We spent a fortnight in Clockhouse Cottage at the end of October and loved every minute of it. Mellerstain House was closed for the winter so we had the grounds more or less to ourselves which was a real treat - the grounds are open to the public during the winter but we only saw a couple of visitors while we were there. We felt very much at home and were very sad to leave it. We will definitely consider booking again if we come back to this area for a holiday.The cottage is warm and cosy, and has everything you need to enjoy your stay. The staff we encountered were very approachable and helpful.In open season the grounds will of course be busier during the day but I don’t think this would have detracted from our enjoyment of the cottage. Closed season does offer something a little different though, driving into the grounds past Mellerstain House and having the place to yourself really feels a wee bit special, so we’d definitely recommend the cottage if you’re looking for an out of season retreat.We’ve stayed in, and enjoyed, quite a few holiday cottages over the years and this has definitely been our favourite to date.