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Slate Cottage

...mid-century, design, space

  • 11 + 2 babies
  • 4
  • 3
#coastaljollies #countrysidepad #luxe #fabforfamiles #dogfriendly #spacious #groundfloorbed

Looking for big family house? Open forest, stretches of wild coastline and mid-century cool? Then Slate Cottage is a chic bolthole between Forest and coast that has been renovated and refurbished with super-chilled group holidays in mind.

The accommodation is set with two bedrooms on the ground floor and two upstairs, plus the playroom can be transformed into another bedroom using the sofa bed, which makes this property extremely versatile for multi-generation families or family friends.

Celebratory meals are usually a big part of family get-togethers, often rental houses or holiday cottages are limited by small dining tables. This is certainly not the case here, the central dining room is spacious and seats twelve easily.  Come morning, you’ll all be around the kitchen table which seats eight.

Book from:

£200 / night

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What makes this place special...

Highlights staying at this house and in the local area...

All the essential details.

Here's your full run down of this place, inside and out...

Inside

Inspired by an artist’s studio, this individual, architect-designed property of whitewashed brick, slate and glass was built in the 1960s. The owners have styled an interior that is all about the mid-century look, while the accommodation has been arranged to be adaptable; to suit multi-generational family groups or a couple of families taking time out together.

Reception spaces are inviting and sociable. These include a central dining hall with vintage drinks trolley, 1960s’ haberdashery unit and an immense refectory-sized table that can seat 12 comfortably. It is perfect for celebratory meals, which in our experience are usually a big part of family get-togethers. There’s a bright, light, airy kitchen with another generously proportioned table. This one is recycled from a school science lab bench and seats eight easily – ideal for relaxing over breakfast, mid-morning coffee with pastries, and brunch.

Off the dining hall, a glass corridor leads to what was originally the site of the old artist’s studio – now a family room or snug, even an extra bedroom if required, with garden views, vaulted ceiling and wood-burning stove.

For the perfect entertaining space, the first-floor sitting room runs the length of the house and features high ceilings, full height windows facing south and west, and a roof terrace among the tree tops where you can sip a glass of wine or G&T while the sun goes down. Perfection. The room itself is effortlessly stylish with exposed brickwork, painted panelling, reindeer hides strewn across oak boards and quirky details such as a bike saddle upcycled as a table light. Come winter, this room is indulgently cosy, just light the wood-burning stove and snuggle onto a low sofa for ultimate relaxation.

Versatile bedroom accommodation can meet the needs of most families with two large bedrooms on the first floor, two more good-sized bedrooms on the ground floor and the family room with sofa bed. Plus there are three sparkling bathrooms – one with a freestanding tub.

Slate Cottage mixes up comfort and luxury with practicality and eclectic elements. It starts in the big entrance hall (great for muddy dogs and muddier kids) with utilitarian wire racking for boots and bits and bobs alongside a cactus displayed in a birdcage. It continues with statement pieces of furniture, sourced from Parisian flea markets and local vintage emporiums, against an uncluttered colour palette of greys and white.

Bedrooms are calm retreats for grown-ups. Beds are topped with cosseting throws and oversized textured cushions and schemes are quietly glamorous - greys with highlights of silver and wood. Kids’ rooms include a hideaway of a bedroom with fun bunks, fluffy feathery lampshade and whacky wigwam for let’s play make-believe, plus a playroom with old-fashioned toys.
Floor plan

Sleeping...

Bedroom 1 Kingsize bed and en-suite shower room. Synthetic bedding.
Bedroom 2 Super king or twin room. Synthetic bedding.
Bedroom 3 Kingsize bed on ground floor. Synthetic bedding.
Bedroom 4 Bunk beds with truckle bed on ground floor. Synthetic bedding.
Bedroom 5 Snug/playroom has a sofa bed.

Bathrooms...

One Downstairs shower room
Two Downstairs family bathroom with roll top bath
Three En-suite shower room (Bed 1)

All the rest...

KitchenDouble oven / Gas hob / Fridge freezer / Microwave / Nespresso machine with milk frother & Cafetiere / Dishwasher / Washing machine / Tumble dryer
Mod ConsTwo Smart TV's / BT Freeview / Bose sound system.
ConnectivityWiFi is reasonable speed (for a rural area!) and mobile signal is ok here for most providers.
Kids' Stuff2 travel cots and 2 high chairs are provided. The travel cot dimensions are 93cm x 66cm and 115cm x 57cm. Stair gates at both top and bottom of stairs. Toddler Step Stool for Bathroom. There is a good selection of toys here. Most are in the playroom and suit children from 1-6. Next door to the playroom there is another smaller playroom with an old school desk in it. There are masses of lovely reading books too. The garden is enclosed but Houdini's will escape - the front gate must be kept closed to stop kids going onto the lane. There is a full enclosed little garden off the kitchen for toddler garden play.
Pets2 dogs up to 20kgs are welcome for a small charge per dog, per stay. We would consider a third dog staying.

The garden is enclosed and well fenced to 4 feet high.

Outside

The lawned gardens with mature trees back onto a paddock where sometimes, calves being reared in the shelter, sheep grazing or resting new forest ponies who like to say hello.
There’s an open outlook, plenty of space to play and a proper swing hanging from a high branch. There’s also the possibility of spotting deer and a real sense of living the country life and being in touch with nature.



GardenThird of an acre garden that backs onto the paddocks at the rear of the property, it is enclosed but the gate itself needs to be shut to stop kids and dogs wandering. Until the end of February, there are three Shetland ponies in the paddock (tended to every day) - please do not feed them, but feel free to enjoy watching them roam!
Gas BBQ. Larger table and chairs, Loungers and deck chairs. Garden tree swing.
ParkingUp to 4 cars.

Vehicle charging is possible via the mains electricity in the property. At the time of booking, you will be required to select how many electric vehicles you will be charging during your stay; as a £35 surcharge is applicable for each EV car per booking. Please also note that you will need to bring your own charging cables.

Home truths

There is no cattle grid here. To keep kids enclosed you'll need to open and close the gate. It's not really a negative, but we thought we'd point it out.

For guests staying in the Snug/playroom - there are curtains on the doors leading out to the playroom but there is nothing stopping the light coming in from the glass walkway. So in the summer it can be quite bright, quite early!

Tucked behind a main road, you may notice a little road noise at Slate Cottage.

There is an extra charge for logs and kindling to burn on the fire (October- March) but feel free to BYO!

Accessibility

There is a kingsize bedroom, and a children's bedroom downstairs with two bathrooms - 1 shower (there is a step in to the shower) and one with a bath.

The playroom has a wall mounted TV, so if the stairs to sitting room are not possible, guests can watch TV downstairs.

There's one step in to the house at the front door, access possible at the rear through the french doors (step in to) to the playroom or to the front of the kitchen (one step up). The ground floor is all one level except that there are two steps down to access the playroom.

There is a handrail on the stairs - part of the wooden structure of the stairs on the right hand side. 

Booking Information

Included in your booking cost are: all bedding and linen, towels for the house, kitchen essentials, any baby kit you've requested and cleaning the house after you leave. We also supply some treats to get you going for tea when you arrive. Enjoy!

Arrival & Departure

Arrive from: 4pm
Depart before: 10am

Payment Info

Deposit: 50%
Balance Due: 45 days before your stay
Security Deposit: £500

Location, location, location...

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Guests that have stayed here rate this place:

4.6 out of 5

Psst...find more real reviews on upfront reviews

We really enjoyed our stay and visited most places locally. We had a very nice evening meal at The Old Mill. T... December 2023 Read More
A beautiful house and location to celebrate a family 80th birthday, great fun! The house was great and had eve... November 2023 Read More
A wondeful space to share with our family. The grandchildren loved it so much. We will return. The location... November 2023 Read More
Thank you for a wonderful stay, it catered for all our needs and more. Beautiful house in a perfect location.... October 2023 Read More

Guests that have stayed here rate this place:

4.6 out of 5

We really enjoyed our stay and visited most places locally. We had a very nice evening meal at The Old Mill. The accommodation worked well and thank you for the Christmas decs and the cake!

The Gregorys and Johnsons December 2023

A beautiful house and location to celebrate a family 80th birthday, great fun! The house was great and had everything we needed. It was comfortable and the attention to detail was lovely.

The Lindsay family November 2023

A wondeful space to share with our family. The grandchildren loved it so much. We will return. The location is also perfect.

The McNeil Family November 2023

Thank you for a wonderful stay, it catered for all our needs and more. Beautiful house in a perfect location. Hats off to the cleaning team. Amazing!! What a delight!!

The Delaney Family October 2023

Lovely house, lovely all the small touched. Great location, thank you for a lovely stay.

The Hicks Family October 2023

A wonderful location and a beautiful home to celebrate a 40th birthday, something for everyone within this stylish and very cosy home. Loved all the details and the idyllic setting. Thank you for letting us stay at Slate Cottage.

Jones & Weiss Family October 2023

5 stars! We had a brilliant stay, everything was perfect and it’s a lovely house, garden and playroom.

Faye September 2023

What a fabulous house, so many surprising surprises of attention to details. Lovely setting.

Candine & Graham Lowe September 2023

Such a stunning home in a fabulous location. Thank you so much for a truly wonderful stay.

Sally, Mark, Lyn Hunter-Lowe September 2023

Fantastic house and gardens enjoyed by everyone from 3month old to 74 years old.

Esther Jones & family August 2023

5 stars! We had a lovely weekend at this house. Our three small children had a fantastic time in the very well equipped playroom and large garden. The location is great - peaceful and a short drive from either the coast or the heart of the National Park.

Matt & Family June 2023

We had a brilliant stay at Slate Cottage - lots of BBQs in the garden and plenty of space for large families to hang out.

Donna & family May 2023

A very nice house in which we had a great family holiday. The kitchen is superb and very well equipped and many games and toys are available. New Forest Escapes was very responsive and efficient in solving a small technical problem. We can only recommend this destination!

Valerie and family April 2023

We had such a wonderful time staying at Slate Cottage, it had everything we needed plus extras! Thank you so much for the welcome bits, they were greatly enjoyed! Would definitely recommend for a group stay in the New Forest.

Lucy and family February 2023

A great well equipped house especially for those with young children.

Benedict December 2022

Stylish Family Friendly Home perfect for celebrations.. We absolutely loved it here. The house is specious and full of characters. What a shame we could not use the outside areas as much as it was a bit cold and wet this time of the year but during the summer time, it would be really great. However, the inside of the house was lovely, in particular the play room for the small kids. The location was spot on. We did lots of cycling and running with the dog to different beautiful spots of Lymington and New Forest.

Tina & family November 2022

We rented Slate cottage to celebrate my Mother-in-law’s birthday. We found this property absolutely wonderful. There were 11 of us, including 3 children and we all had plenty of space. The kids loved the garden, especially the tree swing. As previously said, the light coming through the sky light in the play room for anyone using the sofa bed isn’t great but other than that it really was excellent.

Rebecca Oct 2022

Slate cottage is in a great location and close enough to Lymington and Milton on Sea, and therefore Hurst Castle, should you fancy a good walk. Keep a look out for the deer which we saw everyday. The cottage itself is huge and there is more than enough room in the house to accommodate a large family and not feel cramped. From the moment you step inside you know it's all going to be fine and enjoyable. Only wish the children had been young again because they would have loved what was on offer. No child could ever be bored here. The kitchen has everything you need, and more, and all good quality. There is also an impressive library of books spread throughout the house, especially the kitchen and the large amount of recipe books should you be stuck for any ideas. I really cannot think of any negatives and would love to return, hopefully in the summer.

Jim & family September 2021

Slate cottage was perfect for a birthday weekend. Ages ranged from 2 to 78 and everyone was comfortable. Spotlessly clean and everything you could need, as well as being really stylish. Great location too, near lots to do if you can tear yourself away from the house! Also excellent communication when booking etc. and helpful with all queries. Would definitely book again. - Slate cottage

Sally & Family February 2020

We had a lovely stay at Slate Cottage this weekend. A lovely welcoming home. We would have loved to have stayed longer. The children's playroom was amazing. And the decor around the house was great. My brother-in-law, who is autistic and has slight mobility issues found it easy to move around in, and really enjoyed his stay (it was his 40th). Big thumbs up!"

Kate Vaisey October 2019

We checked in to Slate Cottage for a big family together spanning 3 generations and it was just perfect. It is amazing for kids, with their own play room, garden games and all the amenities you could hope for... Travel cots, high chairs, stair gates etc. The location was great for getting to the beach at Milford or to town in Lymington both within 10min drive. And the house itself is very cool and stylish. Great decor, very well thought through for adults as well as kids with lovely room terrace and huge living room. We loved it and I'm sure you will too... We'll be sure to be back again.

Rich September 2019

Fantastic company who could not do enough to help. We had a family crisis before our stay and they made things as easy as they could for us. So kind and thoughtful. Property was amazing!

Debbie May 2019

This amazing home is set in a terrific location. Close enough to town but with the feeling of seclusion backing onto a farm. The house has everything you would need and Rachel at New Forest Escapes left some great tips for local trips and activities.

David and family January 2019

Slate cottage was a wonderful place to stay; huge amount of living space with great kids room, well spec'd kitchen and dining space with raised lounge and roof terrace. It had recently been refurbished to a very high standard with lots of nice design touches and features. Great welcome pack, amazing books to read and guides to local area. Highly recommended.

Henry and family December 2018

What a fab place! Lots to see and do around and the house is beautifully kitted out and a very family friendly sociable space, we had a great time!

Rosie and family October 2018

We had a lovely time at the cottage, it is very large, well equipped and spacious. We had three generations together and this cottage was ideal. The grandkids really enjoyed the forest and heathland.

Mills Family August 2018

We had an amazing 5 day break in Slate Cottage in May. The cottage was very well equipped for kids of all ages and spent loads of time outside playing croquet and swingball. The kids playroom was perfect for the smaller kids and we all loved having the resident ponies (Barney Buttons and Scooby Doo) in the paddock behind the garden. Great location as well and easy to get to all the main villages and into the Forest. A perfect UK holiday.

Groombridge family June 2018

“This property was perfect for our short family break. It made a perfect base to go out and explore the New Forest during the day and then to relax in the evening. We were 6 adults, 4 children and 1 infant and the property catered for everyones needs. The kids loved the playroom and seeing the horses in the backgarden. Having the main living room upstairs meant the adults got some peace away from the kids. The host had a card and cake for us at check in which was a nice touch. The property had everything imaginable and of very high quality. The kitchen was well equipped but the only comment is that there was no microwave, which was not a big deal but would have been handy. I would definately book here again!”

Danah May 2018

We had such a fab time at Slate Cottage. Family-friendly, fifties-chic all rolled into one with a huge lounge space and log-burner, a dining table where all 11 of us could sit down easily and a play-room equipped with adorable vintage children's toys. Plus ponies (or were they unicorns?) at the end of the garden. When can we come back?

Von Guineau family April 2018

For a wonderful review by Mary Maryon, editor of Hampshire's Muddy Stilettos blog, link here to this article she wrote in March 2018. "Looking for a special, take-a-deep breath space—all Mad Men elegance, oodles of space for kids & a mahoosive dining table? Welcome to Slate Cottage...One foot in the forest, the other by the sea: a quick hop from the M27 and Brockenhurst’s mainline station. Even the drive there is a joy, children will squeal at the ponies grazing fence-free and we’re only minutes from yachtie Lymington, one of the UK’s Top Ten places to live. We are, in short, slappety-band, New Forest central in all its wooded, wild-pony glory. Oh and sorry did someone say food? You’ll find the original (and *ahem* some would argue best) Pig just down the road, plus Angela Hartnett’s Hartnett Holder & Co at Lime Wood and a slew of fab local pubs..." Visit our blog to read more.

Mary Maryon, editor of Hampshire's Muddy Stilettos blog

We loved the quiet of this location, whilst only being moments away from Lymington and Milford on Sea - it's ideal. All the family enjoyed the really spacious house - there were so many living areas that we never felt on top of each other and has a superb week. Grandparents were very pleased with the lovely downstairs bedroom and bathrooms :-)

Jackie, Oxford February 2018

Thanks a million for all your help in making our stay at Slate Cottage a memorable one. We had a great time. The house is so user friendly. Our grandson loved his stay here. He loved the cows, the play room and all the open spaces.

Neelima May 2021