Sawcliffe Manor Country House & Cottages: Hen Party House with Natural Spa - Scunthorpe

Sarah M.

I booked an overnight stay in the library and use of the spa for my husband's birthday and we had such a special time! The staff were very accommodating for husband’s dietary requirements, communications were super easy. We booked the evening meal which was lovely and there was no light pollution so we were able to go stargazing afterwards. We walked on the nature reserve in the morning and had the afternoon tea followed by the spa treatment and we left feeling SO relaxed. Thank you so much to Emily and the team for such a special trip and we will definitely be back! Sarah

Cynthia D.

We recently booked Sawcliffe Manor to celebrate milestone family birthdays and had a wonderful time. However, our overall experience at the place was somewhat mixed. Since Airbnb has a character limit for reviews, we wanted to share our full and honest feedback here on Google is well.

The house is beautiful, uniquely decorated, and set in a lovely location close to amenities —perfect for a large group. Some family members enjoyed the axe throwing and spa experiences, which were a hit. That being said, we do feel there are a few areas that could be improved:

Transparency with Costs:
Booking through Airbnb required using a separate app to customise our stay, where we encountered unexpected extra costs. The 'small linen fee,' for example, amounted to over 50% of the total cost per person per night for 8 of our guests. This felt excessive given the overall price. I understand that affordability is subjective and depends on individual circumstances, but with a strict cancellation policy and considering the general Airbnb experience, this was a major unexpected expense. That said, I do appreciate that the hosts have since updated their page.
Additionally, a £1,500 security deposit hold wasn’t clearly stated upfront. Clearer cost disclosure on the Airbnb page would be appreciated.

The App:
Navigating the separate app was challenging. For instance, I booked for 24 people and was given the option to add extra beds but was later told we’d reached max capacity. While we were refunded, clearer information would help.

House Rules:
The 11:30 PM quiet zones felt early for a property accommodating up to 24 guests. It was stressful worrying about the deposit being at risk for noise.

Rubbish Disposal:
The recycling bin was too small for our group, and overflowing incurred a £200 charge. Providing a larger bin would be more practical.

Bed Linen:
The house’s charming old character also meant it was a bit draughty, and having extra blankets would have been helpful.

The Yurt:
The yurt was lovely for a party, but stopping music at 11:30 PM felt too early, especially as the sound wasn’t audible from the house. Additionally, hiring the yurt for a party doubled the cost compared to staying in it, which was disappointing given we’d already paid a security deposit. Clearer cost explanations at the time of booking would help. Improved lighting along the path to the house would also enhance safety and accessibility.

Overall Experience:
I’ve stayed in many large Airbnbs, but I’ve never felt so stressed by the house rules, which did dampen the experience. Given the restrictions, the property might be better suited as a bed and breakfast or a venue offering exclusive use of the estate for large groups.

Final Note:
The kitchen was a highlight—well-stocked and capable of catering to a large group, which was a pleasant surprise. The dining room was grand and elegant, and the living room was spacious enough for all of us to relax together, making these spaces a real plus.

lucia P.

I celebrated my 30th Birthday at Sawcliffe Manor in September and would just love to thank the staff for EVERYTHING they did to make it to most memorable experience for my friends and I.. everyone has been talking about it ever since!! The house itself is absolutely gorgeous, and the yurt is made for dancing. Staff were super responsive and helpful - thanks for accommodating us with the spa, that was an extra special touch that really added to the luxury. Will happily recommend to anyone and would love to come again!

Gala P.

We stayed in Rose Cottage, which was a beautiful and rustic environment to relax in. The log burner in particular was impressive - so big, and so much heat! Make sure you’ve got plenty of logs to keep it fed.||We went for a walk on the nature reserve too, which was picturesque, and seeing the exmoor ponies was a delight.||We also opted into a spa experience, which was extraordinary; the milk bath was wonderfully decadent and relaxing, and the staff provided plenty of products to sample and enjoy, making the whole experience feel very all-inclusive. I’d recommend the the sauna and ice bucket pairing in particular!||The staff were extremely attentive and responsive, and communicative throughout the stay, whether checking how we were, recommending activities, making offers, or dealing with a small issue with the wifi. It’s hard to think of anything more they could have done to make our short stay any better!

Melanie D.

Totally fabulous place!|I booked this for my husbands birthday, staying in the Lord of the Manor suite and the Cleopatra spa experince.|Communications were excellent, the staff were incredible and the facilities perfect. I ordered the breakfast hamper and this also came with cake and candles and we had a birthday banner in the spa.|The milk and flower bath was so relaxing and the products left for us to try were incredible. |They also reccommended the Hope and Anchor for a meal where we were given complimentary prosecco for being guests at Sawcliffe! whats not to love?|Venturing out, we had a lovely afternoon at the bowling alley where you can also play crazy golf and Shufl ( turns out i was great at this, who knew!)|We will definitely be back and would love for the spa to expand to massages etc!

Tamsin H.

Tried to contact Sawcliffe manor but no reply. Visited with a group of friends all in our 40s. We booked the 3 bedroom cottage but had to rearrange the date. We were told we had a free up grade. When we arrived the ‘upgrade’ meant there were only 2 bedrooms. 2 of us has to sleep on sofa beds in the lounge. When we complained, we were told this cottage had more space. Emily couldn’t seem to grasp that sleeping in a sofa bed in the lounge was not what ladies of our age enjoy for a luxury break!! It also meant we couldn’t use the lounge as it was essentially a bedroom, so had to spend social time in thr kitchen.
Added to this, the lounge had ants, the pillows were mouldy, and the cottage next door was playing loud music until the early hours.
The on site staff listened and tried to help but ultimately the owner lives in Spain so they had no ability to apologise it arrange a solution.
I have to say that the spa was amazing and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.
I tried to contact Emily because my friend who organised it was so upset all weekend she felt she’d let us all down. I really only wanted a refund for that friends stay, or at least a bunch of flowers for her. We all felt very disappointed in Emily’s response, which was not ‘I’m so sorry, how can I make it right?’ but ‘it is an upgrade, you have more space’. Really poor customer service.

Miles A.

We had a lovely two night stay. We stayed in rose cottage and found it very accommodating for what we needed and would stay again.

The only thing I wasn’t too keen on was the Aga, I understand they need to kept lit 24/7 but we found the kitchen to be very warm to the point we had the window a jar our entire stay. We also noticed a lack of ovenware, we managed ok but a few oven dishes would have been nice as there was only one.

We also booked the spa which was great. For the money we really couldn’t fault it so definitely worth doing.

We also went to a restaurant locally that was recommended to us via the manor which was amazing so we would definitely recommend that. Not only was the food great but we also got a free drink on arrival, the restaurant was called the hope and anchor.

Charlotte D.

I held my 30th birthday at Sawcliffe Manor, it was perfect to bring together 22 of my close friends! We hosted a murder mystery dinner in the dining room and enjoyed the property for 2 nights, including renting the yurt for one evening so we could have a bit of a party without disturbing other guests! Hosts were very responsive and helpful, making sure everything went smoothly, made my 30th so memorable!