Recommendations for a cottage in the Lake District?

[treefox3513]

I haven't done this before and it will be our only holiday next year, so I really don't want to mess it up.

It's for a family of four, two adults, one 5 year old and a 2 year old. Preferably Ambleside so we have close access to Bowness and all the activities there.

I've been Googling for days and I'm just not sure.

It would be for May half term next year.

Where have people been that's fantastic?

Anyone?

Hi I live locally and work in this sector. There’s literally hundreds and hundreds of holiday cottages in Ambleside and surrounding areas (as I’m sure you’ve found!) and standards/facilities/locations/price ranges vary and a lot depends on personal preference. Have you seen anything you like? If you have links I can give you the facts on locations etc as opposed to sales spiel.. oh and try to get one with its own off street parking if you can, unless you want to spend a week driving laps of the village looking for a space!
Also have you considered either of the 3 Park Dean resorts around Windermere? White Cross Bay is lovely, is halfway between Ambleside and Bowness and has lake frontage.

@FizzyTarte That's the problem, there's so many! I didn't consider the off street parking, thank you.

My budget is around £600 for 5 days, I did want somewhere quite nice, just because there's no point going away to a house that's worse than your own!

I hadn't considered the resorts no, we wanted somewhere really quiet and I just assumed a resort would be all loud parties

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/VacationrentalReview-d7728651?m=19905
As a PP suggested, it's at white cross park. Very central. DP and I stayed there a couple of years ago. It's absolutely spotless and even though we had no kids with us, iirc a cot and high chair etc were available to use. Really can't recommend it enough.

In all honesty I think you’d struggle to get a cottage in half term for £600 even for 5 days, although you might get a Fri-Mon. They are silly prices through agencies, you’d have better luck going through airbnb as less overheads factored into the cost.

I’ve visited friends staying at White Cross bay a few times and it’s always been really really quiet. You can get lovely lodges there on airbnb too so bargains can sometimes be had, especially booking this far in advance. I haven’t been in half term, but it doesn’t strike me as a place where people go to party. Probably because it’s about 5 miles to Bowness and taxis are expensive plus theres another resort called Fallbarrow Park thats right on the edge of the town. Maybe read up on trip advisor reviews when you’ve narrowed it down?

Ambleside / Windermere is a great area to bay yourselves in.
I've stayed at White Cross Bay many times but a number of years ago and I think it's been expanded and taken over by parkdean since. Your biggest issue might be finding a self catering property for only 5 days as they tend to be a minimum 7 night stay in peak periods such as school holidays.

Parking is a great tip, personally we think Keswick is a better option