Guests say
Old Shires Barn is highly praised for its aesthetic appeal, original features, and cosy atmosphere. Guests appreciate the well-stocked kitchen, comfortable bedrooms, and thoughtful touches like robes, slippers, and a generous welcome hamper. The outdoor space, including a hot tub, is lauded, though some mention steep stairs and dim lighting as minor drawbacks. Overall, it's recommended as a fantastic, value-for-money stay with a peaceful, rural charm.
Guests consistently describe the property as clean, well-maintained, and spotless, indicating a high standard of cleanliness throughout the barn.
The barn's location is appreciated for its peaceful, rural setting surrounded by countryside, with proximity to local attractions and amenities. However, no specific negative comments about the location provide a basis for a perfect score.
The comfort of the barn is frequently highlighted, with guests finding the beds cosy and the living spaces warm. Some concerns about steep stairs and creaky floors prevent a higher score.
Facilities are generally well-received, with special mentions of the hot tub and outdoor area. Criticisms include the need for additional oven shelves, more practical bedside tables, and improved lighting, indicating room for improvement in maintenance.
The hosts' thoughtfulness is evident in the provision of welcome hampers, robes, and slippers, and the attention to detail in amenities. While these gifts are greatly appreciated, it should be noted that such offerings are subject to change and may not be guaranteed for every stay.
About this property
A truly unique countryside retreat, The Old Shire Barn has been beautifully converted from a farm building into a stunning and luxurious holiday home..
Ground Floor:
Living/dining room: Freeview Smart TV, Woodburner
Kitchen: Breakfast Area, Gas Hob, Electric Range, Microwave, Fridge/Freezer, Dishwasher, Coffee Machine, Washing Machine, Bi-Fold Doors Leading To Garden
Bedroom 1: Double (4ft 6in) Bed
Shower Room: Walk-In Shower, Heated Towel Rail, Toilet
Bathroom: Slipper Bath, Heated Towel Rail, Toilet
First Floor:
Bedroom 2: Galleried, 2 x Single (3ft) Beds, Double (4ft 6in) Bed, TV, Playstation 4, (Double Bed Acessed From Rear)
Bedroom 3: Double (4ft 6in) Bed.
Gas central heating, gas, electricity, bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi included. Travel cot and high chair. Welcome pack. Enclosed garden, patio, garden furniture, firepit, barbecue and table tennis. Hot tub (private). Private parking for 3 cars. No smoking. Please note: The double bed in bedroom 3 is accessed at the rear only by open-tread stairs and has limited headroom.. Full of original features, the beamed ceilings and walls have been brought back to life with striking furniture and exquisitely hand-crafted finishes to create a boutique holiday home for a restful break in the Kent countryside.
The living/dining room features a double sided wood burner, creating the perfect ambience for cosy evenings in, whether you are sitting at the dining table planning the week’s activities with a glass of wine or relaxing on the beautiful sofas that bring a vibrant pop of colour against the rustic wooden walls. The countryside kitchen boasts hand built wooden units, original barn flooring and chunky wooden worktops, with a butchers block island ideal for socialising whilst a hearty meal is being prepared. Here, Bi-folding doors lead out to the undercover gazebo and then out to the garden.
After a day of exploring the countryside, what better way to unwind than in the stunning freestanding bath, or warming walk-in rain shower. Split over two floors are 3 individually styled bedrooms, ideal for couples or extended families holidaying together. On the ground floor, is a peaceful double bedroom, with rustic beamed walls complimented with a splash of deep green paint and sumptuous padded headboard. Upstairs, the further bedrooms are each accessed by their own separate staircase from the living area. Behind wooden shutter doors sits a navy padded double bed; lit with industrial, hanging bedside lights, whilst on the other side of the living area steps lead up to a quirky family suite. Here, two single pods and a double bed sitting above on a mezzanine level, accessed from the rear via open-tread steps. There is also a games area in this room, complete with PlayStation 4.
Come summer or winter, the covered and spacious outside courtyard features a Kadai firepit, the ideal spot for a warming glass of red/hot chocolate, cooking a BBQ or even a curry for an all year round al fresco dining experience. An additional charcoal barbecue is also available for further relaxation in the sunshine during the summer. For those competitive members of the family, the table tennis will be sure to provide hours of entertainment. This is the perfect place for a special party, and although the property only sleeps 8, the owner is happy to welcome extra guests during the day to celebrate with those who are staying.
Nestled in a picturesque spot in the Kent countryside, the historic market town of Faversham can be reached in 15-minutes by car and offers creekside walks and an array of independent shops and restaurants. The Old Shire Barn is set amongst rolling farmland and countryside, surrounded by apple, pear and cherry orchards. Peaceful countryside walks await, with a choice of circular walks nearby each leading to friendly pubs; all of which welcome four legged friends. The renowned coastal town of Whitstable and the cobbled streets of Canterbury are within a 30-minute drive. Beach 12 miles. Shop 4 miles. The George pub is a 5 minute/ 20 minute walk, The Carpenters pub is 40 minute walk/ 5 minute drive - both good locally sourced food, log fires and great ambience.
The Old Shire Barn can be booked together with Will Arch Lodge (M521214) to accommodate up to 12 guests.
Please note: There are open, steep, spiral or narrow stairs at the property.
Free WiFi
There are open, steep, spiral or narrow stairs at the property.
Security Deposit: A security deposit of £250 is required at this property. This will be collected automatically 7 days prior to arrival and refunded (unless a damage claim is received) 7 days after the end of your stay. Please note that your refunded security deposit will take 3-5 days to appear in your account. For your convenience, we’ll take this payment from the last card used to make payment to us. If you would prefer to use a different method of payment, please let us know before the security deposit is due.
Suitable for up to 2 pets
Reviews (20)
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Karen Conner
We stayed at this gorgeous barn over Christmas week. Having worked the last 10 Christmas’s this Christmas I was off work so wanted the ultimate relaxing getaway in a rural location for my children and grandchildren. Old Shires barn was perfect - there was 8 of us and our 2 sausage dogs. The barn is well equipped and beautifully designed. All amenities that you would expect and more. The owners have really thought of everything and more to make your stay a 5* experience. On arrival the fire was roaring, relaxing music playing, candles lit, Christmas decorations and tree ready and lit. There was Prosecco on ice - even J2O for the grandkids, a lovely food hamper and Christmas presents for us all under the tree ❤️. The rural location is perfect and surrounded by countryside but a 10/15 minute drive from shops etc. Would highly recommend and we will return!
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Sally Wright
Amazing barn, very well done. Aesthetically great, utilizing many original features. Quirky, clean, warm and cosy and always plenty of hot water. Fantastic extras, such as robes and slippers for each guest, towels and flip flops for the hot tub, marshmellows for toasting. Honesty bar and a bottle of prosecco on ice to welcome. Welcome food hamper - eggs, bread, butter, milk, chocolates, crackers, grapes, brie, honey and popcorn!!Very helpful hosts who delivered more eggs when I run out.Well stocked kitchen with a good selection of eating, cooking and food prep items. Only small criticism was the oven only had 1 shelf which made cooking a roast challenging. Suggest extra shelve. Not sure the extra work top freezer was needed, would have rather had more worktop space.Bedrooms small but beautiful, cosy and comfortable. Knitted bed side stools used as tables looked nice but not very practical for a glass of water. Suggest something flat.The lighting was dim and cosy but although the switches seemd to be dimmers we were unalbe to turn them up; which made reading, dressing, makeup and other activites difficult. Only room that really had sufficient lighting was the main bathroom, which had an awsome bath by the way. Suggest some task lighting, in all areas, also maybe some lables on the switches, we were constantly getting all the wrong ones!Unfortunately the weather was super cold and so we were unable to make the most of the beautiful outdoor space, which I imagine would be brillant in the summer. Overall, fantastic place, I've already recommended it to friends and would consider staying again.Pretty good value for money.
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Edris
A lovely, cozy, and spotles cottage! Everything was well-prepared and beautifully maintained. I had a wonderful stay and would definitely come back again