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8 Guests
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4 Bedrooms
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5 Bathrooms
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Pets Yes
Features
- Off road parking
- Open fire
- Garden / Patio
- Cot available
- Highchair available
- Washing machine
- Dishwasher
- Broadband / WiFi
Reviews & Ratings
48 Customer Reviews
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"Upper Barn provided the perfect setting for our family to celebrate a special birthday weekend."
The accommodation was just as described and very welcoming. We'd read the reviews before booking, so knew what to expect. The owner was quick to respond to the odd query we had. We spent a fabulous weekend in the barn and would highly recommend this property and rural location. The only downside (apparently) was the poor WiFi, however, this would not stop us from returning.
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"£842 for a 3 night stay in mid October in Staffordshire."
There were some really good pros for the property but also some cons, which I am surprised to need to write after booking a property with 5 Sykes ticks and a review rating of "4.5 Outstanding". Pros Very clean Very cosey on cold days and nights Kitchen had everything we needed, pan and crockery wise Good white goods Nicely presented garden and interior Space for multiple cars to park off road Very quiet location Excellent amount of wood and starter fuel for the fire Proper deep kitchen sink Key safe worked ok and key collection was thus ok Good location close to where I grew up as a child Comfy beds Cons All sinks are ridiculously small with silly glass shelves above, washing hands was a nightmare let alone washing faces leading to wet floors No hair dryer Welcome pack consisted of very dry cookies, Schloer (not wine) and a pack of cafe latte. Properties of this type and cost usually have more personalised local items Kitchen lacked basics that we have become used to in other similarly priced properties (sauces, cooking oil, condiments, complimentary shampoo / shower gel) Bedding etc was on the cheaper side Bedrooms lacked wardrobes (except main room) Boiler was quite loud under the floor of the bunk room, light sleepers should avoid that room Sound travelled, internal walls are probably stud not solid brick If you have more than 2 cars on the drive you need to shuffle them about to turn around No rural views from ground floor (though it didnt advertise any) Probably better to have designed this as a 3 bed house rather than 4 and made more space for sinks and wardrobes Stair gate was left installed at the bottom of the stairs and was quite a trip hazzard on the small steps We never saw the owners, some would say that is a pro, others would say it's a con. But communication of details via text ref arrival was good. We always have a good holiday regardless of the property we stay in, it wouldn't take much to cure most of the cons above and I only mention them to give anyone considering this property a true reflection of what to expect.
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"Lovely property, very well looked after and maintained."
Good location.
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"As has been mentioned before, the basins in all the bathrooms are too small, and the shelves above are a hazzard!"
! Good outdoor seating area, although much smaller than expected from the photo's!, very disappointed with the notice that said 'no ball games in the garden', this might have swayed our descision to book as we had 2 young boys who love football/cricket. Better pillows on some of the beds. Nice quiet area, good local pub food.
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"Thank you this is the first time since COVID that we have holidayed with children and grandchildren, It is a lovely house and lovely location."
We enjoyed it very much . It was clean well equipped and kept thank you. One grandson commented "best holiday house ever". You can publish the first paragraph above There was one thing that we would like to share for your information and it didn't spoil our week. At night there was a scraping noise coming from behind the wall (adjoining the other house) heard by the adults using the double room next to the bunk room most nights. This second paragraph is for information and so do not want this portion published.
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"We had a fantastic stay at Upper Barn, celebrating a milestone birthday with family."
The house is very rural, so peaceful and felt like the perfect escape. It was plenty big enough for us all (5adults, a toddler, a baby and a dog!) with all the bedrooms being a great size. We loved the garden, the outdoor games and the open plan living, made for great quality family time. Whilst we were there we visited Canalside Farm Shop, Tatton Park, Cannock Chase Country Park and Statfold Country. All great days out and easy to access from the house. Our only suggestion would be to have some salt, pepper, oil and a few other basics available for cooking. Such a beautiful house and we would certainly return to explore more of Staffordshire!
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"We loved the property, especially the open plan configuration downstairs."
It was very clean and had been decorated to a high specification. The kitchen was well equipped with crockery, pots and pans (we could have done with more than seven teaspoons)! We loved the outside space and the fact that we had a private garden, with our own table, benches and comfy chairs. On the slightly negative side, as we were very rural and close to farms and stables we were woken up at 5.00 every morning. The noise of the pump in the back garden slightly spoiled the ambience. It listed that there were 5 toilet facilities, and the one in the outhouse had no water supply, so was not functioning. The main bathroom was lovely, but the two en-suites were tiny, and the fifth facility was just a downstairs cloakroom. Also the sinks in every bathroom were ridiculously tiny and you could barely wash your hands in them. Notwithstanding the above we had a wonderful stay and it was ideally located for visiting some of the wonderful places in Staffordshire.
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"Lovely stay for a catch up weekend with the family !"
! Cosy and warm , with a very well stocked kitchen . Beds were nice and comfy and the lay out was great . The open plan downstairs was great for keeping everyone involved in conversation games and cooking !!! Overall a lovely relaxing stay in a beautiful property
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"Had a lovely Christmas stay at Upper Barn."
The open plan layout was perfect for a family gathering. Everywhere was very clean and comfortable. Due to reading another review prior to our stay I was aware that I needed to take basic condiments such as salt & pepper, this would be useful information to be made aware off. Overall beautiful place in beautiful countryside.
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"Lovely cottage - had such a lovely stay and help was there when we needed it to fix a loo seat that had come loose and help us turn the heating down!"
In the spirit of helpfulness for future bookings, the mattresses were a little uncomfortable and the Wi-Fi was very slow and didn’t cope well with streaming movies. But we would definitely love to book the barn again, thank you :)
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"Four of us stayed here for a short break in December."
The house was clean, warm, comfortable and attractive. We didn't use any outside equipment because of the time of year but they looked very useful. The garden was ideal and safe for our two small/medium dogs. A few issues, the shelves above the basins in the bathrooms could be higher to avoid some head butting whilst toothbrushing plus the sliding doors would not stay closed so privacy was a problem. Downstairs the dining table won't seat eight people with the chairs provided. It's also extremely top heavy with loose legs and didn't feel stable. We are likely to book Upper Barn again but we'll take salt and pepper, tea and coffee and milk at the very least for a hot drink on arrival plus a vegetable peeler. The mugs and glasses were super sized, so bear that in mind if you have children.
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"Really good place for our family get together."
Minor issues as mentioned by other reviewers but it doesn't really diminish the get together. Garden and parking are excellent, house is lovely and warm and facilities are close by to get sugar, milk tea bags etc.
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"Everything we wanted ,quiet and lovely location ."
Great for a family together .
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"Gorgeous cottage - our absolutely only Complaint is that the sinks in the ..."
Gorgeous cottage - our absolutely only Complaint is that the sinks in the bathrooms are all very small but apart from that we were very pleased and will def book again
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"Lovely cottage and well equipped."
The wifi was a bit patchy but the beds were comfy, it was clean, showers and bathrooms great. Had a lovey stay.
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"Booked the cottage last minute for birthday weekend."
Beautiful barn conversion. Downstairs open-plan, so very social. Lots of crockery, cutlery, glassware. Well provided in kitchen. Cosy log burner. Comfortable bedrooms with ensuites and family bathroom. Outside games room with table tennis and table football. Quiet location. Canal walk and Shugborough Hall on Saturday, Amerton farm on Sunday. Had a lovely family get together.
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"The cottage was very rural."
Nice open plan layout downstairs. Great to have 3 bathrooms and 2 extra toilets. Enjoyed the table tennis and table football. Ensuites were very small, shower cubicle was good size, but not much room to move once out of shower. Sinks were all cloakroom sinks. We were really lucky with weather but could not open windows as silage a few metres from cottage, really strong muck smell. Garden was sun trap, but no umbrella provided. No basic supplies provided, ie salt, pepper, oil, so make sure you take these. We have stayed in other sykes cottages where tea, coffee and milk was provided, to tied you over before you shop.
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"We loved this property."
There were seven of us celebrating a friend’s special birthday, all ladies. The layout of the property was cleverly done and the upstairs space was utilised well, giving two of the rooms an en-suite bathroom. My only criticism of this was the bathroom doors. There was a gap around so didn’t give us the privacy we would have liked. I understand it’s tricky to be inkeeping with the image of the property and utilise the small space to its advantage. For anyone visiting in future I’d recommend bringing a few ping pong balls as there is a table for this and we had none with us. Definitely recommend this property, it was beautiful.
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"The house was spacious and comfortable and the outside seating area was in a nice sunny position."
A parasol would have been useful as we had brilliant sunshine every day. Not sure why there were 2 sets of pan lids but only one set of pans and one of the baking sheets that didn't fit any oven. If you like to have a wash rather than a shower this is not the place for you as despite 3 bathrooms, downstairs toilet and toilet in the shed all the sinks except kitchen and shed are only 15cm x 25cm, hardly big enough to wash your hands in and with glass shelves directly above, this really annoyed me hence only 4 star. You are on farm land with corresponding aroma. Otherwise a lovely place to stay.
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"Overall we thought the cottage was great, well presented, great space and lovely location so we’d recommend it."
Whilst it’s a holiday and we were blessed with amazing weather, if it had been raining and we had to stay in more the broadband connection is sketchy so difficult to stream anything and I could see that becoming very frustrating (unfortunately whilst it’s rural I think most people still require a quick stable connection!) and just personal taste here but the beds were very soft which I know will be fine for lots but is terrible for my back. These two points are minor in the scheme of things so crack on and book!
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"The Barn is beautiful and felt like a really nice place for a family weekend away."
The location feels pleasantly rural without being too far from pubs/shops/places to visit etc. Whilst a lovely house, it certainly wasn’t as clean as I would have expected, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. Also, the living area was lovely and warm with great underfloor heating. However, the radiator in the master bedroom was broken leaving this room very cold, especially during the night. I contacted the host about this and asked for their advice, expecting that they’d take a look at it perhaps; unfortunately they told me that the radiator might need bleeding and left it there. I was a little shocked in honesty! I wasn’t really hoping for a weekend away of radiator bleeding! I’m sure this was just a one off…it just didn’t feel great!
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"Beautiful warm, comfortable barn had a wonderful stay over New Year, would definitely stay again."
Plenty of plates bowls, cutlery and glasses. Beds and upstairs space was comfortable. Listing said 5 bathrooms but there were 2 ensuites and a main bathroom is shared by 2 bedrooms, a downstairs toilet and also one in the outbuilding. Nice enclosed garden for the dog. Plenty of parking we had 4 cars and room for more. A few minor things to mention downstairs needed a dust and oven wants a good clean. No potato peeler or serving spoons. Also would benefit with an iron. We also struggled with the WiFi took a firestick but there was a lot of buffering.
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"Cost cottage and super comfortable."
Lovely outdoor space too. Would recommend.
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"A great property with lovely interior."
Perfect for a weekend with friends.
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"Was an amazing weekend getaway - we all thoroughly enjoyed our stay!"
Was a beautiful stay in a stunning location! Only slight issue we had was with the WiFi but other than that no complaints!
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"Lovely stay, a few basic updates would be beneficial such as the outdoor furniture and both games tables but a really nice place overall."
Nice evening dog walks and family time were just what we wanted. Upstairs is great with modern bathrooms and comfortable bedrooms. We hired a canal boat and went into Hixon and Great Haywood which are lovely. A must visit is The Woolpack pub, fab food and outdoor space with kids area on the field. Would book again x
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"Beautiful and comfortable barn in a quiet location, conveniently located for Cannock Chase, the Southern Peak District and Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games."
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"Superb cottage."
Perfect for a trip away with our adult children and their partners. Plenty of room for games, meals and relaxing both indoors and out. Well equipped for both cooking and dining. Pleasant walk to the pub in Hixon to stretch our legs. Owner was very helpful in sending us details of road closures due to the Ironman event taking place as we left. Would loved to have stayed longer.
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"Fabulous place to stay, lots of space for the whole family and all the amenities you could need whilst there."
Very peaceful and quiet as well in the middle of the countryside (don't worry, no crows nearby to wake you up). Also it is well located in the middle of a bunch of local attractions all within a 25 minute drive away. Only issue we had was a small gap in one of the fences our dogs got through, but we managed to cover it to prevent it from happening once located. If we had something like a lab or similar sized large dog, probably wouldn't have been an issue. Would happily stay again.
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"Beds were not very comfortable as very very soft mattresses."
Check out time is 10am which is very early, especially considering the hosts ask for the accommodation to be completely cleaned. 11am would be preferable
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"Overall a good place to stay and the Chinese takeaway in Hixon was excellent."
The owner kindly allowed me to charge my car by using the 13amp socket in the garage area and left me to decide how much to pay for the power. After we booked we became aware of subsequent feed back relating to adequacy of glasses and that has clearly been addressed. The fridge freezer had an adequate freezer space and there is an additional freezer in the garage area. The fridge freezer ought to have been defrosted especially as the “floor” of the freezer section was dirty. The property is spacious except for the ensuites which require careful manoeuvring to use. The showers are of a good size. The glass shelves on the mirrors are a hazard especially when cleaning teeth. The dining table is extremely wobbly, is small for 8 (we were 6) and the grey settee had loose legs. Another aspect commented on by others is the Wi-Fi which is woeful and, indeed, as previously commented when the TV goes on the Wi-Fi bandwidth is completely taken up. The Wi-Fi provision is by a mobile SIM in a router which should be sufficient, subject to fluctuations in the mobile signal but the router itself is not of sufficient quality. I would recommend a replacement such as TP Link TL-MR6400. The heating was good but some instructions on the zoning and use of the thermostats would be appropriate as would information on the recycling requirements as these vary across the Country.
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"Upper barn is a beautiful barn conversion set in a lovely little village location."
Very comfortable and very well equipped, some very nice pubs in the surrounding villages and not too far to the local shops. Very well situated to visit other towns/ cities and stately homes.
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"A beautiful property finished to a high standard."
Lovely rural location. Perfect for our family weekend away.
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"Beautiful barn in a lovely spot."
Clean, tidy and really well presented. Really good sized rooms and enough space for everyone. Great outdoor space and garden area. We found the local little village around 20 mins walk and it’s got a local pub offering tasty food. Ideal location near to few activity places for the children including Amerton Farm, Ice skating etc. We’d come again anytime with the family for a short break. The two improvements we’d suggest would simply be: 1) booster box needed for the limited Wi Fi on ground floor and 2) larger TV as it’s quite a difficult to watch altogether with a large crowd of 8.
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"Although the property is beautiful, spacious and well equipped the cleanliness of the property left a lot to be desired."
WARNING to other users. There were 8 of us, all with some form of mobile phone/tablet. Wi-Fi connection is poor so we found that we all could not be on at the same time. Also the Smart TV would not work on terrestrial channels if anyone was using their appliance and even sometimes when nobody was logged in.
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"The Upper Barn was a lovely cottage with a layout that worked well for us."
The location was super, with beautiful countryside around and yet within easy reach of plenty of places to visit. The property was tastefully appointed and worked well for our family. The garden is enclosed and laid out very attractively, with space for eating and relaxing outdoors in good weather. There was ample parking. We would not hesitate to visit again.
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"The Barn is very nice but just a couple of things would make it even better."
Only one bedroom had a mirror. There were mirrors in the bathrooms but not near a plug so no good for drying hair etc. The sinks in the bathrooms are impractical.Tiny no plugs and with a shelf above so almost impossible to use for anything other than handwashing.
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"We had a fantastic family holiday celebrating my husband’s 60th with our grand child, children their partners and our dog - wonderful time away."
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"Nice barn but too many issues."
We stayed as a family of 4 early September, the owner text me over a week before our stay which was mainly about the bins being put out. I also got a reminder from her the day they needed to go out, I did remember the first time. Little information about the house & area, used to getting a nice folder with information in other accommodations. Things were not so clean in the kitchen. There was only one mirror in the whole house & there is plenty of space to add more mirrors, the sinks are all very very small to the point they are not worth having. WIFI was useless. Outside lights were not working & owner knew of this, got in touch with her & she took days to get back regarding this. Table tennis was fun in the evening but not really sure what the point of the utility room in the garden. Was very hot weather so lots of flies inside & smells from the farm. Also got a text the morning we were leaving to tell us what we needed to do before we left the property. Holiday information in a folder would be sufficient enough rather than text messages!!!
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"My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our weeks stay we did loads of things around the area ."
Just a few comments needed in the barn 1)more glass tumblers (only 3 and there was 8 of us !,) 2)cafeteria 3) ice making trays 4) plastic glasses for outside 5) freezer in utility room should be a fridge 6) cloths line or airer for drying cloths These are a must when having young children also
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"Dawn in customer relations was extremely unhelpful, rude in an email to me, without even speaking to me."
I had numerous emails from Sykes giving false details about the accommodation, however, Dawn says it’s my fault for booking the barn. Lovely isn’t it? I have used Sykes on many occasions, now I’m not able to trust what is said in their emails. The accommodation was in a lovely area. A few niggles, not so clean in places, cloth table mats!!(Covid?) chipped crockery, not 8 of most things, one mirror in one bedroom only, couldn’t find an iron, toaster half working! Not pet or young children friendly garden, it’s not secure.
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"Lovely place, beautiful surroundings and good communication from the host."
We had a fantastic time and really enjoyed our stay. Only minor piece of feedback is that the cottage is advertised as child/dog friendly however there is no gate to enclose the back garden - this was the only negative point to our stay.
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"This accommodation was superb , loads of space for the family and the table tennis was a big plus, we have already recommended to friends and they have booked for later this year."
Hopefully we can return at some point in the future
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"We stayed in this beautiful barn conversion for mums birthday weekend."
It was fully equipped for the whole family ranging from 16 months to 68 years old and was spotlessly clean. Set in a quiet little village but with easy access to a range of things to do and places to explore.
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"Lovely home , very new and clean!"
The carpet upstairs is very plush :-) Good facilities, shame we were there in wet weather as would have been nice to have been able to sit outside. Tesco superstore is about 15 mins away, Alton towers, 25 mins away, local Chinese in hixton was very good! Kitchen had everything we needed. We purchased some logs for the log fire to use too Great place!
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"Beautiful accommodation in a great location."
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"The barn was lovely - it's a new conversion and the quality of fittings is superb."
Location is very quiet, and with it being a barn with thick walls it kept the rooms cool when it was warm outside. There were a few small teething problems as the build is brand new, but overall we had a lovely stay and would recommend the barn to anyone wanting a relaxing week away.
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"We had a very pleasant week at upper barn."
Summary
- Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size with en-suite shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x double with en-suite shower, basin, heated towel rail and WC, 1 x double, 1 x adult bunk room
- Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin, heated towel rail and WC
- Cloakroom with basin and WC with washing machine
- Open-plan living space with kitchen, dining area and sitting area with multi-fuel stove
- External utility with cloakroom
- Gas central heating with multi-fuel stove
- Electric range cooker with gas hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, freezer, dishwasher, Smart TV and WiFi
- Fuel and power inc. in rent
- Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
- Highchair, travel cot and stairgate available on request
- Two well-behaved dogs welcome
- Sorry, no smoking
- Shop 2.1 miles, pub 1.9 miles
- Please note dogs are not allowed upstairs or on the furniture
- In the garden there is a sheltered area with table tennis, perfect for a summer afternoon
The property
Resting in the quiet rural hamlet of Drointon in Staffordshire is this superb barn conversion, Upper Barn, sleeping up to eight guests, it presents the perfect setting for a wonderful family holiday in the country.
Surrounded by farmland and open fields, Drointon is also within reach of the Cannock Chase AONB, Alton Towers, and is an hour from the Peak District.
Enter into this beautifully renovated property and come straight into the open-plan living space decorated with bright, neutral hues, it is a serene setting to enjoy with your loved ones.
An attractive dining table and chairs sits in the middle of the room before the bi-fold doors opening up to the garden, with the kitchen and sitting area on either side.
A large range cooker with a gas hob sits in the fitted kitchen, next to pristine white counter tops, a classic Belfast sink, and several high-quality appliances.
The sitting area offers plenty of soft seating to relax on as well as the multi-fuel stove placed in the corner, gather the family to watch a film here on the large Smart TV and be warmed by the fire.
The garden has been beautifully designed to offer a large lawn space for children and pets to enjoy, as well as a large outdoor sofa seating for relaxing on the patio, with an external utility and cloakroom resting at the end of the garden, as well as a sheltered area with table tennis, perfect for a summer afternoon.
Also on the ground floor is a cloakroom where the washing machine also lives, while upstairs on the first floor you can find the stunning main family bathroom, as well as the four lovely bedrooms.
A king-size bedroom and a double bedroom benefit from an en-suite shower room each, with the remaining two bedrooms being a double and an adult bunk room, all with tasteful and elegant decor and plenty of storage for your things.
Upper Barn is perfectly placed for visiting a host of popular UK attractions including Alton Towers theme park less than 20 miles away, where thrilling rides and rollercoasters are sure to satisfy any adrenaline-seeker.
South of Drointon is the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, not only home to a wealth of great walking country, but also the National Trust Shugborough Estate where a beautifully preserved Georgian mansion rests amongst sweeping parkland and formal gardens, as well as Go Ape Cannock where treetop adventures await for the whole family via a rope course in the tree canopy.
The Peak District is around an hour's drive away for those eager to seek a walking challenge, while the city of Stoke-on-Trent offers plenty of shops, restaurants and pubs to enjoy.
Great days out can be had in nearby historic castles like Stafford Castle, Tutbury Castle and Chartley Castle shedding history on the local areas.
Upper Barn proved perfect for an idyllic family holiday in the Staffordshire countryside.
Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £500.
About the location
GREAT HAYWOOD
Stafford 7.1 miles; Cannock 10.3 miles.
Great Haywood is a lovely village in Staffordshire, England. The village gives access to a range of pubs and restaurants for some fine dining opportunities, as well as some shops and supermarkets for picking up all the necessary ingredients for an evening meal. Situated just a few miles away is the bustling town centre of Stafford, which offers a larger number of amenities. The Grade II listed Stafford Castle and Ancient High House museum are well-worth the trip to discover fascinating local history. Popular attractions continue in the Cannock Chase AONB, rich with trails for walking, cycling, hiking and even mountain biking, whilst the nearby Chasewater is ideal for a range of watersports including sailing, fishing and waterskiing. Make sure you visit Go Ape Cannock which is an adventure seekers haven for its thrilling zip wires, treetop adventures and segways, something the whole family can enjoy.
Please note dogs are not allowed upstairs or on the furniture
Please note; There is a £25.00 per pet supplement.
This property offers the following short breaks:
- Winter
- Off-season
- Last minute
- Christmas