Large Country Idyll for Families or Party Groups - Sleeps 18, Hot Tub & Garden
Ridgeway House is a gorgeous, light & airy barn style house set in the heart of the North Wessex Downs. There's ample room for 16 guests across 5 bedrooms and sleeping for a further 2 on sofa beds when needed. Everyone can gather around the large dining table for delicious feasts and a seperate games room beckons for those who fancy a game of pool. 2 Bedrooms with ensuite shower rooms and a further 2 bathrooms adjacent to the remaining bedrooms. Sink deep into the sofas and watch your favourite programme on the large Freeview TV or surround yourself in bubbles in the hot tub which is on all year round. Watch the racehorses at sunrise galloping in the distance then relax over breakfast with friends or family! Right in the heart of the Downs and close to the ancient Ridgeway path, there are fabulous scenic walks on your doorstep. When you're hungry and tired The Plough at Eastbury can conjure up delicious fayre or the White Horse on the hill will stretch your legs then treat yourself to a fabulous lunch at The White Horse Inn. Highclere Castle home to the BBC Downton Abbey series is just a 25 minute car ride away. The historic market towns of Hungerford, Marlborough and King Alfred's birthplace Wantage are just a few minutes car journey away. A fabulous day out at Newbury Racecourse providing all the thrills and spills is also just a few moments away. There's no need to slave over a hot stove either as local caterers can be on hand to cook you up a storm and tailor to your every need. However, a large Flavel Range cooker is there for those who like to be hands on. During the summer months a large 75cm BBQ with gas provided is ready for you. The extensive garden has plenty of space for any outdoor activities you may like to organise such as zorbing, mobile archery or for something more tranquil such as chocolate making or afternoon tea. Plenty of parking on site ensures no one has to walk far to the doorstep. Crisp white bed linen is provided for everyone with fluffy towels for bathroom use.
Property manager
Iris
Languages
English, French
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No Stag Parties
No Smoking inside the house
Outside noise restricted after 11pm
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events are allowed on site
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
A car is recommended for transport to and from this property
About the area
Hungerford
Located in Hungerford, this holiday home is in a rural area. Watermill Theatre and Arts Theatre are cultural highlights, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit Bakers Yard and Greenbridge Retail Park. Travelling with kids? Consider Newbury Showground, or check out an event or a game at The Energy Check County Ground. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Hungerford, England
What's nearby
Uffington White Horse - 13 min drive - 14.4 km
Welford Park - 16 min drive - 13.9 km
North Wessex Downs - 21 min drive - 21.8 km
Newbury Racecourse - 29 min drive - 32.1 km
Highclere Castle - 32 min drive - 34.9 km
Getting around
Didcot Parkway Station - 22 min drive
Oxford (OXF) - 62 min drive
Restaurants
Royal Oak Inn - 15 min drive
Wildwood Restaurants - 16 min drive
Subway - 10 min drive
The Swan - 15 min drive
Costa Coffee - 15 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Large Country Idyll for Families or Party Groups - Sleeps 18, Hot Tub & Garden pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
What time is check-in at Large Country Idyll for Families or Party Groups - Sleeps 18, Hot Tub & Garden?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Large Country Idyll for Families or Party Groups - Sleeps 18, Hot Tub & Garden?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Large Country Idyll for Families or Party Groups - Sleeps 18, Hot Tub & Garden located?
Located in a rural location, this family-friendly holiday home is within 9 mi (15 km) of Ashdown House, The West Berkshire Golf Club and Uffington Castle. Wayland's Smithy and Welford Park are also within 9 miles (15 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We had an amazing time here for a hen party. From the time we booked to when we left the property the communication and hosts were fantastic - nothing was too much trouble. The house was beautiful with plenty of space for entertaining. Thank you so much, we had a wonderful time!
We spent a gorgeous couple of days at this lovely property, the most beautiful surroundings, race horses and peacocks and ample space for all 16 of us! A lovely warm welcome and and delightful stay, wish we could do it all over again! Thank you
We stayed here for my sisters hen do and had the best time! The house was great (although you could use some more mirrors around the place but us girls made it work 😂). The secret garden was a nice place for sunset drinks and there’s a bigger field we were able to use for laser clay pigeon shooting!
The grounds are beautiful. Didn’t realise how many horses would be around to add to the beautiful scenery. Plus two cute little pugs came to visit on the first day!
Hannah was an absolute diamond! Super lovely. Super helpful. Super accommodating. Thank you so much for having us!
Brittany S.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023
6/10 Okay
Lucy o.
2 Jul 2023
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness
Hen Do: Great communal space; not the cleanest
We had 13 people to stay for a 3 day hen weekend.
Pros:
- Great communication from the property manager
- Fantastic location, close to London and easy to get to
- An inside table that could seat the entire hen party
- A good number of bathrooms (although bathroom downstairs is accessed through garden/bedroom)
- Lots of space to park
- Towels and bed linen provided and clean
Cons:
- We were overall quite disappointed with the cleanliness of the property. It was in desperate need of a deep clean. Lots of spiders webs, unclean plates (all had to be washed before use) and walls looked dirty
- The carpet is due a change - quite stained and discoloured from years of use
- The decor could also do with an update, all quite dated and random
This house is a good place to bring people together and we enjoyed the local walks and communal space. I would just advise managing expectations and we did get a bit of a shock about how scuffed it was inside.
I booked this house for a summer weekend with my friends to celebrate my 30th birthday. We had so much fun and the house was a perfect house to celebrate in!
The only slight Downside I would say is that the hot tub wasn’t hot enough when we arrived on the first day, it was only 24 degrees when we checked in and even by 11pm at night it was still chilly, only reaching 28/29. so we didn’t have an enjoyable experience using the tub on first night. Second day and night was fine. The hot tub should of been at 35+ at least when we arrived so we could go straight in it if we wanted to.
The other downside I would say as a guest is the amount of clearing up we had to do before we left so we wouldn’t be hit with additional charges, which are jobs the cleaner should be doing anyway, regardless of “covid”. I didn’t agree that we had to strip our beds before we left and make sure the dish washer was empty. We had to stop the dishwasher half way through its cycle to wash it up by hand so we could leave. I felt like being at home again and not a trip away. Instead of relaxing and enjoying the time away, it felt like we spent a lot of time cleaning (we didn’t make much mess either).
The house is in a lovely area so perfect if you want to go out for a nice walk and visit the local high street :-) thank you!
We stayed at Ridgeway House for a hen do and had a fantastic time. There is plenty of room both inside the property and outside (a garden that is almost like a small field allowed us to put on games!) The hot tub was a great feature and we also hired a private chef to make dinner one evening - the property owners were very helpful offering recommendations for that and many other activities.
Booking process and communication were excellent. Covid-19 Lockdown restrictions were the only concern but we went ahead with reduced numbers and had a lovely weekend. The house is huge so plenty of room for everyone. The hot tub was a hit with all, as was the pool table.
Went for a walk from the house and foraged plums, crab apples, hazelnuts, blackberries and elderberries from the hedgerows.
Kitchen was very well equipped and we enjoyed using the barbecue. Grandchildren also enjoyed the play area. Collecting dropped peacock feathers was the highlight for them!
All in all a relaxing, comfortable stay and a lovely family celebration.
Angi D.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
About the host
Hosted by Iris
Ridgeway House belongs to my brother handed down from our parents. We were lucky to grow up in this rural spot enjoying cats, dogs, geese, chickens and horses. It was hardwork as animals mean early mornings and late evenings with plenty of labour and no foreign holidays but we were richly rewarded clattering around on the ponies to see who could go the fastest. The house is a converted outbuilding that used to stable horses 25 years ago. Our parents purchased the site in 1979 and was ran it as a riding school with 20 horses having the freedom of the local pastures. It's an area of outstanding natural beauty with picturesque rolling downland perfect for 4 legged animals. Surrounded by thoroughbred racehorses the village is also famous for the movie 'Champions' (1984) starring John Hurt who played Bob Champion a steeple chase jockey who was diagnosed with cancer but fought it and won the Grand National in 1981. It was filmed on the gallops you can see in the short distance from the house, bring your binoculars as you may spot a steed early in the morning on the gallops. For the last 5 years it's been used for short term holiday rental for many different celebrations. We've been lucky enough to witness many happy faces come and go!
Why they chose this property
This charming, attractive and light filled house has characterful beams, floor to ceiling glazing, cosy spaces and a large dining table for gathering everyone. A hot tub that's on throughout your stay and a fabulous large garden for fun packed games. There's plenty of parking and Ultra Fast Fibre Optic Broadband WiFi for all to enjoy. Download favourite playlists and dance the night away. Watch a movie on the Smart TV or gather round the dining table to play exciting board games! Your favourite supermarket can deliver then take your picnic into the garden or fire up the BBQ. Collect freshly made organic dishes or ingredients on your way to the house at Saddleback Farm Food shop for special relaxed evenings or invite a caterer in to prepare that special celebration meal. The ample sized kitchen means you can also cook up a feast. Crisp, white bedlinen is ready so you can fall into dreams when the evening closes.
What makes this property unique
Rural retreat! Peace and tranquility. The ultimate in relaxation! Hot tub to while away the hours. Large garden with swings, slide & Wendy House for any little ones. Fabulous walks on the doorstep. Light & welcoming dining room to seat 18 Gorgeous barn style interior!