Grey Roofs in Ashbourne

"We have stayed at Grey Roofs for the whole of the last month and have had a wonderful stay. It truly is a home from home. The property completely lives up to expectations from the description and photographs listed. Everywhere in the property was spotless on our arrival, including all the kitchen cupboards, microwave and oven (things that are often not as good as they could be). The bedding and towels were obviously all freshly laundered and although we actually brought our own towels (we always do) I would have had no problems at all with using the ones provided. Dean, the host has been welcoming, helpful and friendly. We have had particularly bad weather whilst we have been here and he has offered to bring us shopping in from the local supermarket on more than one occasion. He should be very proud of what he provides in his holiday rental. On our arrival we were greeted with the fullest welcome hamper I have ever seen, everything for a full english plus treats for the dog, a packet of sweets and even suet rolls to put in the bird feeder outside. Watching the birds through the lounge windows, of which there are many and varied has been a real treat. The property is situated down a long lane which is bumpy to say the least so be aware that there are huge potholes at the beginning of the lane. There is a secure garden area so we have been happy to let our little dog have a roam around and explore with no concerns that she could get out. Despite the weather, we have been out walking every day but it has been nice to come back to a lovely cozy property and settle down for the evening in front of a TV which is connected to a wide variety of channels (Netflix / I-Player to name a few). There is also a fabulous contemporary log burner but we found the property so lovely and warm that we never had to use it. I was very surprised to read the review below about the charges for the landline. I felt the comments were really unfair. The landline has been provided for emergency purposes due to the lack of mobile coverage at the property (there is a signal as soon as you are half way up the lane so if you really really need to make a call it's easy to do so!) I have never stayed at a property where the owner has been thoughtful enough to provide this service and he has asked guests in the information folder to show respect and ask people to return calls where a call is necessary. I have found this service invaluable because it has meant my 81year old Mum has been able to call me each morning, giving me peace of mind and keeping her connected to us. We have also made a number of phone calls via WattsApp with no problems whatsoever so I'm confused as to why the reviewer couldn't make an internet call??? There is a lovely walk accross the fields to the local pub The Duncombe Arms in Ellastone. Due to the excessive rain this month it has been extremely muddy for us (nothing our wellingtons couldn't cope with), but it has still been a great bonus and I am sure when the weather improves, this will be even better. The market town of Ashbourne is only 4 miles away with all of the necessary shops and amenities. The Tissington Trail is also only a short drive so there is plenty of opportunity for some fabulous walks. All in all we have had an amazing stay and I can't really think of anything negative to say apart from the lack of sun!! :)"

Reviewed by Roy H on 27/02/2020

"Grey roofs was a lovely place to visit for a week in August. It's set off the beaten track a little, so not easy to find. I called the owner for directions, however due to its remoteness, I had no reception (more on this later), so eventually lost him and found my own way there. After 15mins of driving back and forth I found the place and settled in nicely. Great base for visiting local attractions. Had trouble understanding the heating instructions (Not very helpful) so called the owner from the landline for advice. Several weeks later I received a WhatsApp from the owner saying the phone bill had arrived and I had to pay it!? Due to there being no mobile phone reception, I had to use their landline, as there was no other way to talk to the outside world! I even tried phoning over their broadband. Sadly it was ADSL and being remote, was pretty much impossible to use for internet calls. I explained this to the owner. The answer I got was the internet was capable of calls. Unbeknown to him I work in IT and from the tests I did using a few tools on my phone, it was pretty clear the bandwidth was not upto calls. I had to ask for a copy of the itemised bill, which finally turned up today. (over 2 months later) The owner was even trying to make me pay for calling him about the heating questions for his accommodation! I was up front with the owner and said it was unfair me being asked to pay the bill when there was no other means of calling anyone. I was a captive audience you could say. The owner wasn't interested, he just cited "it clearly states in greyroofs information booklet that you may use the phone as a emergency". What he clearly didn't make me aware of was the lack of any type of mobile phone reception in the area, poor internet capable calling and that you would have to use the landline, not it was an option to for emergencies. I did suggest he do this and inform future guests that phone charges will apply, but he didn't accept my feedback or answer, only asking for payment. Nice. Overall I feel that being asked to pay a phone bill on top of what I paid to stay at the accommodation and use its services, being misled, the underhanded way of blaming the internet as an option and not being transparent about the itemised calls until I requested it, has left a very bitter after taste in my mouth. I wouldn't recommend this to any friends or family. Avoid in my opinion."

Reviewed by randomtaskdave on 04/11/2019

"We have just got back after a week at the Grey Roofs cottage which is only a few miles from Ashbourne.The accommodation certainly lived up to the pictures and more.It is down a long lane which makes it very private and beautifully quiet, which we love. The whole cottage has been kitted out very tastefully and is very clean. The under floor heating was amazing and kept us incredibly warm and cosy to the extent that we didn't even need to light the woodburner. It is also a great dog friendly place with a brilliant fully enclosed courtyard, so no need to worry about your dog getting out. It is also surrounded by fields, one of which you can walk your dog safely. There are lots of lovely places to go walking within the area, Dovedale,Carsington Water,Tissington trail, just a few we managed to visit. Although we didn't take the bikes this time it is certainly a great area if you are a cyclist, beautiful countryside. Dean was very friendly and he even came to the top of the drive in his van to help us find our way to the cottage when we arrived. We would have no hesitation in book this cottage again and would certainly recommend it to family and friends."

Reviewed by SueD58_12 on 25/01/2019