A fabulous stay at Heel Barn
Review Submitted: August 8, 2009
Date of Stay: July 2009
We celebrated my husband's birthday with his friends and their kids at Heel Barn.
We live in Singapore and have to trust that our bookings on the internet are going to be as good as they promise on the web-sites. It's not often that a place exceeds expectations, but Heel Barn just blew us away. The design is brilliant. From the minimalist yet cosy interior design, to the fabulous "walk in" fridge (we all want one in our dream homes now!), and the well equipped kitchen with 3 ovens no less !
It is extremely child friendly too, with 2 of the bedrooms able to accommodate 3 kids in a fun layout. This is the first holiday let that has been able to accommodate 16 people so comfortably, without having to resort to mattresses on the floor or sofa-beds. And there is a vast outdoor grassed area for the kids to run around in and burn off energy, while the puzzled sheep look on in the field just in front. It's idyllic! Everyone also loved the pool table, which is positioned right in the middle of the living area, with an "Arco" lamp as a funky alternative lighting over the table. A nice touch.
And there were so many nice touches. Compilation cds, dvds, croissants on arrival, fresh flowers. The list goes on.
But the best part about our stay was the incredible service we received from the owner, Lorraine. From the booking, right through to when we checked out. Nothing was too much trouble.
I had wanted to arrange for a catered birthday dinner on the Saturday and Lorraine arranged all the details, from the chef and waiter to the extensive menu and all the wines, all via email, getting everything that I requested down to the last detail. Even the unusual special request of a carrot cake as the birthday cake ! I was very specific about what I wanted and at each turn, Lorraine came up trumps !
As for the chef that she recommended, Francesco, he did an incredible job, with the help of his brother who doubled up as assistant chef and waiter. Francesco laid on a feast for a king, which was devoured with gusto by both adults and children ! And because there is a walk in fridge, we were able to put the leftover platters straight onto the spacious shelves, and proceeded to eat the rest of the delicious food until the end of our stay. Our friends are still talking about that dinner !
We had an amazing stay and we highly recommend it, particularly for groups of friends and families. Congratulations Lorraine on raising the standard of holiday lettings !
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
No
Helpful votes: 1/1
marks the location of the property in South East England
