gillian - verified booking

"We booked Bulkely wing, part of Buntingsdale Hall for a family birthday celebration, 2 families of four and my mum and dad. We arrived on Friday to homemade cake and a lovely hamper full of Shropshire goodies, even goodies for our 2 cocker spaniels! The house is enormous , with everything you could need, catered for. 5 bedrooms with 5 bathrooms a huge living space, huge kitchen with 2 sofas in which we spent most of our time, everyone is always in the kitchen at parties, as they say! Pots and pans in abundance, every utensil you could think of, large fridge and freezer large enough for a weeks worth of food. A few essentials were also provided which was a blessing. Even handsoap in all the bathrooms. The pierce de resistance for us was most definitely the games room in the basement, full size snooker table , pool table, roulette wheel , table tennis table and a dart board. Our only complaint would be no light above the dart board, my mum and dad play as part of a team so the stakes were high! It certainly didn't spoil our fun though! Our only other suggestion would be maybe a beer fridge down there, we did manage with ice blocks.The outside area was well used too, it was perfect for those who were up early, to enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet. The lake was a great little walk , as was the river, in which we caught some crayfish, we were eaten alive my mosquito's so do remember your spray!The local pub , The Kings Head , about 1 mile away was perfect for us, food was good , and on a Sunday and Monday they have offers on the beer, result!For any runners ,we did Shrewsbury Parkrun, about 30 min drive away, lovely route and very friendly, careful where you park though, its all pay and display.We also did Alton Towers, 45 min drive away.Plenty of supermarkets in Market Drayton, with a Sainsburys local about 1 mile away.We met the lovely family on numerous occasions, the house is steeped in history and makes very interesting listening. The 2 dogs , George and Finn were good company too!Overall we had an amazing time, such a central place to explore this beautiful county. The only thing i would say is our mum and dad are quite a fit and healthy 68 years young but the spiral staircase , which is the access to the wing took its toll. But please do not let this put you off as this house is beautiful and an absolute find, the family could not be more accommodating. We will definitely be back.Thank you"

- Mrs Woods, October 2018 - verified booking

"Due to guests travelling from South West Wales and Scotland it was all a bit fraught timewise. Lady Leighton was very helpful and most accomodating to our needs and requests. Being country lovers we soaked up the beauty of the historic estate and stunning local area. The little ones enjoyed running around in the wood playing hide and seek, kicking up the leaves, collecting conkers and tree hugging with the Grandparents. The middle generation being younger and fitter, siezed the opportunity of being child free and took to the hills! Great for star gazing too, due to little light pollution. The icing on the cake was the spectacular Hunters Moon. After the wedding day and lots of walking in the crisp, fresh, country air , it was lovely to come back to the warmth of the fascinatingly, quirky house. To enjoy a hot, home cooked meal with those you love , all sitting around the same table, was bedlam and very noisy, but a memory I will always treasure! I would love to have stayed longer as I didnt get to see the deer. There was so much more to see and experience. Highly recommended...Only one suggestion. A coat rail in the hall would be useful."

Emma - verified booking

"Its very difficult rating this property using the catergories as it is a one in a million experience! This is a beautiful old building, in desperate need of restoration, but which has tonnes of charm and very atmospheric. If you love history and don't mind a bit of "Shabby Chic" then you will love the experience of staying in this marvellous house. The actual wing that you stay in is very comfortable with excellent heating and constant hot water - no clanking pipes, or strange noises in the night! The bathrooms are all in need of updating and there is only one shower, but please don't let this put you off - you would be missing a gem. Decor in generally in good shape with some lovely furniture and soft furnishings, all very comfortable. The family are very accommodating and very friendly. Extras include access to a great games room down in the basement with a full size billiard table and table tennis. There are some lovely walks all around the estate - mainly woods. One week wasn't enough to thoroughly explore, so we may have to revisit!"

Eleanor - verified booking

"This is the perfect place to live like Downton Abbey for a day! The self-contained part of the house is huge - plenty of space for our party of eight - with big en-suite bedrooms, a spacious kitchen/diner equipped with everything you might need, and a lovely living room. Guests also have access to a games room in the old servants hall, with full-sized snooker and table tennis tables.It is all the extras that make this place so special - the welcome basket filled with treats on arrival, proper fires laid in every room, and the most welcoming hosts. We hired the dining room (additional cost) to celebrate a family birthday and the family offered us drinks in the drawing room beforehand - perfect!We did have to be careful with some of the older members of our group as there is a long winding staircase up to the property, and some of the floors were a little uneven. We also found it a little tricky finding the house in the dark - but the hosts were always very responsive."

Mrs Cassidy - verified booking

" Well equiped for a large party. Our party was mixed age, grandparents, son and his family of 3 daughters aged 11, 8 and 5. The girls enjoyed the spacious bedrooms and downstairs snug. Lady Leighton was very welcoming. This was the first time we had visited Shropshire, and there was certainly enough to interest the girls. They enjoyed visits to Powys and Ludlow Castles. They found the various activities associated with the Irongorge particularly interesting. The only downside was the lack of a washing machine, essential for parties with young children. I assumed there would be one, but we managed, and had a lovely Easter break. Thankyou. "