Paythorne Farmhouse

24 Customer Reviews

• "Thank you for a wonderful stay."

  The Farmhouse was a superb holiday let for a family get-together. The South Downs is not an area that we knew previously and so really enjoyed getting to know it a bit. Would have liked to spend a bit more time in Brighton but the traffic completely put us off! Quentin and Debbie

  Reviewed by Quentin4.4★Feb 2025

• "We loved our stay at Paythorne!"

  It was the perfect place for us. Our party consisted of 2 families, with all 3 children over 13 and in need of their own space and there is a lot of space. It has a great vibe, we thought from the pictures that it looked like our kind of place and we were absolutely right. It’s also right in the middle of very pretty countryside, directly opposite the end of the drive is a footpath up to the South Downs Way. There are some great looking walks suggested in the info folder, or you can do what we did and just set out. The indoors is beautifully cosy and warm, no draughts in this farmhouse. There’s a big telly with loads of streaming channels… we had no problem finding the film we all wanted to watch. The grounds are also extensive, fantastic views, meaning that we need to plan another visit to enjoy them in the warmer weather. Top tip: star gazing highly recommended. There’s barely any light pollution at all. Thank you Pauline, we will be back.

  Reviewed by Loveday5.0★Jan 2025

• "We had the most enjoyable Christmas stay with our family, there was a beautiful Christmas tree sitting to the side of the log burner, which gave us all a very festive homely feel."

  There was plenty of space to accommodate us all and all very well equipped. Stunning views all round, we all enjoyed watching the birds feeding, lots of visits from the woodpeckers, a first time seen by most of our family. Footpaths and pubs within walking distance, what’s not too like ! We would love to return again if we can.

  Thank you for your very kind words and appreciation. We would be delighted to welcome you back again. Best wishes for a very peaceful and prosperous New Year Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ian5.0★Dec 2024

• "Super comfortable house, plenty of apace and everything that we needed."

  Reviewed by Kathryn4.7★Nov 2024

• "We recently stayed at Paythorne Farmhouse for a long weekend."

  It was the perfect venue for a special family get together. The house is wonderful and is full of quirky and interesting furniture. My 8 year old loved exploring and finding all the different toys. The beds are really comfortable and the house was very clean (the two most important things for me!) The location couldn’t be better and the views are incredible. We were very lucky with the weather so we got to enjoy the lovely garden and patio area. The hosts are also lovely and they went out of their way to reunite us with an item that was left behind. I would 100% recommend Paythorne Farmhouse and we are looking to book again next year.

  Reviewed by Kirsty5.0★Oct 2024

• "Peythorne Farmhouse is first rate and charming, an utterly faultless place to stay."

  The house easily accommodated our expanding family of adults, plus baby and dog. The garden is spacious, interesting and attractively maintained. The views of the downs and the weald of Sussex, from the windows and from the terrace, are quite magnificent and literally quite something to behold. We were treated to dramatic and beautiful clouds, sunsets, and rainbows during our stay, but unfortunately that can't be guaranteed. What you can be certain of though is, that if you venture up to the top of the downs an exhilarating and breathtaking experience awaits. Try Devils Dyke on foot if you're feeling strong, or by car if you prefer. Emma was a very helpful and friendly host who went to the trouble of making sure a new high chair and cot was available, and was happy to communicate by phone. Peythorne Farmhouse needs no improvement, in fact I would go as far as to say - don't change a thing!

  Thank you for being the perfect guests and for your kind words regarding your stay. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Richard John5.0★Sep 2024

• "A fantastic spacious house with a wonderful garden."

  We are a multi-generational family (aged 7 months to 70 years) and we all really enjoyed our stay at Paythorne Farmhouse. Like any old house, it has its quirks but overall, we found it very cosy and comfortable. The master bedroom and ensuite bathroom were very spacious. The mattresses on the beds were on the soft side but not debilitatingly so. (Ironically, the mattress on the double bed in the loft bedroom was the firmest). It was nice to meet the owner who had come over to mow the lawn. She was very friendly and told us about the history of the house. The kitchen was well-equipped with three good fridges. The owner had dropped off a new toaster before we had realised that the old one wasn’t fully working. We liked cooking with the Aga, even though it made the kitchen quite warm. Some of the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen were a bit grimy so we cleaned them up ourselves – helpfully, there were plenty of cleaning materials and two good hoovers. We left notes about a few minor things that could be addressed in kitchen and bathroom. The only thing that has been mentioned before is that the tap had come off temperature control on the shower in the family bathroom, so it was stuck on tepid (we didn’t realise this at first as we were using the bath). It was warm and sunny for most of our stay, so we really appreciated the lovely atmospheric garden. It is laid out on different levels with a paved terrace all around the house and two flights of steps down to a large well-manicured lawn, which is surrounded by wild unkempt borders. Our dog loved the garden and didn’t show any inclination to escape through the couple of gaps in the hedges. Like everyone else we appreciated the supply of bird food and watching the birds feeding outside the dining room window. We did lots of walks as the house is in an excellent location for walks from the door. There is a choice between easy walks through the fields behind the house, or more challenging hikes up onto the South Downs Way. We also visited the two local pubs and liked them both, and the vegans in our family appreciated the fact the fact both pubs had vegan options on the menu. Overall, as long as you don't mind a few spiders and wood lice, we would highly recommend this quirky old farmhouse.

  Thank you for being such lovely guests and for drawing my attention to the issues you encountered. I have now commissioned replacement of the shower having tried several times to fix it. It is so wonderful to have appreciative visitors who enjoyed all that Paythorne Farmhouse and the surrounding area had to offer. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew3.8★Aug 2024

• "Great accommodation but could have been so much better."

  Description is inaccurate : there are 5 bedrooms not 4 and only 2 bathrooms not 3 as stated . Negatives : - the garden patio and paths were covered in brambles and bindweed (not great for the small children!) - 2 of the kitchen cupboard doors were coming off their hinges as was the drawer under the microwave - kettle badly needed descaling - Loads of wood lice in the conservatory - windows in the roof don’t open so rooms really hot - no curtains or blinds in the small windows in main bedroom and top floor ones - car parking area really overgrown and uneven - tables outside not brilliant and only 6 chairs for 8 guests with a very rusty bench. Positives: - lovely house with great views all round - lovely lawn in the garden - bird feeder well placed with food supplies available, great to watch all the birds (great spotted woodpecker included) - lots of equipment for babies available

  Thank you for your constructive feedback. Although there are two loft rooms, because they do not have doors, they cannot be classified as bedrooms technically - this was on the advice of Sykes Holiday Cottages. The velux windows are all in good working order and can be opened by pulling the lever at the top. The velux windows have blinds, but the small windows at either end of the loft room, in the main bedroom, and bathroom do not , so although the light can come in, the house is secluded enough not to be overlooked. The parking area is a bit overgrown and uneven, but we will do our best to clear it. We have now done our best to tackle the garden with its abundance of prolific weeds. Although we always endeavour to evacuate dead wood lice, flies, ladybirds etc, it is impossible to stop them from returning without daily hoovering as I am sure you can appreciate with the house being in such a rural location surrounded by the farm. There are two hoovers at the property. The kitchen is in need of some tlc, but should be adequate for family holiday purposes, I will replace the kettle which is scaled up due to the chalky water percolating through the chalk South Downs, and I will do my best to drum up a bit more outdoor seating for guests in the future. I do hope these negatives did not spoil your stay, and that the positives outweighed them Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ghislaine3.1★Jul 2024

• "Fantastic location and very relaxing house"

  Reviewed by Andrew3.8★Jul 2024

• "It is a well equipped holiday home in need of some TLC, especially in the 2 bathrooms and kitchen."

  (Temperature control not working in the family bathroom shower and no mirror over the sink and drain blocked in the ensuite shower room. Lots of tea stains on kitchen worktops and in the sink) Some of us felt that the beds were too soft, but of course other people like soft beds so they would like that. Having said that the views are spectacular and who would not enjoy the bird show as you sit and eat your breakfast

  Reviewed by Anthony4.1★Jun 2024

• "A fantastic place to stay."

  Full of character, great location and large enough for families or groups of friends. Comfortable and quirky. Great views. We will hope to go back.

  Reviewed by Valerie3.8★Jun 2024

• "This is a lovely old, rustic farm house set in the most beautiful position."

  Great views, close to devil’s Dyke with lovely walks on the doorstep. Large garden and very adequate facilities. If you are looking for up market, all mod cons, this may not be for you, but if you are looking for somewhere you can relax and enjoy the countryside, this is perfect. The main bedroom is en-suite with a lovely bathroom. All other bedrooms have to share a bathroom with shower and bath, apart from one other bedroom on the first floor that has its own loo and basin. I’m not sure this was very clear in the description.

  Reviewed by Brenda3.8★May 2024

• "Beautiful house and location with stunning views across the South Downs."

  Hosts were really helpful and attentive but left us alone to enjoy our stay. Would definitely recommend and will return ourselves.

  Reviewed by Nigel4.7★Apr 2024

• "The property needs a deep clean, especially to remove all the dead ladybirds in 2 of the bedrooms."

  The oven looks if it hasn’t been cleaned for a few years, nor the inside of the kitchen cupboards. When an infestation of ants came up through an internal wall/floor, we were told that all food should be kept in airtight containers as we were ‘in the country’! A broken dining chair that one of my party nearly fell through. Most importantly, the steep stairs to one of the bedrooms has no handrails & on one of the treads, the carpet is torn, presenting a real safety hazard. And no, I wouldn’t go back.

  Reviewed by Patricia1.3★Mar 2024

• "We had a wonderful stay at Paythorne Farmhouse."

  The 8 of us were very comfortable and cosey in the farmhouse, helped by the aga and the fireplace, and it was fantastic too to be able set off from the farm house for a walk around the Devils Dyke. The owners were also kind enough to post us some records which we'd left behind. Many thanks!

  Reviewed by James5.0★Mar 2024

• "I booked Paythorne Farmhouse for a weekend to celebrate my wife's 60th with our children and their partners."

  It's a very charming and comfortable property, very well equipped and in a great spot. The Aga and log burner were most welcome on a cold January weekend. A couple of very minor niggles - there were several lamps out around the property when we were there (or the switches were well concealed) and some instruction on the controls of the log burner would have been helpful (I never worked out whether the top slider was right or left to open). These small things wouldn't put me off rebooking this property.

  Reviewed by Mark4.7★Jan 2024

• "It was a privilege and a joy to stay in such a stunning home surrounded by the most amazing views of the Sussex Countryside."

  We booked this home so all are family could be together to celebrate Christmas. This home felt like something out of story book, totally magical.

  Thank you……and for being exemplary guests. Happy new year Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alex5.0★Dec 2023

• "We were really delighted with the farmhouse it was ideal for our family get together very cosy and comforting."

  Even in the pouring rain and windy weather it was a great place to be in. The garden was beautiful and the views amazing, it was such a shame we couldn't spend time out there due to the weather conditions. I just have one recommendation, although there was only the garden and fields outside the window in the ensuite of the big bedroom, it would have been nice to have a curtain covering the window. Apart from that everything was perfect. It was a wonderful place to stay.

  Reviewed by Patricia Ann4.7★Nov 2023

• "We loved it."

  So peaceful and comfortable with amazing views and lots of character.

  Reviewed by Suzie4.7★Sep 2023

• "Not at all what I was expecting from the star rating and photographs."

  If RUSTIC OLD charm is your preference then this is the place for you.

  Reviewed by June1.3★Sep 2023

• "Paythorne has bags of charm and is in a stunning setting."

  Beautiful garden and views. You could spend hours exploring just the grounds and the house itself. The location is great with pubs and walks nearby. The listing is not accurate - there are 3 doubles on the first floor, and a double and a triple in the attic rooms. We really enjoyed our stay. Would recommend to anyone looking for a unique stay that’s a bit quirky! It feels like it needs a little TLC, especially in the kitchen. It didn’t bother us as we felt it added to the charm, and we weren’t cooking much, but would not recommend to people who prefer a spotless manicured place with mod cons!

  Reviewed by Jessica3.1★Aug 2023

• "We (family of 5) spent a pleasant 2-week holiday at Paythorne Farmhouse."

  The house is really well-equipped (3 fridges!). The kitchen might be a bit dated in parts, but we had everything we needed. We loved the atmosphere of the house with carefully chosen furniture. The garden is really lovely, we spent hours just gazing over the hills. We went for numerous trips around the beautiful countryside, visited castles and of course Brighton. Due to health issues we unfortunately could not go hiking in the hills. Thank you for this joyous and relaxing holiday.

  Reviewed by Susanne5.0★Jun 2023

• "Paythorne Farmhouse is large family home."

  There is a very comfortable lounge, a dining room (with beautiful views of the garden and a wooded valley) along with a conservatory. The kitchen is well-equipped with everything you need. The master bedroom has a comfortable bed with quality bedclothes that makes for relaxing nights. The large, walk-in, power shower serves as a fine way to greet the day. The garden is beautiful and has a range of plants, shrubs, trees and flowers. On the patio is a garden bench swing where we spent quite some time once it came into the shade - the temperatures this week have been in the high twenties! It is a very quiet and peaceful place. Supplying peanuts for the bird feeder was a great idea as it allowed us to watch birds every day whilst eating our meals, the star of the show being the great spotted woodpecker feeding its young! The Shepherd and Dog pub is just over half a mile away. It serves very good food and has a wide range of beers and wine. The staff are cheerful and friendly. Well worth a visit!

  Reviewed by James5.0★Jun 2023

• "We enjoyed our stay at Paythorne Farmhouse."

  It is clearly a much loved and well lived in family home. We loved the location, an unbeatable setting at the foot of the South Downs, we liked the age and character of the house even though some things were a little dated. A well equipped house for larger groups of people, although we were only 2 and enjoyed having the whole house all to ourselves. Gorgeous en-suite master bedroom. A special place. Thank you.

  Reviewed by Ned3.8★Mar 2023

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