Your Questions
What's included? What level of equipment do you supply in the houses?
We supply 2 toilet rolls per toilet, some washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, black bin bags, hand wash, salt, pepper, some cooking oil, coffee, tea, sugar - but only in limited supply to get you started, you may need to bring some of the above with you if you have a large group.
Kitchen equipment consists of; pots & pans, frying pans, cooking trays, serving dishes, all plates, crockery, knives & forks, glasses (wine, tumblers & champagne) for the capacity of your chosen property, food processor, scales, rolling pin, jugs, cheese grater and much more. All the basics will be there, but if you require anything specialist you may need to bring this with you.
Where's the nearest pub?
A variety of nearby pubs, restaurants and takeaways are listed on the back page of our experience documents which can be found on the individual property pages, but for quick reference:
The nearest pub to the Upper Woodlands site, Woodlands Farmhouse, Swallow's Orchard & The Cider Barn (1 mile) is The Lion at West Pennard. A really nice local pub/restaurant with a good menu.
The closest pub to Portman House, Apple Cottage & Lower Hedge Farm is The Natterjack Inn, a traditional country pub just 3 miles from the houses.
The closest pub to Little Cheriton House is The King's Arms an historic boutique country inn with excellent food.
The closest pub to Higher Burrow Farm is the Lamb & Lion, 1.5 miles from the house. A top gastro pub, the house and pub are under the same ownership and a very warm welcome guaranteed! Excellent food and private dining areas for larger groups.
The closest pub to Rock Farm & Smokeham Farm is The Rising Sun at West Bagborough, roughly 1 miles from the properties. Expect a stylish yet rustic interior, quality food and real ales.
What methods of payment do you accept?
If you are booking and paying online we accept all major credit and debit cards apart from American Express. If you would prefer to pay by cheque or balance transfer please contact us to arrange the booking. There are no additional fees for using credit or debit cards.
What is the breakages/damages policy?
Any major breakages/damages caused directly by persons staying at the properties can be charged through the refundable security deposit although for the odd broken glass, generally we will not charge.
Do you allow hen and stag parties?
We welcome hen parties at all of our properties without prior approval, but regret we are unable to accept stag parties at any of our properties.
Are the properties suitable for elderly and disabled guests?
Woodlands Farmhouse has a downstairs bedroom which is easily accessible for elderly guests and the bathroom has a wet room shower with support handles and a flip chair, to make for easier use. All properties apart from Little Cheriton House, Lower Hedge Farm and Apple Cottage have downstairs bedrooms.
How much deposit is required?
For Lower Hedge Farm, Apple Cottage, Portman House, Little Cheriton House, Higher Burrow Farm, Rock Farm and Smokeham Farm - upon booking we require a 25% deposit with the balance due three months before your arrival date, and the refundable security deposit due one month before arrival.
For the properties located on the Upper Woodlands site; Woodlands Farmhouse, The Cider Barn, Swallow's Orchard and The Milking Parlour - we require a 25% deposit upon booking, a further 25% payment is due 4 months before your arrival and the remaining 50% is due 2 months before your arrival. The refundable security deposit is due 1 month before your arrival.
Are towels and bed linen provided?
Yes, all the beds will be fully made with two fluffy white towels per person. Bath robes and flip-flops are provided for properties on the Upper Woodlands site (Woodlands Farmhouse, The Cider Barn, Swallow's Orchard & The Milking Parlour). For all other properties, please provide your own bath robes or flip flops for the hot tub.
Are there any extra hidden costs?
No, everything such as VAT, heating, electric, is included in the fee. Wood will be initially supplied and after that may require an additional purchase. Any holiday extras such as massage therapy will be charged for in addition to the cost of the accommodation. There are additional charges for the use of the Milking Parlour on the Upper Woodlands site and for applicable properties wishing to book use of the facilities on the Upper Woodlands site.
Where do I pick the keys up from?
The keys will all be at the properties in their respective key safes - codes will be given ahead of your arrival.
What are the arrival and departure times at the properties?
The Standard arrival time is 3pm and departure time is 10am. However, if we don’t have guests in directly before you arrive, we will endeavour to get the house ready the day before and you will be welcome to arrive whenever you want on your start day. Likewise, if we don't have guests arriving directly after your stay, you will be welcome to leave later on that day.
Departure times on Sundays are anytime up to 3pm. We will contact you a few days before your start day to finalise arrival and departure times.
What happens if I cancel?
Please read our full terms and conditions for our cancellation policies here.
Are pets allowed?
We only allow dogs at our properties and ask that we are notified before booking - usually a maximum of 2 dogs per house, which may be stretched slightly according to the size. We ask that you keep them downstairs, off the furniture and carpets as well as cleaning after them both inside and outside during your stay. We do charge £25 per dog.
Are your properties baby and child-friendly?
All our properties welcome babies and young children; there are no ponds or water features in the gardens and the Hot Tubs have covers which cannot be easily removed. Our houses however are not baby proof; there will be some inherent risks as there are in all properties – we ask for our guests to take a common sense approach and if you have a small child with you, have a sweep around the house and move out of reach any ornaments, decorative items or vases that you feel pose a risk.
We can provide infant equipment such as highchairs and travel cots by prior arrangement.
Do you provide highchairs, travel cots and stair gates?
We can by prior arrangement provide high chairs and travel cots. Stair Gates can be supplied for Apple Cottage. Woodlands Farmhouse and Lower Hedge Farm have wide stairs with banisters that make them impossible to fit however, they do have doors that can be shut to prevent access to the stairs.
Do you have minimum booking periods?
For a weekend period (involving either a Friday, Saturday or Sunday) there is a minimum booking of 2 nights. For mid-week bookings, we can accept 1 night stays upon request.
Is your price & availability calendar always accurate?
It is always up to date and accurate as we operate an online booking system.
What are your start and finish days?
We are very flexible with arrival and departure days and you can arrive any day of the week apart from a Sunday. We don't allow 7 night bookings from a Saturday, as it uses two booking weekends for us, but a 6 night booking from a Saturday for example would be fine. Please refer to our Price & Availability calendar and select the dates of your preference and you will be able to see the options available.