New Forest Cottages with Hot Tubs

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Lucy - Verified booking

  We enjoyed our stay at the Northern Byre.

  The beds were comfy and there was everything you could need in the kitchen. The property set up suited our family with bedrooms on ground level and upstairs. We had a toddler in our party and we appreciated the provision of the cot, high chair and stair gate but it wasn’t mentioned on the listing that these would be there. The property is in a good central location for visiting the local area and we had great weather so we enjoyed exploring the area, sitting in the garden, and the bbq and the hot tub. In terms of facilities, most things were well catered for. The welcome pack was nice to have on arrival and tea and coffee and cleaning stuff was also provided. In terms of things that could have made our stay better: There were no house instructions or useful info pack in the property which we have had in all the houses we have stayed in before, that give useful numbers/takeaways/what to do with towels/sheets on leaving etc. It would have been good to have somewhere to hang wet swimming costumes as we couldn’t find a washing line or a clothes horse. The parking isn’t sufficient for 2 medium/large sized cars and meant one of our vehicles was always parked half way in the driveway and there are quite a few cars around the nearby properties. The road outside was also busier than we expected but that wasn’t an issue for us. The Wi-Fi was intermittent which meant the TV did not always work in the evening and we found the Wi-Fi did not extend to the bedrooms downstairs. On our first night there was no gas in the bbq and the hot tub was cold. We found out from the maintenance man the next day that the hot tub had the water changed which was why it wasn’t hot but it would have been good to have been told that on arrival. He was very helpful and sorted out more gas for the bbq and was checking the hot tub everyday. When we arrived the bins outside were full from the previous occupants and weren’t emptied during the 5 days we were there, meaning our own rubbish was then added to it when we left. One of the neighbours seems to have an issue with the presence of the hot tub and came round to complain that we were out in it on Monday evening just after 10pm telling us it was a ‘school night’ and that they have this issue every day. We were just on our last cycle of bubbles and were soon to go in anyway. We weren’t being particularly loud, just two people outside talking and enjoying the nice evening watching the bats flying around. It rather took the enjoyment out of using the hot tub in the evening for us and meant we probably did use it as much as we expected to during our stay. Overall a lovely stay.

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• Joe - Verified booking

  First the positives.

  The Byre is in a great location with many attractions within easy distance. The hot tub is lovely. parking is fine for one car although one afternoon we were blocked in by inconsiderate parking. There is plenty of bedroom and wardrobe space for 8 people and the beds are comfortable. The welcome pack was great, it would have been helpful to know it’s contents in advance as we had brought some of the items with us. As well as tea we felt coffee should be included (either instant or black americano pods). But the negatives. In the lounge there is only seating for 5. This includes an uncomfortable corner sofa where the corner area cannot seat older people, so realistically seating for 4. The lighting in the lounge is poor making it impossible to read. The wall lights have orange bulbs instead of proper clear bulbs. This is only going to get worse as the nights draw in. Being unable to read is a significant problem as the TV reception is completely unacceptable. The TV keeps freezing, programmes stop playing (all channels), sound does not align with picture, subtitles stop working. In short it is impossible to watch and is the reason we would never stay here again. The listing should make it clear that tv is not likely to be available. I see now others have complained about this and nothing has been done. I feel we should have been informed of this before our stay and given the option to cancel. The main oven in the range has a strange rack attached to the door which takes up most of the oven we couldn’t remove this but were able to cook most days using the other ovens. However there are only two oven tins that fit the small range oven and one of these is rusted and needs replacing. There is no cafetiere for filter coffee so we had to go out and buy the expensive tassimo pods (some were provided for latte but not for black coffee). Overall the many negatives outweighed the positives for us which is a shame as we have family in the area and we’re looking for a base to return to in future.

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• Tim - Verified booking

  Stayed in November for my 70th birthday.

  There were 6 adults, a 20 month old baby and small dog; and we all had plenty of room. Little Picket met all our expectations in most areas and exceeded them in others. The welcome pack was a lovely surprise and very thoughtful. Access was easy using the codes provided. The bedrooms are all to a high standard and comfortable although the plumbing can be a little "quirky". The cot and highchair were supplied as promised along with a good quality stairgate. We didn't use the open fires although logs were provided and the central heating kept the house warm throughout our stay. The games room was brilliant, with lots to do and we used the tennis court everyday along with the basketball hoop. We were very grateful to see that the leaves were cleared from the tennis court regularly, a small point but a very thoughtful consideration. We had intended to do more walks but spent a lot more time on the tennis court instead! The kitchen was well equipped although we didn't use the Aga. It would have been helpful to have an instruction booklet for the induction oven but we did work it out eventually. Access was easy and Nicholas was on hand and very prompt in answering any queries we had. Nicholas is an excellent host. There is a lovely walk behind the cottage and we were not far from other walks; and Ringwood is only a short drive away. The only minor improvements (and they are minor) would be a bit more information in the accommodation booklet regarding the oven and where to dispose of the rubbish; and an OS map (although there were several booklets on recommended walks). A full set of matching wine glasses would be a good addition. The downstairs toilet seat needs repair. We would consider staying here again; it is perfect for a multi-generational family (and dog).

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• Laura - Verified booking

  We had a lovely week.

  We know Christchurch and the New Forest well and this was a great place to stay and revisit some old haunts. The cottage was clean and homely with everything we needed. There were four of us taking a break from busy jobs so we didn't want anywhere too busy or hectic. On the whole it was very peaceful. One slight irritation was the road noise but this quietened in the evening and couldn't be heard on the most part. The property could have come with a book of information as we didn't know how to contact any vets, doctors etc if we had an emergency. We also didn't know what to do with rubbish and recycling and there were black bags left on the gate side from neighbours. we struggled with the internet at times and this interrupted some of the Euro 24 matches that we were watching, a small thing really. We don't have a dish washer at home so had to change our approach, there is no draining board for intermittent washing up. The accommodation was beautiful and spacious for four adults, comfortable and clean. We are highly likely to book again.

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• Louise - Verified booking

  We had an excellent time at Brook Farm.

  Sarah met us at the property and went through the house keeping, very friendly host who was on hand for any queries. 8 of us stayed comfortably and explored the local area on a daily basis. All facilities were of a high standard with the double banisters and walk in shower a great addition for the less able members of the group. The family room and double room have a joining door which worked well for us and gave the rest of the group a bit of space. Despite the warm weather the wood burning stove was put to use and soon heats the whole place up! The property is quirky and Sarah has plans for its development. Lots of things locally to explore too so was ideal for the dogs and children, recommend visiting Moors Valley if you stay. Just disappointed we never got to see the local deer!

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