Holiday Cottages In Liphook To Rent

Lorraine - verified booking

"That being said…. wow! This small site has just shot straight to the top of the list for a revisit. ***Before we begin –As at March 2018, do not use Google Maps to assess the property – it has been extensively renovated and this isn’t reflected in the satellite image***Let’s start with accessibility. Head south to Winchester on the A34, turn left, 20 minutes of countryside and you’re there. It doesn’t really get a lot simpler than that. As for the location; blimey, it’s gorgeous! Think atypical country village with pretty little church and cracking county pub. No streetlights, no pavements, hardly any people and, most importantly, no noise! The peace and quiet is almost deafening, punctuated infrequently by a passing Landrover or “squark” of local wildlife. What about the accommodation? Well, it’s been done well. Really well! When you come on these cottage holidays, you have to, at times, expect a level of “rustic charm”. Not here, while the outside is pure countryside, the inside is akin to a new build show home. Everything you want, everything you need, is right here already. The living area is comfortable; small but without being cramped. The bedroom is huge, and the bed is incredible… and bigger than my car! The bathroom is SO well finished and so impressive, that my wife is already starting to look at gutting our bathroom at home. All in all, this little cabin has been finished to an incredible standard and hasn’t missed a thing! Now, the most important part of the review – the Springer Spaniel perspective. Many places say “dog friendly”, by which they mean they’ll allow dogs. This place is different; they WELCOME dogs. You arrive to dog bowls and poo bags ready and waiting after the drive. The owner has acknowledged that most Spaniels can’t read and don’t care much for the “stay off the sofa” rules. The best owners in the world will turn their back occasionally, so they’ve got you covered and have provided throws to protect the furniture…just in case. The little garden area is secure enough, with a (at its lowest) waist high fence. Beyond the digs, the very pretty, disused railway is a 10 minute walk from the cabin (you’ll need a short lead as this is accessed by a fairly narrow road). The local pub accepts dogs and we all had a cracking meal in the bar one evening. Finally, the owner – Gill was friendly, warm and welcoming. You can see the love that’s been poured into this location everywhere you look. The walled garden was beautiful, and that’s in March. By the middle of summer, it’ll be exquisite. While you only see Gill very briefly here and there, she certainly adds a finishing touch to a brilliant place! What’s the conclusion then? Should I visit this place? Were you not reading what I wrote above? Of course you should! Take a really comfy hotel suite… plonk it in the Hampshire countryside…. Add your dogs… and you’ve got Garden Cottage."

Mrs Frost - verified booking

"All the cottages that we have booked have exceeded expectations and we have always highly recommended them and even returned to a few. It is just unfortunate that this particular cottage under performed in a few key areas. Lovely quaint cottage in a lovely area close to main roads giving quick access to areas and towns of interest. However, whilst the bedrooms were comfortable and roomy with lots of towels and storage space, the kitchen, bathroom and lounge were a real disappointment. Starting with the kitchen, a massive range cooker and 2 butler sinks took up most of the space that could of been used for a work surface added to this a dishwasher and fridge that were not under a work surface then the only preparation space was in the corner. A huge welsh dresser adorned a 3rd wall but 2 shelves had christmas lights draped over them so was no use for anything. A massive fold down table with fold up chairs took up the 4th wall and would have taken up any spare floor space if put up to eat at. A fridge freezer took up all the space in the porch which could of been used for shoes and coats, there is nowhere else to put them, So they spent the holiday thrown under and on the leaning tower of fold up chairs. In the bathroom the floor was covered with 5 bits of carpet and bath mats making the room look and feel messy. The lounge is tiny. With a wood burner jutting out into the room the potential for warm and cosy has been lost to the largest white 3, 2 and 1 seater sofas that I have ever seen, all covered in white throws that immediately look a mess as soon as you sit on them. The addition of a further 7 throws and 17, yes 17, cushions and the room becomes a minefield to navigate, as you squeeze around and between soft furnishings. This beautiful cottage has the potential to be an absolute gem as a holiday let but with small windows festooned with swags that block out a lot of natural light the kitchen and lounge feel gloomy and dark. The gloomy feeling continues when you see the cobwebs and layers of dust on areas such as the hall lampshade and top of shower. I presume that the owner lived in the house until deciding to rent it out and as a home to 1 or 2 people the cottage probably works fine but if it is to become a successful holiday let, with up to 4 people staying at a time, the owner needs to look at the property with fresh eyes and lose the oversized furniture and excess soft furnishings."

Ms Shah - verified booking

"The cottage is old and surrounded by woodland so expect a few cobwebs, but it was very well equipped. The owner was very helpful and had prepared a lovely fire in advance of our arrival so it was warm and snug from the start. There is also a good central heating system. Bird feeders in the garden attracted loads of birds, and the cheeky squirrel who has outwitted the attempts to stop it stealing the peanuts! Lovely to watch them from the living room. Opposite are woods to explore - and great for dog walking. We didn't use the garden as the weather wasn't up to it but I can imagine it is lovely on a summer morning. The description on the site is truthful and accurate. The cottage is old and quirky but has a lovely cosy feel to it."

Mrs Carpenter - verified booking

"It was isolated down the end of a very long lane but with the busy A27 at the bottom of the garden, with traffic all night. There was a smell of the toilet as we entered the property, with furniture well past its best. There was however a very large brand new cooking range, but no saucepans. The stairs were very steep which were unsuitable for our age group. The wildlife garden was more a wilderness of unkept weeks and junk. We stayed just the one night as we were too tired to make the return journey that night. We put in a complaint on our return but although the person contacted the owner we did not get a refund on the £622 we paid for this holiday. We are not sure if we will have confidence to use Sykes in the future."

Ms Duvekot - verified booking

"The cottage was really very nice. We were happy that we had marvellous weather. If not it would have been a little stressful because of the 2 (big) dogs we had with us and the very white sofa's in the cottage :-) It is very hard not to touch them if you walk past them. The garden is lovely and all fenced in. When we came to the cottage the table in the garden was inviting because of the cushions and the parasol. There was already milk in the fridge as well as cookie's in the jar. Sussex was a surprise to us and we intend to go back in September. Our dogs are very spoiled now because of all the attention they got and all the treats. Every time we come to the UK we are amazed how dogfriendly the people are."