The Smythy

Rating
Sleeps 6
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 1
Pets No
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Reviews

Mrs Basak
October 2018

“We had a wonderful holiday at the Smythy.”

It is perfectly positioned just outside Lechlade and our two year old birthday boy really enjoyed running around the fields and seeing all the animals. The cottage was ideal in most ways, given there was one downstairs bedroom that wasn’t accessed by precipitous stairs. Wouldn’t be suitable for some toddlers but worked well for us.

It is perfectly positioned just outside Lechlade and our two year old birthday boy really enjoyed running around the fields and seeing all the animals. The cottage was ideal in most ways, given there was one downstairs bedroom that wasn’t accessed by precipitous stairs. Wouldn’t be suitable for some toddlers but worked well for us.
mamasnooks June 2018

“Fabulous rustic hideaway”

We actually stayed in Shepherd's Rest which is the next door cottage to the Smythy but I doubt they differ much other than the Smythy sleeping more people. This was our second year visiting Riverwood cottages as a family of four with our two boys, aged 6 and 3. They are a fantastic place to stay for a break with kids (most suitable for aged 2 -10). The facilities for kids are great, the farm is ideally located just a 15 minute walk through the woods from Lechlade, where there are good pubs, cafes and boat hire on the Thames available. The farm is lovely, full of friendly animals and wonderful for playing in and wondering around. The kids loved the swimming pool. The cottages are a little basic but adequate and I think it add to the rustic charm of the place. I would totally disagree with the previous reviewer, but if you would like somewhere spotlessly clean and sterile, perhaps look elsewhere. We found our cottage clean and equipped to a reasonable standard, the owners had improved the range of kitchenware after feedback the previous year. Sadly they were no longer offering the animal feeding tour this year due to negative reviews/feedback which I thought was a real shame as the kids loved it - you are not paying £5 just to feed them but we also got a full tour, introduction and history of all the animals and the farm itself. Well worth it I felt, especially as you had about an hour of their time. Tom did ours last year, he was lovely. Anyway, please don't believe all you read, we found our cottage totally adequate and clean. Valid issues are that the walls are a bit thin so you can hear the neighbours banging about a bit sometimes at night and it can get quite hot in the top room if hot outside but this is much improved by leaving the windows open in the evening to allow a bit of a through draft. There is only a hand held shower for use sitting in the bath, a fixture so you could stand with a shower curtain would be preferable, I would agree. Minor gripes though, overall I rate our stay very highly, a little utopia in a busy, over stressed and sanitised world. Thanks - we'll be back.
Mrs Mustoe June 2018

“Would have liked a shower over the bath with curtain.”

Surroundings were delightful and grandchildren were able to roam on their own. Feeding the animals was the highlight of the week for them.
Forever9810 July 2017

“Fantastic Place to stay.”

This is a wonderful place for anyone to stay. I had found this place on TripAdvisor back in January. Even though it did not have many reviews, we took the chance and stayed here. I will tell you the good and bad about the place. We arrived to tea and biscuits in our room, which was very nice. Tom the owner came along a short while after to see how everything was. When I walked into the room I was a little nervous, because 2 of the rooms were up steep stairs. I have a 3 year old and I was very worried she would fall down them if she came up to us in the night. Thankfully we had no falls. I loved it here because of all the animals on the property. There are donkeys, horses, sheep, goats and chickens. All of which you can pet. We would go and visit the donkeys which my 3 year old named Jackpot and Kiki. There are also numerous play areas around the property, including big and small trampolines. There is a swimming pool which you can rent out by the hour for £5. We did not get to use the pool. We did ask if it is heated and Tom mentioned that it is heated overnight, so the best time to go swimming is as soon as it opens at 9.00am, so that way it would still be warm for a couple of hours. There are 2 washing machines and 2 dryers right next to the unit (The Smythy) where we stayed. They cost £1 each per hour, which is a great price. Lechlade is a lovely little town. Not too far away you have The Cotswold Wildlife Park. We did not go there this time, but I have been there numerous times before. That is a great day out. Now for the few things I did not like about the unit. First of all there is no freezer in this unit. We stayed in The Smythy for 7 days, we travelled around for 2 weeks and then came back for 11 more nights. We really needed a freezer during our time there. There is a fridge, oven, microwave, toaster and kettle in the unit. The next issue that was not really a big deal for me, but was for my husband and 17 year old daughter, was the shower, or lack of. It is only a hand held shower which I did know about, but you cannot hang it up like a regular shower. So you really cannot take a shower with it, but thankfully you have a bath. My last complaint and this was the biggest problem for those of us that stayed upstairs in the loft areas, was how hot it was. We had some really nice hot days during our visit and the loft areas get really really hot. The room we stayed in had a tiny window. But the loft where my daughter stayed did not. We did ask Tom if he had any fans but he did not. One other problem with the lofts are there is no where to plug anything in. We were going to buy fans ourselves and then just give them to my mum and dad when we left, but there were no sockets to plug them into up in the loft areas. They need some sort of cooling system for the loft areas, as it was miserable a couple of nights because of how hot it was. If The Smythy had a freezer and a fan in the lofts I would have rated this 5 stars. Even though I had a couple of complaints about the room, I would stay there again in a heartbeat. I loved the area, and the owners are wonderful, they are there for you if you need them.
COWLANE November 2015

“ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HOLIDAY BREAK.”

What a find !!!! We visited the barns and stayed at the Smythy in OCT 2015. It was amazing. So relaxing, back to basics, fun, happy and just a perfect holiday. I would really highly recommend this holiday for anyone who has children. There was so much for them to do in a safe environment. The woods were amazing, the trampolines excellent and the fire pit where we roasted marshmallows most evening's after 6 was something my children will never forget. The sheep in the field kept us company whilst we sat round the open fire. Just a perfect holiday. Thanks Kirsty and Josh.
jonbrooke July 2015

“Excellent place for children!”

A really lovely place to stay if you have youngish children! Lots for them to do, trampolines, tennis, swings, the friendly animals to meet, football, fishing and obviously the swimming pool, all in a quiet and very safe environment. This led to us being relaxed too which isn't always possible when you go somewhere new with 3 children aged 12, 11 and 9! The cottage itself had everything we needed for a week and the kids liked the loft style bedrooms especially. We will certainly look at staying in The Smythy again, as we had a wonderful week here and it was well priced for a family of 5. It was also our first time visiting this area but we will definitely come back as it's an incredibly beautiful part of the country.
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Riverwood Cottages @ Manor Farm

Lechlade-on-Thames 0.9 miles. Situated just a short distance from the pretty riverside town of Lechlade, these barn conversion cottages and wooden lodges are located on a family run estate on the edge of the Cotswolds, where you can sit and watch the animals on the farm or stroll through the 40 acre farm and 14 acres of woodland. These delightful properties have been lovingly created from old farm buildings and each is individually furnished and decorated, retaining much of the rustic character and charm. With lovely bedrooms, open plan living areas with exposed beams, well-equipped kitchens with dining areas and cosy sitting areas, these cottages and lodges make wonderful bases for your holiday. All of the cottages provide outdoor seating, four together in a courtyard setting and two which overlook the farm, watching the animals and enjoying alfresco dining. The two lodges on-site are set in a woodland environment and provide perfect accommodation for a romantic break or small family holiday. Step inside the lodges and you will be able to enjoy their rustic charm with simple wooden fixtures combining seamlessly with contemporary furnishings to provide a lovely base in peaceful surroundings. Spend a day on the estate where the younger children can make full use of all the swings, slides, sand pit, parkland and woodland play areas. Other facilities for children include a football pitch, scooters, plus a heated indoor swimming pool is available for all guests from the start of April until the end of October. In the woodland, guests are welcome to light the fire pit and enjoy a barbecue or spend a day at the nearby Cotswold Water Park which offers many watersports, horse riding, cycle routes and walks around the nature reserves. Take a stroll into Lechlade and enjoy the individual shops, cafes, restaurants and traditional pubs, plus there are many unspoilt Cotswold towns and villages are on the doorstep of these fantastic properties.

The property

One of four charming barn conversions in a courtyard setting which combines original exposed beams with modern furnishings, ideal for a family holiday in a beautiful part of the country.

This delightful semi-detached cottage boasts two first floor double bedrooms and a ground floor twin, along with a light and airy open plan living area with a well-equipped kitchen, a comfortable sitting area and a dining area which has doors leading guests to the front shared courtyard garden.

Note: This property can be booked with Refs. 30808, 31093, 31094, 31095 and 31096 on the farm, together they sleep 28 and with two lodges 929312 and 929313, they sleep 36.

Features

Swimming pool
Off road parking
Ground floor bedroom
Smoke-free
Garden / Patio
Cot available
Highchair available
Pub/shop < 1 mile
Washing machine
Broadband / WiFi

Accommodation

Three bedrooms: 2 x double, 1 x ground floor twin. Ground floor bathroom with bath, hand-held shower, basin and WC. Open plan living area with kitchen, dining area and sitting area. Shared external utility. The pool is available for private use at £5 per hour per property, please book in advance with the owner.

Amenities

Electric central heating
Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge, washing machine and tumble dryer in utility, TV with Freeview, DVD, radio, WiFi, selection of books, games and DVDs
Fuel and power inc. in rent
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Travel cot and highchair on request
Off road parking for 2 cars
Shared, front gravel courtyard with furniture and BBQ
Shared use of indoor heated swimming pool bookable at £5 per hour (available from the start of Apr to end of Oct)
Free shared use of small, unfenced lake
Sorry, no pets and no smoking
Shop and pub 10 mins walk
Note: Guests have access to the owner’s 40 acre estate with animals, children’s play equipment and woodland walks
Note: Unfenced lake on-site and natural hazards such as rabbit holes etc in the woodlands, children to be supervised
Note: Lake is not available for fishing
Note: The first floor mezzanine bedrooms have sloping ceilings with restricted head height and are accessed via steep open tread stairs with a curtain for privacy.

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About the location

LECHLADE-ON-THAMES

Cirencester 13 miles; Oxford 24.5 miles.

The popular riverside market town of Lechlade lies on the edge of the southern Cotswolds and has many traditional pubs, antique shops, a Londis and a Co-operative including a fuel station.

Lechlade is also home to the infamous Christmas shop (“Where it’s Christmas all year round”) and offers many river-based activities with River Thames trips available throughout the summer season.

Lechlade is steeped in history and is an excellent base for many Cotswold and River Thames walks, including the Thames Path, plus excellent fly fishing is also on offer and the town plays host to many festivals throughout the year, including the annual three day Lechlade Music Festival, featuring over 80 bands and performers.

Nearby, The Cotswold Water Park is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, covering 40 square miles, made up of 140 lakes; an area larger than the Norfolk Broads.

Britain's largest water park, it offers a wide range of activities, including boating, water skiing, fishing (some of the finest trout fishing in the country), cycling, walking, golf and horse riding.

Cirencester, known as The Capital of the Cotswolds is just a short drive away and boasts a rich and well-preserved heritage with a Roman Amphitheatre, Corinium Museum and Abbey Grounds.

The Brewery Arts Centre offers visitors a unique arts and crafts shopping experience or visit the Bathurst Estate, home to the Cirencester Polo Club where some of the highest level of polo can be seen.

Oxford, the oldest University City in England, boasts interesting Botanical Gardens, museums and libraries, and plays host to many festivals and markets throughout the year.

The ancestral home of Winston Churchill and the World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace is just a short drive away, where many lovely walks can be enjoyed around the landscaped parkland.

Within an hour's drive is Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, many unspoilt Cotswold villages and the Malvern Hills, all of which are well worth a visit..

Region Information

Cotswolds Cottage Holidays

This property offers the following short breaks:

Winter
Off-season
Last minute
Christmas

The Smythy

Lechlade-on-Thames, Gloucestershire (Ref. 31097)

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Reviews

“We had a wonderful holiday at the Smythy.”

“Fabulous rustic hideaway”

“Would have liked a shower over the bath with curtain.”

“Fantastic Place to stay.”

“ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HOLIDAY BREAK.”

“Excellent place for children!”

Riverwood Cottages @ Manor Farm

The property

Features

Accommodation

Amenities

Calculate your drive time

About the location

LECHLADE-ON-THAMES

Region Information

Search by month

Specific Date

Your selection:

Reviews

“We had a wonderful holiday at the Smythy.”

“Fabulous rustic hideaway”

“Would have liked a shower over the bath with curtain.”

“Fantastic Place to stay.”

“ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HOLIDAY BREAK.”

“Excellent place for children!”

Riverwood Cottages @ Manor Farm

The property

Features

Accommodation

Amenities

Calculate your drive time

About the location

LECHLADE-ON-THAMES

Region Information

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calendar Specific Date

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