most relaxing and fun stays ever, and I have to say I regret that we did not have time to stay more than 2 nights. I would definitely like to recommend to my friends!!! Again, thank you so much to let us stay at Rose Farm!!” – Shinji, Ricoh Europe
21st Aug. – “Thank you so much for posting back my son’s laptop charger. It has been such a pleasure dealing with you from start to finish.
We hope to return to the area again in the future and would definitely come to one of your cottages, and would recommend to any of our friends and family!” – Beverley & Family, Peterborough
16th Aug. “Simon, the owner is a pleasure to deal with.” – Laura, Edinburgh
26th July- “From our initial enquiry to completion of our holiday all correspondence has been both professional and personable. Thank you Simon for giving us a taste of a lifestyle I have dreamed of for as long as I can remember. We will certainly be recommending your properties to all of our family and friends!” Lynne & Robert, South Yorkshire
9th June – “Thanks again Simon, your customer service is second to none and I am sure we will be back soon” – Andy, Lancashire
26th May – “Simon was a star with the information he provided us for our weekend. Thank you!”– Christine, Staffordshire
23rd May – “Thanks again for your wonderful customer service” – Frank, Lancashire
10th Feb. – “Thanks for everything Simon. We had a lovely stay, the cottage is perfect.
Thanks also to your housekeeper-the cottage was spotless.
Wishing you all happy times and sunny days” – Lynn and Dave, Newcastle upon Tyne
6th Jan. – “Thanks Simon for going that extra mile when I locked myself out of the cottage and rescuing me within 30 minutes with a smile and a replacement key. Thank you so much” – John, Lincs