New House Barn

We had such high hopes and from the photos and description, thought we'd found a great little place.

The location tainted the visit sadly. The barn is located on a working mini industrial estate. A working " farm" isn't how I'd describe it .The buildings are used for different businesses and it's got a commercial look and feel with the barn being in the mix of it all. There's a camper van conversion company, knife maker etc. There are 4 big green industrial style barns/ workshops in a complex with a central tarmac parking area. Cars parked outside, vans , etc. The Ariel view should be attached because then you can make your decision informatively. Cars and vans are parked right outside the barn and from the windows, that's all you see. The advert states it's a quiet place with " nothing but birdsong" . It's located on the main A517, the major road to Ashbourne and the outside space is anything but peaceful during the day with constant loud road noise from cars and big HGVs. Getting to ' wander through the quiet country lanes ' it advertises is very tricky on foot along the A517 that has no pavement areas. The road noise can still be heard inside during the day. At night it's much quieter. The outside patio area has no views of the countryside and only 2 chairs ( the barn is for 4 people) so only 2 guests can sit outside and it's located through one of the bedrooms. The barn itself is very well kitted out with high end furnishings and finishes with everything you need. It's a great area to explore and well placed in that respect . It's such a shame. It's not a cheaper barn to book at around £250 a night (in September) . They need to be more descriptive about its location and tell you you are part of a business complex. The photos draw you in and are true to the facilities which are very good but the location is a shock, so be prepared for it. We arrived and thought we'd landed in completely the wrong place! We had to close all blinds and put lights on for privacy as workmen from the industrial buildings/ big metal roofed barns could see in. There was a large van right outside the kitchen window which overlooked the parking area for the businesses. Camper vans poked over the top of the patio fencing. There's a house directly opposite the barn entrance that shares a courtyard that can look into the bathroom and lounge so the blinds were permanently down. If you want privacy, a secluded get away and peace and quiet , it's not for you. The middle bedroom is quieter than the end bedroom and the beds were very comfortable. Can't really fault the barn. It's lovely. It's where it's placed. I would love to give it 4 stars because it's a nice barn with excellent decor and facilities internally but I'm afraid it only gets 3 as it's not a peaceful retreat as advertised. Outlooks are not good either. The side of another house, a disappointing ' broken paved courtyard area with bins , the industrial buildings which are very big. You just didn't feel ' in the countryside' at all until you got into the car and drove up the road. No views of Derbyshire hills from the barn itself. A great shame. I find it astonishing that not one of the other reviews have mentioned anything about the industrial style nature of its location and being placed next door to a business or even the road noise. Perhaps previous visitors weren't put off by this.

New house barn had plenty of space inside to relax and prepare a meal.

The sofas and beds were lovely and comfy, with good quality bedding provided. The bathroom had a lovely large bath and a reasonably sized shower, with plenty of hot water. The kitchen was well equipped with all the appliances that you would need to cook a meal. Throughout the property it was very clean and well presented. There was a welcome pack provided, which was very kind of the owners and much appreciated. The slight downside to the barn was limited enclosed outside space. Unfortunately it had been raining during our stay and the decking looked very slippery, so we didn't use this area. Also there was limited parking space outside the barn and the driveway needed to have the bushes trimmed back. Overall I would say that this is one of the best holiday cottages that we have stayed at due to the inside space and the quality of the facilities provided.

We enjoyed our stay at New House Barn, and Ben and Tracey were very welcoming.

The cottage was well fitted out, and the kitchen was lovely. The maintenance of the property was not too good, window fittings needed repair and panels on the outside had fallen off. However it’s very spacious, and well equipped. We were left a lovely cake, and other goodies, which we really appreciated. A good spot for visiting the Peak District.