Dog Friendly Oxfordshire Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Andy - Verified booking

  I would not want to stay here in the winter.

  Rodent sized holes under the door from the dining area to the garden look very inviting for a cold four legged critter or in fact any other critters out there. Furniture in the lounge is very stained and we were pleased we could sit in the garden due to the weather. However, the garden lights are in fact nowhere near the garden seating area so a little useless as it gets darker. The knives and forks look like they were there when the place was built and that is not a compliment as to their vintage look. Rugs, both upstairs and downstairs, are threadbare and fraying at the edges. Some of the windows are broken and the garden was quite overgrown during our stay. The key safe is in fact nowhere near the front door and so when arriving in the dark it was a challenge to find the door keys tucked around the corner nowhere near the door !! In the upstairs bathroom the sink was falling off the vanity shelf so be careful when washing in it or cleaning your teeth for fear of it parting company with the shelf, and the glass tiles are all lifting off the surface too. The bin in the bathroom also doesn’t close and needs to be replaced but was still there so contents are all on display. The pots hanging in the kitchen needed to be cleaned prior to use. In the main bedroom one wall was plastered but not painted. In the downstairs bedroom en-suite there was mold in the bathroom which has clearly not been cleaned sufficiently and the walls are showing signs of damp in the main bedroom upstairs and in the downstairs bedroom. This property is advertised as being dog friendly but there is in fact nowhere convenient for dogs to sleep as there is no door on the kitchen area and so dogs, unless kept in a bedroom with you are, free to roam around the house, which is far from ideal. Also, it seems the place must be totally cleaned tip to toe on departure which is not ideal when kicking out time is 10 am..... plus I would highly recommend taking your own towels as we have been charged for a towel with a bit of mud on it and a towel with some water based makeup on it.... having used them obviously... derrr... you would think you could !! The issue with the towels is the fact that the decision to charge for them was taken before they had been put in to a washing machine. Unless of course the linen and towels are not normally washed between guests ? This was all done without any discussion on the matter, despite us asking for better information and whether the towels had actually ventured anywhere near a washing machine or not, however the funds were simply taken from our account with zero discussion on the matter... It is also ironic that on arrival, the tea towels that were in the kitchen were absolutely filthy and we put them to one side but there was no mention of the tea towels in the “damaged towels” claim and it was a good job we took our own tea towels as directed. We would not stay at this place again and we would not use Sykes cottages again either. Their handling of the matter was to simply brush it under one of the threadbare and frayed carpets...

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• Phil - Verified booking

  From the point of booking our break, the whole process was very simple, communication was great and everything we needed to know was made available.

  The stay at Swallows, 1 the old stables was everything we hoped it would be and more. Imagine a modern stylish barn conversion containing everything you need, set in beautiful countryside surrounded by animals and run by wonderfully relaxed, positive happy people and you're close. We were made to feel welcome from the second we arrived. We followed the winding road past fields of sheep and horses up to the farmhouse and barns, the key was in a key safe at the door, we entered the accommodation and were taken back at the quality and cleanliness, everything was thought of to make our stay an easy one. There was even milk and some amazing cookies waiting for us! The pillows were so good that my wife ordered some for our home. The Thames pathway runs along the back of the farm and offers some amazing walks. There was so much to do in the area but in all honesty we could've easily relaxed at the farm all day watching the world go by and having fun at the farm. We had our two children and dog with us and providing you respect and appreciate where you are then you're pretty much free to roam. We kept our dog on the lead whilst walking around the farm but there was plenty of opportunity for him to run around whilst out and about. Our children were able to see and learn about all the animals, we even got to watch a farrier changing some horse shoes. Everyone at the farm was so friendly and helpful and made our stay what it was. If you want a clean, modern relaxing break but with enough happening around you to keep you interested, in a beautiful location then this is perfect. It exceeded all our expectations and was exactly what we needed.

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• Rustom - Verified booking

  Absolutely amazing stay at Tawney's Farm!

  ! I highly recommend you come and visit. Our family of four was very comfortable in the modern and spacious accommodation at "Swallows". Everything was immaculate and the cottage was fully stocked. All of the appliances worked perfectly and there was lightning fast internet. The farm is located steps away from the Thames Path hiking trail and the local pub, The Harcourt Arms, is very nice indeed. Stanton Harcourt is a charming village dotted with thatched cottages. There are two cottages and a shepherd's hut and I could imagine larger groups having a blast here. This is a proper working family farm in an amazing setting. We were made to feel most welcome. Our hosts (the farm owners) Rachel and Dave were incredibly kind and friendly. Their kids also work at the farm and it was great to meet them and see them in action! This is buzzing and busy and fun place for families. Our kids were welcome to pet the horses and lambs and the sheepdog, Bo, was a superstar. Thank you Rachel and Dave! We will be back again some time!

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• Anne - Verified booking

  Swallows is a beautiful, practical and comfortable holiday cottage set next to the farmyard of a working farm.

  We enjoyed a superb family holiday with our teenage daughters and dog and all of us would love to return to Tawney’s farm as soon as possible. The accommodation is perfect as it is stylish yet sturdy enough to feel relaxed in on a family holiday. The kitchen is well equipped, the wet room shower is excellent and the beds are very comfortable. The cottage is well insulated with underfloor heating and I imagine it will be just as comfortable in winter as summer. The outdoor space was great to relax in and watch farm life and ideal for a BBQ in the evening. My daughters (and myself) were thrilled to be able to bottle feed Joey the lamb- a highlight of our stay. My horse-mad daughter loved being close to the horses and could even watch the through the lounge and bedroom window. Thank you to all the Matheson family for making us feel so welcome. We couldn’t have hoped for more accommodating hosts and we all really enjoyed talking to them during our stay.

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• Elizabeth - Verified booking

  We had the best holiday ever at The Swallows!

  Dave and Rachel and their family made us feel so welcome, we absolutely loved chatting to them and they now feel like family! The cottage was exquisite and we loved meeting the cats and horses and Bo the border collie. What a treat for us to spend a week in this magical place. Our favourite walk was across the fields and down to the Thames where we could take our little dog Bells for lovely long walks and see the swans and other water birds and also to the lock and the houseboats that moor here. We also loved exploring the standing stones nearby that Rachel and Dave told us about. The cottage itself was fabulous, absolutely perfect, and so comfortable for the two of us and my dad who is in his 80’s, the walk in shower was ideal for him. We will definitely be back and have already recommended to friends and family that they should visit too.

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