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Armada Cottage

Armada Cottage

4.7
out of 5
Ratings from 18 reviews
94% of guests
recommend
Cleanliness
4.8
Comfort
4.7
Condition
4.8
Location
4.8
Value
4.5
Customer
Service
4.8

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Boasting ancient timbers thought to come from a ship that sailed the high seas during the Spanish Armada and laying firm claim to being one of the oldest buildings in Charlbury, there is so much more to Armada Cottage than first meets the eye. Behind the outwardly traditional stone façade lies an utterly delightful retreat filled with earthy hues and natural tones. Elegant styling and sleek lines allow the original features and natural charm of the cottage to shine. Set over three floors, you’ll find a cosy living room and contemporary kitchen on the ground floor, a beautiful king-size bedroom and bathroom on the first floor and a simply gorgeous master suite on the top floor with a super-king-size bed and roll-top bath. Hidden behind is a pretty walled courtyard, where you can linger over morning coffee and warm pastries or reflect on a great day of exploring as the sun sets over the yard arm.

Charlbury

Review submitted on Sun, 24 Nov 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 cottage very conveniently located in Charlbury. Easy access to the shops and local pubs especially The Bull



Gorgeous Armada Cottage

Review submitted on Mon, 11 Nov 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
Armada Cottage was absolutely gorgeous. An ancient building on the main street of a charming Cotswolds village that's been renovated with care and attention to every single perfect detail. The owners were responsive and kind. Everything we needed was provided. The street outside can be a bit busy and the doorways are low for the tall 21st century traveller but none of this takes away from this extraordinary place and experience. Highly recommend.



Beautiful cottage for interior design fans but lacks basic comfort

Review submitted on Mon, 28 Oct 2024
3.3
out of 5
Guest doesn't recommend this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
2.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
2.0
Customer
Service
4.0
The cottage is beautifully renovated and radiates a wonderful Cotswolds vibe from the entrance to its rooftop. Each room has a lovely design and atmosphere. It looks like it belongs in a magazine. The village (Charlbury) is great and has two excellent restaurants (The Bull and The Bell) in short walking distance from the cottage. This adds massively to the charme of the place.

But there are comfort issues that are annoying when staying for more than a few days:
- The seating in the living room is too limited for cozy reading evenings for more than 2 people.
- The toilets don't flush well (very little water) and get clogged easily; there are no tools around to fix this
- The heating is limited: Thermostat drops to low settings automatically all the time and has to be manually turned up again; even when it's been turned up for a while, it doesn't get very warm, making this cottage not usable in colder months, I think
- The fireplace cannot be used as an alternative heat source or for a cozy evening atmosphere, which is a disappointment
- The ceilings and in particular, door frames are very low (you will hit your head when you are taller than 5.9ft
- The storage space is minimal - and the closets in the bedroom are very dark inside, making them challenging to use
- There is no teapot and the Nespresso machine isn't working well
- The street parking can be limited at times

Overall, it's still a lovely-looking place, but the mentioned comfort issues become annoying when staying more than a few days and with more than 2 people.



Bolthole Retreats replied 66 days ago
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent stay at Armada Cottage. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay, however disappointed to read the points that you have raised. We have spoken to the owner who has confirmed that the toilet, heating and coffee machine have been looked at and are all working as normal. On our property listing, we have a 3D tour and floor plan available which shows the ceilings, door frames and storage space.

Can’t fault it!

Review submitted on Tue, 22 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
We absolutely adored our stay at Armada Cottage. The decor and amenities have been so thoughtfully done. Just a tiny walk from a cafe, amazing gastropubs and restaurants. Loved it!!



Historic designer cottage

Review submitted on Sun, 13 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
Our extended stay in the Armada Cottage was excellent. The cottage is well appointed... in the sense of having everything you need but also with a designer aesthetic that sets it apart from many holiday rentals. Attention to detail is apparent in the small tasteful vignettes throughout the cottage. The kitchen is well equipped, beds comfortable with quality linens, and there is a lovely small enclosed courtyard. Charlbury is a good village from which to explore the Cotswolds, has two excellent restaurants... The Bull and The Bell, and a great deli and convenient grocery store. We were sorry to see out stay here end.



Pretty cottage in convenient location

Review submitted on Sat, 10 Aug 2024
4.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
4.0
We arrived on one of the hottest days of the year, so the cottage was a welcome haven from the heat. It’s got a small but pretty courtyard where we ate breakfast and sat drinking our Bubbles before dinner at the truly fabulous Bull just down the road (literally 3 minutes walk).
The cottage is decorated very tastefully. Bed linen towels etc all good quality. It’s also convenient for walking in the area, visiting Blenheim and the beautiful Cotswold towns and villages.
The only negatives were there is no parking, only on street parking. The first day we managed to park outside, but the subsequent two we had to park about 100m down the road. Also, as it was so warm we all slept with the windows open and the traffic noise was a little loud at times. And a word of caution, there are two flights of very steep stairs in the cottage.



Bolthole Retreats replied 140 days ago
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent stay at Armada Cottage. We are very glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay, however disappointed to read the points that you have raised. On our website listing under the full list of facilities, we list that the parking is on-street and in our points of note we state "Please note the stairs are steep and may not be suitable for those with limited mobility. Also, we have a 3D tour available which shows the stairs.

Dreamy house in Cotswolds

Review submitted on Tue, 09 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
Perfect older cottage with a wonderful interior design and full of details. They include interior design magazines, beautiful textiles and a bottle of red wine and chocolates when we arrived.



Absolutely Amazing!

Review submitted on Mon, 20 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
The Armada Cottage was absolutely beautiful you feel like you stepped into the pages of Country Life Magazine. Everything is done to a very high standard and beautifully decorated. Everything was well thought out and the kitchen was very well equipped with everything you need. Beds were wonderful and cozy. I will definitely be back because I definitely didn’t want to leave.
As far as Charlbury is a great home base for the Cotswolds we got the train from Paddington and made the short walk to the cottage. We used the bus the first few days and it was great. We also had a car for a few days and had no problem finding parking.
I can’t say enough about this beautiful cottage just go !!



Lovely cottage in the Cotswolds

Review submitted on Wed, 08 May 2024
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
Armada Cottage defines charming. As a visitor from the US, I was excited to stay somewhere uniquely "English countryside" and this cottage did not disappoint. The wooden beams, white plaster walls, exposed stone, and creaky old doors were perfectly complemented by the lovely furnishings, artwork, draperies, and bedding. It's obvious a lot of care was taken in the interior design. It really is lovely. On the practical side, the place is immaculate. The kitchen and bathrooms are well appointed. The linens were high quality. There are books and games to enjoy. A television in each room. The little courtyard outside the kitchen is very pretty. We would have had our morning coffee out there, but the weather had other ideas. The bedrooms are spacious and very cozy. I was sitting on the window seat in the second floor bedroom and a pair of horses road by. A Hollywood director must have staged that moment! This cottage has everything and more. My friend and I absolutely adored it.



Discover the Cotswold

Review submitted on Thu, 02 May 2024
4.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
We enjoyed every minute at Armada cottage. Very good location to explore the north part of the Cotswold. The cottage is impeccable in every aspect. Fully equipped with all you may need.



Lovely stay

Review submitted on Sun, 14 Apr 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
Our stay at the cottage was wonderful. The property is comfortable and charming. One note I’d like to call out is, in our experience, parking wasn’t so straightforward. There are a few spots nearby that were filled the whole time we were there and driving around trying to find parking to unload our luggage was a bit frustrating since it’s noted it’s easy. That’s all! We hope to return one day!



Beautifully designed little cottage.

Review submitted on Sun, 14 Apr 2024
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
We rented this two bedroom cottage for the two of us, and stayed in the upstairs bedroom, which is a very comfortable and romantic space, with its own slipper bath. It might have been a bit small if there had been another couple with us, with not much privacy, as there is no door to the upper floor. This might work with a family and two children. The cottage is beautifully presented with numerous lovely little quirky touches, as one might expect from the owners who also, I understand, run an interior design company. We found it imaginatively done, and it was well appointed and comfortable, on the whole. We found the evenings a bit chilly in the downstairs sitting room and thought it would really benefit from a wood burner. Apart from that it was all cosy enough. The location is great - a 7 minute walk from the station which is about 20 minutes from Oxford. As we were only there a couple of days we weren’t able to take advantage of the many sights and walks in the area, which is astonishingly picturesque. Really appreciated that the owner contacted us on the day of arrival, which felt welcoming, and quickly let us know on departure that we’d left something behind. Two great gastropubs within walking distance, the Bull and the Bell, where we had delicious food. All quite pricey but what do you expect in that part of the world? We’d certainly consider returning for a longer stay and would recommend.



Bolthole Retreats replied 261 days ago
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent stay at Armada Cottage. We are very glad to read that you enjoyed your stay. However, we are disappointed to read your feedback regarding the size of the property and there not being a door to the upper floor. This is shown on our website from the photos and there is also a 3D tour available. We are sorry that you found the evenings in the sitting room to be chilly and the owner has taken your feedback onboard and is looking into getting a wood burner.

A fantastic base for exploring the Cotswolds

Review submitted on Wed, 20 Dec 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 wonderful time staying at Armada for a pre-Christmas break. The cottage is in a great location for good food, walks and visiting local attractions. It is beautifully appointed, whilst retaining its character and feels very special and unique. We're a family of four and it felt very comfortable, would definitely recommend, it would also suit a couple for a romantic trip.



Great cottage in a great area

Review submitted on Wed, 22 Nov 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
Delightful cottage with exquisite furnishings and very cosy in a perfect area. Two very good pubs serving good food less than 5 minutes walk, a train station 5 minute walk and just over an hour into London, we went for the day. Parking is not a problem we never had to walk more than 2 minutes



Perfect Stay

Review submitted on Sun, 19 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
Despite initially finding it a little difficult to locate the actual house in the dark, everything else about the stay was excellent, and I would happily return. The cottage is lovely and perfectly located.



A perfect stay

Review submitted on Tue, 17 Oct 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
The decision was made to spend our annual girlie weekend in the Cotswolds for a long overdue catch-up and some relaxation. I'm so pleased we ditched the hotel option and chose the much more personal Armada Cottage instead. It turned out to be the perfect base to explore the beautiful surroundings and unwind. We found a true gem in both the cottage and Charlbury. The cottage felt luxurious, but in an understated way. Extremely comfortable and beautifully furnished with a personal touch, and with all the luxuries you would expect, from lovely soaps and the sofest towels, to beautiful crockery and heavenly beds.
The village is just the right size with two fantastic pubs, a great deli and a Co-op for everything else. Lovely countryside walks on the doorstep too. Wish we could have stayed a few more days.



Visiting our daughter as she’s working in the UK

Review submitted on Mon, 02 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 felt like we were on the set of the movies, The Holiday. The cottage is gorgeous, every thoughtful detail made our stay comfortable and memorable.

The Co-op is a short walk away and we went for dinner at The Bull and The Bell - both were perfect!

The Charlbury Station is less than a 20 minute walk with easy access to Oxford, London, Paddington station and Heathrow - we didn’t rent a car!

We’ll be back.



4 night September break

Review submitted on Fri, 08 Sep 2023
4.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Immaculate presentation of this recently refurbished cottage. All the old world charm retained with every 21st Century comfort you could want. Be aware that although on street parking is easy you may not have your car in sight of the cottage. Will return, excellent stay.