Frequently Asked Questions

Your Boarding Pass should contain all the information that you need to find the property, plan your stay and operate appliances in the property.

A link to your Boarding Pass will be sent to you once your booking is confirmed.

As your check in time approaches you will find more relevant information becomes available, such as the keysafe code and directions.

In keeping with most holiday cottages in the Lake District our standard check-in time is 4pm.

We are sometimes able to accommodate an earlier check in for a small fee, depending on other bookings in the calendar. You will be able to request this via the Boarding Pass.

Please note that we will not be able to confirm whether an earlier check-in is possible until 48-hours before your stay.

Our standard check out time is 10:00 am.

Please help support our hard-working cleaning teams by checking out promptly and leaving the property as you found it. This also means moving your car from the car park for the property by 10.00 am.

We are sometimes able to accommodate a later check out for a small fee, depending on other bookings in the calendar. Requests for later check outs must be made via the Boarding Pass and will be confirmed 48-hours before your checkout.

Our cancellation policy varies by property and by season as we work with each owner to tailor their offering to what they are comfortable with. Therefore, it’s important that you check the policy that applies to the property you are interested in before you make your booking. The policy is always stated clearly on the property listing.

This may be possible, depending on the terms of the booking and the changes that you are looking to make. Please get in touch with us if you would like to change the dates of your booking and we’ll let you know the options you have.

Our payment terms for bookings made on the Fernwood Cottages website are as follows:

• 50% payment 14-days before check-in.
• The remaining balance to be paid 7-days before check in.
• These payments are non-refundable.

We offer guests the choice of paying a fully refundable good housekeeping deposit of £400 or a non-refundable deposit waiver of £40. Please see our Booking Terms & Conditions for details.

This is an important process which enables us to be confident that the guest who is staying at the property is who they say they are as well as ensuring that we have the means to contact you, if necessary, during your stay.

In a few simple steps the process asks for your name, email address and mobile phone number and a photo of Government ID such as a driving licence or passport.

Please ensure that the information provided is for the lead guest who will be staying at the property.

Before you book you will be able to see the general area the property is in.

Once you have a confirmed booking you can complete the verification process on your Boarding Pass and you will be given more details about the property location.

Our check-in steps on the Boarding Pass will guide you step by step about how to get to the property, find the key safe and enter the property.

These steps will be available to view 7-days before your check-in date with the key safe step being visible to you 30-minutes before your check-in time.

Our check-in steps on the Boarding Pass will guide you step by step about how to get to the property, find the key safe and enter the property.

These steps will be available to view 7 days before your check-in date (and as long as the full balance of your booking has been paid), with the key safe step being visible to you 30 minutes before your check-in time.

Please plan your journey well to avoid getting lost.

We include a What3Words reference for all of our properties, this is VERY helpful as postcodes and road names are often not accurate in rural areas.

We highly recommend downloading the What3Words App before beginning your journey to avoid getting lost.

What3Words is a free downloadable App which uses GPS data to provide you with three words for you to use yourself or give to anyone else with the App in order to find your location within a three-metre square.

It can be used with most route-finding applications and is particularly useful in rural areas where a few of our properties are located.

The emergency services have access to the App so if you require emergency help and do not know your location you can use this App to help them find you.

Booking Confirmed

A Boarding Pass link will be sent and you will be able to access this in order to complete the basic contact information, guest verification and agree to the Booking Terms & Conditions.

Guest Verification Complete

Once you complete this step on the boarding pass you will be able to see general information about the property, the address, and guidebooks to help you plan your stay. You’ll be able to request early check in and late check out (subject to operational availability and confirmation), select to pay a good housekeeping deposit or a waiver and any pet fees.

7-Days Before Check-In

Provided all of the other requirements have been completed, you will now be able to access detailed directions.

30-Minutes Before Check-In

The keysafe code will become visible in your boarding pass.

Once you’ve checked-in on the Boarding Pass you will be able to view ‘How To’ guides for the property.

Yes, you’ll find luxury Bath House hand and hair and body wash in every property.

Take a look in the property for a guest offer that we have for you in partnership with the Bath House stores in the Lake District.

Yes, every property is equipped with a bath sheet (think very large bath towel) and a hand towel for each guest, plus a bath mat in each bath/shower room.

Please remember to bring your own beach towels.

Although some of our properties have a travel cot for your convenience, we do not supply a mattress or cot bedding due to current legal advice.

We provide a selection of complimentary teas and coffees, oil, salt and pepper, kitchen roll, cling film, tin foil and greaseproof paper as well as a washing-up pack, oven gloves and tea towels. We also provide some cleaning products in case you need them while you are visiting.

Here’s a list of the basics that we ask hosts to put in each property, but do enquire if you need more information.

Small Plates, Large Plates, Bowls

Cutlery

Water/Juice Glasses, Mugs, Wine Glasses

A selection of pots and pans in a variety of sizes

Frying Pan

Oven Gloves

Oven Trays

Large and small sharp kitchen knives

Bread Knife

Can Opener

Kitchen Bin

Bottle Opener

Dish Drainer/Rack

Kettle

Toaster

Chopping Board

Large Spoons for mixing/serving

Kitchen Scissors

Vegetable Peeler

Whisk

Potato masher

Tongs

Colander

Corkscrew

Sieve

Spatula

Coffee Maker or Cafetiere

Cheese Grater

Yes! However, please bear in mind that some of our properties are in remote locations with less reliable, low speed and/or intermittent connectivity.

From time-to-time unforeseen situations happen in properties that mean the WiFi may not be available (tree falls on lines, internet provider issues).

Unfortunately, our properties don’t have the facility to accommodate luggage storage outside of your booking times.

However we are able to advise on local storage solutions such as the left luggage facility next to Windermere railway station, and the Travelodge in Kendal.

You will find details of left luggage facilities in the Guidebooks section of the Boarding Pass.

All of our properties have parking for at least one car, either private parking on-site or via a car parking pass registered for use in Westmorland & Furness authority car parks around the area. Please check the property listing for details.

If a property has a dedicated charging point this will be noted on the property listing. The Boarding Pass will provide you with details about how to use the charger and what charges will apply.

If a property does not have a dedicated charging point you must not charge your car at the property, and we recommend that you use local charging stations, details of the nearest charging points will be noted on the property listing.

Our owners set the policy on whether they are happy for us to accept a pet in their property, please check the property listing for details. If you have a pet allergy, please bear in mind that we cannot guarantee that a property has not had a pet in it.

Our team return any items they find to one of our storage units, so if you realise you’ve left something behind, drop us a line and we’ll check to see if it’s been found.

If it has, we’ll get you a price to have it mailed on to a UK address of your choice. Please note that a £20.00 + VAT administration charge will be added to the cost of postage.

The photos and description of each property should tell you all you need to know about its features and amenities. It is important to read this information carefully to ensure that the property meets your requirements.

If you are unsure of anything please send us a message.

All our properties provide WiFi, gas (where applicable) and electricity as part of your booking.

Some properties have a woodburner or a multifuel burner and a ‘starter pack’ of wood or appropriate fuel may be provided, however this will be stated in the property listing details.

Please note that all woodburners and multifuel burners require kiln dried wood rather than ‘wet’ wood to be used.

If you are unsure about what you need to bring for a woodburner or multifuel burner then please message us when making your reservation.

All properties are individually owned and have varying degrees of accessibility.

It is important to carefully read the individual layouts and descriptions to ensure the property you choose is suitable for your requirements – accessibility and access can encompass a wide range of requirements for individual needs.

Please check the key features of the property description to ascertain if this property is suitable and use the search options available if these features are important to you.

Should you have any specific requirements, please contact us to ensure that we have a property suitable for your needs.

Each of our owners has made their own decision about whether a BBQ can be safely operated on site, given the different layouts.

Prolonged dry spells in recent Spring / Summer seasons have also meant that use of any type of BBQ has been prohibited by the local authority.

Please review the property information and if you are still unsure contact us to check if a BBQ is available on site and/or if one can be used.

We arrange for each property to be cleaned and serviced between bookings but, as cleaning time is often limited during busy periods, please leave the property as clean and tidy as you found it.

This includes:

• returning furniture and fittings to their original positions;
• removing all food from the cupboards and fridge before you leave;
• ensuring all dishes are washed and put away;
• and all rubbish and waste is disposed of in the location advised in the guest Boarding Pass / kitchen guide.

A small number of our properties offer alternative bed configurations. The property details will make clear if this is an option that can be requested at the time of booking and what the charge will be for this.

If you have a booking over the Christmas period, many of the properties feature festive decorations. If you want to check if the property you have booked offers decorations over the seasonal period, please message us to check.