The Barn

4.6★

4 Guests
2 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Pets No
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Features

Off road parking
Ground floor accommodation
Ground floor bedroom
Open fire
Garden / Patio
Cot available
Highchair available
Pub/shop < 1 mile
Washing machine
Dishwasher
Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing

Cleanliness

Comfort

Facilities and Maintenance

* Based on a combined average customer score

18 Customer Review(s)

Philippa
August 2023

“The Barn exceeded our expectations.”

The directions to find the property were really clear and comprehensive. The property was absolutely immaculate throughout and the homemade scones and jam were wonderful on arrival. I would note two things, in case these are a concern for you; the owners live on site but for us this meant that then we had a question about the recycling and wifi, they were on hand to help out. Also, for The Barn, there is no private outdoor space, it's all shared with other guests and the family. There is a lot ...

The directions to find the property were really clear and comprehensive. The property was absolutely immaculate throughout and the homemade scones and jam were wonderful on arrival. I would note two things, in case these are a concern for you; the owners live on site but for us this meant that then we had a question about the recycling and wifi, they were on hand to help out. Also, for The Barn, there is no private outdoor space, it's all shared with other guests and the family. There is a lot of space to explore, however, which we enjoyed. Our daughter loved our time there and we made sure to say goodbye to the sheep before we left.

- Philippa, August 2023
James September 2022

“The Barn is fantastically located with all the best beaches circa a 20 minute drive away, we didn’t really know the area before but pleasantly surprised by how well this property is located.”

The owners who live on-site were warm and welcoming, easy to talk to and happy to help. A few minor maintenance issues with the property but nothing that was an issue and was raised with the owners. The property itself is a fantastic space, incredibly generous, and the wider setting of the farm has lots of local walks. Would definitely recommend and would happily stay there again!

- James, September 2022
Heather June 2022

“The property is in a peaceful location and fairly easy to find.”

Lovely large space upstairs but a little cramped in the smaller bedroom. The shower over the bath gave us problems because the shower head needs replacing . I was disappointed to see there was no welcome pack and this is a small issue but it really helps especially when you haven't picked up some milk on the way after a long drive. This is the first holiday let i have been to where i didn't find one. No biggie but it does have that personal touch.

- Heather, June 2022

Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback, we have found your comments helpful. Property Owner
Lee June 2022

“Great stay at barn it was perfect for little families break in Devon.”

Really nice place, fitted out very well and had everything we needed. We would definitely recommend

- Lee, June 2022
Wendy March 2022

“An excellent country stay.”

Very beautiful and peaceful setting along a good country lane. Spring flowers magnificent. Very comfortable flat with fully equipped kitchen, very pleasing unfussy modern decor, topped off with great hot water. Fresh farm eggs and a big bunch of daffodils completed the wonderful friendly welcome. Thank you.

- Wendy, March 2022
Alfred Jeremy February 2022

“While there was a fault with the heating timer, Nick replaced this promptly and Nick and Jo were very friendly and helpful in every way.”

This is such and lovely welcoming place to hide away for a week and enjoy the wonderful South Devon coastline.

- Alfred Jeremy, February 2022
Andie January 2022

“This was my second stay of 4 weeks at these cottages and again enjoyed the peaceful environment there - perfect base to explore amazing walks and locations but also a lovely place to chill out & relax.”

Jo & Nick as so friendly & helpful but also unobtrusive. Really enjoyed my 8 weeks there .

- Andie, January 2022
Stephen September 2021

“Nick and Jo are very pleasant hosts and The Barn is in a beautiful remote country setting.”

However, in our experience of Sykes Cottages, this property falls well short of the usual 5 tick standard. Inside is very ordinary and uninspiring; dated rather than rustic. A few chipped glasses and crockery, and a broken cupboard door, along with a partially blocked sink suggested a lack of attention. An upside down property usually promises views from the living area but, in this case, just more frequent stair climbs, not welcome after the approx. 50 yard walk with bags from the car park. The 6pm check in and 9am checkout also came as a shock and we were grateful to Nick for allowing us in from 5pm. However, even with Covid, I question the need for those timings, especially when guests are expected to take rubbish and recycling about 500 yards (yes, five hundred) to the bins the night before departure and bag up all the laundry before leaving. Overall a disappointing experience and money poorly spent, which has somewhat dented my faith in Sykes. And that's before mentioning the dead mouse under the oven which, as Nick said, can happen in rural locations.

- Stephen, September 2021

Thank you for your feedback. The Barn is as described, albeit was redecorated upstairs last winter, together with new curtains. The kitchen and bathrooms have recently been rebuilt. The most recent change is the addition of a portfolio of original photographs of rural Devon from the 1980s by local photographer, Ski Harrison. There is a new smart TV. So, your comment has surprised the owners, nonetheless they are sad that they haven't got it right and will redouble their attention to make sure the Barn is as good as possible. We do understand that the dead mouse would have indeed marred your trip, and the owners are dreadfully sorry that this happened, albeit had they known earlier, they would have removed it sooner (it was at the back of a cupboard, so virtually impossible to have been missed by the cleaners at changeover). It is reasonably rare but not an unpredictable possibility that we get an occasional unwanted little visitor at this time of year in the countryside, but most unfortunate that it wasn't detected. The owners found one wineglass with a crack but haven't managed to find the chipped crockery. The owner was aware of a loose cupboard handle which needed replacing and is sourcing a new fixing. There was no sign of any blockage in any of the sinks. The owners regularly check the traps, and their cleaners notify them with anything like that during the changeovers. The Check in and Check out times have been amended, with a slightly earlier check in and slightly later check out time. These times reflect the ongoing need to carry out a Covid clean, which is more time consuming than in the past but one which the housekeepers are now more adapted to. The owners ask guests to drop their waste at the end of the driveway, to ensure regular collection as per the new recycling system in the South Hams. Most guests drop it off on their way out for any excursions on a Thursday, or on the Friday morning when vacating the property. Property Owner
Penelope September 2021

“This is a lovely property, very quiet and secluded and exactly as described.”

The owners, who live on site, could not be nicer or more helpful. The layout of the accommodation means that it gets quite warm upstairs in hot weather but the bedrooms downstairs stay reasonably cool. Conversely, however, when the weather is less clement, the en suite bathrooms cause the bedrooms to feel a bit clammy and damp, and we felt that heated towel rails would have been an improvement. The water pressure in at least one of the showers was very poor and it made taking a shower very tricky. A few more saucepans and frying pans in the kitchen would have been helpful, and we felt we wanted some drinks mats to protect the surfaces too.

- Penelope, September 2021

Thanks for the comment. Sorry about this, sometimes the heating settings are not quite right at the start of the 'heating season' and need tweaking. We'll now make an adjustment to the relative heat on the two floors. All radiators in the building have their own thermostat controls, so guests can adjust the relative temperature of each space. Both bathrooms have a 'towel radiator' for drying towels. We'll pop some extra saucepans and drinks mats in - good idea. Property Owner
Sav July 2021

“The website accurately depicted the barn and the booking experience was good.”

Lovely location, grounds and property. The owners sent lots of helpful information and were nice to talk to. Two criticisms: the windows are small and the bedrooms are downstairs, so towels didn't dry very well. The matresses are medium to firm (we have soft ones at home), so we slept on top of the duvets!

- Sav, July 2021
Jennifer May 2021

“Main bedroom bed to hard.”

- Jennifer, May 2021
Beverley May 2021

“The Barn was much larger than expected but very cosy which was appreciated as the weather was very disappointing during our week.”

Because of this we were not able to enjoy the outside spaces which looked very inviting. Nick dealt with a couple of very minor problems straight away. A lovely property and although rural we were not far from Kingsbridge which has all amenities.

- Beverley, May 2021
Ian October 2020

“Rated as 5 star however the sofas were extremely uncomfortable and need to be replaced.”

Bed was only satisfactory. Both of the above do not deserve a 5 star rating for the cottage not even a 4 star rating.

- Ian, October 2020

Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. Your feedback is important to us: based on this comment, we've replaced all the sofa cushions in The Barn. The master-bed has a super-kingsize sleepheaven platinum comfort mattress, which the manufacturers describe as 'medium-firm'. Comfort depends on individual taste of course; we've had plenty of guests remark on how comfy they find it, too! Property Owner
Marion November 2019

“The barn is very stylish ,well equipped and comfortable.”

Although we had a power cut of approx 5 hrs on our second day due to a storm the barn was the perfect place to be, with the aid of plenty of candles and the wood burning stove .The location is great for visiting the beautiful coast and countryside that Devon has to offer. Would definitely stay again if visiting this area.

- Marion, November 2019
Valerie May 2019

“The Barn, its Courtyard and surrounding gardens where we were free to roam were beautiful.”

We enjoyed are stay so much and would love to return sometime. Delighted to find Gerry Mile's book of the South Hams in the Barn and recommend it for great walks in the area. Thank you for being perfect hosts. Val robinson

- Valerie, May 2019
Jean June 2018

“The only issue we have is the drive to the complex would be unsuitable for vehicles with sports suspension which we were not made aware off until the booking was completed.”

- Jean, June 2018

Thank you very much for your feedback, we're thrilled to hear that you had a great holiday and enjoyed the property so much. The track to the property is easily passable for the majority of vehicles, however we would agree that it is rough in places (making it difficult for a low slung sports car) and that it is therefore important to take the track with care. Should any guests require any further information please don't hesitate to ask us. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Property Owner
Paul June 2018

“We really enjoyed our stay at the Barn, and found it was very child friendly which made our stay that more enjoyable.”

One point to mention was that we found getting to the cottage from the south via Aveton Gifford, as opposed to the instructions provided from the north as the roads were very narrow and being 3+miles were a bit difficult after a 5 hr drive from Kent.

- Paul, June 2018
Susan April 2018

“We enjoyed our holiday very much and found the Barn at Chantry just as delightful as our previous visit many years ago.”

The owners were very friendly and eager for us to see their newborn lambs, and the area is beautiful with many lovely walks. Although the weather was wet on several days, the Barn was always a warm and welcoming place to return to, spotlessly clean, well-equipped and peaceful, with the added bonus of chattering sparrows in the courtyard. The Devon lanes were full of primroses and wild garlic, and we were lucky enough to encounter (hear and see) Cirl buntings on our walk at Prawle Point. We made the most of our one sunny day with a walk around the estuary starting out from the free Aveton Gifford car park, through Stadbury and around to Bantham, crossing the creek by ferry and then walking back to base via Bigbury through lovely farmland and lanes on the other side.

- Susan, April 2018

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Summary

Two ground floor bedrooms with doors to courtyard: 1 x super king double (can convert to twin) with en suite bathroom with bath, shower over, WC and basin, 1 x super king double with en suite shower room with shower, WC and basin
Utility area with freezer and washing machine
First floor open plan living space with seating area with wood burning stove, dining area and kitchen and doors to balustrade.
Central heating with wood burning stove
Microwave, fridge, coffee maker, electric oven/hob, dishwasher, TV with DVD, WiFi, Fuel and power inc. in rent
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Cot and highchair available on request
Off road parking for three cars
Enclosed garden with barbecue
Sorry, no pets and no smoking.

The property

The Barn is 'upside down' and converted with enormous flair.

Upstairs, a huge, high, stylishly furnished open-plan living/kitchen/dinner (35' x 18') with beaoriginamed ceiling to the apex, wooden flooring (rugs), French windows (balustrade) overlooking the courtyard, l watercolours, woodburner, TV/DVD, iPod dock, and a well-equipped kitchen area (dishwasher, microwave, electric oven/induction hob, larder fridge, coffee maker).

Downstairs (stairgates, tiled floors/rugs): hall; two bedrooms with doors to the courtyard - a double (6' bed or twin) with en suite bathroom (suite, shower over bath), and a big L-shaped double (6' bed) with en suite shower-room (suite, power-shower).

Utility area with a washing machine and freezer.

Heated by biomass boiler using wood from local, sustainable woodland.

Warm and welcoming all year round.

Floorplans

1st FloorGround Floor

Chantry Cottages

A mile from Aveton Gifford, 300 yards down a tree-lined track off a lane, four very special places to stay within handsome former farm buildings: an airy converted barn (976186), a barn converted into a gallery (976176) overlooking meadows, a remarkable Grade II listed former music room (976188), and the orginal hayloft The Pottery (976170). A large, pretty, enclosed suntrap courtyard is shared with the friendly owners. Just outside the courtyard, a lawned walled garden (also enclosed) with camellias, fig and walnut trees, leading to another garden with a pond (unfenced) and six grassy acres with a big wildlife pond (fenced), vast lawn for picnics and croquet, a picnic table, benches with intense views and big trees to sit under. Relax, read or just enjoy the silence and let your mind wander. Bright and airy in the summer or cosy as a winter retreat, with wonderful walks from the door and beaches within easy reach. Aveton Gifford: old village (pub, PO/shop) beside the River Avon where it becomes tidal. Within 5 or 6 miles are several villages: Bigbury, Bantham and Thurlestone on an excellent and varied stretch of coast: sandy beaches, coves, cliffs, golf courses, the Avon estuary. The Chantry Cottages are a lovely base for checking out the delights of South Devon's coast and countryside, allowing you to surf, walk, check out rock pools, play golf and make sandcastles to your hearts content. A peaceful, curative oasis, good for taking it easy. Kingsbridge, 4 miles.

Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £100.

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About the location

AVETON GIFFORD

Kingsbridge 4.9 miles, Ivybridge 7.8 miles, Salcombe 8.6 miles.

Aveton Gifford is a small rural village at the head of the estuary of the River Avon in the South Hams area of the South Devon AONB. It comes with a village shop and a pub/restaurant on the outskirts. Nearby you can visit the charming market town of Kingsbridge which benefits from a range of amenities. Similarly, Ivybridge offers a choice of places to shop, eat and drink as well as providing easy access to the Dartmoor National Park which is a haven for lovers of walking and cycling. For a day by the sea, head to the ever-popular coastal resort of Salcombe.

Note: This property has a private water supply which is tested regularly.
Note: Children should be supervised in the shared gardens.

This property offers the following short breaks:

Winter
Off-season
Last minute
Christmas

The Barn

Aveton Gifford, Devon (Ref. 976186)

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Features

Reviews & Ratings

“The Barn exceeded our expectations.”

“The Barn is fantastically located with all the best beaches circa a 20 minute drive away, we didn’t really know the area before but pleasantly surprised by how well this property is located.”

“The property is in a peaceful location and fairly easy to find.”

“Great stay at barn it was perfect for little families break in Devon.”

“An excellent country stay.”

“While there was a fault with the heating timer, Nick replaced this promptly and Nick and Jo were very friendly and helpful in every way.”

“This was my second stay of 4 weeks at these cottages and again enjoyed the peaceful environment there - perfect base to explore amazing walks and locations but also a lovely place to chill out & relax.”

“Nick and Jo are very pleasant hosts and The Barn is in a beautiful remote country setting.”

“This is a lovely property, very quiet and secluded and exactly as described.”

“The website accurately depicted the barn and the booking experience was good.”

“Main bedroom bed to hard.”

“The Barn was much larger than expected but very cosy which was appreciated as the weather was very disappointing during our week.”

“Rated as 5 star however the sofas were extremely uncomfortable and need to be replaced.”

“The barn is very stylish ,well equipped and comfortable.”

“The Barn, its Courtyard and surrounding gardens where we were free to roam were beautiful.”

“The only issue we have is the drive to the complex would be unsuitable for vehicles with sports suspension which we were not made aware off until the booking was completed.”

“We really enjoyed our stay at the Barn, and found it was very child friendly which made our stay that more enjoyable.”