Cottage recommendations?

[Kmg]

Have you stayed in a fantastic s/c cottage you'd recommend?

We're looking for somewhere for next year to sleep 6 - anywhere in UK mainland except right by the seaside. (This year was so perfect, we couldn't compete). We'd be interested in staying on a farm - does anyone have experience of that? Or ecstatic about a reasonably-priced cottage with a private pool, or good access to a shared pool. My main priority is good quality, spacious accommodation with some degree of privacy.

Don't know of something to suit your exact needs, but we stayed in a cottage we found through English Country Cottages which was really great. They have an excellent web site www.english-country-cottages.co.uk and you can search by all sorts of criteria. I would also recommend Rural Retreats, if you stay in their Cotswold cottages you get free membership of a local country club.

Thanks Emmagee and Pamina. I'm off to surf now. We have used Rural Retreats ourselves before we had kids. But I consider them to be too nice for children, (I wouldn't feel comfortable), not to mention too pricey for a fortnight for six of us. Anyone else any recommendations?

Kmg, try the National Trust properties.

No sorry, but I can tell you about one really disgusting one in Swanage! My Mum paid nearly £500 for a week for this 2 bed hell hole, I dropped off the kids and ran, I think I'd have cried if I was staying there (my Mum is the hardy type). At least it was warm so they spent most of the time on the beach!

Kmg, don't know where you are but the area around Lavenham or Snape in Suffolk is very nice but can't recommend anywhere sorry as we stayed in another hell hole there!

I can recommend a cottage from www.holidays-in-lakeland. They have more cottages than those featured on the website. We stayed in one in Skelwith Bridge, Cumbria. Slept 6 in a 'log cabin' style cottage on a secure woodland site and a shared pool (with jacuzzi bit) and games room. The site led directly out onto the hills. My nephews (14 and 9yrs) loved it as did we adults! It was also cheaper than most of the other cottage agencies.

Rhiannon - thanks you cheered me up. It seems a hassle trying to get a recommendation, but you convinced me that I'm right. With a website or whatever you really don't know what you are getting, and may end up with something dreadful, even after paying lots of money.

Star - I can recommend somewhere in Minehead - hold on and I'll just go and get the details!

Star - we stayed on the front at Minehead in a flat right on the corner of the main street, pretty much opposite the railway station. It is 5 mins walk to the beach, 2 mins walk to the railway station, and suited us down to the ground. Our large flat (sleeps 8) cost £650 for a FORTNIGHT in August - which I thought was reasonable, but having been looking for next year, I've decided that was CHEAP - we may be going back again ...

Anyway, the flats are very large and spacious - lovely high ceilings, so you don't feel enclosed. Most flats have a sea view. They are well equipped (but no washing machine), and adequately furnished, (clean, but not modern or trendy). They will supply sheets for the beds, at an extra charge of £6 per bed. The electric is on a meter (£1 coins). (Heating and hot water is 'on tap', and is gas, with no extra charge). There are a number of different flats of different sizes. This year we stayed in Flat 10, which has two bedrooms, each with a double bed and twin beds. (The bedrooms are huge, massive - I cannot stress that too much). All flats are up some stairs, (some are up LOTS of stairs). One of the flats is just up about 12 steps, and we managed that with the children two years ago, when we had a 2 yr-old, plus a tiny baby and a double buggy - but it depends what you can cope with. (We were on the 'first' floor this year, but that was up 1.5 flights of stairs, and they are big flights. I wouldn't have liked to be higher with my 2 and 4 yr-old). They will provide a cot, but not a highchair.

What else can I tell you? They tend to be quite popular, so do get booked up, but I would expect there to be spaces in October. They are right in the centre of town, so you do get some noise - esp. Friday night. We weren't disturbed, but the grandparents were.

The flats are 'Baptist Holiday Fellowship Ltd' - but don't let that put you off! They are open to anyone, and there's no 'religon' apparent.

The contact is Christine Lawrence on 01643 703473. She can send you a brochure and plan of flat layouts, advise on availability and prices.

How do you limit the time a toddler spends watching videos?

Sorry,

I was trying to add another topic!

Wonderful, but pricey cottages near Stow on Wold are "Bruern Stable Cottages". Very well equipped and child friendly, with a playhouse in the garden and swimming pool in summer.

This is a second hand recommendation that I had stored up mentally for future use - classycottages.co.uk in cornwall - my friend went to one of a group on a farm with an indoor pool - which she said out of season(feb!) was empty as their party was only one there - she raved about it - and there were lots of kids in their party ( several families together)

Kmg - We've just arrived back from a fabulous week in North Devon,staying in a lovely cottage,one of six made from converted stone barns,self catering but with a little shop/laundry room ,heated swimming pool,games room and children's play areas. There were goats and chickens and each cottage has it's own little garden with barbecue. It's a short drive to lots of lovely sandy beaches,country pubs,everything you could want. A truly lovely place - check out it's website - www.robinhillcottages.co.uk

Kmg - We stayed in a brilliant place just outside Torrington, Nth Devon, in June. Its a non-working farm, with 5 converted cottages, set around an enclosed courtyard (great for kids).

The place is run for children, with chickens, ducks, goose, goats, donkeys, ponies, Bella the cow, sheep, rabbits, ginea pigs, etc etc. There is a laundry room, and the couple who run it are great, and encouraged our 21mth old to feed everything, twice a day!

They do tractor rides, there is a big field to play and run around in, with play equipment. A heated indoor pool, games room with lots of toys, b-b-q, wooden playhouse with toys.

Torrington is a quiet market town, around 12 miles inland from Bideford and Westward Ho.

Oh, also, the cottages are equipped for children too. They all have microwaves, stair gates, proper cots, and highchairs. The couple have two daughters who babysit too! What more could I want? We have booked again for next year, and are planning a long weekend break before winter.

The place is called Hill Farm, run by Bob and Mary Vickery. Hope this is something like what you are after.

Alih, it sounds wonderful for little ones, I'm going to get the map out!

Thanks for all your replies. I am hopelessly undecided - return to Minehead, take a risk and go somewhere cheap, or up the budget and be sure of somewhere nice....?

Just back from a w/e in Somerset just outside Shepton Mallet. High quality self catering, one upstairs bedroom with bathroom and one twin bedroom with shower room downstairs. Brand new bathrooms and kitchen. Kitchen also had a w/machine and a dishwasher.Beds were a bit saggy but otherwise excellent. Outdoor pool in garden can be used too. £60 per night(for all of us). It's in a village called Batcombe.

I've just returned from a brilliant weeks cottage holiday in Devon. It was booked through English Country Cottages and it was called Watermouth Castle just outside Ilfracombe. The Castle had a childrens theme park that was free to people staying in the castle and my 3 year old absolutely loved it. It also had an indoor swimming pool and the Owners also owned another Childrens theme park in Wollacombe that had fee entry to people staying in the Castle. 2 bed apartment cost £450. Would definitely recommend it. We spend the whole week in one or other of the theme parks watching our son flying aeroplanes, riding carousels etc (all free too - and so well maintained and clean)

We are just back from hols having spent some time in a beautiful converted chapel in Forest of Dean - thanks for the hideaways.co.uk recommendation! We would recommend them and esp this place to anyone - it takes 2 adults and 1 child - it's just a bit different and really well equipped.

kmg - went to a really horrible cottage nr Minehead run by Toad Hall cottages. The woman who ran it was misearable and uhelpful and could only communicate with her many horses. The actual cottage itself was dark and dingy and worst of all was run on a generator that went off at 12.30am and came on a 7am. We managed to negotiate these times but on one evening when we were sitting up with our friends, everything cut out. It was absolutely pitch black and we had to follow each other round with a torch while we went to the loo and brushed our teeth!!

On a brighter note - We went to a Rural Retreats cottage this summer and it was fantastic. It was not too posh for our 3 1/2 year old and had every appliance going including a tumble drier that was included in the price. They are at the higher end of the price scale but after the disaster we had at the cheaper end we were willing to pay the difference!

Can anybody recommend a cottage in the Isle of Purbeck eg near Corfe Castle? My husband has been there and really liked it. I've looked online but much of the accommodation seems to be further west eg near Bridport and Abbotsbury. Does anybody know the area and comment on relative desirability?

If you fancy Derbyshire, Peak Cottages have been great the two occasions we've used them. Although not exactly luxurious, you got what it said in the brochure, and the prices weren't exorbitant. In the Peaks you obviously get that nice mixture of countryside/town and the owners usually live nearby, so can give you advice on walks, shops, eating out etc.

Florenceuk, take a look at www.resort-guide.co.uk. If you scroll down and click on 'dorset', then 'purbeck', it gives you info about the area and accommodation. Can't recommend any myself, but until recently we went every year to Swanage (staying in caravans when small then b&bs) and Purbeck is a lovely part of the world; we would often get the train on the preserved railway line from Swanage to Corfe Castle, it's a lovely village. Good luck.