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Owl

Owl

4.6
out of 5
Ratings from 38 reviews
97% of guests
recommend
Cleanliness
4.7
Comfort
4.7
Condition
4.6
Location
4.7
Value
4.4
Customer
Service
4.7

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Owl offers a stylish single story family friendly bolthole, close to South Creake & the North Norfolk coast. The spacious barn has lofty beamed ceilings and a bright open living space. Perfect for guests of all ages, the cottage has glazed doors leading to a private patio and direct access to extensive fenced gardens where children can run and play. To the front of the property is a private hot tub area. On site there’s also an indoor pool, games room and tennis courts to keep everyone amused.

Winter stay at Owl

Review submitted on Sun, 30 Nov 2025
4.3
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
The cottage was in good condition, spacious and well equipped. We really enjoyed our stay. It was in a very good location, 20 minutes from Wells and 15 minutes from Pensthorpe. The swimming pool was great and we made good use of it and have some really happy memories. The outside space was also a bonus.

We made good use of the board games in the cottage due to the weather and would be happy to stay again.

Guest from Ipswich stayed at Owl for 4 nights in November 2025


A great autumnal family stay

Review submitted on Thu, 06 Nov 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 at Owl cottage for 4 nights in October. We were welcomed with some local produce on the kitchen table and were immediately impressed by the location, facilities and quality of the cottage. Having the games room and pool on site was perfect for us, especially with two young children. Everything we wanted to do was close by in the car and we enjoyed trips to Wells, Hunstanton and Holkham. We’d certainly recommend staying here. It has recently been taken over by new owners, and they have done incredibly well to overturn some issues with bookings that was beyond their control (we experienced this first hand) and I’m sure this will be ironed out in no time so please have confidence when booking with them. Hopefully we will be back!

Steve from Loughborough stayed at Owl for 4 nights in October 2025


Great holiday in a lovely location

Review submitted on Fri, 10 Oct 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 have just returned from a week in Owl Cottage. The new owners Becky & Chris were so welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. We had mentioned we were there to celebrate our wedding anniversary and they surprised us with a lovely bouquet of flowers and a card on the day.
Owl Cottage was very comfortable and well equipped. It had everything we needed. The cooker looked like it had never been used! This was a dog friendly cottage and everything was provided included dog bowls, treats, and a bed. We had brought our own but it was a nice touch to provide everything.
The swimming pool was really good and it was great to have our own time slots.
We enjoyed playing tennis and it was great to see that the tennis courts were well maintained.
Our private patio was a sun trap even at the end of September and we enjoyed sitting out reading our books.
Another nice touch was providing table tennis bats and a ball in the cottage. Many times we have been to similar locations and when you go to play you find there is no ball or just a squashed one.
The weather was so good we never found time to play pool but it would have been good to play if the weather was bad.
Becky recommended places to go to eat and to visit which is useful when you don't know the area. The other members of staff were equally friendly and helpful.
I am sure we will be returning and we have no hesitation in recommending Cranmer Country Cottages.

Paul from Hitchin stayed at Owl for 7 nights in September 2025


Fantastic break, especially with young kids

Review submitted on Sun, 15 Jun 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 adored our stay at Owl Cottage. The accommodation itself was lovely and clean, the decor was great and it had fab provisions for a four-night stay. The main draw for us with younger kids was the outside playground, pool and games room and these really didn’t disappoint. As we had a mid-week stay, we didn’t have any issues sharing these with the other cottages. The bbq was fun, and we really lucked out with the weather. The only tiny thing we’d suggest is providing some fly spray / fly tape because with the windows and doors open with the lovely weather it was quite the party scene for the flies indoors! Only a tiny thing though, not detracting at all from a really lovely break. We’ll be coming back for sure.

Danielle from Stevenage stayed at Owl for 4 nights in June 2025


A wonderful stay

Review submitted on Wed, 30 Apr 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 fantastic long weekend at Cranmer. It’s a perfect base for lots to do in the surrounding area and the accommodation works very well. Having the designated times for the pool is very sensible and having the pool to yourself for your hour is great!

Oliver from Esher stayed at Owl for 3 nights in April 2025


Another great stay at Cranmer Cottages

Review submitted on Mon, 27 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
This was our third visit to Cranmer and this time we stayed in Owl cottage. This suited my husband and I perfectly. Cranmer’s rural setting is always peaceful and relaxing and we made the most of the swimming pool as usual. The local wildlife is always interesting, with partridge and woodpeckers in the garden this time, as well as the numerous baby rabbits.
We came a little later this year, having been in March before which meant that we could visit a few more places in the vicinity that were now open. Holkham Hall was very interesting and Sheringham Park was also stunning with the rhododendrons in full flower at this time. Definitely worth a visit in May.
I would recommend a stay at Cranmer to any family and the welcome you receive from Lynne and John, as well as Nikki and Kristin who help to manage the complex is very friendly. We had a minor problem during our stay which was sorted very quickly by Kristin. We will be back again.

Helen from Great Missenden stayed at Owl for 7 nights in May 2024


Lovely Rural Location

Review submitted on Sun, 07 Apr 2024
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
Lovely rural location but also only 10 minutes from Fakenham.
Site is a really good base to explore North Norfolk.
Pool is fantastic and had plenty of opportunities.to swim in the pool.
Great location for both animal and plane spotting
Very clean properly and everything you need is available.
Would stay again

Thanks

Mike

Mike from Pontefract stayed at Owl for 6 nights in March 2024


Idyllic break

Review submitted on Tue, 14 Nov 2023
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Fantastic break - excellent pool and facilities. The cottage was warm, well furnished and we had a great time. Wish we could have spent a week.

Syed from Bushey stayed at Owl for 2 nights in November 2023


Autumn Break

Review submitted on Wed, 04 Oct 2023
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
4.0
My cottage catered for all my needs; i couldnt ask for more. Highlightfor me was the swimming pool which was warm and spotlessly clean. Will be rebooking during winter months.

Michelle from Brede stayed at Owl for 3 nights in September 2023


Great little cottage

Review submitted on Sun, 24 Sep 2023
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
Lovely little cottage and perfect for little families. Swimming pool was fantastic. Has everything you need in a cottage

Charlotte from Ely stayed at Owl for 2 nights in September 2023


Great stay

Review submitted on Sun, 24 Sep 2023
4.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Really excellent stay at Owl cottage. The facilities were ideal, and there was plenty to do on site for our three year old - the large field out the back was perfect for exploring. Well equipped kitchen and very comfy beds. The pool is a great feature and we managed to swim every day. Would definitely recommend to families!
Thanks

Guest from Brighton stayed at Owl for 7 nights in September 2023


Could have been better on the little details!

Review submitted on Sun, 27 Aug 2023
3.7
out of 5
Guest doesn't recommend this property
Cleanliness
3.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
We had a great time, cottage lovely and pool fantastic. However….

We did think that the cleanliness could have been improved a little on arrival (e.g stained mugs and smeary glasses) and dirty sock under the sofa (which wasn’t ours) when we hoovered!

We feel that the owners have perhaps become a little complacent given all the fantastic reviews and they failed to deliver on the little things. For example providing excellent laundry facilities and then leaving six rusty wooden pegs in a mouldy peg bag and the wrong grill on the BBQ. These were willing replaced when asked, but we don’t feel we should have needed to ask. The shower over the bath needs de-scaling as it isn’t very powerful.There were wobbly paving slaps, wobbly bench on the tennis courts, unkept hanging baskets and planters and tired toys in the playroom (and no play food etc. for the play kitchen). Charging 50p for the pool table seems cheeky too!

All in all we had a great holiday but did feel that given the price point of the accommodation and ‘luxury’ positioning it should have been better and sadly didn’t meet our expectations in respect of those small things.

We want this to be constructive criticism and having stayed at similar accommodation last year in Yorkshire at nearly £700 cheaper for the week (which was excellent, particularly the playroom and toys for the children) you can perhaps understand why we were a little disappointed given the price point.

Guest from Ipswich stayed at Owl for 7 nights in August 2023


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for leaving your review. Far from being complacent we realise how important every detail is in running a business like ours. We take feedback very seriously. As owner of the business I work closely with my employed team precisely to keep on top of even the small things. We no longer have any hanging baskets on site? Rest assured we would never become complacent about our business, or our standards however things do get missed from time to time, and provided we know about them we are always keen to rectify any issues as soon as possible as you can tell by our great reviews in this respect. I am sorry if you thought we were expensive although it sounds like you had a good time and were able to enjoy our luxury indoor pool, extensive grounds, tennis courts and games room. We appreciate you pointing out the housekeeping glitches, this will allow us to get things right in the future. Kind regards Lynne

Lovely location

Review submitted on Sun, 16 Jul 2023
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
The cottage was very clean and the welcome gift was great it had everything you need for a self catering stay. We took our 2 year old granddaughter it was so safe for her to run and play, she loved the games room also. Really great location for all costal days out and really safe for family’s. We would definitely book again.

Katie from King's Lynn stayed at Owl for 4 nights in July 2023


Lovely stay in a beautiful part of the world!

Review submitted on Fri, 05 May 2023
4.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
3.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a lovely long weekend in Norfolk staying at Cranmer for the fourth (!) time. The children love the pool, playground and games room and we love the comfy cottages with everything you need. They are in a great location with fabulous beaches a short drive away and loads to keep the whole family entertained.

Victoria from London stayed at Owl for 3 nights in April 2023


Owl cottage

Review submitted on Tue, 28 Mar 2023
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
Had a great 4 days at Cranmer cottages loved the pool and thanks to Nikki for showing me the classic cars.Found a couple of good pubs The Aviator which is a couple of miles away and the Crown at East Rudham. Would highly recommend Cranmer cottages and we will return Don Robinson.

Don from Leicester stayed at Owl for 4 nights in March 2023


Excellent as always

Review submitted on Fri, 06 Jan 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
As we booked the lady informed us that we hadn’t stayed since 2017 - before then we had been to Cranmer 4 or 5 times. It was perfect for us when the kids were tiny and it still works now at 10 and 12 years old. The standards have been maintained and the facilities are still excellent. We swam, we used the games room and we made the most of the countryside and seaside around us. Owl cottage is a strong 4 star offering a nice level of privacy with bedrooms either side of the living space. You have everything you need. If we could offer one improvement it would be to upgrade the shower (which is perfectly adequate) otherwise everything else is tip top! We will be back I am certain of that.

Guest from Stamford stayed at Owl for 3 nights in December 2022


Lovely break

Review submitted on Tue, 27 Sep 2022
4.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
A very pleasant break. Owl was a spacious, comfortable unit in converted farm buildings in the Norfolk countryside. There is a a games room with table tennis, pool table and toys and a lovely swimming pool.
The farm is very close to disused airfield, now a ministry of defence training area and whilst we were there, there were several military aircraft flying low overhead. We found this interesting but others might not!



David from Haywards Heath stayed at Owl for 4 nights in September 2022


Quiet spot in the country

Review submitted on Sat, 28 May 2022
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
Very nice cottage on a complex in the countryside not far from the coast.
Comfortable and clean on arrival, with a large heated pool on site.
Enjoyed our stay and thanks for the treats.

Martin from Henham stayed at Owl for 4 nights in May 2022


Owl Cottage

Review submitted on Fri, 03 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
Cottage lovely, conviently located, pool lovely but a bit shallow.. Max depth 1.2m... Excellent table tennis table... And great for plane spotting US special forces particularly visible...

Guest from Sandhurst stayed at Owl for 7 nights in August 2021


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for leaving your review. Thank you for your feedback. I am glad you enjoyed your stay with us with the added bonus of Special Airforce air exercises happening locally. The pool is too shallow for diving and is the maximum depth we are permitted for health & safety reasons as we have no lifeguard.

Family stay

Review submitted on Tue, 13 Jul 2021
4.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
3.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Regarding condition the window in the bathroom needed attention
Also the toilet seat was a mis match
Paint work between properties looked a bit grubby (on the door)
Just minor points that did not bother us too much but could be an issue for some people
The swimming pool was excellent
We have stayed in similar properties and this was the best pool by far
The time table due to Covid restrictions was very fair
Even without Covid it was nice to know you had the pool for your exclusive use once a day .
We have just returned from another holiday which allowed more people in (bigger pool) but had a booking system so you knew you were guaranteed a swim

Christine from Brighton stayed at Owl for 7 nights in June 2021


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for your honest review. Our sanitary wear is Armitage Shanks so I will check this out thanks for letting me know. All guests are guaranteed a private swim every day. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee the swims are all at suitable times. Pre booking is just not workable for us as we mainly have young families who wish to swim at roughly the same time each day. There is greater flexibility when we are not fully booked as we reallocate the times for the properties which are not booked. This is a Covid Safety issue, prior to this guests could swim when they liked which actually worked pretty well.

Lovely as usual

Review submitted on Sat, 19 Dec 2020
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 stayed in Owl this time after staying in other cottages previously. It was the usual lovely feel with all the amenities we needed, and an aga! Spacious and tidy with the HUGE garden to play in was great for your kids.
Extra access to the pool was great as was the games room (remember to bring 50p coins haha).
Of course things are different during the current covid context but Lynne, John and Nikki still made it feel like a holiday with smart ways to keep safe while still enjoying our time there. It was another lovely break and we shall be back again soon.

Nelson from London stayed at Owl for 3 nights in December 2020


A pleasant stay

Review submitted on Sun, 04 Oct 2020
3.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
3.0
We enjoyed our stay in Owl cottage, it was unfortunate the pool was out of use for one of our days but our daughters loved it when we did use it. The swing and slide in the paddock are a great addition to the outside space.

Guest from Leigh-on-sea stayed at Owl for 7 nights in September 2020


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for your review. I am sorry the pool was closed for a day of your stay. Unfortunately we had had an incident in the pool earlier in the week. We took the decision to close the pool and carry out a deep sanitisation procedure to keep everyone safe. We hope to welcome you back to Cranmer when hopefully you will be able to make full use of the facilities.

Fabulous cottage for a September stay

Review submitted on Sun, 04 Oct 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
We loved our week at Owl. The swimming pool was ideal for a September stay when the uk weather isn’t always reliable. The location is an easy drive to lots of activities. And the Covid measures are implemented well. We will be back!

Guest from Harpenden stayed at Owl for 4 nights in September 2020


Lovely week away

Review submitted on Wed, 23 Sep 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
This is the second time we've stayed at Cranmer and we had a great week (helped by the weather). We brought our bikes and enjoyed cycling and walking from the cottages and also going further afield. We only managed to use one of our pool slots because we were out all day, which was a shame - and perhaps there could have been more flexibility whilst still keeping guests safe - but we did manage to play tennis for the first time in years. We would love to come here again with our children and grandchildren except it's so far from Manchester! The cottage was very comfortable and well equipped and it's a lovely location (though be prepared for aircraft noise from the nearby airfield). We love North Norfolk and will definitely consider coming back next year.

Judith from Manchester stayed at Owl for 7 nights in September 2020


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for reviewing us. I am pleased you enjoyed your stay. We have tried to design the pool timetable so that everybody is offered varied swim times. We will be able to offer greater flexibility when we are not fully booked, it is not the way we usually run our pool which has been successful over many years. It was a rather unfortunate that there were military exercises over the North Sea during your stay. This is beyond our control and can happen from time to time it does impact on the local hospitality businesses when it does. Norfolk and much of Suffolk are in a Low flying zone and there are a number of airbases across the county involved. In the case of Sculthorpe it is decommissioned, but is used as part of global military exercises. It is not a regular occurrence and tends to happen over several nights during midweek from time to time.

Cranmer - The Best

Review submitted on Thu, 30 Jul 2020
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
Our second family holiday at Cranmer. Just as good as last time though we were unable to use the pool & playroom.

My only criticism would be the bath /shower. If I was less agile I would have found it mighty difficult to get in and out if the bath!

I would have no hesitation in recommendIng Cranmer to friends.



Rosemary from Cambridge stayed at Owl for 7 nights in July 2020


Excellent stay

Review submitted on Sat, 21 Mar 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
We had a great time hiding away from the world for a few days.
Beautiful cottage and pool in a great location.
We will definitely be back.
Thanks so much to Zoe and her team

Heather from St Albans stayed at Owl for 3 nights in March 2020


Lovely cottage

Review submitted on Mon, 02 Mar 2020
3.3
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
3.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
3.0
Location
4.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Lovely cottage layout, clear instructions, comfortable mattresses, clean bedlinen and nicely decorated. Plenty of space for a family of 4 with young kids. The pool is great and the kids enjoyed the playroom and the massive garden.

Issues I reported:
- the toilet backed up so had to call management in to fix it with a plunger

Issues not reported:
- the king size bed felt a little bit smaller than a standard king size.
- kitchen floor wasn’t clean
- stains on cushions on sofa
- ping pong bats and balls were broken/damaged

Guest from London stayed at Owl for 7 nights in February 2020


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for taking the time to review our property. I am sorry that you had issues with our property during your stay with us. The cottage had been thoroughly cleaned by our in-house team before your stay, we are happy for you to bring any faults to our attention so that we can fix things for you whilst you are here. The bed is a regular king sized in bedroom 1. Our sofas & cushions have child friendly washable covers which are changed regularly between guests. I will chat to the housekeeping team about your review - as we really do try to maintain very high standards of cleanliness and presentation for all of our properties. We will look to replace our table tennis equipment for the beginning of the new season at Easter.

What a delight.

Review submitted on Mon, 07 Oct 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
Came here as our holiday in Zakynthos fell through with the collapse of Thomas Cook. We were hoping for some relaxation to compensate for the lack of sunshine, We weren’t disappointed. The cottage is lovely and fantastically well equipped. The big living room window looks out over a field where there was plenty of bird life and a lovely lively stoat. The beds were extremely comfortable. The pool was absolutely lovely. A trip to nearby Sculthorpe Nature Reserve is highly recommended.

Hilary from Matlock stayed at Owl for 3 nights in September 2019


Short break with grandchildren

Review submitted on Wed, 02 Oct 2019
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 spent a short break here about 4 years ago and the children were thrilled when we booked to go here again. The games room and swimming pool make this an ideal venue for all ages. The comfort of the cottage was excellent too. Cranmer is also well located for beaches etc. Crabbing in the rain is a memory that I will never forget!!

Elizabeth from Letchworth Garden City stayed at Owl for 4 nights in September 2019


Excellent family holiday!

Review submitted on Sat, 07 Sep 2019
4.3
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We rented Owl Cottage for a week along with my family who were staying in 2 other cottages and we all had a wonderful time!
Very well appointed and comfortable cottage. We loved the use of all the facilities - mainly the swimming pool and the huge garden/play area leading out from our cottage.

A couple of small suggestions - a bigger fridge freezer would be helpful. My mother staying in the smaller cottage Coot had a larger fridge/freezer and we had to offload quite a bit to her!
Pillows - I know this is a personal thing but we found the pillows rather thick and hard. A couple of spare feather pillows in the cupboard would perhaps be a welcome bonus!



Clare from London stayed at Owl for 7 nights in August 2019


Beautiful Conversion but expensive

Review submitted on Wed, 31 Jul 2019
4.3
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
Cranmer Cottages is expensive for self-catering accommodation which, in our case, was taken outside of the school holidays. It does not disappoint, with a horseshoe of beautifully converted small barns set around a central complex containing a laundry, a children's play room, and an indoor swimming pool with changing and showering areas. In addition, there is a fantastic huge communal garden, with a small selection of children play equipment and a Wendy house, etc. The location is tucked away, off of the beaten track and yet very convenient for touring this part of Norfolk.

Owl cottage itself is very comfortable, and has a spacious open plan living/dining/kitchen area equipped with everything you could reasonably need. The owners live next door, and there is also a site manager who is available during ordinary working hours Monday to Friday. The rooms are good sizes, with comfortable beds and plenty of room for travel cots. The whole complex is gated, so very safe for little ones. Presentation is excellent, and the cottage was immaculate upon arrival.

The swimming pool is a welcome touch, but with long summer evenings the inability to get into it after 6.45pm is a bit draconian, and really upset my daughter after we rushed home from Burnham Market to go in the pool and it was locked.

Parking is across the lane from the complex, so is not overlooked by anybody. The security conscious may not like this, but it is a very quiet area, and I would imagine that crime is low. It was more of a nuisance the morning that we loaded to come home, as it was raining heavily and both of us got soaked going back and forth to the car. Given the layout of the place though, it is almost impossible for the owners to change this aspect.

Only two other downsides that I would point out. Firstly aircraft from the nearby airbase fly over VERY low each evening, usually just as you are trying to put little ones to bed. The flypast seems to go on for about 20-30mins and is quite noisy.

Secondly, twice we got up in the morning to find absolutely no water. Mornings with small children are a busy time, with baths/showers, bottles to make up and the adults wouldn't mind a wash and a cup of tea too! As I say, this happened twice. On both occasions the water was off for approximately one hour then returned to normal as if nothing had happened. We raised the matter with the site manager but her response was pretty dismissive and unsatisfactory to be honest (a shrug and "I don't know anything about that").

Other than these issues, the experience was lovely.

Claire from Beckenham stayed at Owl for 7 nights in July 2019


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for detailed review our property – we’re pleased you found our properties to be clean and welcoming and that you were able to enjoy the pool. I will try to answer the points you raise in your feedback: Our properties are more expensive than a standard holiday home private rental property because we are a different kind of business. Our 2 acres of grounds, buildings and facilities are well maintained and are used solely by our own guests they are not shared with any other property owners. They are graded to a family friendly 4 and 5 star gold by Visit England. We run an environmentally conscious safe and legal business, we are registered for VAT and we pay Business Rates which are levied at a high rate due to our facilities and year-round business. We employ a team of staff and we contribute to the local economy – our pool is available to the local community when guests do not have access. The pool is rigorously checked and managed the pool entry times give our guests at least 8 hours a day access to use the pool. We make our pool availability information available on our website and the pool rules are then sent out with every booking. We aim to be as helpful and as accommodating with our guests as we can be – if we are around and there is no one in the pool we can let guests in for a swim but only if we are on hand to unlock the door. Our ‘draconian’ pool times are in place for health and safety and insurance reasons – the pool is open for the most part when we are around onsite to keep an eye on things as we do not have a lifeguard. Pool closures are at around mealtimes 12.00 – 3.00pm & 7.00pm during weekdays with full access at weekends 7.00 am 7.00pm. Arrival at our properties on a Friday is from 4.00pm and the pool is available from 5.00pm until 7.00pm. Our guests are welcome to drive up to the courtyard gate and drop off luggage or small children if the weather is wet. We just cannot fit 4 cars in there at one time. Garden House, Woodpecker, Coot and End Cottage have private parking adjacent to the properties and Avocet uses the North car park in the immediate vicinity as the property. All parking is off road in privately owned areas. With regard to a nearby airbase – that is not strictly true, however we are close to an historic decommissioned airbase. Planes from RAF Mildenhall use the runway as part of their defence training for their airdrops and rescue and recovery missions – this is controlled by MOD and is beyond our control. This means that low flying affects the surrounding Creakes and coastal area when exercises are going on - usually between Monday to Wednesday. Some of our guests enjoy live parachuting which happens over our fields. Our guests are looked after by lovely Zoe in our absence, she may have been stumped when apparently you told her that the water had gone off – that is because it has never happened before other than during an extended power cut (when we can change to an alternative supply). Our house uses the same water source and we are usually the first to know these things and investigation is carried out immediately. We have had an environmental issue relating to disturbance in the water table and also an intermittent electrical fault on the system. Thank goodness my husband John is a qualified and highly experienced services manager and electrical engineer – the problem was thoroughly investigated and has now been repaired. Anglia Water turned all the local water supply off last week due to a burst water main. Unfortunately, sometimes unexpected things happen that are beyond our control we will always do our best to put things right as efficiently as possible to enable our guests to enjoy their stay.

A

Review submitted on Wed, 29 May 2019
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
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Tegwen from Bromley stayed at Owl for 3 nights in May 2019


Comfortable, luxurious and green!

Review submitted on Mon, 06 May 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
We had a very relaxing stay at Owl Cottage, part of a group of cottages that have been lovingly restored with lots of modern touches. Site manager was on hand to answer any questions and was very helpful.

Very peaceful location within close reach of Wells, Pensthorpe and much of the coast.

Highlights for us were the swimming pool, big grassy field for children to play in right next to the cottage, watching sun go down from the terrace, and the fact the cottages are really spacious and well designed for families.

The owners have installed green energy projects that power most of the complex and they have put a lot of thought into reducing waste.

Guest from London stayed at Owl for 3 nights in April 2019


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Thank you for your detailed review it really summarises what we are about. We are glad you had a relaxing time and we look forward to welcoming you back to Cranmer.

Wonderful Norfolk Self-catering...

Review submitted on Mon, 22 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
Wonderful Norfolk self-catering with superb swimming pool, tennis and games room. Our cottage 'Owl' was beautifully laid out with a home-made chocolate Easter cake and tea tray waiting for us. Beds, bedding and towels are of superb quality, comfortable and welcoming with lovely artwork and coastal decor. There was everything I needed for cooking, preparing and storing supplies. The terrace was private and a wonderful spot for enjoying a glass of wine watching the sun set, whilst the huge field it flows on to was enjoyed by my children for ball games and 'letting off' steam. Lots of attention has obviously gone into setting up the converted barns and all the thoughtful touches mean you can turn up and start your holiday instantly. Superb beaches and North Norfolk towns are all close by. The owners live on site and were really friendly and helpful. We self-cater regularly and this was one of the best properties we have stayed at; we will be thoroughly recommending Cranmer to friends and family.

Gill from London stayed at Owl for 3 nights in April 2019


Easter tradition

Review submitted on Sat, 13 Apr 2019
4.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
It’s become a tradition for us to stay in Owl every Easter holiday, we come back because of the great facilities and location. Having the pool, outdoor play facilities and games room available is great for children. Really good location with loads for families to do in the local area.

Mark from Hitchin stayed at Owl for 7 nights in April 2019


Perfect for families

Review submitted on Tue, 19 Mar 2019
4.5
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
We spent a long weekend in the Owl cottage with our 3 year and 10 week old. It was a great property which suited our needs perfectly. The large field out the back was great for the 3 year old who enjoyed spotting the wildlife as much as running around it and the pool was a godsend on the rainy mornings. You’ll need to read the pool t&cs carefully. We didn’t, and realised after booking that we couldn’t take the baby in the pool (no infants allowed due to salt water pool). That said, it didn’t impact on our stay and we will look to go back again in the future. Thank you.

Anna from Leighton Buzzard stayed at Owl for 3 nights in March 2019


Lynne Johnson replied more than 1 year ago
Hi Thank you for taking time to review your stay with us. I am sorry that you were inconvenienced by our Rules for Pool Use. Our rules are all about health and safety for all users. Our pool is salt dosed we do not use liquid chlorine unless there is an emergency. We take the precaution of warning guests that salt is present in the pool water. We have Water Babies classes here, and our pool is risk assessed for infant swimming. The potential risk is if baby drinks too much water, although our salt concentration is only 25% of what you would find in sea water. The restriction is more to do with babies weight. The other issue is with tiny babies and the fact that their stools may not be completely formed. If there is leakage into the pool or if baby is sick this can give a risk of the Cryptosporidium bug which would be a risk for all users. Not all private pools are as closely managed and maintained as ours. We do try to make this clear before people book with us. We ask that all infants wear the recommended neoprene swim nappies. We look forward to seeing you again at Cranmer.

Quiet winter weekend break

Review submitted on Mon, 14 Jan 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 not visited north Norfolk for too many years and decided we would have a post Xmas weekend break in the area. As the weather was bound to be uncertain we went for self catering in case it was too wet and miserable to go out. We came across Cranmer Country Cottages through an on-line search and it fitted the requirement perfectly. Everything went smoothly both the cottage and the location. We had some good coastal walks and, though quite a few places were closed, there were enough open (notably Blickling Hall) to keep us occupied.





Guest from London stayed at Owl for 4 nights in January 2019


Lovely stay in Owl Cottage

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 arrived to a nice welcome and shown to our lovely spacious cottage. Being November we were pleased the cottage was toasty warm and very cosy. The cottage was furnished to a high standard and had all the mod cons and items you might need when being away from home. There was a sponge cake on arrival which went down well too.

The Swimming Pool area was clean, well kept and a decent size. We also used the tennis courts and there is a large communal grassy garden / play area with swings for the children. With the private patio for alfresco dining and the large garden to look on to, I can image it being very special on a summer evening.

The cottage is quite near to the sea with many different costal towns not too far away. The area has excellent options for country walking and visiting country villages and pubs.



Steve from Upminster stayed at Owl for 3 nights in November 2018