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Oldbury Barn

Oldbury Barn

4.2
out of 5
Ratings from 14 reviews
93% of guests
recommend
Cleanliness
3.9
Comfort
4.4
Condition
4.1
Location
4.6
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.1

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Surrounded by sweeping countryside views, Oldbury Barn is a stunning barn conversion in a rural location between Cheltenham and Cirencester. The large open plan living area is light and bright with a double height ceiling showcasing wooden beams and large French doors which frame the views from this beautiful position. It is the perfect family home with oodles of space for spending time together both inside and out. A large lawned garden has a terrace with space to dine, a children's play set and BBQ so you can make the most of your time at Oldbury Barn when the weather allows. Despite its rural location you are near wonderful days out and attractions and there are a host of country pubs within a short drive.

A stunning location

Review submitted on Mon, 12 Aug 2024
3.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
2.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
This house is a beautiful stay, perfect for two families and a dog in tow! The children loved the garden, the rooms were spacious and you can tell this was once an immaculate home with lovely decor. Unfortunately we did notice several things through our stay that was a little disappointing considering this was our only family holiday and something we were really excited about. Firstly the Floors were dirty causing children’s white socks to be black. I can imagine cleaning a house of this size sometimes dust collects etc but this was noticeably dirty within the first few hours of arriving. Banister felt sticky to touch and was dirty.
Kitchen island and sides were dirty, once we wiped them with anti back and kitchen roll the kitchen roll was visibly dirty. I was not happy with this as a very basic clean would be ensuring surfaces have been cleaned. We Carried the bin out and noticed it had leaked so wiped the floor in the porch area and the wipe was extremely dirty again showing the floors had not been cleaned.
spill mark down one of the bedroom doors that haven’t been wiped off. And generally could do with a deep clean for example Under radiator in downstairs bathroom when you lay in the bath is noticeably thick dust and dirty.

Wires / connections in the bedroom where one of our children were sleeping. I expected this to be covered, or maybe even hidden behind a side table or something so it’s not easily visible to an interested child.

Upstairs toilet has some serious draining issues as it smelt like stagnant toilet water. Fortunately there are several bathrooms so we just shut the door and used the alternative bathrooms downstairs.

Lights above dining room table don’t work so as the evening drew in we found ourselves playing games in the dark!

Upon booking this house the children were excited to use the sandpit ( we live in a flat so the garden was a big selling point of our holiday) unfortunately when we arrived it wasn’t in the garden. So explaining that to the children wasn’t the best start.

Wrong chairs and table in the garden to what is advertised and photographed again very disappointed. This house needs new up to date photos. As someone who has a sever back injury we knew this place would be perfect due to the garden furniture being sturdy chairs with cushions, a beautiful place to enjoy dinner and evening drinks. The current table is set with two benches and although large and seated everyone easily it wasn’t what we expected and isn’t comfortable to relax at.

We put the umbrella up on the patio as it was very hot and it was broken. My brother did try to fix it using some tape to give the children some shade and it did help.

Hosepipe outside constantly leaking, we were concerned that the gardener had left it on so checked it over but it still leaks even when turned off. I can imagine this to be an expensive water bill issue if not resolved.

Unfortunately on the gardeners visit they had pulled up the pop up goal our little boy had brought for the holiday and ripped it off its pegs causing it to tear so then for the duration of the holiday it wasn’t able to be used as it blew around the garden.

Hole in the middle of lawn - we covered it with soil to prevent any accidents with the children running around as they do! This may need looking at by the gardener incase of any accidents that could happen.

Few things missing from the kitchen like a cheese grater, the knives were extremely blunt so very difficult to use when your doing a week self catering. Everything else was pretty well stocked! Loved the variety of mug sizes as we are all big tea drinkers!

No milk provided which was stated there would be on arrival again, a little gutted as we had to wait one whole very long hour until the food shop arrived with no milk for the cup of tea after a long travel time….. Obviously joking and it wasn’t an issue for us but if it’s stated it should really be there.

Bedding was all clean, although the green bedroom you kinda fell into each other as the mattress was very soft. The rug in that room really needs a good clean as it is extremely marked.

The fire pit was a lovely grown up treat! We toasted marshmallows and enjoyed them knowing that the children were asleep and we didn’t need to share!

This home appears to be a once beautifully decorated house, beautiful views, lovely style and homely feel about it. My daughter loved reading the books each night in the bedroom as they were different to our ones. We loved the layout of the house, the views are exceptional. We attended Elkstone studios, which was lovely. The children loved the park and the bakery was unreal! We visited Cirencester which was gorgeous and every where we drove was around 20/25 mins away so it felt like the perfect location. I feel if those issues stated above were resolved it would be an outstanding place to go on holiday!!



Bolthole Retreats replied 140 days ago
Hi, thank you for taking the time to write a review of your recent stay. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your stay however disappointed to hear your feedback. The owner of the property has taken all your feedback on board and your points are being looked into if they have not been since resolved already. The housekeepers are surprised to hear your feedback of the cleaning of the property and wish you would have reached out during your stay so they could rectify any problems, however instead they found the property left in less than ideal condition on your departure.

An excellent place for a family get together.

Review submitted on Thu, 06 Jun 2024
4.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
An excellent place for a family get together - a stylish barn conversion with lots of space indoors and out.
We've been there as a family three times now and loved it every time.
Also handy that the access is flat and there are two downstairs bedrooms with ensuites and no steps.



A beautiful place but needs a bit of an upgrade

Review submitted on Sat, 06 Jan 2024
4.3
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Oldbury Barn is a beautiful home in an exceptional setting. Customer service was excellent and the pre-stay information the best I’ve ever seen.
Having two fridges was very good and the freezer was a decent size. Provision of crockery and cutlery was great, the travel cot, stair gate and high chair was appreciated, but there weren’t sufficient wine glasses for the number of guests staying and the dining table a squeeze for eight adults and two toddlers. Frying pans could do with replacement and a selection of serving dishes would be appreciated.
A larger dishwasher or two dishwashers, as now often seen in larger properties would be beneficial and the facilities for waste collection/recycling could be improved.
Bedrooms and bathrooms were a good size and comfortable. The seating area was very good and the garden a wonderful facility.
Overall, a very good property which could be made excellent by a small amount of upgrading.



Bolthole Retreats replied 360 days ago
Dear Lucy. Thank you for your review and your comments. The owner will buy more frying pans / serving dishes and will look into getting a bigger table. The owner is also looking into improving the frequency of rubbish collection. but overall we re pleased that you had an enjoyable stay. Best wishes. Bolthole Retreats.

Great, spacious property in a stunning location.

Review submitted on Wed, 13 Dec 2023
4.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
3.0
The property is open plan which means for large families it’s great, you feel together yet not too on top of each other. The Green Dragon pub/restaurant is only 4 mins away and is a must for lunch or dinner. Property was clean, lots of parking space and very welcoming. We would book this property again.



Happy

Review submitted on Sun, 20 Aug 2023
3.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Comfortable accommodation. Not enough rubbish bins for the size of the property. Barbecue clapped out!
Beautiful views.



Beautiful well-,located house

Review submitted on Thu, 01 Jun 2023
4.2
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
3.0
Used as a base to explore the local area, Oldbury Barn served our purposes brilliantly. A light and flexible space, we all enjoyed our stay very much.



Nice layout for families with children

Review submitted on Sun, 30 Apr 2023
2.0
out of 5
Guest doesn't recommend this property
Cleanliness
1.0
Comfort
2.0
Condition
2.0
Location
3.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
1.0
Layout was great for 3 children - due to an open plan kitchen and living room.

We contacted bolthole about the following but they responded with very little to say on the matter:
- cleanliness - the bedside tables were extremely dusty when I contacted Bolthole retreats about this, they responded to say it’s our responsibility to tell them about these issues upon arrival so they can put it right. Personally I feel it’s their responsibility to ensure this doesn’t happen in the first place so I was confused by their response. My son has asthma so this was quite concerning.
- there was a huge build up of rubbish outside the property. Bolthole said this was due to a large, long guest stay prior to our arrival. There was so much rubbish that couldn’t fit into bins so this is what we saw upon arrival. When asking bolthole about this they said, This huge pile of rubbish was left out for bin collection which is understandable however any overflow surely shouldn’t be taken to a dump so guests don’t arrive to such a mess? It most certainly wasn’t the most delightful entrance to drive up to.
- the heating in this property is so over the top. Even after contacting the housekeeper, we turned down upstairs heating but the underfloor heating downstairs was so strong we had to sleep with all doors open at night. Children’s baby monitors were reading 27degrees. I would have thought the heating would be pre controlled to ensure guests comfort?

The outdoor space is lovely for children and the views were lovely.



Earl December Winter Break

Review submitted on Sun, 11 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
We had the most wonderful few days in Oldbury Barn - beautiful setting and wonderful barn. It allowed all six of us to relax with everything you need in a home from home environment- Highly recommended x



Oldbury Barn family weekend

Review submitted on Sun, 06 Nov 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
Wonderful remote location with great views down the valley. The barn has been converted to the highest standards and the big open plan downstairs was just right for our family group of 8



Amazing location for a family celebration

Review submitted on Fri, 29 Jul 2022
4.3
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
A lovely barn in a stunning location with amazing views . Great for our family Ruby wedding anniversary which ranged from a 1 year old to a 75 year old .
Great space downstairs with good facilities .
Enjoyed the enclosed garden and seating area where the children could run around safely ; the toddlers enjoyed the trampoline and slides .
The garden and the sandpit could have done with being more weed free though .
Bedrooms downstairs were beautiful ; a big hot upstairs .
Overall an enjoyable stay .




Beautiful Cotswold Barn

Review submitted on Tue, 26 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
My family and I had a wonderful time at Oldbury Barn - it was the perfect location for us. It’s out of the way but there’s a pub 5 mins down the road by car (Green Dragon) and the rolling countryside is literally on the doorstep!
The Barn itself has been beautifully restored. The living space is open and large.
The two downstairs bedrooms are a great size, with smaller rooms upstairs in the eves.
There is a laundry room upstairs too which is really useful!
We had a great time and will definitely consider staying again .



Weekend away with friends

Review submitted on Sun, 27 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 stayed in Oldbury Barn as a group of 30 somethings and had a magical time. The Barn is set in beautiful countryside and feels like a proper escape. Inside it is very well equipped and has a huge a comfortable open plan living space for socialising. The only very small critiques were 1) the post-code takes you to a property a very short distance away and the barn sign is not clear/lit up which was tricky when arriving after dark 2) it was very warm inside and we couldn't find the thermostat! But overall, a really great stay and would thoroughly recommend. Thank you!



Could be a lot cleaner

Review submitted on Mon, 21 Feb 2022
3.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
2.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
3.0
Location
3.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
3.0
House in stunning location but in the middle of nowhere. Housekeeping let it down for us, attention to detail lacking in the cleaning.




Oldbury Barn Elkstone

Review submitted on Sat, 01 Jan 2022
4.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Lovely old barn conversion-really loved the Cotswold country decor and furniture.
Great views over the rolling Cotswold hills. Clean and airy with a large drive for as many cars as you like. Great log fire.
Had everything we needed and most of the basic bits, except loo rolls and toiletries such as shower gels seemed to be missing.
Paths around the house were wet and slippery too which could be dangerous.
Drive very boggy around front gate so had to get feet wet to walk out.





Bolthole Retreats replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for your review. We're delighted that you enjoyed your stay here. We will address the missing items. Unfortunately, this time of year it is wet and guests must take care on the paths and outside areas.