Upper Barn Annexe, HARLESTON

Rated 2/50 by Donna S on 18th December 2019

"Since getting a dog, i have ditched over seas holidays for dog friendly places around the UK, this cottage disappointed me hugely, upon arrival we notice this annexe was adjoined to a residential house, not a problem i thought as it has its own entrance, however, im not sure how many people lived there, but the noise from the 5 or 6 cars continuously driving along the big gravel driveway at all hours was really disturbing. the garden is not fenced in, and you are asked to keep your dog on the lead at all times, as a dog once killed some of their ducks, there is a small lake in the back garden, so not only is it not dog friendly, it is not very child friendly either. it does have a hot tub, but you cant both use it (if you are there for a couple) because dogs have to stay on the lead, and is not allowed in the cottage on its own, so that was rubbish, and it is maintained daily by the host, who continuously put bleach or cleaning powder into the water, by days 3 its was a hot bubbling bleach pit and you couldn't use it as it burnt your skin. the place is not huge, but plenty big enough for 2 people plus a dog, it has a lot in internal doors (11) which are very heavy and clunky and has old fashion barn door catches on them, which are heavy and high up the door, so a child for example wouldnt be able to open them. the kitchen tap dripped, the kettle leaked, the bedroom lamp had no bulb, there were glasses missing (maybe broken by previous guests and not replaced). the first bedroom was ample (no TV if thats your thing) but the second bedroom just about had room to side step around the bed that was shoe horned into the room, so if you are going as 2 couples, you wouldnt want the second bedroom, it has no storage or wardrobe etc. there was a step down from the kitchen into the utility area (where the fridge freezer and microwave is) so watch your step! the view was great from the windows, but wasnt impressed with the building supplies being delivered at 7am on lorries - safe to say i wouldnt be staying here again, or using Sykes Cottages"

Rated 4/50 by Sophie S on 2nd December 2018

Rated 5/50 by Georgia M on 27th October 2018

"My boyfriend, dog and I stayed here for a long weekend mid-October and it was lovely. We weren't 100% sure what to expect with this being a new property and having few reviews. However, we were not disappointed! The annexe itself is lovely. It was furnished in a modern yet simple and rustic style with a high level of thought and detail to ensure it is comfortable. Perfectly clean. Amenity wise there was everything we needed. I don't believe it stated this in the description but there is wi-fi and also netflix on the tv in the living room. Upon arrival we also received a welcome letter with local wine, biscuits, and milk etc in the fridge which was lovely. We slept really well; the bed was comfortable. The hot tub was really nice; no faffing around it was just ready for when we got there and left on the whole time at just the right temperature. We felt especially the living area was really versatile with regards to the weather/time of year; the bifold doors which open out onto the outdoor seating and hot tub would be lovely on a summers night, just as the log fire would be lovely and cosy in winter. With regards to location, it depends what you are after but it was great for us. Close enough for shops and pubs but also remote and peaceful. About 30-40 minutes to the Suffolk coast and Norwich so we were able to do plenty of exploring. Whilst we thought it was great, as part of the honest review, there are a few little things which didn't bother us but I feel I should just point out for others to know/for the owners to improve. The annexe is actually attached to the main house behind. Noise wise it was fine- we did not really hear anything. However when we were looking around upon arrival, we found a door behind a curtain which had no lock on our side, but was locked from the other side and we believed it to be into the main house. We understand this is probably for safety/logistical reasons and weren't too fussed but did just think about how it could affect privacy. The garden is beautiful, and again whilst it didn't bother us much, we just wanted to note for pet owners/parents that it is not fenced in. The internal doors are ledge and brace style with the handles quite high up. They were a bit tough to open for me at times which again isn't a problem but may affect children. Lastly, with there being just two of us for a long weekend it was fine but we felt if there were four adults there for a week for example, the storage is a little limited. These are all just really nit-picky things but wanted to be honest and helpful. Overall, we think its brilliant and great value for money (especially as its hard to find luxury places with hot tubs etc AND a pet). We would stay again and would recommend! Thanks so much!"