10 guests
5 bedrooms
5 beds
4 bathrooms
This exceptional former rectory has been renovated to a 5* standard, allowing its character to flow through the property perfectly. With five bedrooms, four bathrooms and extensive gardens including a tennis court, this stunning holiday home will provide a truly unforgettable stay with memories that will last a lifetime. Sleeping up to ten guests, this dog friendly property is ideal for family gatherings and friendly get togethers.
Trip Details
The Space
The Old Rectory has been recently refurbished to the highest standard. With premium furnishings and beautiful finishes, you can expect a truly luxurious stay.
Head to the living room and you’ll find a comfortable space with velvet sofas and statement chairs. Turn on the flat screen TV to keep up with your favourite shows or spend quality time with your loved ones.
The property has a spacious open plan living and dining area. A real social hub, this space is great for relaxing with your party. The dining area includes a large table with seating for up to 10 guests.
Fully equipped for self-catering stays, the kitchen has everything you could need to prepare meals easily. Shaker in style, the dove grey cabinets are super stylish and in keeping with the rest of the decor in the property.
The Old Rectory boasts five spacious bedrooms. There is a bedroom on the ground floor with a king size bed. The rest of the bedrooms are located on the first floor and they include a king, a twin, an ensuite king and ensuite double.
There is a shower room on the ground floor and the main bathroom is located upstairs.
Outside you’ll find extensive gardens with outdoor furniture. The perfect spot for a morning coffee or an evening tipple, the garden is a real added bonus to this beautiful property.
Neighborhood
Named as ‘One of the Best Cities to Visit in 2020’, Durham is a beautiful and charming area within the North East. Known as the ‘perfect little city’, Durham has the best mix of everything and it all blends seamlessly. It retains its medieval heritage but it also has a modern and vibrant twist. It boasts lush green landscapes but it also has busy cobbled streets with independent shops, bars and restaurants.
Durham has plenty of history within its walls. One of the most spectacular historic sites is Durham Cathedral. Constructed between 1103 and 1133, this towering building is a shining example of Norman architecture. The cathedral is now the oldest surviving building with a stone vaulted ceiling of such a large scale.
Getting Around
The centre of Durham is a short ten-minute drive from The Old Rectory.
Durham train station is 5-minute drive away so nearby towns and cities can easily be reached via rail. There’s also a taxi rank in close proximity to the train station.
There are plenty of bus routes throughout Durham. Hop on the Arriva 6 route to visit Barnard Castle or the number 22 which travels through Seaham and Sunderland.
- Bed linens
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Cleaning Disinfection
- Coffee maker
- Cookware
- Dishes and silverware
- Dishwasher
- Dryer
- Essentials
- Family/kid friendly
- First aid kit
- Flat smooth pathway to front door
- Free parking on premises
- Garden or backyard
- Hair dryer
- Hangers
- Heating
- High chair
- High touch surfaces disinfected
- Iron
- Kettle
- Kitchen
- Laptop friendly workspace
- Microwave
- Oven
- Path to entrance lit at night
- Patio or balcony
- Pets allowed
- Private entrance
- Refrigerator
- Rural
- Shampoo
- Smoke detector
- Step-free access
- Stove
- Suitable for children (2-12 years)
- Suitable for infants (under 2 years)
- TV
- Toaster
- Towels provided
- Town
- Washer
- Wide hallway clearance
- Wireless Internet
Guests have access to the full property. The keys to the property are accessed via a secure key safe and full details will be provided shortly before your arrival date.
There is ample private parking available at the property which is accessed via a gated private driveway.
Check-in: 16:00
Checkout: 10:00
From the guestbook
4.60
(111 Reviews)
Paul
25/11/2024
Great location and lovely property.
Emma
17/11/2024
Lovely place for a gathering of friends. Beautiful walk right from the door. Slightly tricky finding the place in that the postcode took us over the road but easy to rectify. Comfy sofas!
Kordula
03/11/2024
It's a very spacious house for 10 people, nice and warm with the AGA being on all the time and plenty of rooms to sit and chat. The bedrooms are very big, clean and comfortable. It would be easy to make it perfect by adding a few essential items to the kitchen like a tray, a water jug, a tea pot, some oven gloves, enough cutlery, wine glasses and chairs for the dining room. We would be happy to come back another time!
Rachelle
28/10/2024
Great property for a largeish group. What we loved: Lovely furnishings and furniture and the garden was great. The bedrooms and beds were really comfortable. There were some areas that really need attention though and our main gripes were as folllows: Some tlc - walls need a repaint and oven needs a good clean. The floors were quite dirty, the fridge had a fly in the bottom of the drawer and the cupboards were grubby, there was one toilet roll per bathroom - very stingy, only 2 tea towels to last the whole weekend - for 10 people, no pan scrub or washing up brush, and (worst of all to me) there is a wheelie bin in the big garden, just round the corner from the garage, that is overflowing with rubbish and dirty nappies which clearly were there from previous occupants. I think that the price we paid for the house we would have expected those 'gripes' NOT to have been there. Definitely need to improve on those areas to make the house worth what we paid.
Fiona
14/10/2024
We had a fantastic time at The Old Rectory. We were there to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 83rd birthday with wider family who lived locally. it was a lovely spacious house with everything just as described and we had a very relaxing stay I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this property and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay again, we will definitely be back! Excellent communications with the owner.
Jon
13/09/2024
Lovely big size property which is great for a large group / family. Very secluded and you definitely wont be over looked by anyone. The property lies just off a busy main road, that if you planning of spending a lot of time at the house could be an issue if you wanted to sit out in the summer and enjoy the peace and quiet! As we were out and about everyday this never bothered us. This property offered great value for money as was only a stones throw from Durham which was a beautiful city to visit.
Brogan
08/09/2024
A good stay in a big and well decorated house. The accommodation is warm and welcoming, easily accessible and a great place for a bigger group. Things we’d have like to see done differently: - There were not enough glasses, cutlery, mugs, plates etc for the number of guests it holds (only 4 wine glasses!) - The admin fee of £15 on a £500 compulsory deposit set the wrong tone for the booking. If the £500 is for the landlords piece of mind and security, then they should pay the admin cost. If it’s for the guests peace of mind then it should be optional. That being said, deposit was returned in full within the 14 day window without any quibbles which reflected that we’d left the property in the same condition we found it. - We’d have liked to see window restrictors on the sash windows as we were staying with kids. Things that can’t be done differently, but guests should bear in mind: - This house is next to avery busy and loud road.
Tom
30/08/2024
Period property. Land and gardens . Where shall we start. On arrival - clear to see cleaning standards disgraceful !!! No floors cleaned throughout for a seriously long time . The main living/ kitchen area was disgusting. Sofa armchair broken . Dirty settees . Floor hadn’t been cleaned in months . Wall damp in areas. Plaster falling off. Downstairs bathroom hadn’t been cleaned properly . Upstairs surrounding of bath tiled area hadn’t been cleaned . Dirt, dust and shampoo remnants on tiles . Floor in our bathroom hadn’t been cleaned . Radiator full of splash marks, dust, cobwebs . Totally disgusting . We were left a card from host n stay saying enjoy you’re stay- you’re property has been cleaned !!!! What an absolute joke . No it had not. We tried to contact them the following morning . Left 3 voicemails . Also contacted booking.com - who tried to contact host and stay.- who denied any correspondence . Health and safety need to visit this property urgently - host and stay housekeeping are failing this property . In the laundry room , a disgusting old mop full of spiders, cobwebs was on the floor. Hadn’t seen any activity in a long time . The washing machine handle was broken so not sure if you needs to use that - you COULDNT . !!! A baby high chair in there- not the cleanest. A baby low level cot in the dirty pantry area . Stains on the mattress . Please DO NOT use . Our bed mattress upstairs was in the shape of a V . The mattress was rubbish. My husband and I used the next bedroom with twin beds . Dust on all light fitting, picture frames . Skirting boards . Headboards. I have photographic and video evidence of all. I could carry on . Sadly .
Maria
30/08/2024
The people I was with. The surrounding location. The size and layout of the property. Diggerland. The uncleanliness of the property, including whitish stains on the settee (hopefully yoghurt!) The inability of the staff at Host and Stay to action our requests for general maintenance to be carried out. Exposed gripper rods and a broken floorboard The lack of level access to the property due to the back door not working. The overflowing bins on the grounds of the property. The inaccurate description of the property as being newly refurbished and in immaculate condition.
Linda
23/07/2024
Lovely show home. Very comfortable, and tasteful. It is next to a noisy A road. Spacious for large groups, but the kitchen needs attention to cater for advertised numbers and the cleanliness of the kitchen area and utensils marked it down for us. There was confusion over the address on original listing. The kitchen door didn't open into the garden, which meant travelling round the house to outside. For the price, the outside furniture and amenities were quite basic. A charming old house with potential to be five star but not there yet. The host responded promptly to our concerns and apologised that we had to clean the kitchen cupboards, utensils and crockerybefore use, but hopefully this can be rectified for subsequent guests. I have to say I was slightly disappointed for the money we paid.
Ahmad
12/07/2024
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Mary
05/07/2024
We had a fantastic stay at the Old Rectory. We were a party of five and two dogs so we had tons of space, a very comfortable double bed for everyone. Lovely Aga-warmed house on our return from rainy outings, and tons of hot water. But a couple of comments were that there were only nine mugs and eight dining chairs for a house that sleeps ten and basics like salt, pepper and washing-up liquid were missing. It was also not made clear when I made my booking that there would be an extra obligatory charge for insurance - this was tucked away in the house rules. It feels like a place run by an agency rather than an individual, which is what it is - but we hugely appreciated the space, didn't notice the traffic noise from the main road beside it, slept very well in the extremely comfortable beds, and had a lot of fun on the slightly neglected tennis court.
Stephen
20/06/2024
The old rectory is a magnificent house. all the rooms were very large and decorated to a high standard. There were a few issues. There was a sign on the Aga saying do not turn off which meant the Kitchen area was very warm. There was also a loud noise coming from the hot water system when someone was taking a shower. The outdoor area was very nice but unfortunately there was a lot of traffic noise from the busy road when sitting out in the entertainment area. Despite these slight negatives the place was beautiful and I'd be happy to stay again.
Kathleen
25/05/2024
We had an amazing stay at the rectory, the house was huge with so much storage and plenty of living space. For a family get to gether it was perfect. Bedrooms are really spacious, lots of bathrooms, kitchen has everything needed. The grounds were fantastic perfect for dogs, kids absolutely loved it as well! The area was perfect, everything you could need right by the location. Durham was a five minute drive and has lots to do, great dog walks and little villages on your door step! House felt like home and everyone said it was beyond expectations!
Suzy
07/05/2024
A huge house, perfect for our family holiday. The furniture was comfortable and modern and the bedrooms were all great sizes, some were enormous. Loads of parking and we loved having our own tennis court. There was a lot of information sent in advance and on a QR code. The older members of our party commented that they would have liked some hard copy instructions and recommendations of things to do. We had booked it for Beamish, which was about 30 minutes away. It could do with more mugs and plates and someone just needs to spend a few hours working through some minor maintenance repairs. Overall though, it’s a great base for a stay in the north east, finished to a high standard with oodles of space. Would definitely recommend and return.
Imogen
29/04/2024
Really great accommodation for a large group of friends. All the bedrooms were outstanding and luxurious. The Aga was marvellous for cooking breakfasts and big dinners. I would say that there is a dual carriageway running alongside the gardens and the noise from that is intrusive. Also, very sparse selection of mugs, cutlery and glasses. I note others have commented on this and it does not appear to have been rectified. Other than that, really well placed for visits to Beamish, Durham and Whitley Bay. Durham University's Botanic Garden and Oriental museum were both exceptional.
Sam
21/04/2024
Massive property with plenty of space for 10. Modern interior but could do with some TLC in places. Everything you could think of provided but could do with a few more mugs and glasses. Would definitely stay again.
Jackie
15/04/2024
It was great. All,had a room to ourselves and a bathroom
Boardley
13/04/2024
The house is much bigger than it appears on photographs and is tastefully decorated with three sitting rooms. It’s a peaceful location surrounded by greenery and great views with gardens to all sides, there are pheasants roaming nearby and we even saw a mink! Tennis courts were a great bonus as was the large table in the kitchen\lounge as plenty of room for board games. The standing bath is in the en suite for the main bedroom and all of the rooms are huge! The downstairs bedroom is opposite the shower/toilet room which my father loved as he was concerned about getting up stairs. Very minor things, no. Instructions for aga or other oven and confusing to operate. The aga is great but does make the kitchen area very warm, some of our party appreciated it but it was too much for others and with no manual and a warning not to turn off we were too nervous to fiddle around with it. I have since learned our welcome pack was missing so hopefully the next guests will not have the same issue.
Steven
05/04/2024
The house was fab. Very big loved the Aga. Lovely and warm. Made homemade bread in the Aga. Loved it.
Lucy
01/04/2024
We spent the Easter weekend at The Old Rectory with family, 6 adults and 3 children. It was a beautiful house and the grounds were lovely! Although we didn’t use the tennis court for its purpose, it was the best fenced in hard area for the children to play on their scooters! All the rooms were very large and perfect for all of us! We are hoping to stay again in the future!
Jacqueline
23/03/2024
Beautiful home set in lovely countryside. Very spacious rooms, which were amazing. Would definitely stay again and recommend to family and friends. Hosts were very attentive. Jackie & family 5??????????
David
17/03/2024
Great place matching description, very spacious with enclosed garden area fantastic for our digs, highly recommended
Evie
15/03/2024
Charlie is a fantastic host, he is very easy to communicate with. The accommodation, well its simply beautiful and is no surprise this property is booked out, our guys loved stayed here so its a shame we were unable to book further but definitely would return given the opportunity. Thank you for hosting us, they had a wonderful stay. 10/10.
Rosalind
10/03/2024
Stunning bathrooms, loads of space and lovely furnishings
Kate
25/02/2024
The property was amazing! We booked it for a family gathering, there was loads of space and the gardens were perfect for the dogs. The bedrooms and bathrooms were immaculate the only thing that let the cleanliness down was the kitchen dining area. The tile floor was very dirty and the surfaces were greasy/grubby. We soon wiped the surfaces down but the floor could have done with a really good steam clean. Our socks were black from the floor. This wouldn’t put me off visiting this property again though, it was very good value for money and lots of space. The pubs in the village were very friendly and lots of accessible walks. The property isn’t obvious from the roadside but my satnav took me straight to it from the post code.
Stuart
19/02/2024
we had family gathering at this property. everything pleasantly as described. Host in good communication. Beautiful private property. Would stay again. Thank you
Julianna
16/02/2024
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Old Rectory. Communication from the owners was prompt and helpful. The photos don’t capture how large the property is, each bedroom is very spacious and beautifully decorated. We enjoyed the multiple living areas, and the multiple bathrooms were ideal for our large group. The garden is extensive and fully fenced which is great if you’re bringing a dog. The entire property is modern and has a luxurious feel. The online guidebook could benefit from being updated and include important information, such as appliance instructions for the oven, ice dispenser etc. However overall we would definitely recommend staying at the Old Rectory.
Daniel
13/02/2024
A fantastic and extremely large house, even bigger than the photos made it look, with more than enough room for the 9 of us of various ages who was there to celebrate a birthday. All rooms we massive and plenty of things to do in the house and outside the house, including a tennis court for the kids to enjoy. WiFi was great throughout the house, which is a must with 9 people. Very close to Durham, Beamish and local shops, restaurants and takeaways. Lots of clear communication about our stay and very quick responses to any queries prior to us arriving. Would definitely recommend and hope to be back in the future.
Suzanne
29/01/2024
Great location for our family birthday celebration. Large bedrooms, lovely bathrooms and family space.
Celina
14/01/2024
a little hard to find , the address took us to a few streets away but after asking a neighbour we managed to find it quickly. Place was immaculate so clean and big! Loved how it didn’t have any neighbours around so as a big group you didn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone. Would definitely recommend, so cheap for what you get!
Simon
05/01/2024
Great house, loads of room and well laid out. Location is fantastic for Durham, short Uber ride into the centre. We used it for our sons graduation, plenty of room for family and friends. Small criticism is that the bathrooms need some re-grouting and sealing, bits of mould around, and the kitchen could do with a deep clean, eg the fridge had old food under the shelves. But we were the first ones in after a New Year booking!
Matthew
26/12/2023
We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at The Old Rectory. Spacious rooms and hallways, plenty bathrooms, cosy & sociable living areas, ginormous enclosed garden for the kids and dogs to play in. This is a great house for big family get-togethers. Best Christmas ever.
Päivi
18/12/2023
Stunning house in great location made for great base for a Christmas family gathering. Spacious, well appointed rooms with fabulous bathrooms. MIL loved her downstairs 'suite' as she did not need to negotiate the stairs and wanted to take her mattres home! This time of year we did not have much use for the garden but it would have been superb during the warmer months. Only let down was in the kitchen/dining area: dining chairs for 8 when house comfortably sleeps 10 and shortage of kitchen equipment. If this issue was resolved the old rectory would make a 5* house for get-togethers.
Shannon
08/12/2023
Beautiful home, and very helpful hosts. My guests loved staying and we will definitely be booking again in future.
Clare Louise
19/11/2023
We had a great girly weekend here,plenty of rooms for everyone,We are looking forward to another stay
Charles
13/11/2023
The house is beautiful and very spacious which makes it a perfect place for a large gathering, will probably come back once the below has been addressed. The instructions to reach the house were not clear and the host was not very helpful in indicating the correct location. Hosts and Stay is an external organisation that requires additional insurance payments, and this is now made clear on the listing, but wasn't when we booked. They will also retain a 10£ for "admin" reasons, which feels very much against AirBnb rules requiring no additional payments outside of the platform. The property listing advertises for 10 guests, and there are enough sleeping spaces but there are not enough wine glasses, plates, etc. Furthermore, the dining table has 7 chairs, with an additional chair that could be collected from another room, but it is hard to seat 10 people around. The AGA in the kitchen could not start and the host was unreachable for help, which prevented us from cooking for the kids.
Liv
29/10/2023
Nice stay, the house is beautiful and very clean. Host and stay are an external organisation so they ask you to pay an extra damage deposit (either £250 refundable or £25 non refundable) that was not mentioned in any other reviews and this is done through a link in a message. Once I called to check it was legit it was ok to navigate. The check in instructions were clear but unfortunately the code for the gate was missed off which meant we had to wait on the phone for a few minutes until we had a response from host and stay so make sure you have this before going.
Pauline
25/10/2023
The Old Rectory is a great venue for a large family gathering with plenty of space and off road parking for several cars. It is well located for visiting Beamish, Diggerland & Durham.
Heather
22/10/2023
Great
Amy
07/10/2023
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The host communicated extremely well and responded to queries quickly and efficiently. Highly recommend!
Joe
03/09/2023
Best Airbnb I have used, the property is well beyond what I expected in regards to size and decor. Nice and private location with ample surrounding area. Hosts were really responsive will definitely use again.
Ignanke
28/08/2023
De kook voorziening was een Aga oven met 2 kookpunten die werkte op gas. Er was wel een kleine gebruiksaanwijzing aanwezig, maar daar kwamen wij niet helemaal uit. De oven moet heel de dag aan staan om avonds een iets te kunnen koken, wat erg lang duurt. Nadeel is dat daardoor de woon-keuken de hele dag heel warm is.
Fiona
31/07/2023
Lovely house with lots of character, outside space was a bonus Nothing
Lynn
26/07/2023
Inside was lovely. Outside areas very untidy. Rubbish overflowing. Gardens overgrown. Weeds everywhere including the front entrance. Hanging baskets were dead with weeds in too. Patio areas needed weeding and cleaning.
Terry
10/07/2023
Beautiful home with secure gardens. Within easy reach of Durham. Would definitely return.
Rashmi
07/07/2023
A beautiful house, great location, easy to reach Durham (by car). The house was mostly wonderful as described, and the hosts were very responsive. However, there were some aspects of attention that could have made the stay better.
Jenny
22/06/2023
Lucy
11/06/2023
Beautiful property beautiful location but in need of some TLC especially for the price paid
Andrea
30/05/2023
Lisa
26/05/2023
Highly recommend! Great property
Michelle
21/05/2023
Large house with plenty of space and easy access to surrounding area
Lisa
19/05/2023
Recommend this property! Very clean & tidy.
Melissa
14/05/2023
Lovely big house for our weekend visit with friends. Great communication before/after.
Lisa
12/05/2023
Returning guests! Great property.
Lisa
05/05/2023
Perfect property to our employees working in the area! Highly recommend.
Lisa
28/04/2023
Fantastic property!
Julie
14/04/2023
The Old Rectory was an excellent house, perfect location for our family and a good amount of space. The bedrooms and bathrooms all well presented. Facilities good. Secure garden for the puppies too. Would definitely recommend this house for large groups and family gatherings.
Andy
03/04/2023
The old rectory is a fantastic house, very spacious and well presented. The house is really nicely decorated to a high standard and ideal for our extended family (9 of us) during a long weekend stay. The house was really warm during our stay and the gardens & tennis court a bonus for the kids to play in. Ideally located for exploring the local area with good local transport access into Durham.
Lisa
24/03/2023
Our employees were working in the area and loved their stay at this property! Host was always quick to respond and very helpful. Would highly recommend!
Jamie
19/03/2023
Beautiful house. Would highly recommend for a large group. 10 minutes drive away from Durham City Centre
Nicola
07/03/2023
A very lovely stay at this property to celebrate a special family birthday. The host gave very clear instructions on how to find the property on arrival (because it is a little hard to find if following a sat nav.) Despite being on a busy road there was no road noise. There is a massive driveway to park cars. The beds were very comfortable and there was lots of space within the property to enjoy whilst making it feel homely. It is well decorated with nice touches. Highly recommend if visiting the North East.
Ethan
27/02/2023
Amazing property ran by a lovely and organised team. I arranged a surprise party for my partner here and they were on hand whenever I had a question and even let us check in earlier. The property itself was absolutely beautiful as well as being spotless. Everything you need is at your disposal from cooking equipment to tennis racquets this place has everything. Everybody woke up the next day and said how good of a sleep they had as well with the beds being amazing too. I would love to stay here again and can’t recommend it enough
Georgina
17/02/2023
This is just as good as it looks In the photos. We had a lovely family reunion here with seven adults and four children. Spacious enough for all of us. The grounds are v big. .It is a little tricky to find a postcode will take you to a different location but the company aware of this and if I bet if I would’ve found it easily of I had followed their tips. There is a fence around the property that keeps children and pets safe from running onto the busy nearby road. the only downside is that with all the fencing there’s no possibility of going for a walk around the property you have to get your cars and drive to do that. My only complaint will be that they were no dishwasher tablet, oil, salt or pepper . So one of us had to go out and drive and pick these up which is a shame given how much we paid! Also they could do with a dustpan and brush on some cloths. It was hard to keep the property clean. Otherwise no real complaints and I’m sure we will book when we have another family r
Michelle
22/01/2023
This house is beautiful. The rooms are very spacious and we loved the number of lounge areas and TVs. There's plenty of room for parking too. Loved it so much that we me well book again in the future.
Kevin
04/12/2022
Absolutely beautiful house, really nicely decorated and finished throughout, very spacious and had everything we needed. Great location with its own private gated driveway. Tennis court would be brilliant in the summer!
Ken
30/11/2022
Superb accommodation with excellent internal design features. 3 wooden dining chairs were in a dangerous condition (creaking wobbly legs) and one collapsed under me while I was sitting on it twisting my back and banging the back of my head on the stone floor.
Jessica
09/10/2022
Lovely stay with a group of friends for the weekend. Excellent location and close to the city, would definitely recommend!
Viviana
06/10/2022
We throughly enjoyed our stay. The house was large with all rooms finished to a high standard. Also good location, close to Durham.
Jake
23/09/2022
A wonderful stay where we were able to join together from Berlin, Suffolk, Essex and Newcastle for some family time. House was gorgeous and the grounds for our dog were phenomenal, could not fault the stay and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! The large kitchen/diner is also a great social space and the tennis court was used daily for some friendly competition games! We had the best time, will gladly return! Thank you.
Fiona
05/09/2022
A wonderful, large house, very comfortable with large gardens Some lamps in the lounge would be good as the overhead lights are very bright, we had to borrow one from one of the bedrooms
Helen
29/08/2022
A lovely house with fabulous gardens. We had a great weekend and would certainly come again.
Sajeed
24/08/2022
Had lovely time. Good communication.
Nicholas
19/08/2022
We really enjoyed staying at this lovely old Rectory
Jon
12/08/2022
The property is in a perfect quiet and private location with amazing facilities, gardens and grounds. Interior design is spot on, Communication was excellent although being reminded to check out almost a whole day before check out is due does rather spoil the last day! Just a matter of timing maybe but most people already know when they're due to check out. If I could I would give the property 9.5 out of 10 rather than 10 out of 10. This was due to the slight lack of cleanliness of the property. The carpets were not very well vacuumed and the windows and blinds were actually filthy. Cobwebs with dead flies all round the outside of the windows and also around the key box where you have to enter the code to retrieve the key. Also around the exterior gates which we could not get to shut. Overall this was over-shadowed by the superior elements listed above - but cleanliness could have been better. Also almost all of the windows could not be opened which wasn't great in 32 degrees heat.
Chris
24/07/2022
Incredible property, the size and layout serves a large group of guests so well. The facilities throughout the property were of a high standard. Easy to check-in and easy enough to find. Such a great space.
Stuart
20/07/2022
An absolutely lovely place, in a great location and within some great grounds. We had this booked for a couple treat away and the place was spot on. The place was super clean, very well presented and matched to our expectations by the pictures. The space outside was lovely to enjoy in some very hot weather. Good communication from the team throughout and made for a very enjoyable stay away.
Ahson
18/07/2022
Fantastic hosts, lovely house, beautifully furnished and extremely spacious.
Susan
04/07/2022
Not as advertised. We had many faults during our stay that were not resolved for us - no working stove top facilities or aga, no wifi, broken chairs and insufficient glassware. Location was good though and it was generally clean although we did have to wipe down some dusty surfaces and wash some dishes
Matondo Fidel
19/06/2022
We really enjoyed our stay,
Lucy
22/04/2022
This is a fantastic property which is well maintained and impressively spacious. The bedrooms are large and bed very comfortable. The three sitting areas allow flexibility for everyone. The grounds are the most impressive with an exceptional plot of land that is absolutely tranquil. Thank you for a great stay.
Louise
19/04/2022
Lovely house, great size rooms, and bathrooms. Convenient location for Durham city, some road noise.
Nicole
28/03/2022
The Old Rectory is a great space for a large gathering. Spotlessly clean inside and the aga was lovely to come down to in the morning. The beds were so comfortable and the properly laundered bed linen was appreciated. One small point, there were no cooking basics so bring salt, pepper and anything else you need for cooking!
Rebecca
18/03/2022
Everything! What an outstanding stay! N/A
Jim
23/02/2022
Great house, loads of space and comfy beds. Super easy to get in to Durham using the park and ride just up the road.
David
20/02/2022
Had a wonderful stay. Really well located, fitted out to a high spec, and the garden and tennis courts were fantastic - would really recommend.
Jennifer
17/02/2022
We had a fantastic stay, plenty of space. A couple of issues upon arrival, however these were soon rectified and the owner handled it brilliantly. We would love to return.
James
18/01/2022
Great place to stay
Esther
13/01/2022
This house is an amazing find: it’s huge! The rooms are all massive, with plenty of space. We used it to host a retreat for work colleagues, and the great wifi really helped too. Worth noting it is on a very busy road, though the view out to fields out the back do make up for it! The kitchen could be better equipped to ease cooking for large numbers, but in general it is a fabulous property. Thank you!
Jasmine
02/01/2022
Great house beautifully decorated and cleanliness was great. Close to the city and in walking distance of a nice pub. Would definitely visit with friends again. Thanks
Sean
28/12/2021
A large property which lends itself ideally to a large property or a number of smaller groups. A combination of open plan (tv lounge, dining area, and kitchen), with a number of other separate tv lounges. Something for everyone. Well located for Durham and surrounding area. Two pubs within walking distance. Absolutely fantastic property.
Chris
19/12/2021
What a lovely house. Easily large enough for 10. Enclosed gated private grounds with tennis court and parking for at least 8 cars. Modern and warm with period features. Close to the local pubs, takeaway, village and childrens play area and only a few miles from Durham. When we arrived it felt like we were arriving at an hotel with towels and toiletries laid out in our huge bedrooms. You could see it had been well looked after with a modern kitchen and bathrooms. It was so lovely and clean and the beds were so comfortable. Fantastic communication with the owner. We had a brilliant time there. We will be returning.
Judith
12/11/2021
Beautiful property, superb furnishings and lovely comfy bed , great communication from host we could not fault it even stayed an extra night which was so kindly accommodated Can’t wait to return in the future!!
David
31/10/2021
This is a lovely property in a pleasing setting and is on the whole maintained to a high standard. Its location made it an ideal base to tour the renowned national historic attractions in the area.
Zoe
22/10/2021
This is a fabulous house,with the comfiest beds I’ve ever slept on! We look forward to visiting again!
Gillian
03/09/2021
The house certainly lives up to expectations. We had an enjoyable stay with two mums and 4 teenagers. Plenty of space for us all to be together or apart. The bedding and pillows were all clean and very comfortable. Super fridge with ice maker and plumbed for cold water on tap. We took our own hairdryers but they were available in every bedroom.
Carl
30/08/2021
We had a really great stay at the Old Rectory. There was plenty of space, the beds are comfy, the kitchen was lovely and the surrounding areas are very beautiful for walking. Would definitely recommend.
Elizabeth
27/08/2021
We loved our stay. The house is beautiful, much bigger than it looks in the photos, and the grounds are also really big. We enjoyed the tennis court. There were ten of us staying, and we had plenty of space to all be together, but also to have some time in different rooms doing our own thing.
Daniel
23/08/2021
Stunning property within a 5 minute drive of Durham city centre. 3 families with 6 kids under 5 yo. Plenty of space in bedrooms and loads of communal space. Kids loved running up and down the corridors. Garden is huge and tennis court is a great bonus.
Zohra
15/08/2021
A beautiful home within easy driving distance of lots of hikes and walks. The tennis court was a lot of fun and the Aga was great to use for cooking. Bedrooms and bathrooms were clean and the living rooms were really comfortable. Good for lots of people staying together, and very quick communication whenever we needed anything.
Alastair
09/08/2021
Lovely house a short (5 minute) drive from Durham City centre - plenty of space to easily accommodate two families with lots of different rooms for personal space when required. House is furnished to a very high standard, with lovely clean bathrooms, and has a really nice warm, cosy feeling, despite being roomy and spacious.
Rhona
30/07/2021
Stunning house. Is in a secluded spot in huge grounds but is beside a busy road which cannot be seen due to lots of trees but can be heard. Clean. Comfy beds. So much room for our party of 5. Was a 10 min taxi ride to Central Durham costing approx £15.
Kirsten
25/07/2021
Beautiful house. Great stay.
Gillian
19/07/2021
This house is so comfortable, stylish and spacious, we had beautiful weather while there so made full use of the tennis court. Very relaxing stay.
Louise
16/07/2021
Very lovely house, in a beautiful setting. The house was very clean and has boutique style decor. Plenty of room for a large family. We enjoyed our stay here, and we were very central to Durham town centre, restaurant’s and other sites and attractions. I would recommend.
Kate
05/07/2021
The Old Rectory has plenty of space for large groups in a private setting easily accessible from Durham. All of the areas of the house are of generous size, with a particularly lovely large kitchen which is perfect for socialising.
Neil
02/07/2021
Lovely property which has been updated to a high standard. Lots of space for a party of 10. Good location with Durham city centre only about a 5 minute drive. Huge gardens which gets sun all day. Well catered for wheelchair access, with downstairs bedroom & bathroom with no issues moving from room to room Communication with host was excellent. Would have no hesitation recommending or staying there again
Wayne
28/06/2021
Great place set back from the main road, giving you a good sense of privacy. All rooms a good size, with a nice area to congregate in the kitchen dinning area. All rooms are furnished and decorated to a good/high standard. The outstanding space is great, with a BBQ area and a tennis court. Our family really enjoyed their stay, thanks!
Hannah
15/06/2021
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, the photos do not do this house justice for how big it is, plenty of communal space and lovely bedrooms. We enjoyed a bbq with the weather being so nice our stay and a game of tennis Would definitely recommend to anyone considering
Daniel
12/05/2021
Beautiful house, probably larger than it seems in the photos.
Lauren
03/05/2021
Absolutely stunning house even better than the pictures!! Perfect for our family trip, good communal space but also plenty of room to spread out. Outside space &tennis court was perfect too. Well located for visiting Durham and the surrounding area. Newcastle easily accessible too. Some great pubs and restaurants nearby... takeaway for us due to current rules.
Home Truths
The Old Rectory is a five minute drive from Durham City Centre, but it's a little too far out to walk into the city.
Access to The Old Rectory is immediately off the A691 which is a busy dual carriage way, so guests will need to take care when approaching the gated entrance, and when leaving.
In retaining its original features, The Old Rectory still has single glazed windows throughout. However, the large central heating system and abudance of throws will keep you warm in the winter months.