Thornbury House

This bright, airy two-bedroom house enjoys a lovely setting at the foot of Bredon Hill on the edge of the Cotswolds. It is within the grounds of a beautiful country house, with which it shares, not just far reaching rural views, but also tennis courts and a large heated indoor pool - a major bonus when staying with little ones!

Essentially a modern bungalow, the interior of the house has been thoughtfully decorated to create a contemporary feel with added luxuries in the form of memory foam beds, crisp, luxury bed linen, fluffy towels, a 42 inch TV, DVD player, PS2 console and IPod dock. As a result, Thornbury manages to combine simple cosiness with modern extras that will make it feel like a home from home for grown ups and junior guests alike.

Owners, Kirsty and Jon Cartwright, have taken great care to ensure that every member of the family is well catered for. Parents will appreciate the long and useful list of baby and toddler gear and toys provided (see grey box right) plus pre-bookable babysitting and pampering packages to aid relaxation including breakfast hampers, champagne and massage and beauty therapy treatments. All guests will find the welcome pack including bread, milk, biscuits, preserves, tea, coffee, orange juice a thoughful touch.

The location of the house is a great asset too being within the last house in a village with its own child-friendly, good food pub, and within a short drive of many picturesque villages and larger towns like Cheltenham, Bath and Bristol. Tewkesbury is just 10-minutes a way with a great selection of bars and bistros making it ideal for a special evening out, when taking advantage of the handy pre-bookable babysitting services.

Detailed Accommodation Overview:
Thornbury House has 2-bedrooms and is set on one level. The lounge dining area has large windows looking out over stunning country views, a leather sofa and armchair, and a pretty little dining table and four chairs. The kitchen contains an electric oven, a special child-safe ceramic hob, a fridge, freezer, dishwasher, microwave oven and a full range of pots, pans and cooking utensils. Along the hall, the main double bedroom has a smart kingsize bed, lots of wardrobe and storage space and plenty of room for a cot, while the the second bedroom contains two single beds and comes complete with black-out blinds and curtains to ensure that toddlers aren't up at the crack of dawn. The modern bathroom comes with a step for guests too small to reach the sink, bath tub with shower over and a baby bath.

Outside, the house has its own south-facing, patio garden, safely fenced to stop any small people going walkabout. It is furnished with sun loungers, a BBQ, a swing, sand pit and outdoor climbing frame with slide.

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At the foot of Bredon Hill, in Gloucestershire, the cottage couldn't be better situated for exploring the fabulous countryside, villages and towns in and around the Cotswolds. Great food and a friendly welcome are only a short walk away at The Crown, the local pub in the village.

Jump in the car and it's only a 10 minute drive to the historic town of Tewkesbury, and 20 minutes behind the wheel to reach Cheltenham. The elegant spa town, with its famous race course, has loads of great boutique shopping and, if guests fancy a spot of high-level pampering, the Chapel Spa is well worth a visit. There's also the Daylesford Organics farmshop, Michelin award-winning cafe and Hay Barn Spa, a recent winner of Conde Nast Traveller Reader Award's for Best Day Spa, within about 40minutes drive - ideal for stocking up on indulgent treats.


Oxford, Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Bristol are within easy driving distance too. Nearby villages such as Broadway, Stow-on-The-Wold are chocolate box perfect, and there are lots of things to keep small children smiling too. Burford Wildlife Park, 40 minutes away by car, is home to zebras, giraffes, and lions. Cadbury World, where small visitors can see their favourite sweeties made, write their name in chocolate and eat all the chocolate they fancy, is a 60 minute drive away. And if guests feel their little ones might need to run off all that extra sugar off, they can go wild in acres of trees and gardens at beautiful Westonbirt Arboretum, a 40 minute car journey door-to-door.

Nearest Medical Centre: Bredon Hill Surgery Bredon Tewkesbury Minor Injuries Unit and Cheltenham General A&E.

testimonial scores:3:5:4:4

All the beds in the property were very high. It would not have been appropriate ...

All the beds in the property were very high. It would not have been appropriate to put a toddler in one of the single beds although these were advertised as such.
Overall Experience Rating: 60%

Fantastic baby friendly property. The cottage is in a good location, the owners ...

Fantastic baby friendly property. The cottage is in a good location, the owners very helpful, and the pool is simply amazing (with lovely warm water). Would definitely come back.
Overall Experience Rating: 100%

Had a lovely weekend away, Thornbury House was in a great location on the edge o...

Had a lovely weekend away, Thornbury House was in a great location on the edge of a village with lots of walking opportunities on the doorstep. The swimming pool was really good, an added bonus.
Overall Experience Rating: 80%

Thornbury was a lovely place to escape to. Set in beautiful countryside in a sma...

Thornbury was a lovely place to escape to. Set in beautiful countryside in a small, charming village close to many attractions and providing an excellent base from which to explore The Cotswolds. The pool was a great benefit, which we enjoyed most days. It has been made safe for children, and there is plenty of small baby equipment, but you will need to still take a few bits for toddlers, like bibs, sippy cups, cutlery, bath toys and monitor etc. There is a small selection of toys but you would still need a few of your own too.
Overall Experience Rating: 80%

A lovely well equipped cottage in a great location for exploring the Cotswolds. ...

A lovely well equipped cottage in a great location for exploring the Cotswolds. The use of the swimming pool was brilliant too.
Overall Experience Rating: 100%

We enjoyed a wonderful holiday with our toddler. The pool was lovely and the hou...

We enjoyed a wonderful holiday with our toddler. The pool was lovely and the house was very comfortable. The house came with all the baby/toddler essentials and a good travel cot mattress.
Overall Experience Rating: 100%

Really friendly hospitable family, especially young Luke....

Really friendly hospitable family, especially young Luke.
Overall Experience Rating: 100%

Overall "Excellent!"...

Overall "Excellent!"
Overall Experience Rating: 80%

Good comfortable and clean lodgings on one floor. Generous supply of baby items....

Good comfortable and clean lodgings on one floor. Generous supply of baby items. Baby bath provided but no actual bath (only shower cubicle) so tricky for large toddlers. The indoor pool is too cold for babies / toddlers which was disappointing. Also no washing machine in the property - you have to provide notice and request the owner does your washing - I was uncomfortable with this. Owner Responds: Many thanks for your feedback which we appreciate greatly. We've now added a new bathroom with full bath and heat the pool to between 28-30 degrees, although most little ones now wear the wetsuit style swimwear anyway. Sadly, there isn't space to add a washing machine, but we are very happy to help take a load anytime"
Overall Experience Rating: 60%

Owner Profile

We have lived in this area for a number of years and love the peace and quiet, the tranquility, the great walks and views. It is also pretty handy to be able to walk to the local pubs and shop. As towns like Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Evesham and Gloucester are all a short drive away, there is always lots of choice about what you want to do or where you want to go. You can choose from boutique shopping, taking a cruise down the river, visiting historic docks, or even vising the local racecourse when a meeting is on. Further afield Stratford, Birmingham, Bristol and Bath are all easily reached and offer a greater variety of choices; Cadbury World, Bristol Docks, Shakespeare Theatre, Bath Spa are just some of the famous ones.

I think that one is pretty easy - the swimmimg pool! There are not many children who don't love splashing about in the water. Our pool is heated all year round and has a good selection of inflatables to play on. You pre book your time of entry, then just jump on in for splash time!