{Discosure: We received one night's accommodation free of charge in
exchange for an honest review. We paid for two nights ourselves}
Earlier this week we spent a few nights in the Test Valley at Michelmersh Manor Farm self-catering holiday accommodation and we had a fabulous time. The
Farm is near the town of Romsey, in the Test Valley, Hampshire and there are a
selection of self-catering cottages and a shepherds hut that you can book to
stay in. We had a really wonderful time staying in Bluebells Cottage on this
working farm and we would happily go back again.
I want to share with you ten things I loved about staying at Michelmersh Manor
Farm -
1. Accessibility of the Location
The Farm is situated under 4 miles from the town of Romsey and it is very
accessible from the A3057. I was super pleased that you don't have to go down
too many tiny lanes to access it, just the one small road that the farm was on and
in the four days we stayed we never came across another vehicle on the
road, so no dreaded reversing for me! lol.
It is 18 miles from Southampton, about 8 miles to access the M27 and 14
miles from Winchester, it really is very easy to get to towns, shops, cinemas
and days out attractions but still be in the heart of the beautiful Test Valley countryside with the stunning River Test running through the area. You
can also access the major attractions locally like Paultons Park/ Peppa Pig World which is just 8 miles away and Marwell Zoo is 13 miles. Whilst you can
get to the heart of the New Forest in just 16 miles and the beautiful coast at
Bournemouth is only around 45 minutes drive away. It is a perfect location.
2. Great location for stunning countryside and walks
This year the farm owners have made a book of walks that you can take straight
from the farm and the good news is that a couple of them take you past local
pubs. You could happily have a holiday at the farm and just stay completely
local by going out on beautiful walks through the fields and down to join
the Test Way that runs alongside the 44 mile River Test. This is one of the best
examples of a chalk stream and so much of it is crystal clear and really
enticing. It is the perfect spot for some trout fishing if you enjoy that sort of thing.
3. You can help feed the animals
This was certainly the highlight for our teenage twin girls. They absolutely
loved joining the farm owner each day to help feed the animals. When you
arrive check with Fran what time she will be doing the feeds in the morning and
afternoon and you can go along and help. We were all mesmerised by the gorgeous
2-week old goat Mini, she was the ultimate cuddle monster.
4. Spacious cottage, with room for everyone to space out
The downstairs of our cottage, Bluebells was really spacious with a lounge,
kitchen/ diner, bathroom and large galleried hall. One of my daughters counted
up that there are six sofas in the house, so if you had a full party of six, you
could all have a sofa each! This does mean it is really easy to get some quiet
space just for yourself if you want to quietly read or just need a bit of headspace.
5. Character cottage with homely touches
Bluebells is a converted barn and it has beautiful character with beams and wooden floors. There are a few steps to get in and a small wrought iron table and chairs outside to enjoy an alfresco drink in the evening.
There are lots of lovely homely touches to the accommodation that shows the
owners care about their guests and this is really welcome. There are lovely
examples of art, cushions, ornaments and bath towels. There was also a massive
pile of nice soft fluffy cream towels for us to use during our stay and I
noticed games, books and DVD's for guests use as well.
6. Well equipped kitchen
The kitchen is really well equipped with everything you could possibly want. I
didn't cook any big meals there but we had cooked breakfast and it was easy to
find what I needed. There is a washing machine and dishwasher in Bluebells and we had been left the washing products for using those too, which was good. It was very useful that there was tea and coffee making
items provided, including a pint of milk in the fridge when we arrived. They also left
us some fudge and biscuits too which was a nice surprise.
7. Shady parking
There is allocated parking for each cottage and for Bluebells it is within a
big barn, which means it is super shady and we really appreciated this as the
sun was blistering hot when we stayed.
8. 6ft bed in the master bedroom
Oh how I loved this bed, it is so big and very comfortable too. In fact, the
whole master bedroom is gorgeous with a blue theme and it was a joy to stay
in. It's also a real joy that all the beds are made up for your arrival. I hate it when you arrive on holiday and have to make all the beds and of course, you can leave the bedding for them to wash after you leave too. It is the little things that make life easier for us mums.
9. Good free WiFi
The WiFi was easy to log on to and we were able to access it all across
the house which was good. All four of us were on it at the same time and there
weren't any issues, so that was super pleasing as we were in a rural
location.
10. Welcoming host
We met Fran a number of times during our stay and she was very accommodating and friendly. She made it clear we could ring or text her if we had any questions or needed anything. Our girls felt really comfortable with her and she was very welcoming of them when they wanted to feed the animals or play football.
Things to note
As well as the ten things I love I think it is important to share a few
things to note as well -
- The staircase is really quite steep but the owners have put stair gates at the top and bottom to help with safety
- You may need to duck - there are quite a few low beams, especially in two of the bedrooms with sloping ceilings
- You may not be able to stand up in the shower. I could but my daughters who are 5ft 8" couldn't as their heads touched the ceiling. The shower is within the bath, so it just means you need to sit down
- There are stone floors downstairs that look lovely but can be cold underfoot, so take your slippers
- It's a farm, it's dusty outside, expect your car to get dirty and as such, the outside of windows etc are dusty looking
- Remember to bring old clothes for feeding as the animals will want to get up close and have no idea if you're wearing your best outfit
- There may be noise that you're not familiar with. There are a number of peacocks on-site and they can sound like a crying baby and of course, there are tractors heading out to work early. None of it bothered me but my husband could hear it.
- The thing I did notice was the light mornings; I'm used to black-out and dark curtains and all the bedroom curtains are light in this cottage, so I was waking from about 5am
We'd definitely recommend a stay in Bluebells Cottage at Michelmersh Manor Farm and there is availability for some nights in June and then plenty again from September. Also, the Shepherds Hut accommodation is newly listed so there is good availability for that. Do have a look, I think the prices are really reasonable and you'll have a wonderful time.
Useful Information
Address: Michelmersh Manor Farm, Manor Farm Lane, Romsey, Hants
SO51 0NT
Telephone Number: 01794 368664 or 07817546824
Email Enquiries: fran@michelmershmanorfarm.com
Dogs Policy: You can have your dog stay in some accommodation, check with Fran prior to booking
Social Media:
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Other posts you might enjoy
Visiting the Harold Hillier Gardens, just a few miles away from the farm.
20 fabulous things to do with kids in the Test Valley.
Visiting the Hawk Conservancy Trust, Andover.
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