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The Winery

The Winery

4.9
out of 5
Ratings from 184 reviews
100% of guests
recommend
Cleanliness
4.9
Comfort
4.9
Condition
4.9
Location
4.9
Value
4.7
Customer
Service
5.0



For a large group get-together in Devon, The Winery, one of the four cottages at Higher Wiscombe, is perfect for up to twenty guests, set in gorgeous countryside, at the centre of the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural beauty, just a few miles from the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. With no traffic noise to break the peace, no pylons to spoil the views and no light pollution to hide the stars, Higher Wiscombe is just the place to escape the rat race and relax together.

Back in the seventies, the famous front man of The Shadows, Hank Marvin, lived here and always referred to Higher Wiscombe as his “Devon Estate”. There is even a plaque on the front of the farmhouse to celebrate the fact.

In more recent years, Higher Wiscombe has been transformed into four 5-star, gold award winning holiday cottages. Awards include Best Self-Catering Business and Best Dog Friendly Accommodation in England plus the prestigious Visit England Rose Award for outstanding customer service and a Green Tourism Gold Award.

There is a heated swimming pool and a games barn with table football and ping pong. The swimming pool is heated by a biomass boiler from May to October and guests staying at the cottages are given time slots for exclusive use.

The Higher Wiscombe cottages are surrounded by our 52-acre slice of Devon countryside, which provides amazing views in all directions and wonderful walks from the doorstep. Each cottage also has its own enclosed garden with quality dining furniture and gas BBQ's.

Stepping inside the cottages, the finish and furnishings are of the highest standards of contemporary comfort, with the traditional character of high beamed ceilings, well equipped farmhouse kitchens with range cookers. Underfloor heating keeps the cottages lovely and warm in winter and the slate and tiles floors keep you cool in summer. All the cottages have meshed Wi Fi and large TV’s. All the bedrooms in all four cottages are ensuite and the beds are made up with cool, quality Egyptian cotton linen. We can help with baby and toddler gear including cots and highchairs.

Accommodation overview

The Winery (sleeps 20 + baby), has been beautifully restored and recently extended to combine contemporary comfort with traditional character, featuring exposed red brick walls and old oak beams. The living room, dining area and kitchen is open plan, with slate floors and underfloor heating, squashy sofas, wood burning stoves, large flatscreen TV’s, soundbar and vast oak dining tables, with room for up to 34. There is even a bar. The Winery has meshed Wi Fi throughout.

There are two kitchens, and the oak and granite farmhouse-style kitchen areas are extremely well equipped, with range cookers with gas hobs and electric ovens, large fridge/freezers, dishwashers, Dualit Toasters, microwaves. There is also a pantry room, with industrial dishwasher, storage, extra fried and freezer space and an additional sink area and washing machine.

All bedrooms are carpeted and some have space for a cot, with a wooden cot or travel cot available. four bedrooms have six-foot sleigh beds and other six bedrooms can be set up as either a six-foot double or three foot twins, all have ensuite bath rooms.

There are two separate cloakrooms and the laundry room has a washing machine and tumble dryer in the boiler room. The Winery has a private garden, patio terrace, and elevated terrace with far reaching views of the Devon countryside. For relaxing and dining outdoors, we provide quality external furniture and a Weber gas BBQ. Four legged friends are welcome in The Winery with a dog crate and mat, bowls, pet throws and towel and treats all provided. EV charging is available on site

Perfect stay, thank you.

Review submitted on Sun, 30 Mar 2025
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Beautiful home, stunning view's and everything we could have wished for. Super friendly hosts and very accommodating. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

Anna from Exeter stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in March 2025


Wonderful, luxury accommodation

Review submitted on Sun, 23 Feb 2025
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a lovely stay at The Winery. The house was perfect. lovely and warm, beautifully furnished and very well equipped. Hosts were charming and very attentive. Would recommend to any large groups looking for a peaceful break. The house is modern but cosy and the views and setting are breathtaking. Would return in a heartbeat

Kathryn from Bournemouth stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in February 2025


Sensational venue

Review submitted on Wed, 05 Feb 2025
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed in the Winery in late Jan. Property is stunning, all bedrooms are lovely, communal space is amazing and every one of who stayed has gone home raving about the Winery to their friends and family.

Lorna was very quick to communicate, and very accommodating for our few special requests (inc bringing some DJ equipment!). She was available if needed but otherwise left us to have the run of the place and enjoy the wonderful property and surroundings.

The property is very thoughtfully set up and we didn't find anything missing that we needed - vast amounts of glasses and cocktail kit etc. and plenty of fridge space.

Underfloor heating was lovely - even too warm at times.

We had an Indian Takeaway delivered for Ottery, which was great considering how remote the property is.

Views from the main living area across the valley are sensational and perhaps not something you can appreciate from the pictures.

All in all, our stay could not have been better. This place is an absolute gem in the winter - it must be off the scale in spring/summer! We have all agreed that we will be back - regardless of whether we have a special event to celebrate or not!


Toby James from Cheltenham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in January 2025


Perfect for a private off-site Business Meeting

Review submitted on Sun, 12 Jan 2025
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We booked the Winery for our combined New Year planning meeting, and wanted to combine it with our Team Christmas Party. The Winery was perfect in every way, huge amounts of modern, clean space, and really well equipped. Every bedroom had an ensuite, and just felt much more private and personal than when we have previously used hotels. We also used one of their recommended chefs to come in and cook for the main event dinner. We had a good selection of chefs to choose from, and it was a huge success, no prep, cooking or washing up. Great value too, as we were able to go and choose some really nice wine from a recommended local Wine shop. There is a huge amount of fridge space, a gorgeous bar, and pub-style dishwasher that everybody had to have a turn with. Would have no hesitation recommending Higher Wiscombe to a business thinking about an offsite or retreat, Lorna the owner could not have been more helpful, we have already booked again, same time next year.

Alex from Honiton stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in January 2025


An amazing place to stay, great host, great location

Review submitted on Fri, 10 Jan 2025
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Our recent stay ay the Winery was fabulous. From the first contact with our hosts everything was great. Plenty of information was provided beforehand and Lorna was happy to help in anyway she could to make our stay.

The house was very well presented, very clean and very well equipped. Its is the first holiday house we have stayed in to have such a great array of cooking pots, pans and utensils. Lorna even brought over some extra serving spoons for us from her own kitchen!

All of the family thoroughly enjoyed their stay. We would love to go back!


Jane from Maidstone stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in December 2024


All very good

Review submitted on Sun, 03 Nov 2024
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a lovely family holiday at the winery especially as the swimming pool was still open. Lorna was most welcoming.
There was an unfortunate water tank leak but we worked around it. One of us was even able to use another empty cottage for a zoom job interview! We hadn’t quite realised that all the stairs were circular but our family with young children could all stay in the downstairs bedroom meaning the two year old had no reason to use them.


Sarah from Guildford stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in October 2024


Absolutely fantastic 5 star rural getaway

Review submitted on Fri, 11 Oct 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
It is an amazing property for a large group with every detail taken care of for your stay. The host (Lorna) is wonderful and promptly responds to any query before and during the stay. The property itself is of very high standards with ample room for 20 people but at the same time enjoy evenings together in a large dining and lounge area. It is highly recommended.
The Winery is located in a little remote area in Devon with beautiful surroundings allowing you to enjoy with friends/family.

Thank you team Higher Wiscombe for a memorable long weekend.


Urmil from Morganstown, Cardiff stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2024


We didn’t want to leave!

Review submitted on Sun, 06 Oct 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
What a fabulous place! All of our 26 guests and two dogs (we booked Thatched as well) were blown away by the property. Everything from the standard of the bedrooms to the communal areas had been given so much thought. The attention to detail was excellent. The website was also impressive, giving so much detail. Lorna was very accommodating with all our requests before we arrived and during our stay. We were lucky with the weather, although it wasn’t good enough to tempt us into the swimming pool!
The bar was the most popular meeting spot!
The location is stunning and the peace and quiet was much appreciated.
Thank you for the recommendation of the caterers Fed and Pickled who served a fantastic three course meal on the Saturday night.


Janine from Hinckley stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in September 2024


40th Weekend with friends

Review submitted on Sun, 29 Sep 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Wow, what can we say, this is the perfect location for a birthday weekend away. The house it set up perfectly for a group, with excellent bedrooms, fantastic social & cooking space. The location is peaceful with beautiful views and walks locally.

I would highly recommend this place for your trip and we hope to be back


Ben from Fleet stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2024


Celebration

Review submitted on Wed, 25 Sep 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Wonderful place for a Celebration of Life with family and friends - Lorna and Alistair are wonderful hosts and the location in Devon is fabulous.

Maxine from stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2024


Family holiday

Review submitted on Sun, 28 Jul 2024
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Lorna is a great host, responding very quickly to any request, even put away our supermarket shop, and posted back something we left behind.

Fantastic to have 10 bedrooms all ensuite, and the app supplied has so much information, setting is beautiful , highly recommend


Kerry from Nottingham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2024


A good place for a family celebration remote in the Devon Countryside

Review submitted on Wed, 12 Jun 2024
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Firstly we would like to thank Alistair & Lorna for enabling us to change to the Winery where we could all be together to belatedly celebrate our golden wedding. This meant that we spent time together celebrating while allowing people with diverse preferences to do 'their own thing'. The grandchildren enjoyed the pool, playing hide an seek in the fields and the short drive to the sea and the Seaton Tram. Our second grandson gave the Winery five stars. The kitchen and barbecue were more than adequate to prepare meals for all of us while at other times and in different groupings we ate out. Our daughter was glad of the standard of comfort and accommodation within driving distance of good restaurants. The frailer members of our party were also satisfied. It was nice to have en-suite rooms and, for three members of the party, access to baths. I enjoyed the scenery, views (particularly that of the farm on the opposite hill) and, despite variable weather, a few good walks. It is worth saying that it is quite a long walk to the nearest pubs so it is better to stock up with any drinks needed (for to quote Jerome K Jerome "Thirst is a dangerous thing.") and indeed food. It is ia nice place to sit and enjoy them as one looks across the valley.

Keith from MILTON KEYNES stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2024


We will be back!

Review submitted on Sun, 19 May 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A week away with extended family to celebrate milestone birthdays. Fantastic high standard accommodation every attention to detail. Plenty of space for everyone all
rooms en-suite. Stunning views all around the property. Good location for beaches and attractions. Owners very friendly and go over and above to ensure your stay is perfect. The Winery really exceeded our expectations, which due to the easy to navigate and very professional website was high any way! Thoroughly recommend a stay here. Download the app extremely helpful.


Sara from Windlesham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2024


Great stay 30th birthday celebrations

Review submitted on Tue, 23 Apr 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We found The Winery whilst trying to find a location for 20 friends and family to celebrate a surprise 30th birthday week. The Winery had it all. Lots and lots of space for us all, every room has an en suite bathroom which is a real bonus. The outside dining area and terrace is fantastic. I did breakfast and tea mostly on the gas BBQ which was a great treat. Honestly cant fault it. Short drive from Beer, Sidmouth and Lyme Regis. All have great pubs and nice beach walks. We did try to walk from the house to the local pub, however it is off a main road and with the dog and no paths we decided against it. There is some public footpaths not far from the cottage but we did not get chance to explore them. Overall it was a great week, the owners were lovely and it had everything we needed. There is also plenty of glasses, plates, cutlery etc. And the bar area with 2 good side fridges came in handy with all our drinks. We was out of season for the outdoor pool but maybe next time. Thanks from all of us.

Phil from Cannock stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in April 2024


A Weekend at the Winery

Review submitted on Thu, 18 Apr 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Excellent accommodation in a spectacular setting. The host was extremely helpful in us arranging our holiday and during our stay.
The property was clean and in excellent condition with a well equipped kitchen and plenty of living space to accommodate a family birthday party weekend as well as lovely en-suite bedrooms.
Would highly recommend.


David from Cardiff stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2024


Group of 5 families, annual Easter holiday

Review submitted on Sun, 07 Apr 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We’ve stayed at The Winery multiple times, we love the changes/improvements to the property over recent years. The open plan lounge/dining area is perfect for our whole group. All bedrooms are equally comfortable which is not always the case in some other properties we’ve stayed in.

Julie from Coventry stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in March 2024


Absolutely Excellent!

Review submitted on Thu, 07 Mar 2024
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We have just returned from a stay at The Winery, which was absolutely excellent. 18 adults came together for a surprise Birthday
and we all thoroughly enjoyed our weekend break. Lorna and Alistair made fantastic recommendations and the information app about the cottage was a fantastic resource, so everyone knew all about the property before arriving! We were blessed with amazing weather and had an action packed Segway experience local to the property, enjoyed a brilliant evening being catered for by a local private chef, who delivered the most fantastic 3 course meal with Canapés. Then Sunday Lunch at The Masons Arms. We would love to return and highly recommend everything! Thank you for being wonderful hosts!


Elizabeth from Kingswear, Dartmouth stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in March 2024


A very special property

Review submitted on Mon, 13 Nov 2023
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed at The Winery for five days in November with a large group of friends, all of us over 70.
We chose it because all the bedrooms are en-suite and also because we always self-cater and the lower ground floor kitchen and living area meant we could spend the evenings all together in a huge, very comfortable, space.
The property was immaculately clean and the kitchen was fully equipped to cope with 20+ guests.
The location is beautiful, even in a very wet Autumn. Lots of pheasants on the drive and in the fields and hedges!
We did a lot of walking, both on the coast paths and in the seaside towns, and used the train from Honiton to visit Exeter.
The outside eating area would be wonderful in the spring and summer, but we had to be content with stargazing from the upper balcony. Amazing!



Guest from FARNHAM stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in November 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, really appreciate you taking the time to write it. Really pleased the break worked so well for you and look forward to welcoming you once again. Best regards Alistair

Excellent group venue

Review submitted on Sun, 08 Oct 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed at the Winery for a week. We were a group of 16 people ranging from 8 months to 76.
The house is brilliantly big, with a variety of spaces for people to congregate as a group or spread out into smaller groups.
There was a bar and a space for dancing too.
The hosts put away our shopping for us, which was so helpful, and we ordered in one of the chefs for a catered meal on one of the nights, which was incredible. I would highly recommend Ruthie. She was so careful about allergies and dietary preferences and made the most incredible food.
The pool was lovely, with amazing views.
The location was perfect for exploring Devon and its beaches.


Monika from Manchester stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in September 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the brilliant review, really grateful.Hope very much to see you again. Best regards Alistair

Great place, location and host

Review submitted on Tue, 26 Sep 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This place was perfect for a big family staycation in Devon. Lorna was great from start to finish, organising the rooms and our specific needs. Great location, not to far from all the activities we had planned, and close to supermarkets for our grocery needs. We all had a wonderful time! Love to visit again.

Nehal from Barking stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review, glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you her again soon ;-) Best regards Alistair

Great location and well kept cottages

Review submitted on Mon, 25 Sep 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Really nicely kept, large cottage in a beautiful location. Was perfect for a big group and owners were very helpful, answering all our questions!

Guest from Bath stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in September 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review, much appreciated. Hope to see you here again oneway. Best regards Alistair

Great stay in Winery and Thatched

Review submitted on Sun, 03 Sep 2023
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We were a large group and stayed in Thatched and Winery. So easy to book and the hosts were great setting things up. Lovely location and accommodation and it really did easily accommodate a large number of families. Eating and socialising together was great and the kitchen pretty much had everything you could need and there was an additional bonus that there was a separate kids living room. We all had a fantastic time, thanks so much

Guest from St Albans stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review and really pleased that your stay was a great success, best regards Alistair

What a great weekend.

Review submitted on Fri, 07 Jul 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I booked this property for my wife’s 40th and it didn’t disappoint. The facilities were excellent and the owners are on site if you have any questions or problems which is great.

Jermaine from Waltham Cross stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in June 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the kind review, much appreciated. Best regards Alistair

60th birthday celebrations

Review submitted on Thu, 29 Jun 2023
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a fabulous holiday with all the family to celebrate my 60th.
The Winery was just perfect for large families with plenty of space and great facilities.
Hosts were very friendly and helpful


Guest from Glastonbury stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, really appreciate it. Best regards Alistair

Stunning location for a business meeting or indeed a holiday and amazing house

Review submitted on Mon, 12 Jun 2023
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We spent two days at the Winery for our recent team meeting, It was the perfect place to stay. Really felt that we connected with each other and with nature. I was apprehensive about the internet but it worked absolutely perfectly for all. Great success!
Thank you so much and can't recommend highly enough.


Fiona from Maidenhead stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in June 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, appreciate it, and hope to see you back again one day. Best regards Alistair

Our family of 23 all had a most relaxing, comfortable stay. Thank you tour warm & helpful host Lorna

Review submitted on Thu, 01 Jun 2023
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The long weekend at the Winery & Thatched met all our expectations. A warm & friendly greeting from Lorna made us feel at ease to ask if any help was needed. The website is very user friendly and saved me having to send separate directions & instructions to all the family.
We look forward to coming back sometime to explore the area a little more


Sally from Cullompton stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, and hope we will see you all back again one day. Best regards Alistair

Wondeful

Review submitted on Wed, 24 May 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Travelled here with 17 friends. Had a wonderful time and Lorna was extremely helpful. Would visit again.

Henry from Cwmbran stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for choosing us, really appreciate it, see you again soon we hope. Best regards Alistair

I would definitely recommend

Review submitted on Wed, 03 May 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
From the start of my enquiries the owners were quick to reply and provide information.

The property was for a big birthday celebration for a party of 21 people.

The property was beautiful, all the bedrooms were good sizes.

The photos are amazing and so is the property.


Sharon from Southampton stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review. much appreciated. So pleased that you had a great time. Best regards Alistair

Annual holiday with a group of 5 families.

Review submitted on Wed, 19 Apr 2023
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We have been coming to Higher Wiscombe since our children were young. They are all adults now. The Winery is the most comfortable and suitable for the needs of our large group consisting of 5 families. We've been to many different houses over the past 20 years but we keep coming back to this one. The new addition of the outside balcony area is wonderful when the sun comes out. The extended living/dining area is perfect to fit us in altogether, whether we are eating, playing games or just watching the TV. The location is great. Very peaceful, lovely walks (for the more fit amongst us). Looking forward to our next visit in 2024

Julie from Coventry stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in April 2023


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Lovely to welcome you back and really appreciate you leaving the review. Looforward to seeing you next year :-) Best regards Lorna

A little bit of heaven, perfect for a large family group

Review submitted on Sun, 16 Apr 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
There were 20 of us - 10 adults. 10 children and three dogs and it could not have been more perfect.The house provides individual privacy with 10 beautifully decorate en suite bedrooms and large communal areas where we could eat and ply together wothout ever feeling crowded. It is equipped to an industrial scale to make things easy to cater for a large group - lots of fridge space, two dishwashers, loads of kitchenware etc and yet the kitchen itself does not dominate the space but is nicely tucked away in the open plan dining/sitting areas. The beach is close and great for families with lovely cafe and there are lovely country walks and views. On my daughter's 40th birthday we hired a private cook Fed and Pickled, one of half a dozen recommended by the owners and they were superb.

Sue from Henley on Thames stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in March 2023


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the wonderful review, really appreciate you choosing Higher Wiscombe, and hope to see you again soon. Best regards Lorna

fabulous

Review submitted on Wed, 08 Mar 2023
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This is our 3rd time coming to the Winery! it never disappoints, now with the extended area it was perfect for our large party.

The open lounge, bar area next to the kitchen made the living/entertaining area just perfect. Maybe the only feedback I would offer is updating the kitchen area in line with the rest of the beautiful accomadation.

We enjoyed a walk into Sidbury from the house, a lovely challenging walk and found 'The Red Lion' public house which was inviting.

From the accommodation are short drive to the coast, where we also enjoyed some lovely costal walks.


Heidi from Gillingham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in March 2023


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for choosing us again, and for leaving such a lovely review. Look forward to seeing you again soon.

Fantastic house with great facilities and wonderful views, perfect for our company gathering

Review submitted on Wed, 01 Mar 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The house is in great condition with really good facilities and wonderful views. It was perfect for our company get together with the other properties all in a courtyard setting. The owners were helpful and unobtrusive and the wealth of information provided made organising a large gathering much easier. It was cosy in Winter but we hope to come in the warmer months next time so we can make use of the pool and the amazing outdoor spaces!

Alice from Slough stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2023


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Alice, thanks, we really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and so pleased that you had a great stay. Best regards Lorna and Alistair x

Family Birthday Celebration

Review submitted on Sun, 19 Feb 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
For three generations, including babies, in February, it was important to be comfortable, and we were. Excellent location for walks and short trips by car, but equally perfect space for hanging out, huge windows to contemplate the views, and a quiet living room for breathing space when needed.
Our hosts took a lot of trouble to make sure we had everything we wished for. A lovely holiday, I didn't stop smiling all week.


Janet from Great Torrington stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in February 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Janet, really appreciate you taking the time to write and review, but more importantly delighted that your stay was a great success. Many thanks for choosing us, best regards Alistair and Lorna.

We loved Higher Wiscombe

Review submitted on Sat, 18 Feb 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Perfect house for a large gathering, modern bright and funky interior, well maintained with great provision for catering for large groups, every piece of kitchen equipment provided,.
Lovely bedrooms all ensuite with modern bathrooms comfortable beds, and quality linens great communication from the owners, we had a fantastic weekend here.


Tracy (known as Dolly) from Billingshurst stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2023


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Dolly, thank you so much for the review and so pleased that you had a great time. Hope to welcome you gain one day. Best regards Alistair

Fantastic family Christmas

Review submitted on Tue, 03 Jan 2023
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a fantastic family Christmas at The Winery. The house is immaculate and has everything you could possibly need for a week away, I don't think there was anything we needed that wasn't provided. The main living and dining space is spacious and amply seated our15 people; the extra living room and kitchen came in handy with a group that size. The 3 dogs were well catered for too and there is a great secure garden for them to mozey around in. There is a poo bin - a first in any property I've stayed in - most impressed! We were all surprised at how warm the house was considering its size and had all probably brought far too many layers! The bedrooms all good sizes and en-suites avoided any arguments!
Big thanks to Lorna's children for putting our enormous Christmas shopping away for us.
The WIFI is poor which is undoubtedly due to the location, I'm certain it would be top notch if it were in the hosts' control. So, make sure you have plenty of data if you want to use your devices.
The location though rural is close enough to the beach, villages and local towns to access easily.
Great place, great hosts, thank you!



Dee from Crowborough stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in December 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Dee, thanks for the great review, we really appreciate it. A tip in future, let us know if there is anything wrong, you mention wifi was slow, it should not be. We have spent a fortune 'meshing' each property and have a good connection, so you remain connected to a good signal wherever you are. You can even get wifi by the pool when it's open. Normally a reboot works should there be any problem, if not we have a service contract (not with BT :-))to get prompt action on it. Thanks again and hope to welcome you here again in the future.

Fantastic place for a big birthday celebration

Review submitted on Mon, 26 Dec 2022
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Family and friends came together to celebrate my 50th birthday staying in The Winery and Flint.
We highly recommend this fantastic property, everyone was bowled over by the accommodation, facilities and stunning location. To wake up to that view across the valley with just the sheep and pheasants calling was priceless.
It’s fantastic to have all the bedrooms en-suite and one is easy accessible as there are spiral staircases.
We had a sit down dinner on the birthday night provided by outside caterers who were recommended by the owners. It was perfect and she and her ladies know the Winery and it was like clockwork. Bar area and plenty of space to continue the party afterwards!
Gorgeous walks with our dog from the doorstep and trips out to Sidmouth, Beer and Lyme Regis for walks on the beach were enjoyed. We also went go carting and clay pigeon shooting at the Devon Activity Centre.
Thank you Lorna and Alistair for your help, advise and welcome.


Jean from London stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in December 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, we really appreciate it and are really pleased that you had such a great time. Thanks for choosing us, Alistair and Lorna

Amazing place to stay for a celebration!

Review submitted on Wed, 07 Dec 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Brilliant stay here, extremely well stocked with equipment & fridges (apart from a bottle opener!) in the kitchen and bar. Bedrooms very comfortable and clean. Great having en suite for every room. Great place for a party!

Bethan from Sherborne stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, really appreciate it. Best regards Alistair

Great weekend with great friends

Review submitted on Wed, 07 Dec 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We could highly recommend the Winery for a relaxing stay with friends and family. Great location for walking and visiting the coast. The Winery is well equipped with all you need.

Julie from Yeovil stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in December 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for choosing us and for leaving a lovely review :-)

Perfect in every way!

Review submitted on Thu, 01 Dec 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This was the perfect location to celebrate my 60th Birthday with family and close friends. The hosts recommended outside caterers that were familiar with the properties' facilities (Amanda) and they provided the most delicious 3-course meal for my guests on the Saturday night and cleared away too! The housekeeper Elaine was very friendly and on-hand to support any queries we had, for example, where could we find ironing boards!
A fabulous time was had by all and the venue certainly added to their experience!
What a find! Thank you so much! Michelle


Michelle from Okehampton stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Glad you had a fabulous time and thanks for choosing us :-)

A wonderful house for a large family gathering

Review submitted on Wed, 09 Nov 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
My family and I, 25 of us in total, had the most wonderful weekend at Higher Wiscombe staying in the Old Winery, Flint and Thatched.
The booking process was straightforward and Alistair and Lorna were happy to answer all my many queries in the months before our stay. Lorna was there to greet us on our arrival and had even received and unpacked the most enormous supermarket order for us - so much appreciated.
All the accommodation exceeded our expectations, all the houses were clean, comfortable and well equipped. We especially appreciated the welcome our dogs received with crates, bowls, towels and treats all provided. It was a luxury to have so many kitchens to use and to be able to seat everyone at the tables in the Old Winery kitchen - this was our main socialising space and we loved the views, the bar and the fantastically fast glass washing machine. Throughout our stay Lorna and her family were always on hand to help and even moved a bbq from one of the other houses to the Old Winery for us.
We enjoyed walks from the door and were lucky enough to have a sunny day to have a swim in the sea and fish and chips on the beach in pretty Sidmouth. Beer was also a lovely little seaside town with a great beach, fabulous fish stall and some great shops.


Annie from Wanstead stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for taking the time to write such a comprehensive review, really appreciate you choosing us. Many thanks :-)

Fantastic accommodation for big groups

Review submitted on Wed, 12 Oct 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed here for our fitness retreat and the accommodation and rooms were perfect for us. Beds are super comfy and the property is perfect for large groups with the right amount of open space and everything we needed. Lorna and Alistair were very responsive and so accommodating. We’ll definitely be back next summer.

Sharon from Gerrards Cross stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for choosing us and leaving a great review, appreciate it and look forward to seeing you next year.

Everything we all hoped for

Review submitted on Mon, 10 Oct 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The whole experience was excellent. Location was very handy for seaside, some excellent restaurants and supermarkets.
Electric car charger was a bonus.

Thanks very much, we will come again.

Sorry about the delay in the review.


Paul from Kettering stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks very much for the lovely review, really appreciate you taking the time :-)

Perfect accommodation for a large family gathering

Review submitted on Wed, 21 Sep 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We googled multiple sites before coming across Higher Wiscombe but found the vast majority of holiday homes to be lacking in some way eg. sleeps 18 people in 4 bedrooms or located in the middle of nowhere.

For a large (20 person) family gathering the accommodation was perfect, 10 bedrooms with 10 bathrooms (so no arguments there) combined with 2 large lounge areas, dining area and bar / dance floor plus 2 outdoor decks. The rooms are tastefully decorated in a contemporary style and the house is well maintained. The use of the pool and games room are also great additions.

The house sits 0.5 miles from the main road along a private track in an area of oustanding natural beauty (AONB) and together with the view from the 2 terraces you feel like you are in your own private valley. However, both Honiton and the coastal towns and beaches are not far away.

We know where we shall be coming for any future gatherings !


Stephen from Barnet stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2022


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the brilliant review, really appreciate it and hope to see you again soon :-)

Our 10 day stay

Review submitted on Wed, 07 Sep 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Lorna and Alistair were most welcoming and did everything to make my birthday celebrations run fantastically. Higher Wiscombe is in a fabulous location and the rooms were all fabulous.

Thank you

Jon


Jon from Kenilworth stayed at The Winery for 10 nights in August 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the kind review, really appreciate and hope to see you again soon. Best regards Alistair

Perfect location for an extended family holiday

Review submitted on Tue, 30 Aug 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Having previously stayed in Thatched, when it came to booking a holiday for 18 family members and a Cocker Spaniel, (age range twins of 10 months to 69 years) The Winery was our preferred option and it didn't disappoint. The setting is beautiful, and the 2 terraces gave us options for dining, chatting, relaxing and more. With each bedroom having its own en suite, we could all have privacy, and the beds were roomy and comfortable. We used the services of the wonderful local caterer Ruthie Coleshill, who provided a delicious and generous buffet supper for the day we arrived, and the perfect afternoon tea for a surprise 40th wedding anniversary. Having access to the pool was a real bonus for those that liked to swim, along with the games room, and the spaciousness of the property meant we could all dine together and play games. We had trips to Beer, Branscombe and Sidmouth, but without question what makes The Winery so lovely are Lorna and Alistair, who answered every question we had without hesitation, helped us with anything we needed and were constantly making sure our holiday was was just right. We very much hope to return.

Alison from Banbury stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Alison, thanks so much for this review, really appreciate it. Ruthie is brilliant and told us that you were great group too cater for. Hope to see you again soon, and thanks for choosing us.

Stayed with a group of friends and family for our wedding.

Review submitted on Mon, 18 Jul 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Absolutely amazing place to stay. From the moment of enquiry, the customer care has been fantastic. The location it beautiful and so peaceful but you can also have a party without disturbing other guests. The cottage itself is amazing, from the decor to the facilities, just amazing. The pool was really good to, just abit overlooked by main house but it’s really good they let you use this as part of your stay. We had young children stay with us and was great for them too, provided travel cots, highchairs, stair gates etc and everywhere was really Secure. Would definitely recommend and come again.

Connie from Atherstone stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in July 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, we really appreciate and are so pleased that you had such a good time.

Outstanding accommodation in a beautiful location

Review submitted on Wed, 13 Jul 2022
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We booked the Winery for my mother's 80th family celebration and had the most fantastic time. Lorna and Alistair could not have been more helpful and the Winery was so beautiful and in such wonderful condition. You can tell that quality and attention to detail is at the core of how the property is managed and maintained. Plus, the Winery's aspect means that you feel you are in a private world all to yourself, with beautiful views across the valley and the terrace in sunlight for the whole day.

Guy from Guildford stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in July 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Really pleased that you enjoyed your stay at Higher Wiscombe and thanks so much for leaving a review.

Outstanding situation, well equipped and spacious house suitable for large family gatherings.

Review submitted on Sun, 10 Jul 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The area is close to a number of lovely beaches and there are stunning views from the house.
The 2 terraces and huge sitting area transform this house into an ideal space for multi- generational gatherings with space to be together ( dancing!) and space for quiet appreciation of the views. The pool is well maintained with more lovely views and Lorna and Alistair were responsive but absolutely unobtrusive.
All the birthday “girls” left feeling well celebrated in this comfortable and beautiful house.


Chris from Moseley stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Chris, thanks for posting a review, really kind and so pleased that your stay was a success.

Brilliant

Review submitted on Mon, 27 Jun 2022
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
It's difficult to find a spot that is so perfect. Off the beaten track but handy to all local facilities and places to visit. Everything matched what we were looking for - ensuites for each room. - plenty of inside and outside entertaining space and welcoming and helpful hosts

Guest from Cranbrook stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in June 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Great review, really appreciate it, thanks.

5 Star Stay!

Review submitted on Wed, 08 Jun 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed at Higher Wiscombe, hiring out all three of their lodges and just WOW... The properties are faultless. The Old Winery is the largest property on site and it does not fail to impress. With two large kitchens, large indoor social space and bar, two large outdoor social spaces, BBQ, large indoor seating areas, more intimate lounge (perfect for the kids toys and kids TV), each bedroom had an ensuite, it just just incredible. All rooms are spacious, beautifully decorated, comfortable and just perfect. Lorna and Alister have thought of everything. They have poured so much detail and love into this property and it really shows. On the more practical side, the kitchens are designed for large groups, there's so much storage space, cups, plates, glasses, stair gates, toilet roll, washing up liquid, you name it, they have it. Cannot recommend this property or any other the others enough.
We booked this and got married in the town hall in Exmouth. We are very much so looking forward to coming back and celebrating anniversaries at Higher Wiscombe in the years to come. Absolutely breath taking property, full of thought, passion, comfort and situated in the most amazing, rural setting, a stone throw away from the hustle and bustle of seaside town life!


Rebekah from Walmley stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in June 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
So pleased that this really important event went really well. Thanks so much for the review. yours is just bursting with joy :-)

Amazing stay

Review submitted on Sun, 29 May 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Accommodation for 20 friends does not come better than the Old Winery. Location is dreamy approached by a long drive with excellent covered parking for 10 cars. Vast accommodation to the highest standard with a wonderful balcony where you can sit with a glass of wine in hand and take in the breathtaking views. I could ramble on for ages, but in a nutshell this is a really fabulous stay, our second visit and we will be back!

Pauline from Knockholt stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in May 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Chris, first thanks for coming back again, and for another great review. So pleased that your stay was a success.

A great family celebration location

Review submitted on Sun, 15 May 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed here for 7 nights with our family to celebrate a 60th birthday. We had a lovely week. The accommodation is very equipt and has everything you need even for larger parties. The beds were comfortable and the accommodation was very clean. The gardens around the cottages are kept so well and looked really nice. We used Ruthie who is a private chef and we had an excellent meal with her - highly recommend her.



Kate from Umberleigh stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in April 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Kate. thanks for coming to stay, and glad that you had a successful stay. Appreciate review and hope to see you again.

60th Birthday Celebration

Review submitted on Wed, 11 May 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I choose the winery for a celebration of my husband’s 60th birthday. It was perfect! The Winery is in a very peaceful rural location. The accommodation is fantastic, very well equipped kitchens and comfortable seating areas. Lovely outside areas for enjoying the sun. The owners couldn’t have been more helpful. I highly recommend it!

Alison from Malvern stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Alison, very many thanks for the review. Really pleased that you had a great stay and were blessed by the weather.

A wonderful house

Review submitted on Mon, 11 Apr 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a lovely week at Higher Wiscombe, the second time of staying and the alterations they have made are stunning!
We will be back!


Debbie from Knockholt, Sevenoaks stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in April 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Debbie, gad you liked the extension, our pride and joy :-) Hope to see you again soon.

Wonderful

Review submitted on Sun, 13 Mar 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We recently hired the space for a yoga retreat and found the space very comfortable. The property was really enjoyed by our guests. I really enjoyed my stay at the property. It was absolutely amazing! Thank you

Cheryl from Kingston Upon Thames stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in March 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Cheryl, appreciate you taking time to review. Glad the yoga retreat was a success too.

3 night stay for a hen weekend at the Old Winery

Review submitted on Wed, 23 Feb 2022
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We have just returned from a 3 night stay at The Old Winery for my sister hen party at The Old Winery. The house itself was amazing and ideal for large groups of friends or families. Every room was spacious, clean and well presented. The large downstairs living area was bright and airy with floor to celing windows showing off the views of the local landscape.
Unfortunately during out stay there was a power cut in Devon due to storm Eunice and storm Franklin which meant we had no electricity for part of our stay. Typically the worst power cut for 20 years. Lorna and Alastair were the perfect hosts and went above and beyond. They provided lights, lit a fire for us while we were out so it would be warm and cosy when we came home and even provided us with dinner and breakfast. They made what could have been a disasterous situation into the best weekend.
We will be sure to make a return trip in the summer months so we can enjoy the pool also!!


Marisia from Solihull stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2022


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Marisia, what a weekend? I just wish there was somewhere where we could review guest like your group :-) You were utterly brilliant in the face of no power, no hot water due to the storm. All we can say is thank you, we have great guests here at High Wiscombe, but we will never forget you. Thanks

Excellent weekend

Review submitted on Thu, 23 Dec 2021
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Wow what place ! The outside and inside space made everyone feel so relaxed to be together in these times ( covid )
Such high standard accommodation, we had everything we needed in the property which was excellent as we only had to bring food and drink.
Would highly recommend and would stay again.


Michelle from Faversham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in December 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Tony, appreciate the kind words.

Lovely stay in lovely surroundings

Review submitted on Sun, 19 Dec 2021
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Had a fantastic stay. All our needs were met including disability aids and dog beds, really went the extra mile to ensure everything was perfect. Cannot recommend enough! Really stunning location too

Clair from Exmouth stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in December 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Much appreciate you leaving this review and that you enjoyed your stay :-)

Friends Xmas weekend

Review submitted on Wed, 01 Dec 2021
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
16 people stayed and all 16 people left saying to book another date for 2022. Lorna was helpful all the way through and always responded quickly and professionally. Used one of the recommended caterers (Amanda Acland) to cook our 2 course Christmas meal and she did not disappoint.

Craig from Hereford stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in November 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Craig, much appreciated, and hope to see you again soon.

Brilliant 40th Birthday

Review submitted on Mon, 01 Nov 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Exemplary place, we all had a brilliant time seeing in my 40th birthday. Great venue and facilities, stunning views, friendly hosts, even the weather was better than expected! Will definitely come back sometime soon.

Robert from London stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Robert. Much appreciated and hope very much that you will return again soon.

A relaxing week in a wonderful setting

Review submitted on Tue, 12 Oct 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A long awaited week with friends ! The Old Winery is very well equipped to cope with up to 20 guests (15 of us) with all rooms ensuite. Unfortunately a little cool to try out the pool. Lots of good walks (easy to hard) in the area. For the non walkers lots of other things to see and do. In spite of mixed weather we had a very enjoyable time.

Pam from Leicester stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in October 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Glad your break was a success, thanks for coming and leaving the review :-)

Family reunion

Review submitted on Sun, 10 Oct 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We chose Higher Wiscombe for our family reunion. Our age ranges were 22-85.
The photos from their website where encouraging and I have to say it looked even better on arrival. As a family and as individuals we have stayed in many holiday locations with various types of accommodation over the years and Higher Wiscombe ranks at the very top on all levels.
We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay.


Mike from Cheltenham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in September 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Mike, really pleased it all went well for you, thanks for coming :-)

The perfect venue for our wedding celebrations!

Review submitted on Sun, 26 Sep 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
When we were planning our wedding celebrations, we knew that we wanted to do things a bit differently. We wanted to do something intimate, relaxed and informal. We wanted to spend time together with our guests over a whole weekend and we wanted everybody to stay with us without having to worry about booking taxis or accommodation. Higher Wiscombe ticked all of these boxes and more. As we drove down the driveway to Higher Wiscombe, we knew straight away that we'd found exactly what we were looking for.

The surroundings and views are stunning, the accommodation is impeccably presented and the facilities top notch. We had everything that we needed to cater for all of our guests (32 in total). We'd packed extras of things like glasses - just in case - but we really didn't need to.

Although Higher Wiscombe isn't a licensed wedding venue, and doesn't promote itself as such, Lorna and Alistair were super understanding in allowing us to bring suppliers on site (a string quartet, jukebox, our celebrant, photographer, a VERY large supermarket delivery and catering); in allowing us to move furniture around and erect a marquee on the terrace; and they provided some really helpful suggestions as to how we could set things up for the weekend. Their recommended caterer - Amanda Acland - also provided the most amazing wedding breakfast and evening buffet. We'd also recommend her in a heartbeat.

All of our guests commented on how special/beautiful the venue was and even though we only live a short drive away in Exeter, we felt like we could have been on holiday 100s of miles from home.

Some special, lasting memories were made at Higher Wiscombe. Particular highlights:

* The beautiful backdrop that the terrace provided for our wedding ceremony

* Hearing the sound of the string quartet drift across the valley

* Hearing all of the laughter and chatter of our guests in the dining room in The Winery over the wedding breakfast

* Taking a dip in the pool with our guests and soaking in the views on the afternoon of our wedding, after the wedding ceremony

* Watching the stars from the terrace the evening after the wedding ceremony (we even saw a shooting star!)

* On our departure, Lorna brought us a delicious pot of pasta sauce that she'd made with the glut of leftover tomatoes that we had from our wedding - a really thoughtful gesture.

We wholeheartedly recommend Higher Wiscombe and look forward to returning (albeit on a smaller scale) in the future.

Note: we hired The Winery, Thatched and Flint for the weekend, and then The Winery for the rest of the week - so we can attest to all three properties being equally perfect!


Richard from stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in September 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
What a week that was? :-) So pleased it was a success for your special day. We don't do weddings as a rule, but the moment we met you we knewit was going to be brilliant, and it was, you were all epic guests. Loved having you all.

A wonderfully special weekend

Review submitted on Wed, 08 Sep 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Perfect place! We have loved The Winery. Very special and well catered for, and what a location! Thank you so much for such excellent hospitality, it really was an amazing weekend. We highly recommend!

Katie from Bristol stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for choosing us, appreciate it.

A wonderful stay at The Winery for a very special occasion.

Review submitted on Mon, 06 Sep 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We spent a week at The Winery in August to celebrate a special occasion as a large family group and it is without doubt the most special place we have all had the pleasure of staying at. The property is quite spectacular and is matched by the view in every direction.

The space inside is cavernous with the new extension and gives you so many options for indoor/outdoor eating and socialising together or finding somewhere quiet.

Good use was made of the pool and the games room and I can honestly say that we’re all leaving as slightly better table tennis players.

Lorna and Alistair are wonderful hosts and made us feel entirely at home from minute one.

The bar has been set very high for future family get togethers!


Rebecca from Andover stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
So pleased you had a great stay, and thanks for the review :-)

A stunning holiday retreat

Review submitted on Sun, 05 Sep 2021
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Fantastic hosts, superb cottage with plenty of room for up to 20 guests in 10 bedrooms. Two lounges and two kitchens plus two outside areas means loads of room so no tripping over each other.
Yet you can all dine together inside or out.
In a farm setting means away from the road so no noise and little light pollution.

If you want a totally relaxed break yet in reach of the beach and seaside villages/towns then this is for you.

Thanks Lorna & Alistair


Colin from stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Delighted that stay was a success, that for picking Higher Wiscombe

Wonderful stay at The Winery Higher Wiscombe

Review submitted on Sun, 22 Aug 2021
4.3
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Perfect house for multiple families. Beautifully clean, very comfortable beds. Well equipped kitchens, stunning views. Great pool and playroom to keep the kids and adults active. Great walks, very dog friendly. Would definitely recommend this property to others.
We had an amazing week here, great location to beaches too. Good amount of local information and the owners are always around to answer any questions. We made some great memories with our family and friends.
The only way to improve the stay would be tiny things like, to provide ice trays as there were ice buckets but no ice trays, easily sorted by buying some but ice trays would be great and the stair gate was difficult to work in the kitchen. Thank you for a memorable holiday in 5 star accommodation. We will be back! .


Sophie from Clevedon stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Sophie really appreciate and spoke pleased that the break was such a success,

Fabulous venue for a family party gathering

Review submitted on Thu, 08 Jul 2021
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a fabulous time at the Winery , scaled down to 5 bedrooms to adhere to the rule of 6. Lorna was most helpful and responsive to all queries in advance of our holiday and Alistair and Lorna were both on hand to answer questions during our stay. The property is absolutely lovely, with spectacular views from the 2 terraces across the fields. A perfect setting in which to cook dinner on the barbecue with a glass of fizz in hand. The beds were very comfy and our family dogs were made to feel as welcome as we were! Lots of nice little touches generally and a lovely pool area too. Altogether a most relaxing and memorable stay to celebrate a big birthday!

Alison from stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in June 2021


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Alison, thanks for taking time to write a review, really appreciate it and hope to see you soon.

The Old Winery is the most perfect place for a holiday if there is a large group of people.

Review submitted on Tue, 01 Sep 2020
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery is situated in the most beautiful position with wonderful surrounding countryside. Bedrooms and living areas are five star. Masses of room for different aged groups all to be happy.
Our booking was handled very efficiently. We were looked after very well during our stay. I could not recommend The Old Winery more highly. .


Jennifer from Hasfield stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2020


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Jennie, thanks really appreciate kind words

Oasis of peace with excellent accommodation for large groups

Review submitted on Mon, 24 Aug 2020
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The accommodation was superb with only downside being spiral staircases.Perfect for children of all ages and for entertaining large groups.Swimming pool and slide a big hit with the children.Great views and well located for Branscombe & Beer
Hosts were very attentive
Wouldn't hesitate to return


Peter from Great Missenden stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2020


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Peter, thanks for choosing Higher Wiscombe, really appreciate it.

Superb hidden hideaway

Review submitted on Fri, 21 Aug 2020
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Ten bedrooms all en-suite, beautifully appointed, large living accommodation with extraordinary upper deck that provides wonderful views across this Devon valley. What’s not to like.
Throw in the heated swimming pool and this is truly a multi-generational place to stay.


Tony from Swindon stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2020


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Tony for the really kind words :-)

Exceptional Property & Location

Review submitted on Sun, 02 Aug 2020
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
From start to finish everything was fantastic (including the owners!)
The combination of old and new, rustic and chic was so imaginative but also so comfortable. The icing on the cake would have been an outdoor shower by the pool to take in those magnificent views - true outdoor living style.


Gina from London stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2020


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Gina, really appreciate kind words, the refurbished pool is getting a shower, (when the plumber finally turns up) :-)

Weekend stay for an 80th Birthday

Review submitted on Tue, 14 Jan 2020
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Beautiful property. Very well equipped.
Just enough Christmas decorations.
19 of us and the dogs all had a great time.


Guest from Redruth stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in January 2020


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for choosing Higher Wiscombe and hope to see you again.

Lovely New Year stay 2019/2020

Review submitted on Sat, 04 Jan 2020
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a lovely New Year break at Higher Wiscombe and the house was perfect for our group with all bedrooms having bathrooms, a huge dining table to seat us all and a lovely large lounge to seat us all. Lovely hosts and would happily come back for another stay.

Sara from Maldon stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in December 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

Returning Visitor

Review submitted on Mon, 25 Nov 2019
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
I think the fact that we came back for a second visit proves how much we like Higher Wiscombe. This time we were celebrating an 85th birthday. What we love is that each room has an en suite bathroom and the kitchen can seat us all for meals. We spent the weekend eating, drinking and playing games around the enormous table.

We would love to come back again!


Jane from Barry stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in November 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Jane, thanks for the review, appreciate and hope to see you again.

Perfect retreat

Review submitted on Wed, 18 Sep 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I organised a stag party in the area and we used this house as a base for the weekend. Alastair and Lorna were extremely welcoming and friendly. We arrived and were shown around the beautiful property. Each room was extremely comfortable, all ensuite, and there was plenty of space in the communal areas for all of us including 2 kitchens. We even had our own barn to park our vehicles in. It was well equipped and we enjoyed a BBQ the first night sitting outside overlooking the peaceful valley around the back of the house. Being a stag do we were doing activities all weekend but there was a washer and dryer which was ideal. I generally couldn't pick one fault with our stay here. Would love to come back again. Thanks for having us!

Andy from Whitby stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
You were a brilliant group of Stags, thanks for choosing us and hope to see you again sometime :-)

Fantastic location and great property

Review submitted on Sun, 18 Aug 2019
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Great place to stay especially for a big group of people. Lots of areas to hang out in and beautiful outdoor and country location.

Sound does carry in the property quite easily so chose rooms wisely. It can also get quite warm in summer at night time with no aircon (choice of open the windows and sit in the dark or have the lights on all the bugs in the house). Having said that, the large dining area downstairs is the coolest and can accommodate everyone so a good place to sit and play games and enjoy a drink.


Duncan from Edinburgh stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in June 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Duncan, thanks for the review appreciate it.

A perfect family holiday

Review submitted on Sun, 04 Aug 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We go away as a family of 22 every year. This is by far the best place we have stayed in! We had an age range between 2 years and 76 years and it was great for all! All I would say is that the stairs for people who find it hard to walk are tricky but you can get access to the downstairs kitchen from the outside, although my Nan did manage the stairs on her own as long as she took her time.

Everywhere is super clean, there’s an en suite in every room! Plus additional toilets, one in the downstairs kitchen and one next to the upstairs kitchen.

The owners are very friendly and will accommodate for anything you need. You can tell how much effort they have put into these lovely cottages.

We had a BBQ for my sons 5th birthday and it’s probably the best BBQ we’ve ever used. We cooked for all 22 with no problems at all. It was all ready and set up to go for us to use. We also hired a bouncy castle for a little party for him and the owners went out there was to mow the bottom field for us to put the bouncy castle there.

The owners live on the site which is great as they are there when you need them, however, they keep themselves to themselves and will only come over if you need them.

The pool area was fantastic! The kids and adults enjoying splashing around. It has a water slide which has a water feature on so water runs down it and makes you go super fast - in a good way! It’s a shared pool so you get a timetable which tells you which cottage can use it at which times. The times are fair on everyone. It’s open from 9am until 6pm. It has stairs rather than ladders which is also good for those with mobility issues as they can walk in.

The cottage has everything you need from plates, cutlery, pots and pans to washing machines (there’s two) and a dryer. It has wifi and also boosters so you can access WiFi from anywhere in the house. You have the option of stairs gates being put on which was an added bonus as my 2 year old gets everywhere and we would have lost our minds if we didn’t have stair gates.

Thank you so much Lorna and Alistair, all your hard work really pays off with these cottages. We will definitely be returning.


Sarah from Willenhall stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Sarah, what can we say, that's a really comprehensive review and so very kind. Thanks for that, and thanks for choosing us :-)

30th birthday party at Higher Wiscombe

Review submitted on Sun, 23 Jun 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I hired all 3 cottages for my 30th birthday and had a weekend which exceeded all my expectations, I couldn't have wished for a better place to celebrate. All of the cottages are beautifully appointed, comfortable and spacious. Bedrooms and bathrooms are all individual and luxurious. The outdoor areas are fantastic too, we particularly loved barbecuing outside the Winery, chilling out by the pool all day, and sunny, pre-dinner drinks outside Thatched cottage. A two-course dinner from one of the recommended caterers was a delicious treat, and a disco in the parking barn was the cherry on the cake. Babies and dogs were catered for with a great deal of care and attention to detail, and Alistair & Lorna could not have done more to make us feel more welcome and comfortable. I would recommend Higher Wiscombe to anyone, an easy 5*s, and hope to come back soon. Thank you so much Alistair & Lorna.

Charlie from Bristol stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in June 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Charlie, thanks for picking Higher Wiscombe, really appreciate it. Loved having you :-)

Relaxed family holiday.

Review submitted on Sun, 02 Jun 2019
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
All required facilities were in place. Great care taken for our comfort. The children much enjoyed the pool and the games room

Alan from Oxford stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Alan, hope to see you again one day.

weekend for walking friends

Review submitted on Mon, 20 May 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A group of old friends meet up every May for a walking weekend away from home. This year we decided on Dorset/Devon. This proved to be a great success. The accommodation was first class, ten bedrooms ensuite plenty of room, lounge and dining with two kitchens. Outside there was plenty of parking space. The views from the property were fantastic. A short ride to Beer gave us a choice of restaurants to choose from A caterer can be arranged to bring food in if you don't want to do it yourself. The owners Alistair and Lorna were a great help to us before and after our visit. Thank you.

David from Evesham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks, much appreciate you choosing Higher Wiscombe

Team business meeting in luxurious comfort!

Review submitted on Mon, 06 May 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Superbly set out to give us various options for different presentations/parts of our meeting and with 10 double en-suite rooms, it was perfect for us. We were team building when producing meals and enjoyed the peace and quiet and the lambs frolicking.

Lorna and Alistair were wonderful hosts as usual, the event went incredibly smoothly and the property is perfect for a event of this kind.


Deborah from Tewkesbury stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in May 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Deborah, thanks for choosing Higher Wiscombe and spa pleased your event was a success.

.Lovely place in a great setting

Review submitted on Sun, 28 Apr 2019
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This is a lovely, comfortable place to stay and ideal for a large number of people with plenty of space.
Booking was straightforward and Lorna and Alistair very helpful


Guest from Wallingford stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in April 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks and very much hope to see you all again soon

Fantastic birthday get together

Review submitted on Sun, 21 Apr 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had an amazing time with family for our birthday week. The Old Winery was fully equipped with everything you could need. Comfy and good quality furnishings. Welcome hamper and flowers was a lovely gesture especially one provided for the dogs too! Lorna and Alistair very helpful and there if needed anything. Would definitely stay again. Lovely that all rooms were ensuite too. Slight disappointment that we couldn't use the pool especially as weather was so good.

Jan from Tenby stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in April 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for taking time to review your stay, much appreciated.

A fantastic house for large family gatherings

Review submitted on Wed, 17 Apr 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery is the best large house we have stayed in. All rooms are en-suite and we’ll decorated. Plenty of room in the lounge and kitchen for 20 people. Plenty of parking and a quiet location. The house is well equipped with all that you could need. The owners were very helpful in every way.

Mark from Torquay stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Mark, thanks for the kind words and hope to see you again sometime :-)

Sheer pleasure and enjoyment throughout our stay.

Review submitted on Sun, 24 Mar 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
There were 15 of us, all aged 60 plus. We were comfortable throughout our midweek stay. The owners had thought of everything to create a friendly and warm atmosphere. The large kitchen - dining room was an absolute dream to dine in and to work in. The bedrooms were all most attractively decorated and furnished, with comfy beds and excellent newly created bathrooms.
The beautiful countryside views and gentle quietness provided the icing on the cake.
Lorna and Alistair were the perfect hosts and our grateful thanks to them.


Jennie from Bristol stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in March 2019


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Jennie, really appreciate the generous words and hope to see you again.

Higher Wiscombe

Review submitted on Tue, 19 Mar 2019
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A beautiful property and very comfortable. It is in a lovely location and the hosts were very friendly and helpful. Would definitely return. Nick Goodson, Brighton.

Nick from Brighton stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in March 2019


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Nick, great to have you to stay with us and really pleased that you had a great time. Hope to welcome you back soon.

A 50th Birthday Celebration

Review submitted on Wed, 20 Feb 2019
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We booked Higher Wiscombe because the three properties could not only accommodate us, they also provided all 32 of us with en-suite bedrooms. Each of the bedrooms was furnished beautifully, the beds were incredibly comfortable, and the bath/shower rooms were immaculate. We had four ovens at our disposal including two in two separate kitchens in The Winery. We all sat together at the immense dining table to eat, and continued the party in the living room upstairs. Lorna and Alistair were extremely helpful, they recommended a brilliant chip shop in Ottery St Mary. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to anyone needing a country venue for a large group, and I am hoping for an excuse to visit again in the near future. Thank you, Lorna and Alistair, we had a fantastic time!

Jo from Didcot stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2019


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for taking the time to leave a generous and comprehensive review. We are really appreciative and are so pleased that you stay was such a success, hope to welcome back again soon

Superb accommodation in a great location. Great for large parties.

Review submitted on Wed, 09 Jan 2019
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Booked all three buildings for 32 people to celebrate my wife's special birthday over Christmas and the New year. Everyone had a fantastic time. The Old Winery is ideal for large parties. All the buildings are of high quality and well equipped. Lorna and Alaister are very helpful and supportive. Excellently located for walks locally and close by places to visit. Would highly recommend it.

Ian from Birmingham stayed at The Winery for 12 nights in December 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Ian, thanks for the great review and comments, very kind. We are really pleased that your stay was such a success and look forward to welcoming you back soon

A third visit to Higher Wiscombe

Review submitted on Wed, 21 Nov 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A group of 20 adults have been going away for a weekend in November for many years now, and are very picky about the places we stay in. Higher Wiscombe, in particular the Old Winery where we always stay, is top notch, and my fellow guests are always delighted when that is the chosen place. The weekend just passed was terrific as usual, blessed by gorgeous autumn weather and we took full advantage. The accommodation is very comfortable, the bedrooms are terrific and most of the bathrooms are the height of luxury. Lorna Handyside is a welcoming and informative host, and the welcome basket we had on our arrival was delightful. All in all, we can't speak highly enough of The Old Winery and it will be difficult - and probably impossible - to find anywhere that surpasses it.

Suzie from Bristol stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Suzie. As ever great to have you all to stay. Really appreciate the kind words. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

We all loved it.

Review submitted on Wed, 14 Nov 2018
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Really lovely property in a beautiful valley. The kitchen table was magnificent and allowed us to create an intimacy. The living room area was brilliant too. We were very pleased. It was a magical place.

Frank from Swindon stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks, appreciate your kind words. You are an amazing group that are doing great work. Really pleased to be able to help in any small way.

Great weekend away

Review submitted on Tue, 06 Nov 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed at the old winery for a 40th birthday celebration and we could not have asked for more. The house is wonderful with everything we needed provided. The surrounding area is beautiful with plenty of great walks to help clear the head after some over indulging.

Matt from Trowbridge stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in November 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review, really grateful. Re3ally pleased event a success and hope to welcome you again.

Family Get together

Review submitted on Wed, 31 Oct 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We were blown away by the place, Every thing you need is catered for. The owners, Lorna and Alistair, went above and beyond to make us welcome. The pool was warm and we used it daily even though it was the end of October. I would highly recommend this Location the views are splendid, closed to beaches, Home from Home!

Sandra from Bristol stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
That’s a lovely review thank you. Really pleased you had a great stay, hope to welcome you back one day

What more can one say

Review submitted on Thu, 06 Sep 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
First class accommodation in a beautiful setting. Facilities excellent. The large well appointed en-suites were a hit as with the swimming pool which was enjoyed by all (ages 4 to 70+)

Judith from Amersham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in August 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review, and really pleased you had a great stay. Thanks for coming to Higher Wiscombe and hope to see you again soon

Excellent accommodation for family celebration

Review submitted on Wed, 29 Aug 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Was rented for an eightieth birthday celebration for eighteen guests ranging in age from 80 down to 21. Everyone thought the accommodation was excellent. The kitchens were very well equipped with crockery, cutlery and utensils, the lounge area was very comfortable and the beds extremely comfortable.
Highly recommended.


Alan from Knighton stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
That’s a lovely review, thanks. Really pleased you had a great time. Thanks for the recommendation too.

Lovely place, exactly as described

Review submitted on Sun, 12 Aug 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We enjoyed our stay here from beginning to end. The beds were comfortable, rooms all clean and modern. All bedrooms ensuite made coming home from outings so smooth - especially with lots of teenagers! The owners were friendly and ready to assist, yet always discreet and never around unless we needed them. The pool area is very pretty. We were fortunate with the weather and spent many hours there. The kids couldn't get enough of it!

All in all a lovely time was had by all and we are very grateful that we found this place.


Maurice from London stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review, we really appreciate it. So pleased that you also had good weather and were able to take full advantage of the pool. Hope to see you again soon

Superb facilities in stunning location

Review submitted on Wed, 01 Aug 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I booked The Old Winery and the Flint Barn to accommodate a family get-together of 25. Higher Wiscombe stood out from other large venues because every bedroom has an ensuite, there was room for all of us to eat together at one table (both inside and outside), it is dog friendly and the excellent website has really detailed information about the property and surrounding area which made planning the trip so much easier.
It did not disappoint! The properties are very clean, well equipped, thoughtfully decorated and well maintained. It worked extremely well for our group and was universally loved by all! It is in a beautiful, peaceful location and although quite remote it was very easy to explore all the wonderful places to visit in the area.
We made full use of the swimming pool being blessed with a week of perfect summer weather.
The owners are extremely friendly and helpful. I cannot rate Higher Wiscombe highly enough, we had a fantastic holiday and would love to return.


Clare from Farnham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for a lovely comprehensive review. Really appreciate and delighted that your group had a successful stay. Hope very much to see you all again

The perfect luxury break

Review submitted on Sun, 15 Jul 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The most beutiful place i have ever stayed. The Winery is faultless in terms of layout and quality. And the view is incredible.

The family that own and run Higher Wiscombe are professional, friendly and welcoming.

We would recommend this place to anyone.


Samuel from Bath stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Sam, your stag group were an absolute delight, surpassing themselves with the recycling too :-) Really pleased your stay was a success and hope very much to see you again.

Fabulous!

Review submitted on Sun, 08 Jul 2018
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The accommodation and facilities provided by The Old Winery were just perfect for our family get together, with ages between 11 & 90. All 10 double bedrooms (many of which could be made into singles) had character & en-suite bathrooms which was a real plus. The fact that we could also seat everyone at one table...both inside & outside, was really useful. The kitchens were well stocked with equipment, eco cleaning products provided & rubbish recycling & collecting was well organised. Our dog was made very welcome & had her own doggy bowl,blanket, towel & sleep cage provided.
On top of all these positives the accommodation also has a great games room with table tennis and table football which we made full use of. Finally...the heated outdoor pool which was just fantastic, beautifully clean, just the right temperature & with lovely views over the local countryside. A real bit of ‘heaven in Devon’!



Caroline from Macclesfield stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in June 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review, we really appreciate it. It’s always brilliant to see that a party used all the facilities provided. We really enjoyed hosting you all and helping advise on all the options to visit during your stay. Hope very much to welcome you back to Devon.

Perfect stay in a wonderful location

Review submitted on Sun, 17 Jun 2018
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a wonderful stay in The Winery and also booked the 2 other barns as we had a large family and friends gathering for two very important birthdays.
The house was perfect for us all. It was spotless and we all thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Having en suites in every room was a must for us and this is rare in large properties.
The kids and adults loved the pool and due to our wonderful weather were in it every day.
I highly recommend this holiday home and our hosts Lorna and Alistair were very friendly.


Paula from Rainham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in June 2018


a week at higher wiscombe

Review submitted on Sun, 10 Jun 2018
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
a really lovely place. We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
it was lovely and accommodating.
the hosts were fab and made us very comfortable.


Peter from Leamington Spa stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review, really appreciate it. Hope to see you again soon.

The Old Winery - Ideal for our Group

Review submitted on Wed, 30 May 2018
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Our Group has just been to Higher Wiscombe for the second time and we had a most enjoyable weekend. We are still impressed with the quality of the rooms, especially the bath/shower rooms etc.

The Old Winery is ideal for us as we have 24/25 for dinner - the space in the house is ideal for our group, and they provide sufficient crockery, glassware etc. which makes it so easy.

Allistair and Lorna were extremely helpful and responded quickly to any minor issues.

We are booking for next year and looking forward to it.


Janet from Twickenham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Janet. Appreciate you taking the time to review the property. Hope to welcome you back here soon.

Great family stay for all ages - would come again

Review submitted on Thu, 17 May 2018
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We booked the winery and the flint barn for a big family gathering and everyone was pleased with the place. The location is excellent, the house is finished to a high standard and the views were lovely. We had everything we needed and Lorna and Alistair were really helpful in catering to our needs. The kids used the pool even though it was a bit brisk outside but the pool was warm enough to swim! The only minor issue we had is that sound carries through the whole house very easily- those with kids were used to it and didn’t mind but those who didn’t have kids were woken up a bit earlier than normal! Such is life with a big family gathering though! We would definitely return.

Rhiannon from Broadmayne stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review. Really pleased that you had a great time. Hope to welcome you back soon.

High quality accommodation for 20

Review submitted on Wed, 02 May 2018
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery at Higher Wiscombe is in a quiet, private location, in a secluded coombe. The property has 10 en-suite double/twin rooms all decorated/serviced to a very high standard/quality (as is all the house). There is plenty of room for 20 people to interact either together, or in smaller groups. Being able to seat all 20 comfortably around the same table in the dining room was a big plus for us. The views from the main dining room and terrace out over the valley are stunning.
The games barn and heated swimming pool are great advantages.

There are 2 smaller rental properties adjacent to the Old Winery each housing 6 people (I think). These were unoccupied during our stay, so I cannot comment on what parking, noise or sharing of the communal facilities are like when they are.

Lorna and Alistair are excellent hosts, not at all intrusive, but available and very willing to answer questions and give good local recommendations for walks, food etc. They even drove out to the supermarket 20 minutes away to collect our grocery order prior to our arrival after the delivery van broke down.

We have held similar gatherings in a few like-sized properties over the past 15 years, and this is one of the best.


Steve from South Croydon stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks For the comprehensive review, appreciate it. We remember the errant supermarket delivery well. Normally they manage to get to us in time for the guests arrival. Thankfully yours was a one off. Hope to host you again soon.

Outstanding place.

Review submitted on Wed, 25 Apr 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Couldn’t recommend Higher Wiscombe enough. The cottages and surroundings are immaculate and excellently equipped with all every day items you might need. All the bedrooms have modern ensuites which we found very useful. The owners are helpful and are always on hand to help. They have a sound knowledge of the local area and are more than happy to give tips and hints on what to do.

Daniel from Helston stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review and the kind words. We really appreciate it.

Excellent

Review submitted on Wed, 18 Apr 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Location is stunning and the barn itself absolutely perfect for a large group looking to get away from it all.
Alistair and Lorna live on site and are there to help but at the same time respect your privacy and let you do your own thing.
Magnificent get away location.


Sam from Merstham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks everyone, really pleased that you had a great time.

Family Easter Break

Review submitted on Mon, 16 Apr 2018
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This property was perfect for a family holiday, suiting all ages from grandparents to toddlers. The facilities were excellent - absolutely everything provided, plenty of hot water, comfy beds, etc. The location was also excellent as numerous beaches were minutes away. Overall really, really good.

Helen from Leatherhead stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in March 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks very much for the kind review. We are really pleased that you had a great time.

60th Birthday party

Review submitted on Thu, 15 Mar 2018
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Had a wonderful stay . There were 26 adults , 3 dogs & a baby staying in the Winery, the Thatched Barn & the Flint Barn.
All bedrooms were en-suite with large comfy beds. The large kitchen table in the winery was perfect for socialising as was the large lounge. We would recommend you take everything you need because you are 15 minutes from a supermarket .
We booked The Flippy Chippy van on the Friday night, great quality & value . Will definitely return.


Sheila from Southampton stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in March 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks For reviewing your stay with us. Really grateful and so pleased you had a great time time.

Ssssh! Keep this place a secret

Review submitted on Thu, 08 Feb 2018
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A group of 15 people aged from 18 to mid 70's all together to celebrate Mum's 70th birthday. Wasn't sure how the younger ones in our party would cope with only on tv and no superfast broadband- but no need to worry. The atmosphere here makes people want to cosy up, sit together and chat and play board games (like the good old days!).

The website gives an indication of the great quality of The Old Winery but does not do it justice. Fabulous beds, 5 star hotel standard bathrooms and underfloor heating that is sorely missed when you are back home. Add this to a relaxed communal spaces, the ability to mass cater and the fun of everyone doing their bit and plenty of room for the dog to stretch out it really is idyllic.

Wonder if we can do it all again when Dad is 70 next year......


Alison from Bath stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in January 2018


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the really kind review, much appreciated. Hope to see yo back again, thanks Alistair

Family Celebration

Review submitted on Tue, 16 Jan 2018
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We stayed over Christmas in The Old Winery and the Flint Barn......for two celebrations ......our parents 60th wedding anniversary, as well as Christmas.

It worked perfectly for a large group Aged 14 to 84 .....a great location to be together, but also for everyone to have their own space.

Everybody in the party commented that it was a wonderful and well appointed location


Guest from Basingstoke stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in December 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review, we are really pleased that you ad a good break over Christmas. We hope very much to see you again. Thanks Lorna

Wonderful and remote

Review submitted on Mon, 08 Jan 2018
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I booked The Winnery for 20 members of my family including small children. What a fabulous place to stay, we found it to be very spacious and very well equipped. The remoteness of the property was good, we had long walks (although the weather was not on our side) we had a great time. We were also very close to other towns and seaside resorts. On the whole it was a hit!

Catherine from Beaminster stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in December 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Really appreciate you taking time to review your stay and really pleased that you had such a good time. We hoe to welcome you back one day. Thanks Lorna

Christmas House Get together

Review submitted on Thu, 21 Dec 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We (13 couples aged between 28 and 32) visited Higher Wiscombe for our annual Christmas Get together over the weekend before Christmas Day.

When we arrived Lorna was kindly assisting with our large Tesco delivery and gave us all the information we needed for our visit along with some extra tips on the local area and surroundings.

We found the house perfectly clean and all the bedrooms were a great standard each with en suite. The large dining table was perfect for our big Christmas dinner of which we bought in local caterers to prepare our meal. The living room was also huge with enough seating and space to hold our annual Christmas Quiz.

Overall we were really impressed with the whole house, set up and the hosts who gave us everything we needed to enjoy our stay.

We will definitely be returning for another visit in the summer and would highly recommend this house for big groups looking to relax or party in amazing surroundings.


Tom from Surrey stayed at The Winery for 2 nights in December 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review and for the kind comments about the property. We hope that you will consider returning one day. Thanks Lorna

Perfect

Review submitted on Wed, 15 Nov 2017
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Everything was great - owners were outstandingly helpful.

Thank you very much for a perfect weekend break.



Joel from London stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Joel, we loved having you and your group to stay. Really pleased it was such a great success. Best regards Alistair

A lovely place to stay

Review submitted on Sun, 22 Oct 2017
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery is a beautiful house in a beautiful setting, the scenery is breathtaking. It is an ideal place to stay for a group holiday, and an excellent place for my husband and I in particular, we have two dogs, and the owners made them most welcome, and provided us with bowls, blankets, towels etc. There was a lovely enclosed garden where they could wander and sniff, and plenty of good walking for us and them. The only two small problems we had were the spiral stairs for myself & the dogs, and a couple of the sofas in the lounge could be higher & firmer. Overall rating 9/10. Thank You, we would visit again.

Carole from Ruislip stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in October 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Carole. Really pleased that you enjoyed your stay. Appreciate you choosing us and being kind enough to leave a review. Best regards Lorna

a deelpy peaceful place

Review submitted on Sun, 08 Oct 2017
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
a deeply peaceful place away from the throng and yet only 15 mins from the coast and a train station

Sue from Honiton stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in October 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Sue, appreciate the review and see you again soon, Betsy regards Lorna

Fantastic property doing just what was required of it

Review submitted on Mon, 11 Sep 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We hired all three properties for a 50th birthday and it was perfect. Lorna was so accomodating and happy to let us 'get on' with our week. Once we got to grips with knowing that 'if it wasn't in the downstairs kitchen it was in the upstairs kitchen' and the recycling rules everything went swimmingly.

On the sunnier days we moved the outside chairs from the back of the property (with a beautiful view) to the front of the property as the sun was on 'that side' of the house in the afternoon - that may not have worked so well if the other properties had been hired by others. The pool was a lovely bonus but we didn't use it much, the games room was useful to entertain both adults and children on the couple of wet days.

A few more hooks in the bathrooms would have been useful and we had to turn our mattress after a few days as it was rather lumpy but turning it helped and all was well. I should have paid more attention to the size of the bathrooms when allocating the rooms. That information is on the floor plans but I didn't pick it up and ended up putting a large brother in the smallest bathroom which we had to resolve on-site.

We used caterers on a couple of occasions which was brilliant - all very organsied as they had been there before and catered for two severe allergies amongst 40 people.

Our main concern for the whole week was getting back out of the drive onto the main road. It is a very tricky junction and difficult to see around the hedges - we all thought a mirror on the opposite side of the road would have been very useful.

All in all we had a great week and would definitley use Higher Wiscombe again.


Debra from Kingussie stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in September 2017


An absolutely delightful cottage in a wonderfully peaceful setting.

Review submitted on Sun, 27 Aug 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery did not disappoint in any way. It is a fabulous place with everything you need. We had a range of ages in our group from 78 to 8 and there was something for everyone and despite being a large group there were places to escape too! The bonus was the heated pool and the sighting of a doe and it's fawn as well as the rabbits and beautiful pheasants all from just sipping morning coffee on the patio ! Beaches were close by and in particular the pretty village of Beer was unforgettable. Alistair and Lynda gave us all the information we needed and more. Truly a memorable stay in a beautiful part of the country.

Sadhana from London stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2017


Four generations of thr Roberts clan

Review submitted on Mon, 21 Aug 2017
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Highly recommended. We were not disappointed. A great venue, with a warm and friendly welcome. First rate!
William


William from Altrincham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2017


A pleasant stay in Devon

Review submitted on Sun, 13 Aug 2017
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The drive down through the grounds was quite a thrill, seeing all the animals-particularly the pheasants! The Old Winery was an amazing accomadation. Plenty of crockery and utensils and ample space for everyone! Did manage to use the pool a couple of times but unfortunately the weather wasn't good enough to go in more and restricted our use of the outside furniture which was a shame. Rooms were clean and it made all the difference having en-suites! This was a one off treat to celebrate our mother's 80th birthday and all in all we had a very enjoyable week.

Sue from Malvern stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2017


Diamond wedding anniversary

Review submitted on Sun, 30 Jul 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We occupied all three properties, which were perfect for our family of 30 varying in age from 2months to 84yrs.
We loved all the various facilities, which were well used. The houses were so well equipped and lacked for nothing.
The recommendations with regard to catering were spot on. Brenda's meals were superb and the Pizzas cooked
on sight were particularly popular.
The views were enjoyed by all and the dogs enjoyed their freedom.


Roy from Rickmansworth stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2017


Family reunion ages 5-80'

Review submitted on Sun, 09 Jul 2017
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a great week away. Plenty of beaches nearby to visit but you still feel like you are totally secluded when at Higher Wiscombe. Plenty of space for 24 people of spanning three generations and all were happy. The teenagers spent lots of time in the games room. The dog was happy too! We would definitely recommend Higher Wiscombe to our friends.

Georgette from Leatherhead stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in June 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, we really appreciate you taking the time to give us the feedback. We are delighted that you had successful visit and all enjoyed it, including the dog! Best regards Alistair

Such a great venue for a large group.

Review submitted on Wed, 14 Jun 2017
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We took all three of the lovely buildings here for a long weekend at the beginning of June - a party of 26 although we could have easily accommodated 30.
Lorna and Alistair (the owners) could not have been more helpful in providing us with "the inside track" on setting up the place for an informal supper on the Friday night and a dinner party with all of us at one table on the Saturday night (with dancing afterwards!) in the Old Winery.
My guests loved the fact that they all had great rooms all with en suites and could stagger back to bed as and when they deemed that they had consumed/danced enough.
The location is superb (even in the rain!) - we already knew it wasn't in a village (with pubs, shops etc) so that was not an issue but that is the only thing that could have made it any better as far as I am concerned. Everyone had driven down (loads of parking) so daytime sorties to the beaches and cliffs walks (and other sites in the surrounding areas) were popular.
we certainly hope to come back again soon!


Penny from Farnham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in June 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, we really are grateful when guests take the time to tell us about their stay. We are so pleased that you had a great time, and look forward to welcoming you back one day. Best regards Alistair

OLD WINERY BARN - DEVON

Review submitted on Tue, 30 May 2017
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery provided an excellent base for our total party of 24 adults (in the whole complex) and provided accommodation for 13.

Great size and quality of house for entertaining. We used the large dining area for all meals and utilised both excellent well equipped kitchens. There was no need to bring any kitchen utensils, crockery etc thus saving room in the car. The Old Winery had lovely views from the dining and other seating area. The bedrooms, en suite, were excellent, although varied in size. The cleanliness and quality of fittings and furniture was excellent.

There was a quick response by the owners to the few queries we had and the barn and the whole complex was very well presented.

Well worth a visit and we are booking for next year.


Janet from Twickenham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for a great review Janet, it is much appreciated. Hope to welcome you back again soon. Best regards Alistair

Truly stunning barn in idilic country setting

Review submitted on Sun, 28 May 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I rented all 3 barns for a family and close friends celebration.
Lorna and Alistair were helpful and prompt in dealing with all correspondence.
The barn itself is beautiful, well maintained and very well equipped, perfect for hosting a big party.
We hired a local caterer called Brenda who cooked us a lovely evening dinner and would certainly recommend her and her team.
Hire any of these barns and you will be truly delighted
We had a very memorable stay and my friends and family are still talking about it two weeks on
We did my late husband proud and I am very pleased it all worked out perfectly


Cherry from Bristol stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for the lovely review, we have also passed on your kind words to Brenda. We are really pleased that it worked so well for you all. Best regards Alistair

Amazing stay with great friends!!

Review submitted on Wed, 17 May 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Excellent accommodation and facilities, the house was clean, tidy and comfortable! Surroundings were amazing and it was a shame to leave.
I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a place to relax and enjoy the English countryside.the layout of this large house was brilliant and the large kitchen/diner downstairs was brilliant for socialising as was the large living space.
I couldn't rate this place or the owners any higher!


Nicola from Eastleigh stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Nicky, thanks for the fabulous review, which we really appreciate, more importantly we are always over the moon when guests have a great time and use all the facilities to the full. We hope very much to welcome you back. Best regards Alistair

Great place for a large family gathering

Review submitted on Tue, 09 May 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery was an excellent choice for a large family gathering. The setting is beautiful, tranquil and rural with plenty of space for dogs and small children to have a good run around. The accommodation is spacious and we appreciated the fact that everybody had an en suite bathroom. The sitting room was comfortable and family friendly and it was possible to seat twenty around the large refectory table for communal suppers. The house was well equipped for the younger ones in the group with stair gates, high chairs etc. We also had a small dog with us and, understandably,were asked for a small supplement. However, it was an added bonus to be provided with rugs, towels, dog bags and treats!
The owners were really helpful and not obtrusive - everything from filling the pool early in the season, as it was such lovely weather, to providing a forgotten ingredient (garlic) for a special supper and advice about a broken exhaust!!
The surrounding area includes miles of coastal walking, pretty harbours, children's parks, beaches, Beer quarry and lots of lovely pubs, cafes and restaurants.






Philip from Romsey stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in April 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the lovely review. You were great gathering. Really pleased to share my smoked garlic with an appreciative audience, and to help out with the exhaust! Best regards Alistair

That Special Weekend

Review submitted on Fri, 05 May 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Our stay at Higher Wiscombe had been planned over a year in advance to provide a beautiful setting where the whole family could be together and have a good time while celebrating a family birthday.
It more than exceeded hopes and expectations. Everyone who arrived said "wow". The only thing that appeared to concern Lorna and Alistair was that we had everything we needed, nothing was too much trouble and their style of ownership was that we only saw them at the end of the weekend.
Every room was beautiful and comfy, some were a bit too hot with limited window opening opportunities, all the thermostats were set at 30 when we arrived, but everything else more than made up for that.
The accommodation is well equipped although I never did track down an ice cream scoop and the frying pans and saucepans after cooked breakfast needed a good soak and lots of elbow grease. I am being picky!
A wonderful place.


Jill from Ottery St Mary stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Great review, thanks very much, so glad you had a great stay. Best regards Alistair

Family birthday celebration

Review submitted on Wed, 26 Apr 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
One of the best places we have ever stayed. We were a large family group and rented the Thatched barn at the same time. One of the best equipped kitchens for self catering and cooking for 24 guests. Wonderful location.


Karen from Tonbridge stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, much appreciated, hope to welcome you back soon. Thanks Alistair

A spacious and comfortable property in an excellent location for walking.

Review submitted on Mon, 03 Apr 2017
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The owners were very friendly and helpful. The property was very good value for money, with 10 en suite bedrooms. There was the flexibility of having the beds made up as twins or doubles, which we appreciated. It had a games room and comfortable sitting room. The dining area was spacious with a wonderful view. However, we found the main kitchen area very cramped and awkward to use when catering for 19 people. Some people also found the bedrooms too hot, and difficult to ventilate.

Vivien from Reading stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in March 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for the review, which we appreciate. We are a bit mystified as to why you didn't ask us whilst you were here about the bedrooms being too hot. Each one has it's own underfloor heating loop controlled by it's own thermostat on the wall of the bedroom. Every bedroom has windows that can be opened. As regards the kitchen space, we think we may have caused this inadvertently. We left the central section of the oak tables in place from the previous week, (enables it to sit 26-28) which can impinge on the space available. Our apologies for that. It's also worth noting that for catering on a grand scale there are two fully equipped kitchen in The Old Winery. Once again, thanks for coming and really pleased your stay was a success. Best regards Lorna

A week in March

Review submitted on Fri, 31 Mar 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Fantastic accommodation to celebrate 60th wedding. High standard of bathrooms and comfort. Well equipped kitchen with everything we needed.
Hosts very helpful in suggesting places to visit and caterers etc

All very nicely maintained with care for the surroundings. Lovely table tennis room too.
Highly recommend.
The large table to entertain big family was a huge attraction and success.



Jane from Barry stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in March 2017


A weekend to treasure

Review submitted on Tue, 28 Feb 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I booked all three cottages for my wife's 50th birthday, we had a large party 24 people, the property was fantastic, great location, very dog friendly, accommodation very well plan and thought out, nice touch having welcome hampers and fresh flowers on day of arrival. Thank you to both Lorna and Alistair,can't wait to come back.

George from Hampshire stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks, it was a pleasure to have you to stay and so pleased that all the celebrations went so well. We hope very much to welcome you all here again. Best regards Lorna

Fab accommodation - The Old Winery & The Thatched Barn

Review submitted on Sun, 26 Feb 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a big multi-family holiday (4 families plus close friends), up to 19 when all were there.
We booked The Old Winery and the Thatched Barn – this gave plenty of excellent quality bedrooms & bathrooms (all ensuite) plus living space options. Ideal for earmarking areas for games, music (we’re mostly all musicians/singers) and chat/chilling.

We felt very much at home as soon as we arrived and enjoyed a high level of comfort from the accommodation. We really enjoyed our stay there.
NB. Any issues we had (very few) were dealt with swiftly by the totally charming Harry, son of the owners.

Location-wise, the surrounding fields were ideal for walks. It is 10 minutes from Honiton, and 5 miles from the coast.

THE OLD WINERY - specifics:
The huge lower ground floor kitchen was the hub, for eating, chat and board/card games. Plus ideal for the big Games/Quiz evening which Husband & Daughter had prepared beforehand. It had a lovely view along its full length of the fields outside.
The big living room was great for TV, video games and more board games. And a second smaller kitchen next to it was convenient for snacks and hot drinks.
The 10 bedrooms slept the majority of our party very comfortably.

THE THATCHED BARN – specifics:
This had an open-plan kitchen and living space, which had a lovely view out onto the fields. And for those wanting a quieter time than the noisy late-nighters in the Old Winery, the 3 bedrooms here slept them very comfortably.


Marguerite from Iver stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in February 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Firstly we are really pleased that you had such a great time, and that you took full advantage of all that Higher Wiscombe has to offer. Thank you too for highlighting Harry's customer service. It was his first time in total charge of everything, and it's really generous of you to mention him by name. He was very flattered. Thank you sir much for coming and we hope to welcome you here again. best regards Alistair

Perfect weekend break for seventeen of us.

Review submitted on Thu, 23 Feb 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Seventeen of us stayed here recently, we always go away in Feb as a group and thought we'd try somewhere different this year, and we weren't disappointed.
We found Higher Wiscombe extremely comfortable, with all rooms having en-suites, well equipped, clean and in the perfect position to explore the towns and villages of the Jurassic coast.
I'm sure we'll return next year.


Tristan from Pulborough stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2017


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
We are really pleased that you had a great time and managed tom take in some of the great places nearby. We hope to welcome you back again soon. Thanks Lorna

fabulous location for large family celebration

Review submitted on Sun, 05 Feb 2017
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We rented all three properties at Higher Wiscombe for a family celebration and the whole weekend worked perfectly. Lorna and Alistair were perfect hosts - they had been responsive, helpful and accommodating prior to the weekend and they ensured that we were comfortable and had everything we needed whilst we were there, however they were also discreet and left us to enjoy ourselves. The houses were all equipped to an excellent standard and we loved the recently refurbished bathrooms. Even our three dogs were welcomed and well provided for. We used caterer, Abbey Kennedy, recommended by our hosts who provided a delicious celebratory meal and this allowed us to enjoy our special family time.
Despite the fact that we visited in January there was still plenty to keep everyone entertained, from a special birthday tram ride at Seaton, walks on the beach and even a scavenger hunt/walk around the fields of Higher Wiscombe.



Sallie from Tring stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in January 2017


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review and really pleased that you had such a fabulous time. Seaton Tramway are a great bunch and they really look after their guests. We hope very much to welcome you back one day. Best regards Lorna.

Lads & Dads favourite.

Review submitted on Wed, 23 Nov 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We enjoyed a fabulous "Lads and Dads" weekend at Higher Wiscombe. The property itself is great, offering the flexibility we required. The owners were very accommodating considering we were a last minute booking and made a couple of changes also. This was a fantastic location, with loads to do nearby; we enjoyed paint-balling, clay pigeon shooting and zorb football. Probably the best we've done was the feedback from one of the lads...and we've done this for about 10 years!

Grant from Crowthorne stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2016


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Grant, Thanks for the review and most of all for staying here. You were a brilliant bunch and is it just the best thing for us to see guests using the facilities to the full, that's why they are there. We hope to see you again sometime, in the meantime our very best to you all. Best regards Alistair

Wonderful weekend

Review submitted on Sun, 20 Nov 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A fabulous place to stay. Lots of room for a large party (we also hired 'The Thatched Barn'). Modern well equipped bathrooms, very comfortable beds. Lots of attention to detail throughout the whole place. Brenda the caterer was a star and her food delicious. Lorna and Alistair were very helpful right from the moment we booked, nothing seemed too much trouble and the information we received was better than we have experienced at other houses. Lorna and Alistair deserve all the accolades they have received. Garden was dog and child safe.

We highly recommend this accommodation. Thank you fro such an excellent stay.


Terri from Medstead stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in November 2016


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
We are so pleased that the weekend was a great success and thanks for the review, icing on the cake for us. Will pass feedback onto Brenda too. Really enjoyed having you all to say. Best regards Alistair

The most amazing weekend!

Review submitted on Fri, 04 Nov 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Wow- what an incredible place! From the amazing views, to the beautiful bedrooms, the cosy pool at the end of Oct, the cleanliness, the little touches of a hamper and pumpkins... I could go on all day! It is the most amazing place to celebrate with a large group of friends, equally I cannot wait to come back with the little ones as they will absolutely love it! Cannot recommend Higher Wiscombe enough and the great service Lorna and Allistair provide. Thank you so much!

Alicia from Bath stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2016


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Alicia, really appreciate the great review. Glad you liked the Pumpkins, and took advantage of the pool. Many thanks for coming. Alistair

A lovely place to stay.

Review submitted on Wed, 19 Oct 2016
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A well appointed comfortable property with a lovely view. Welcoming and helpful owners. We all enjoyed our stay.

Myra from Bristol stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2016


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Myra, Thanks for the great review, really pleased you enjoyed your stay, hope to see you again soon. Best regards Alistair

Wonderful house

Review submitted on Thu, 06 Oct 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
An excellent house, so well equipped, beautiful location. We have hired many large houses for our group of 25 and this is by far the best.

Elaine from Tetbury stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2016


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the amazing review, we really appreciate it and makes all the hard work worthwhile, looking forward to welcoming you all again, kind regards Lorna x

Running a retreat at this location is a joy! Thank you Lorna and Alistair

Review submitted on Sun, 25 Sep 2016
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Nothing more to add really - a perfect location with excellent hosts. Great walking right from the door. Thank you.................................................................

Sue from Awliscombe stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in September 2016


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Sue, much appreciate the great review, and look forward to welcoming you back. Kind regards Lorna

A great place for a family party

Review submitted on Sun, 28 Aug 2016
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We rented all three properties for a family celebration and it was an excellent choice. Comfortable, relaxing, informal and very well equipped. Beautiful location in a tranquil valley but with easy access to a variety of interesting places. Wonderful!


William from Newark stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2016


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks so much for leaving us a great review, much appreciated. Really pleased that you made full use of your time here and experienced lots that the area has to offer. Thanks for coming and hope to welcome you back again. Best regards Alistair

An excellent venue for a family celebration but, perhaps, a bit pricey.

Review submitted on Sun, 21 Aug 2016
3.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
2.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Our stay at The Old Winery (also the Flint Barn) was a celebration of our 60th (Diamond) Wedding Anniversary. There were 25 participants including 6 children and 4 teen-agers. The young ones made full use of the outdoor swimming pool, the games room and the cinema. Other activities included an impromptu Archery Competition held in the field adjacent to the terrace and a 'young' versus 'old' football match took place in the flat field beyond the parking facility. A celebratory party was held on the Saturday night involving a local caterer and a freelance London based operatic singer (soprano Lisa Carlisle) who was first class and who described the whole experience as 'magical'. Indoors, the sitting room provided a very satisfactory venue for slide shows, pub quizzes and a Bingo night All this 'extra-curricular' activity was carried out with the full support and active co-operation of the owners. Their on-site presence was supportive but non-intrusive. The remoteness of the site proved to be a major plus point for our large and wide 'mixed-age' family. The fees, however, we felt were perhaps a little on the heavy side.

William from Reading stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2016


Alistair replied more than 1 year ago
William, Thanks for letting us know what a great time that you had. The family comments on leaving were unanimous in both their gratitude for the opportunity that you provided for everyone to get together, and how much they enjoyed the accommodation and all that it offered. The most common remark was that it was the very best joint holiday that they have ever had. Indeed your remarks suggest the same, bar the mark of 2 for value, which makes the overall review look like a poor one. To put the price in context, we are considerably cheaper per night per room than the Honiton Premier Inn, yet can provide the 5 star private facilities that made your families stay so very special. We are also fully booked every summer, and always have been, suggesting that our pricing is there or thereabouts. Once again, thanks for coming and thanks for the review, Kind regards Alistair

Family celebration

Review submitted on Tue, 16 Aug 2016
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Hired all 3 barns for a family party. The owners were incredibly kind and helpful particularly in setting up for our celebration. The layout of the rooms was excellent especially the large downstairs kitchen/ dining room and outside terrace with further dining tables, which meant that all 32 of us could be accommodated very easily. The fittings were if the highest standard with plenty of crockery etc for a large gathering. Some of the bedrooms have a narrow handbasin -difficult to wash one's face in. The beds were very comfortable but we would have preferred the pillows to be thicker/softer!


Guest from Ottery St. Mary stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2016


Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Jane, really appreciate this review. We are looking at replacing the two narrow basins when we get a gap. We have more space in those bathrooms than we thought when we were refurbishing them earlier this year. We hope very much to welcome you back, and once again thanks for the time taken top post a review. Kind regards Lorna

The perfect base for a big party

Review submitted on Mon, 13 Jun 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We rented the Old Winery and its companion holiday properties the Thatched Barn and the Flint Barn for one week for a combined annual family party and 60th birthday and 21st birthday celebrations. It was an amazing event and the three properties contributed greatly to its success. All the 32 people who stayed (plus the handfful of those who were accomodated elsewhere) praised the setting, the quality of the farm building conversion, the general levels comfort, and how well-equipped each property was. We self-catered for that number every night and we had everything we could possibly have needed.The hosts Lorna and Alistair could not do enough to make our stay a success (including arranging a sheep shearing demo for the kids). It would be difficult to praise the places too highly. As for location, we again could not have hoped for better. The hill and valley rural setting makes for views to die for; the three units are within 10 minutes of a Tesco and about 12 minutes of an excellent Waitrose; a number of charming Devon seaside towns are very close; and getting there is easy with a mainline station at Honiton 10 minutes away and Exeter Airport 20 minutes or so. Our guests used both.

Stuart from Fort Lauderdale stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Stuart, thank you for the great review, we really appreciate it and loved having your extended family group. It's always fabulous to see all that we provide being used to the full and having such a great time. We hope to see you again when you visit the UK. Please send our very best to all your extended family. Alistair and Lorna

Family celebration for my 50th birthday

Review submitted on Sun, 05 Jun 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery was just the perfect setting for our family celebration. The location is lovely and the house has everything you need. Lorna cannot be more helpful. We used Emma to cater our celebration dinner and she was superb. Overall we had a great time and all generations loved it. Highly recommended!

Karen from Welwyn stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Karen, really pleased you had a great time. It's great seeing extended families getting together and really enjoying it. Emma also sends best regards and says you were fab to cater for. All the best Alistair

A Fantastic place to stay with a large group

Review submitted on Thu, 05 May 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The Old Winery was the perfect place to stay. We were a group of 18 ladies celebrating s few big birthdays and we had an amazing long weekend. The house has a brilliant lay out with the kitchen being a fantastic place to all get together, eat, drink & be social. The rooms are all a great sizes and all very clean and nicely decorated. We also spent a lot of time in the beautiful heated pool that has amazing views over the valley below.
We would highly recommend the Old Winery and will return for our next big occasion.


Kerry from Chippenham stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, we're very grateful. Pleased you liked the pool too, we try to keep it really warm and then it does get used, even early(ish) in the season. thanks for coming, all the very best, Lorna

A lovely property with superb views

Review submitted on Wed, 04 May 2016
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Our family of eighteen stayed for three nights in May 2016. The house was very clean and tidy and well equipped. All the bedrooms were of a good size and comfortably furnished, each had its own ensuite and these were of a good standard. We had ample space, it was all very well organised and laid out. The pool area was very pleasant and again very well maintained, as was the games room with table football and table tennis. There appears to be no pub in walking distance, but there are several villages nearby that are only a short drive away, Beer being a very pleasant stop. But withy such a lovely rural setting and some wonderful views, maybe you don't need to go far!

Janine from Fordingbridge stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Janine, thanks for the great review, really appreciate it and that you got full use of all the facilities. There isn't a pub in walking distance but there are lots nearby, and we have a good deal with a minibus that many of the guests use. best regards Alistair

Excellent accommodation in a beautiful location

Review submitted on Wed, 13 Apr 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A most wonderful weekend was experienced in this gorgeous cottage which was cosy and warm, with its amazing views into the valley. We wanted our weekend to be special and the owners made superb recommendations for caterers to come in and provide food for both evenings. The en-suite bathrooms were a real luxury and meant that with such a large party that there were no queues in the morning! We all would highly recommend a stay at the Old Winery.

Guest from Taunton stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Ruth, thank you for choosing Higher Wiscombe for the Hen Party. Really enjoyed having you all and hope to see you here again. All the best Alistair, lorna and Charlotte.

A perfect week

Review submitted on Mon, 04 Apr 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We rented all 3 cottages at Higher Wiscombe for our 25th Wedding Anniversary . We had 32 friends and family and everything was perfect ! The owners have put every thought into making these cottages comfortable and luxurious .
The layout was perfect with large areas to gather but then lounges and quieter areas for other to get away .
Higher Wiscombe exceeded our expectations !


Helena from Victor stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in March 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review and really pleased that you had such a great time. We hope very much to see you all again soon. Best regards Lorna

Great venue for a stag

Review submitted on Wed, 16 Mar 2016
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Fantastic property, with en-suites in every room, fantastic kitchen area and good value. Couldn't be happier with the stay. Also big think walls, so despite the owners living very close to the property, they would never hear you, if you were loud! Also even if they could they wouldn't care as they are very chilled out.

Tom from London stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in March 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Tom, Thanks for the brilliant review, and whilst we are pretty chilled and the walls are very thick, we are really pleased that you had a great time and so did our other guests that weekend. So thanks for not disturbing them :-) All the very best for the wedding. best regards Alistair

10/10 from us!

Review submitted on Thu, 25 Feb 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The winery was fantastic, we couldn't have hoped for more. From the large kitchen and dining area to the comfy beds and en suites the winery had it all and more. Lorna and Alistair were very accommodating and helpful. I have a feeling we will return!

Anna from Raynes Park stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Anna, thanks for the brilliant review, we really appreciate it and hope you will return soon. Thanks for coming, Lorna

3 day break in January with a group of 26

Review submitted on Wed, 03 Feb 2016
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We took a group of 26 leaders from the Lighthouse Church in Poole away for a 3 day training session. We found Higher Wiscombe to be perfect for our needs and Lorna and Alistair were excellent landlords, friendly and always available to help out with queries. The accommodation has been renovated to the highest standard with each of the 16 rooms having a large comfortable bed and its own high spec bathroom. The only slight disappointment was that the underfloor heating was so efficient that we never got to use the wood burning stoves! Higher Wiscombe is a truly beautiful and high quality holiday home - I can recommend it without reservation.

Phil from Poole stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in January 2016


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for coming and thanks for the great review. Next time we can show you the thermostats and you can turn down the heating so you can use the woodburners :-) It was great having you and really pleased the accommodation suited you so well. Best wishes Lorna

A lovley venue for a family occasion.

Review submitted on Thu, 31 Dec 2015
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Dear All, Many thanks for providing a great venue for our family xmas.It was a real success and thoroughly lived up to our expectations. Despite the weather we visited a few local attractions,including Sandy Park ! The Swiss contingent, even took the train to Bristol for the sales! All was provided in the Barn to a high standard, and we were very comfortable. Very minor points - Kitchen tongs for serving hot items? At the East end of the Barn near room 10 one of the ?ventilation covers is loose and rattles in the wind - not that I heard it but the rooms at the end did. Hope you all have a very Happy New Year. Kind regards Mike Emens

M from Birmingham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in December 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Dear All, Really pleased that you had such a great time, and also that you managed to all get into the rugby on Boxing Day. Thanks also for the tips on the tongs and the rattling vent, it's been a while since we had such strong winds, so that was a new one, fixed now. Really helpful when guests tell us things like this, otherwise we just would not know. A very Happy New Year to you too. Best regards Alistair

Beautiful 5* barn in stunning surroundings

Review submitted on Tue, 17 Nov 2015
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We rented all the barns at Higher Wiscombe at short notice for a corporate activity event, having been let down by another venue at the last minute. We were so glad we found Lorna and Alistair! Nothing was a problem for them, they were always ready to answer any questions we had leading up to the event and offered every possible assistance. Our client was incredibly impressed with The Old Winery in particular which we used as the focal point for the group and even seated 30 people for dinner. The furnishings, bed linens, cleanliness and overall presentation of all the rooms throughout Higher Wiscombe was exemplary, they more than deserve the 5 stars they have been awarded. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Higher Wiscombe to anyone wanting a luxurious stay in stunning surroundings and can also recommend Brenda, the caterer who produced the most amazing food for our group. We are definitely planning to return with another client in the not too distant future and look forward to working with Lorna and Alistair again.

Julie from Guildford stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Julie, it was a pleasure to welcome you and the group here. We do get corporate groups, but rarely anything like as well organised :-) Thanks also for the great review, it is truly appreciated, and we hope very much to welcome you here again soon. Best regards Alistair and Lorna

Everyone happy!

Review submitted on Sun, 25 Oct 2015
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a great week, stunning location and beautiful house.
Some people found the house overheated (thermostat on 0, window open and still too warm). This doesn't apply to the lowest level.


Nan from Middelharnis stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in October 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Nan, thanks for the review and for coming to stay with us. The house is extremely well insulated, so sorry you found it a bit warm. Thanks for the more detailed feedback we received subsequently on the errant thermostat, which has ben dealt with. Hope very much toms you again. All the best Lorna

Everything was sublime

Review submitted on Thu, 17 Sep 2015
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
I called the owners directly to check and get some information before booking. They were extremely helpful and I decided to book it there and then.
Location was far from us but completely worth the travel time.located on the top of the hill overlooking a river. Owners Lorna and Alistair were a delight to talk to and very helpful.
it was a friend's 35th birthday and we were planning a Saturday night party that could have been loud. The main kitchen and the and the dining room on the ground floor is a level lower than the sitting room so not a bit of noise got out!
A heated swimming pool, games room and a lovely surroundings. would definitely go back.


Daniel from London stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks very much for the great review. We loved having you, and are always really pleased when guests fully utilise the facilities, that's what they are there for. You are great bunch, always smiling and laughing, thanks for coming to stay. Thanks also for the fabulous effort at cleaning the BBQ, absolutely not required, but a great help this morning. Best regards Alistair and Lorna

Superb, clean, well furnished large cottage

Review submitted on Sun, 30 Aug 2015
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
There were 12 adults and 10 kids who loved the Old winery at Higher Wiscombe. As someone who has stayed in numerous cottages it is sometimes the little details that are missing but that is not the case here. The spotlessly clean BBQ, the comfortable beds, the solid oak table in the kitchen and the high quality appliances mark it above the average. Lorna and Alistair were superb hosts and accommodated all requests we made. I'd highly recommended the Old winery for any large groups unless you want guarenteed sunshine

Nik from Kenilworth stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Nik, Thanks for the great review, much appreciated. We loved having you all here to stay. It was great to see the facilities all getting used to the full and to see just how much children can enjoy a swimming pool! Best regards Alistair and Lorna

Memories of a happy few days

Review submitted on Wed, 01 Jul 2015
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a happy and comfortable stay at the Old Winery. The accommodation was excellent and enjoyed by all our party.
We look forward to making a return visit.
We have no problem in recommending this property.
Bill and Shirley Bayley


Guest from Ashprington stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in June 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Dear Bill and Shirley, delighted that your joint 80th birthday was such a great success. Thanks also for the really positive feedback about the outside caterers. Clearly much fun had by all, look forward to welcoming you back again. Thanks for coming, Alistair and Lorna

A perfect week

Review submitted on Sun, 07 Jun 2015
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
When researching a venue to bring my family of three children, partners and nine grandchildren, ranging from 1 - 12, I thought it would be impossible to tick all the boxes of suitable bedrooms, and living area, that would be both attractive to stay in yet robust enough to contain us all comfortably. The Old Winery full filled all those requirements, along with supplying a delightful well heated swimming pool and stunning views over Devonshire countryside. The surrounding close proximity of beeches were also ideal, and I do believe we were in a mini climate as the predicted inclement weather seemed to pass us by.
We had the best possible week and were most reluctant to leave. Indeed we tried to book for the following year but sadly that week is already taken- I am not surprised.


Guest from Hampton stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks so much for the review, really appreciate it. We are delighted that you had a good time, and it was fabulous to see everything in full use. Sorry we're booked next year for Whitsun, that week, along with Christmas and New Year tends to go really early. Have a great break wherever you go next and hope to welcome you back. Best regards Lorna

My 70th birthday

Review submitted on Sun, 31 May 2015
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Absolutely fantastic place for a reunion with family and old friends, with first class facilities, good location, access to beaches, walks and pubs etc

Guest from Caldicot stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
You were a fab group, great to have you and hope to see you again. Alistair

A most enjoyable stay at Higher Wiscombe

Review submitted on Wed, 22 Apr 2015
4.2
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
We chose Higher Wiscombe after browsing the Premier cottages book. It certainly lived up to our expectations and more.
Fluffy white towels and bed linen - bedrooms uncluttered and inviting and enough crockery cookware and glasses for our family of 16 and two dogs. We were extremely fortunate with our weather so BBQ's in April were great. Within 10 miles you have numerous resorts - mostly pebble beaches but sandy when the tide went out.

The games room was excellent far enough away from the main house to not cause a disturbance by 6 teenage grandchildren who loved the full-sized table tennis table and football. Alistair heated the swimming pool for us 6 weeks early

Any criticism would be the drive which had a few pot holes but apart from that a great time was had by all - many thanks to Lorna and Alistair, who do not intrude but are there if you need them. We would certainly recommend. Mike


Guest from Nottingham stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in April 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Mike, Thanks for the review, glad you enjoyed the pool. the advantage of the biomass boiler is that it can heat the pool quickly early in the season if the weather is good. Sorry about the small number of potholes, these have been dealt with. It's s very long drive and it's a bit like the Forth Bridge, we now keep a stock of tarmac repair bags. Hope to see you again. Alistair and Lorna

What a weekend!

Review submitted on Wed, 15 Apr 2015
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A group 25 of ladies stayed at the old winery (and thatched barn) at Higher Wiscombe for my friends hen weekend at the beginning of March and all I can say is the house exceeded all expectations. I was a little nervous approaching the house because I wanted the house to be as lovely as the photo's and it was just fantastic! We were greeted by both Lorna and Alistair who were welcoming & friendly, and Lorna showed us around and explained about the property, recycling etc. All of the rooms were beautiful with lovely bathrooms and spotlessly clean. The main kitchen accommodated 25 girls for a catered dinner party as recommended by Lorna and Alistair with no problems. We just loved everything about it. The grounds are beautiful so highly recommend a nice walk to blow out the cobwebs. All I can say is thank you Lorna and Alistair for such a wonderful weekend, the house is simply beautiful, you made everything easy with great communication and recommendations and we left the weekend (a little jaded) but very happy. The bride absolutely loved her weekend away with the girls. Thank you!

Guest from Guildford stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in March 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Lucy, thanks for the great review and so glad you had a great time. You all looked amazing in your wartime outfits on the Saturday, some pictures please :-) Our best wishes to the Bride, and also to the rest of you. thanks for coming to stay with us. Lorna and Alistair

Charming

Review submitted on Thu, 26 Mar 2015
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
An absolutely charming and comfortable place for all the family to stay. Spacious and extremely well equipped. A big positive was that there was plenty of room for us all (24) to sit comfortably together around the dining table. Had a wonderful time.

Guest from Rochester stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in February 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the great review, glad you had a great time and hope to see you again. Lorna

Our second stay

Review submitted on Wed, 25 Mar 2015
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
This was our second time using the venue as our base for a wellbeing retreat and it was excellent with a few exceptions that needed attention during the stay...
A heating programmer meant one side of the house didn't have hot water. Of course 'one of those things' but frustrating all the same. The second tumble dryer didn't work and the sofas in the lounge were noted by our clients as being past the point of needing to be replaced.

Overall, the venue is fantastic and the owners are extremely helpful and willing to help to do what is necessary.

A couple of tips:
Please periodically descale the kettles! We had to order descaler for both kettles as they were pretty bad
The knives were incredibly blunt! Could these be sharpened every once in a while?
The dishwashers were both needing salt and rinse aid
The unit in the dining area of the kitchen has an impressive build up of dust and fluff! Not very nice next to where people will be eating.
The outside lights near the BBQ area could be brighter, as they don't give off much light at all

Aside from this, we would have returned again and again, but the price increases have made the venue no longer cost effective for us.

We love Higher Wiscombe and sure you will too. If you ask for the above points to be done, you will have a lovely time


Guest from Basingstoke stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in March 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review. Have to say a bit mystified by some observations. We were here all the time and could have fixed anything that was not not to your expectations whilst you were here. We saw each other and talked at least once every day so that was the time to tell us. If people don't tell us that something is not right we may not always spot it and we do ask guests to tell us of anything remiss whilst they are here, so much easier to put right. The tumble dryer is a good example, you are right, it had failed, so we bought and fitted a new one, we would not have checked that during changeover. You like to come early so that shortens our time too. Easy and quick job. The hot water did fail on a Sunday morning, and you contacted us at 0730 to tell us, by 0815 we had the engineer on site and it was fixed immediately. Not good enough that it failed, but a speedy response. Also mystified by the kettle comment as we have a water softening system. As regards knives, we provide three different kinds of sharpeners, and were on hand if your chef needed us to sharpen them for him. We have added sharpening to the changeover list. The sofa has been replaced, we had a spare, so once again, if you had told us, it would have taken five minutes to rectify. We should have checked the dishwashers, this is on the list, so I can only apologise that these were not checked. The lights outside the Old Winery have been replaced in this years upgrade programme. Your suggestion that price increases is the reason that you won't be coming back need explanation in the context of this review. We have not put up our prices, we do though charge more in the high demand summer weeks than weeks in November and January.

Fantastic accomodation for all ages.

Review submitted on Sun, 01 Mar 2015
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Our guests ages ranged from 5-79 (family at weekend, friends during the week) everyone enjoyed the experience.
We thoroughly recommend Brenda for catering.


Guest from Radstock stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in February 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review. Much appreciated. We have passed on your thanks to bread, she is really good. Hope to see you again, Lorna

Wonderful week!

Review submitted on Thu, 12 Feb 2015
4.3
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
This is a wonderful property to celebrate with friends and/or family. Living rooms are spacious and good for partying or just relaxing with a book. Bedrooms all a good size and it's wonderful that all bedrooms are en-suite. We rented this with The Thatched Barn and it worked very well, it is a very adaptable property. The caterer recommended by Lorna & Alistair was excellent and would definitely recommend her. All in all we had a fantastic week and are looking for another excuse to go back! Thank you Lorna & Alistair.

Guest from Paunat stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in January 2015


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks so much for the review. Really pleased you enjoyed it. We will pass on your thanks to the caterer. Hope to see you all again, and thanks so much for coming to stay. Lorna

A great place to celebrate a big birthday!

Review submitted on Sun, 04 Jan 2015
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The best bit about the Old Winery is it's size - you can all pile into the main living room, all eat together downstairs and still take refuge in the mostly ample sized bedrooms if you need or want a break from other people.

Nothing was too much trouble for the owners - we asked for some extra duvets and they appeared almost immediately.



Guest from London stayed at The Winery for 4 nights in December 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Abi, thanks for the great review. Really glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again, it's a great description of what we have set out to create, so huge thank you for that. Alistair

50th Birthday Party

Review submitted on Thu, 04 Dec 2014
4.5
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We hired the Higher Wiscombe Windery and Flint Barn for my 50th birthday for 19 adults, 7 kids and 2 dogs. The accommodation was superb and the help given by Lorna and Alistair was spot on (especially when we ran out of butter and flour!). All the guests commented how wonderful the setting is. Highly recommended!

Guest from Totnes stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Nicky, thanks for the great review, much appreciated. Glad we were able to help with the baking :-) Lorna

mum's away

Review submitted on Wed, 22 Oct 2014
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Perfect for a group of friends. Everything you need to self cater if you want and a very comfortable house to relax after a long walk. The house is warm and easy to manage., very clean and well equipped.

Carol from Winchester stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in October 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review, we really appreciate it, really pleased you enjoyed your stay, and hope to see you again at Higher wiscombe. Alistair and Lorna

Perfect weekend!

Review submitted on Wed, 01 Oct 2014
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Amazing weekend to celebrate my Birthday with friends! The cottages and facilities were perfect! The staff were always on hand to help with any requests.

Jordan from Kent stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in September 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks, really pleased you enjoyed it and hope to see you again. Regards Alistair and Lorna

Very nice.

Review submitted on Mon, 22 Sep 2014
4.3
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Plenty of space for 20 people, lovely views from the dining room and sitting room. All the spiral staircases may be a problem with children but we adults found them ok. Pool was lovely.

Guest from Kidderminster stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in September 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review and really pleased that you had a good time, and made full use of both the facilities and the great local walks. Best regards Alistair and Lorna

A family get together to celebrate special occasions in 2014

Review submitted on Wed, 20 Aug 2014
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0

An excellent facility for a large group or family to holiday together. The eating arrangements were ideal .Bedrooms were excellent and the ensuite facilities were much appreciated. We did not make much use of the pool because of the weather but some leisure seating around he pool would have been nice for spectators. The play barn was a great facility for 6 teenagers.
The kitchen could do with one or two extras a coffee machine wine coolers a usable tin opener and some good kitchen knives( this was mentioned in the visitors book a few times)
The owners were most helpful and pleasant and added to the holiday atmosphere.I would thoroughly recommend it to other families. Although I have just said good for value for money it was good and the owners had made the most of the location but they must warn guests about the high humps on the approach road as the Jag found it damaged the underside of the car despite jettisoning all passengers. It was a beautiful place to stay.


Guest from Johnstone stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in August 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review, much appreciated. I'm going to start by being a little defensive, we are here on site and try to remain visible without being omnipresent. We leave the stable door to our office open in good weather to show we are here, and generally make ourselves available so that guests feel they can pop up and ask anything you need to know about the cottages or the local area. If you had come and asked about the knives or the openers we could have dealt with it immediately. There is also a knife sharpener and three different openers in The Old Winery as we know we are all used to different ones. We accept that some don't like to sharpen knives so would happily have done that for you. We provide cafetieres and two large fridges, although we are considering adding a wine fridge, but have no plans for a coffee machine currently. We have also introduced a modified Guest Feedback form, to make it as clear as possible to report any shortcomings during the stay, when we can sort them out promptly, and made this a much clearer message upon arrival. We're really sorry you felt the speed humps were too high, they are in fact flood defences and we've had that model of Jaguar in and out many times without difficulty. We will though look to see if we can lower them slightly. I did give you an alternative route from the cottages to bypass these. We're glad that you enjoyed the facilities and also take on board the comment about pool seating, and thank you again for coming to stay at Higher Wiscombe. Kind regards Alistair and Lorna

Old Winery - 25th July

Review submitted on Wed, 06 Aug 2014
4.3
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
The standard of the accomodation and the surroundings were superb. The flowers on arrival were a lovely touch, thank you. We had a superb time. The caterer you recommended to us, Brenda, provided an outstanding meal for our large family celebration.
The crockery and cutlery were more than enough, which is rare in our experience. However, there was only one decent knife between the two kitchens. The fridge downstairs struggled to remain at a safe temperature - we only achieved this by moving it slightly away from the wall and only storing in it the food where temperature was less critical.
Bathrooms were wonderful, but towels did not dry due to insufficient hanging space.
Bedrooms were lovely, but there were few hangers in our wardrobe. Bedroom 6 had quite inadequate storage space for clothes.
All 5 of the bedrooms on the upper floor were uncomfortably hot at night. We mamaged tp borrow one fan from the Flint barn, but the others struggled.
Only having one fob to access the pool was slightly problemmatic with such a large party as not everyone was ready to go across at the same time - maybe another one or two would have been useful.
The overall experience was brilliant, but I am sure you want honest feedback in order to give your guests the best possible experience.
Bigger/ higher sign at the front gate would make finding it easier the first time. The speed bumps could do with a little work as they are almost impossible to negotiate without scraping in several cars with lower clearances.


Guest from Stafford stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in July 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Helen, quite the contrary, we love detailed reviews, they are of much more help than a review saying great thanks, or no review at all. Really pleased that you had a great time and that Brenda did her usual great job with the catering. Will go through through your comments in turn and hope that our responses go some way to answering your points. Not enough knives, unforgivable, we have spare sets as well. The fridge just needed a factory reset. Next time anything like this, just let us know, and we could have sorted these out v.quickly. All the bathrooms have heated towel rails which should be fine per couple. Not had this before so let us know what the problem was here. Not enough coat hangers is not good enough and again we have plenty. Bedroom six does have wardrobe, but it is thinner than normal, sorry that is was not large enough for you. All the upper bedrooms have fully opening windows and I think that that week we must have had very warm weather combined with still nights. We'll see about more fans in future. The pool access was a failure on our part, you should be able to enter using a key code as well as the fob, but the panel was being repaired. Our apologies. As regards the sign at the top, that's the biggest we really feel comfortable with as we are in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We have worked really hard on our instructions that are supplied and have made sure that Google Maps take you right to the entrance. The worst of the speed bumps are in fact flood defences, we'll see if they can be reduced in any way, but we nearly lost a huge chunk of the drive that comes down the side of The old Winery in the storms, hence all the sluice work and water diverters that you can see on either side of the drive. If navigated slowly 99% don't have a problem with them. Thank you again for pointing these out, and really glad that you did have a great holiday. Alistair and Lorna

Wiscombe - Walking and Wine

Review submitted on Sun, 25 May 2014
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We are a walking group and also members of a wine guild (18 in total on this holiday). Although it was essentially a walking holiday some members did their own thing. The property is very well situated for the beautiful coastal walks in this area. The property is well designed, beautifully presented, fully equipped to a very high standard in all aspects of self catering and benefits from the magnificant panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. There are also supermarkets within easy driving distance which will deliver to the property.

The 'super king' size beds, which in most rooms could be separated into twins if required, allowed for a good night's sleep and the ensuite bath/shower rooms were of a high standard. We didn't use the heated pool. We somehow didn't seem to have the time after a long day's walking, a relaxing bath/shower and an early evening drink (or two) sat on the patio in the evening sun.

The owners who live on site are very pleasant and helpful and attend to any slight problem or reasonable request with immediate effect.

This is undoubtedly a 5* property and we would unreservedly recommend it to others.


Guest from Sheffield stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in May 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Ken, Thank you and all your group for coming to stay and really pleased you were able to take advantage of some really good weather and the lovely walks that we have nearby. Thank you also for the very kind review. Best regards Alistair and Lorna

Stag weekend

Review submitted on Fri, 16 May 2014
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Amazing place, they were very accomadating to 15 men. Couldnt fault accomadation, would definatley stay again.
Surroundings amazing, were lucky enough to stay the weekend of a classic car hill climb time trial.


Guest from Wirral stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Richard, Really pleased you and your friends enjoyed the weekend, pleasure having you to stay and we wish you all the very best with the wedding later this year. Best regards Alistair and Lorna

Fantastic house and fantastic owners

Review submitted on Sun, 11 May 2014
4.7
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
An amazing house owned by very lovely people who were so accommodating. The house was faultless and very well stocked with everything you could possibly need. Thank you for a 40th birthday weekend that will never be forgotten.

Guest from Nr Trowbridge stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in May 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Barry, and really pleased that you had a great time. Hope to see you again soon. Best Wishes Alistair and Lorna

Fantastic Hen Do

Review submitted on Sat, 03 May 2014
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
After searching anywhere in the South East for a venue to host 20 ladies for a Hen Do, I can honestly say there is nothing of this standard, with these facilities in such a beautiful setting that comes anywhere close to the great value we received. The accommodation was fantastic. I was concerned some guests may end up in rooms that were not as good as the ones on the website, but on arrival there was no arguments as all the rooms were equally lovely.

The owners are friendly and very helpful and have really thought about your stay and anything you might need.
I would highly recommend any of the cottages for a special occasion, family holiday or party. We came for a sophisticated Hen Do and it was perfect. There was lots of space and we even hosted our own spa day and transformed the upstairs lounge with the help of Coastal Zen who travelled from North Devon to pamper us.

The only thing I can say about the house that is slightly negative was that a few of us managed to walk into the tiny little metal hinges at the top of the beautiful spiral staircases and ended up with bruises.

Our stay was fantastic. Thank you SOOOO much for helping me give my sister such a wonderful Hen Do.


Guest from East Grinstead stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in April 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Vicky, thanks very much for taking the time to review your stay, and most important delighted that you had such a good time. Please send some photos for our competition to win Champagne or a stay in one of the small barns, you'd have a fantastic chance of winning. Best regards and wishing all of you a great wedding. Alistair and Lorna

Excellent

Review submitted on Thu, 01 May 2014
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Ideal family holiday away from traffic with space for children to run around. Accommodation of a very high standard. Also plenty of places to go in the area with dramatic walks and seascapes.

Guest from Edinburgh stayed at The Winery for 7 nights in April 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Barbara, thank you so much for the review and for coming back to us once again. Wishing you and the family all the best for 2014. Best regards Alistair and Lorna

Family weekend

Review submitted on Thu, 20 Mar 2014
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a long weekend stay at the Old Winery at the end of February. The situation of the property is a fantastic base for visiting the many towns and beaches in the area. Our ages ranged from 5 months to 86 years and we all thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The welcome was lovely and would love to visit again in the summer months.

Guest from Hutton, Weston-super-mare stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Review much appreciated, look forward to welcoming you back in the summer months, the pool is open then and the young ones particularly enjoy that. Thanks for coming to stay with us. Alistair

Pool

Review submitted on Wed, 26 Feb 2014
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Indoor pool would be icing on the cake.

Guest from Crediton stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in February 2014


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks Richard for the short and sweet review. With this being your second visit to the Old Winery it was great to see how the group took full advantage of everything we have to offer and that the weather continued to be kind. No plans for an indoor pool at the moment, we have a heated outdoor one from May to September (opens earlier and closes later weather allowing) so maybe think about coming then. Keep an eye on our "What's New" tab on our website to see new developments as they are planned and delivered. Thanks for coming, a great group and see you all again shortly. Alistair and Lorna

Fantastic stay for my 30th!

Review submitted on Wed, 29 Jan 2014
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had an amazing time at Higher Wiscombe over a long weekend to celebrate my 30th birthday. We had all three properties which meant the 32 of us could really spread out and relax when we wanted, but also be together in the bigger rooms in the Old Winery which were just fantastic! We had a drinks 'reception' in the Thatched Barn on the Saturday night followed by a curry buffet by Linzi Barbor (which was delicious!) in the Old Winery and played music/danced in the Dining Room downstairs was was brilliant. This all worked perfectly and we couldn't have had a better setting! It is unbelievable that all the rooms are so comfortable and have very modern en suites - country luxury!

Guest from London stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in January 2014


Alistair Handyside replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review Emily, much appreciated and really glad you had a good time, thanks also for the photo for Facebook etc. Hope to see you all again. All the best for 2014, Alistair and Lorna

superb new year stay

Review submitted on Sun, 05 Jan 2014
4.8
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
High quality, spacious, but at the same time cosy house with extremely confortable en suite bedrooms. Very attractive,peaceful, rural setting - waken to sheep grazing outside your window. Excellent walking area. Hosts are very welcoming without being intrusive. Kitchen fairly well equipped, we catered for 17 adiults for six nights without any significant difficulties. Phone signal mainly non existent but inclusive wifi ok. OVERALL WOULD THOROUGHLY RECOMMEND THE OLD FOR LARGE GROUPS.

Guest from Lyndhurst stayed at The Winery for 6 nights in December 2013


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the review. Very much appreciated. Phone signals are slowly improving in this rural part of Devon, best signals are EE & t-Mobile which are very good at Higher Wiscombe. 02 and Vodafone you do need to walk a little way up the drive. For future note, we can provide mobiles with contact numbers if required. We are also investigating to see if we can get any kind of signal booster as we are aware that pretty much everyone uses their phones a great deal more these days.

Party at Higher Wiscombe

Review submitted on Fri, 08 Nov 2013
5.0
out of 5

Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Higher Wiscombe is a great venue for a large group of people, well appointed, comfortable and lovely location. We all had a wonderful time, fab bathrooms and huge beds highly recommended.

Guest from Barnstaple stayed at The Winery for 3 nights in November 2013


Alistair and Lorna replied more than 1 year ago
Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated and hope to welcome you back some day.