Kenny C
August 2016
I honestly do not know where to start, this cottage was stunning in every single way possible. A lot of time and money has been spent making the cottage and the grounds as high spec as can be and The Old Rectory did not fail to please.
When we first arrived we were a tad early and the cleaners (who were very friendly) were still hard at work but we were told that we could have a look around the grounds whilst they finished off doing the brilliant cleaning job that they did, spotless from top to bottom.
The first thing to look at was the pool house...WOW!
This is the reason our family of 13 picked this cottage and it was more than we expected. A great big heated pool surrounded by comfortable pool furniture, changing rooms, showers and a toilet. Before long we headed back to the house where we found that the cleaners had finished and the cottage was ready for us to begin our holiday. We were met by Stuart's mother Cynthia who was an amazing lady, so friendly and so kind and took an instant liking to my 5 year old daughter, she made us feel at home and gave us the grand tour of the property. Once she had finished the tour and showed us how to use the hot tub (which was amazing might I add) she left us to it to enjoy our holiday.
The cottage itself it stunning from top to bottom, everything has been thought of to make everyone's holiday all the more pleasurable. The kitchens are fully stocked with every pot, pan, utensil, and gadget you will need during your stay. Both living rooms are full of comfortable sofas and chairs with massive big screen TVs in each one. Every bedroom has a tv as well but I will be the first to admit that during my stay I must of watched no more than 15 minutes of television which is a record for me as at home it is constantly on, yet here, there is so much to do and so much family time to enjoy that I really didn't even feel the need to put it on.
I could go on and on about how great this place is but it really does need to be seen to believed.
The highlights of the holiday was the pool house, hours and hours of fun was spent here from early morning dips to late night swims with the family, it really was the main attraction of the property. The hot tub as well was out of this world, sitting in there at night looking up at the millions of stars was a great ending to the day. The grounds were used to their full potential, we played badminton, football & rounders and on one occasion used the fully equipped BBQ provided to have a family meal.
The views of the surrounding countryside were out of this world and many of us spent time enjoying them. The cottage is only a 10 minute drive from Newtown which has all the shops and amenities we required during our stay - supermarkets, pharmacists, banks, restaurants and even a cinema.
When our 7 day stay was over none of us wanted to leave, this holiday was great for spending time with family and really relaxing and enjoying each others company . The little ones in our group (5 year old girl, 6 year old boy, 14 year old girl & 14 year old boy) were never bored and always had something to do.
The owner Stuart was very friendly and came every day to test ph & chlorine levels of the hot tub & pool and make sure everything was good. You are left completely alone by the owners but if they are ever needed they are only a phone call away and will help with anything that you need.
In a nutshell, would I recommend this cottage....too right I would.
We are hoping to go back next year although this may not be possible due to the new plans of the property which would mean a shared pool with another cottage. Sad as it is and as much as we would love to return, if the pool was not exclusive to this cottage and had to be shared and time slots booked then we would have to look at renting some where else. The luxury of this cottage is the pool and the fact that you can use it at any time morning, noon or night is the pulling power for such a glamorous property. I really do hope that Stuart and his team decide to leave it the way it is as I would come back in a heartbeat and we are already planning on booking up for next year once we know for sure regarding the pool situation.
Stuart & Cynthia, thank you for an amazing time, we hope to see you again.
Also, a big thank you to my family who made the holiday what it was.....AMAZING.