Last week we spent a couple of relaxing days in the Cotswolds thanks to Owners Direct. We stayed in this gorgeous farmhouse near Lechlade in Wiltshire along with New Mummy, Cafe Bebe and Baby Baby and their delightful families.
Owners Direct are an online holiday letting company who advertise cottages, houses, villas and more to let in the UK and worldwide allowing you to book direct with the property owners. They have over 30,000 properties on their books and if this one is anything to go by, they're pretty damn fabulous.
The farmhouse sleeps upto 17 people so there was no quibbling over who got which room - there were plenty double and single rooms to go around and also bliming loads of well-kitted out bathrooms. Each room as spacious and welcoming. The house is in the little hamlet of Hannington Wick, within a short drive of Burford and really not so far from Swindon or Oxford and yet it seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere - so peaceful with the gentle mooing of the cattle in the field across thr road and the purr of farming machinery every so often.
The house was well equipped with all the latest mod cons - a great big freeview TV where the children watched their favourite CBeebies programs while the adults prepared a scrumptious dinner in the aga-warmed farmhouse kitchen. We ate dinner as one great big family around the huge wooden dining table - I couldn't help thinking that this is what family meals are all about.
Owners Direct are an online holiday letting company who advertise cottages, houses, villas and more to let in the UK and worldwide allowing you to book direct with the property owners. They have over 30,000 properties on their books and if this one is anything to go by, they're pretty damn fabulous.
The farmhouse sleeps upto 17 people so there was no quibbling over who got which room - there were plenty double and single rooms to go around and also bliming loads of well-kitted out bathrooms. Each room as spacious and welcoming. The house is in the little hamlet of Hannington Wick, within a short drive of Burford and really not so far from Swindon or Oxford and yet it seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere - so peaceful with the gentle mooing of the cattle in the field across thr road and the purr of farming machinery every so often.
The house was well equipped with all the latest mod cons - a great big freeview TV where the children watched their favourite CBeebies programs while the adults prepared a scrumptious dinner in the aga-warmed farmhouse kitchen. We ate dinner as one great big family around the huge wooden dining table - I couldn't help thinking that this is what family meals are all about.
As the evening grew colder we were tempted to light one of the open fires but the central heating meant we didn't really need to! The smell of the old embers was enough to get the wintry feeling!
We found the house had just the right amount of space for the children to run amok without constantly falling over one another. We didn't feel like we were all miles apart and living in our own little family units, but likewise, we didn't feel like we were being forced to live in close proximity to people who were, essentially, strangers. As we fell asleep that night, Mr. B. and I were thinking about how the farmhouse would make the perfect location for a great big Button-family get-together, perhaps for a family birthday, a bank holiday or for Christmas or New Year.
We found the house had just the right amount of space for the children to run amok without constantly falling over one another. We didn't feel like we were all miles apart and living in our own little family units, but likewise, we didn't feel like we were being forced to live in close proximity to people who were, essentially, strangers. As we fell asleep that night, Mr. B. and I were thinking about how the farmhouse would make the perfect location for a great big Button-family get-together, perhaps for a family birthday, a bank holiday or for Christmas or New Year.
The garden of the farmhouse was huge. There was lots of space for the littlies to run around safely. It felt really autumny with all the fallen apples and piles of leaves but I could just picture us out on the patio with an evening drink, or in the outer garden enjoying a family barbecue.
The farmhouse did have one or two areas unsuitable for young children - a steep wobbly staircase and one or two hidden steps, and the aga seemed all too tempting to some of them. However, with sensible parental care none of these would prevent you enjoying a holiday here with your kids.
On the following day we all enjoyed a day trip to the Cotswolds Wildlife Park - somewhere Mr. b. and I had last been on our first ever weekend away together. the park was about 20 minutes drive from the farmhouse into the depths of the Cotswolds. It was quiet and the animals were on top form. Lara particularly enjoyed the Giraffes and the Reindeer but I think Mr. B. was taken with the noisy lions and the amazing walk-through lemur area filled with screeching, jumping lemurs of all different types. Me, I loved the red pandas but the meerkats tried to win me over too!
The farmhouse did have one or two areas unsuitable for young children - a steep wobbly staircase and one or two hidden steps, and the aga seemed all too tempting to some of them. However, with sensible parental care none of these would prevent you enjoying a holiday here with your kids.
On the following day we all enjoyed a day trip to the Cotswolds Wildlife Park - somewhere Mr. b. and I had last been on our first ever weekend away together. the park was about 20 minutes drive from the farmhouse into the depths of the Cotswolds. It was quiet and the animals were on top form. Lara particularly enjoyed the Giraffes and the Reindeer but I think Mr. B. was taken with the noisy lions and the amazing walk-through lemur area filled with screeching, jumping lemurs of all different types. Me, I loved the red pandas but the meerkats tried to win me over too!
The trip to the costwolds was a great couple of days and we enjoyed spending some family time with Lara. Thanks Owners Direct.
