School Holidays 2017 Cottages In New Forest

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Beverley - Verified booking

  A beautiful cottage, literally a couple of minute’s walk away from the forest.

  Loads of space for a large family or a friendship group. We actually spent all our time in the large conservatory and garden and only went into the front room/snug on one occasion, and the dining room a couple of times to play board games, but we were blessed with the weather and I imagine the living room with a very large wood burner would be amazing in colder months. The house was really well stocked, with everything you could possibly need for a comfortable stay; the owners even left us a bottle of fizz and a tub of choccies, which was a lovely thought. There were plenty of lovely quality toilet rolls too! I know this seems an odd thing to comment on, but so often we go to a property that has frankly cost a considerable sum, to be left with a couple of cheap rolls for the whole week! Bedding and towels were luxurious and smelled lovely and fresh and clean, and the beds and pillows were comfy. I personally didn’t like the position of the bed in the master bedroom, as one side was against the wall - fine for youngsters with sturdy bladders, but middle aged ladies such as I, who need to get up for a pee, have to either wake up the other half, or clamber over them! A minor gripe, however, and one which won’t affect the majority of people! The garden was beautiful, and our dog absolutely loved it; he particularly enjoyed having cool shady spots to lie when it got too hot, but there was plenty of sun all day. It was large and completely secure, and there were a couple of relaxing sun loungers in addition to the garden table and chairs. We loved the games area with darts, pool and air hockey; our only tiny niggle was that it wasn’t lit, so as these evenings are now drawing in quickly, we were unable to play as often as we’d like. The location is great, as mentioned previously, almost in the forest, and only 20-30mins away from beautiful beaches. The village centre is only 10 mins walk, and there is a great selection of eateries and all the usual shops you would expect/need. The Swan pub is literally across the road, and is good for drinks but many better places to eat in town (in our opinion). The owners were in contact and were very responsive, but as they had thought of absolutely everything, there was nothing that we needed. We chose this area randomly, based on the pictures of the house, and I’m really glad we did, we had a lovely stay and would definitely recommend both the location and this specific property. A lovely stay, thank you.

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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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• Salina - Verified booking

  We had issues with boiler throughout stay.

  had to reset it several times a day to get any heating. this really needs looking at by the owner and its not acceptable for guests to have to keep faffing about with it as constant faults flashing throughout the day. there were pots left in dishwasher many of which were still dirty we found slugs in kitchen every morning- i know its an old house but some copper tape around kitchen side door would stop that. there were rats in the garden ( around the side)- we opened the kitchen side door near utility and we saw two in what looked like the old coal shed- you need to put something down to get rid of those. filthy stained bath upstairs which was unusable- no one wanted to sit in it. the slope down from gate to conservatory covered in slime so one elderly person in the group slipped quite badly walking down it the shower room downstairs basically flooded whenever anyone used the shower- needs a longer shower screen or some kind of run off point. trying to get in and out off the main road was a challenge in the cars. sorry all so negative but for what we paid we expected a better maintained holiday house- all the ones we've rented from Sykes in the past have been perfect. sadly not this one.

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• Gaye - Verified booking

  Oakapple cottage is very comfortable and we immediately felt 'at home'.

  The aga made the kitchen lovely and warm, as was the central heating. Gorgeous bedding and good space in bedrooms. Lots of useful kitchen appliances and plenty of crockery. Could do with Serving Spoons but that was a tiny 'want' really. Great to have the conservatory to put walking boots and buggies in But during 'warmer' weather, it must be a lovely seating area. Garden was just right with lots of birds too. Great to be opposite the Swan Pub, who had a good menu and catered for our little Grandchildren very well. The whole stay at Oakapple was fab, especially as we had 3 babies and a dog and 6 adults. Walkable to Lyndhurst which has interesting shops. Oakapple Owners very caring of our needs. Happy enjoyable stay. Thank you.

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• Marcus - Verified booking

  We really enjoyed our stay at Oakapple in early March.

  We were a family group with two grandparents, four younger adults, a dog and a toddler. Although the weather was not on our side, the garden looked welcoming and was secure. It has all the attributes for a barbecue in the sun when the warmer weather arrives. The inside of the house is comfy and not too fussy. There is plenty of everything (glasses, towels, cutlery etc) for 9 adults. The conservatory at the back of the house is big and roomy. Unfortunately the cool weather meant that it was not always warm enough to be able to comfortably sit in it for long. We can recommend Oakapple Cottage for a family getaway.

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