Description
Summary
Holly Cottage is a wonderfully bright and stylish home from home which sleeps six guests, in three well presented bedrooms, with two bathrooms. Dating back to the 1860s, the property has a striking red brick façade and stunning contemporary interiors which have been further enhanced with modern facilities including wireless internet access, three Smart TVs and a well-equipped Shaker-style kitchen. Laid out over three floors, the cottage has charming character features such as the original oak beams, the beautiful Hornton stone fireplace with wood burning stove, and decorative range oven. There is a picture-perfect garden to the rear of the property and off-street parking is provided for one car on the driveway.
Location
Holly Cottage is located in unspoilt Middle Tysoe, a peaceful village on the north-eastern edge of the Cotswolds. Surrounded by countryside, and with many enjoyable walks on its doorstep, the hamlet comprises a local shop and tearoom, a village green, a pub which offers Chinese takeaways, a children’s playground and an impressive Grade I listed parish church. Just a short drive from the village are a number of local tourist attractions including Upton House and Gardens, a 1930s stately home owned by the National Trust, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, a centre for rescued horses, ponies and donkeys, and Broughton Castle.
Middle Tysoe is well-placed for exploring the many lovely towns and villages of the region including Shipston-on-Stour, Chipping Norton, Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Campden and Broadway, all home to a range of pubs, restaurants and independent shops. For day trips, the village is within easy reach of the famous tourist destinations of Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, Warwick Castle, Bicester Village, a luxury designer outlet shopping centre, and the city of Oxford.
Description
Holly Cottage is the perfect house for a gathering of friends or family who are seeking a stylish retreat from which to explore the glorious Cotswold countryside and beyond. The house is laid out as follows:
Room | Amenities |
Living room |
This warm and inviting dual aspect room is wonderful for relaxing with family and friends and contains:
- Hornton stone fireplace with cosy wood burning stove
- three-seater sofa, loveseat and armchair
- upholstered ottoman
- Smart TV with DVD player
- small selection of DVDs, CDs and board games
|
Dining room |
This bright dining area has beautiful painted beams and an eye-catching decorative range oven. Overlooking the side patio, this room contains:
- wooden dining table with six cross back chairs
|
Kitchen |
Flooded with natural light, this contemporary kitchen is the heart of the home and gives access to the attractive wrap-around patio and garden. Finished to a high standard, this well-equipped kitchen contains:
- electric oven with four-ring electric hob
- fridge and freezer
- dishwasher, microwave, toaster, kettle and cafetière
- DAB radio
- breakfast bar with four stools
- seating area with two wicker chairs and coffee table
|
Utility room |
A handy space which contains:
- washing machine/tumble dryer
- sink and storage facilities
|
Cloakroom |
Adjacent to the dining room and accessed via the rear lobby, this room contains:
|
Master bedroom |
Overlooking the fields opposite, this elegant dual aspect bedroom contains:
- king size bed
- freestanding wardrobe with storage drawer
- vanity table with chair and mirror
- armchair
- full length mirror
- Smart TV
- ornamental Victorian fireplace
|
Bedroom 2 |
A step leads down into this charming bedroom which features exposed oak beams and contains:
- two single beds
- built-in wardrobe with low height hanging rail and shelving above
- vanity unit with sink, mirror and additional storage space
|
Family bathroom |
A light and airy bathroom which contains:
- bath with overhead shower and separate handheld shower attachment, toilet, wash basin and heated towel rail
|
Bedroom 3 with ensuite bathroom |
Boasting uninterrupted rural views, this spacious dual aspect bedroom contains:
- king size bed
- freestanding wardrobe with storage drawer
- vanity table with stool and mirror
- bedroom chair and armchair
- Smart TV
The ensuite bathroom contains:
- walk-in shower, toilet, wash basin and heated towel rail
|
In fair weather, this stunning enclosed garden enjoys sunshine throughout the day and is a lovely spot to relax and unwind. The wrap-around patio is home to an outdoor table with seating for six and a garden bench, both enjoying views towards the church tower beyond. From here, reclaimed railway sleepers lead up to the lawn and barbecue area which is brought to life with wonderfully colourful flower beds in spring and a ceramic sink planted with fragrant lavender. This enchanting garden is bordered by mature shrubs and trees, creating a feeling of seclusion.
There is off-street parking for one car on the driveway at the front of the property, and free on-street parking is available in the village.
Key Features
Key Features
Booking and payment
Character Cottages is a marketing agency and we do not own any of the cottages listed on our website. We manage a proportion of cottages within our portfolio and the remaining properties are managed by a third party property manager or the property owner – your pre-arrival email will contain confirmation and contact details for your property manager. Bookings made via us form a legal agreement directly between you and the property owner.
For bookings commencing more than 10 weeks in advance, a 30% non-refundable deposit is required to confirm the booking. The balance payment is then due 10 weeks prior to arrival.
All payments are made subject to the cancellation policy set out in the standard Booking Conditions.
Security deposits
Security deposits are not required (please note that guests are still liable for any damage or additional cleaning required as a result of their actions).
Occupancy
The maximum occupancy of the property, including its grounds, is six guests, at any point during your stay. Unauthorised over occupancy is a breach of our terms and conditions and may result in the cancellation of your booking and additional charges. Please consult us prior to booking if you wish to discuss the possibility of having more than six guests at the property.
Infants who sleep in a cot do not count towards the occupancy figure, however, due to space restrictions, the occupancy figure may only be exceeded by up to two additional infants.
Pets
Up to two dogs are accepted, at a cost of £20 per booking per dog.
For the comfort of future guests, we ask that dogs remain downstairs, stay off the furniture and that no trace of a dog remains after your departure.
Bed linen and towels
Bed linen and towels are provided for guests.
Arrival and departure times
Arrival time is after 5pm and departure time is by 10am. Access is via a key safe, therefore it does not matter if you are arriving late at night.
Bed sizes and configurations
- Master bedroom (first floor): King size bed
- Bedroom 2 (first floor): 2 x single beds
- Bedroom 3 (second floor): King size bed
Bathrooms
- Family bathroom (first floor): Bath with overhead shower and separate handheld shower attachment, toilet and wash basin
- Bedroom 3 ensuite (second floor): Walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin
Heating, fuel and logs
The property has an oil fired central heating system.
Electricity and oil are included in the rental price. There is a wood burning stove and logs are provided under a fair usage policy (there is an honesty box for contributions towards the cost of logs used). Please note that free logs are normally available, but, on occasion, there may be situations when the previous guests have used up all the logs and the log supply cannot be replenished immediately.
Services provided
The property has free wireless internet access, three Smart TVs, a DVD player and a DAB radio. Please note that due to the thickness of the walls, the wireless internet does not reach the kitchen.
There is no telephone at the property.
Mobile phone reception is variable, with better reception found on the upper floors.
Parking
There is off-street parking for one car, and free on-street parking is available in the village.
Housekeeping
Where a letting exceeds nine nights, a mid-stay clean, bed linen and towel change may be included in the price. Please check with us to confirm. Additional housekeeping services may be available on request.
Child friendly facilities
A travel cot (without linen) and high chair are provided.
Initial consumables
A small quantity of initial consumables is provided for your convenience (eg. tea, coffee, sugar, dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, soap, washing powder, toilet rolls, etc), however, you should not expect the quantity of these provisions to be sufficient for the duration of your stay.
Accessibility, health and safety
Parents with young children should be aware that the stairs lead directly into bedroom 3.
The smoke and CO detectors operate on a sound only basis and, therefore, those who have serious impairment of hearing may not be able to hear the alarm systems and could be at risk.
Smoking
No smoking or vaping is permitted throughout the property.
Photographs
In order to provide you with as much detail of our properties as possible, we sometimes use wide angle photography, which can make certain rooms, or spaces, appear larger than they actually are. Wherever possible, we try to include a floorplan, with detailed dimensions of rooms and areas.
If you have any queries regarding the size of any rooms or spaces, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Reviews
Holly Cottage was launched as a Holiday Let with Character Cottages in June 2020. Customer reviews and feedback for this lovely property are provided below:
Other Guest Feedback:
-"A really lovely cottage with lots of character that was just as described. It was very clean, warm and plenty big enough for the three of us - and made a great base from which to explore the surrounding area. Would highly recommend!", Rob and Michelle, October 2020
-"Stylish place, well equipped. Great for families!", Rachelle, October 2020
-"Lovely spacious house, perfect for a relaxing getaway", Mariam, September 2020
-"A beautiful cottage with everything you need, clean and a great style. Has great facilities which had everything we needed. It was perfect for us as was dog friendly and a had a great garden for them too. The village is beautiful, so much character and everyone is really friendly, all saying hello when you pass in the street! I don’t get that often where I live! Good local pub, Chinese available and fish and chips once a week! Great location to see other areas too for shopping, site seeing, walks etc Amenities are great, although if you want a supermarket, which isn’t too far, about 10-15 mins down the road in the car. The parking is a little small so had to park diagonally to fit it in, not too much trouble though and there is further parking in the village just up the road if you have more than one car. There is a church directly behind the house and they ring the bells throughout most of the day/night, but we couldn’t hear this in the bedrooms or front of the house. It definitely didn’t affect our stay in any way. Would most definitely stay again and great value for money. Everyone enjoyed their time away.", Jamie, August 2020
Floorplan

Inventory
Our aim is for you to enjoy Holly Cottage as if it was your own home and this information is provided to ensure that you are aware of, and are able to use, all the facilities that are available.
Main appliances, furniture and facilities |
Charcoal barbecue (without coal) |
Bed linen, bath sheets and hand towels |
Selection of DVDs and CDs |
Four-ring electric hob |
Fridge |
Cafetière |
Kettle |
Microwave |
Outdoor table and seating |
Electric oven |
Toaster |
3 x Smart TVs |
Washing machine/tumble dryer |
Wireless internet |
Dishwasher |
Travel cot (without linen) |
High chair |
DAB radio |
Small selection of board games |
DVD/CD player |
Freezer |
General provisions |
Bin bags |
Dishwasher tablets |
Hand soap |
J cloths & scourers |
Salt and pepper |
Small quantity of instant coffee |
Small quantity of sugar |
Small quantity of tea bags |
Toilet roll |
Washing up liquid |
|
|
Other equipment and facilities |
CO detector |
Fire blanket |
Smoke alarms |
First aid kit |
Fire extinguisher |
Ironing board |
3 x hair dryers |
Iron |
Clothes drying rack |
Travel
Holly Cottage is located in the centre of the quiet village of Middle Tysoe, on the north-eastern edge of the Cotswolds.
Travelling by car
Middle Tysoe is easily accessed by car, being approximately ten miles away from junction 11 (Banbury) of the M40 and approximately six miles away from the A429 (Fosse Way), one of the main roads through the Cotswolds.
Travelling by train
The nearest railway station to Middle Tysoe is Banbury (approximately nine miles away), which has regular, direct services to London Marylebone, with a typical journey time of less than 60 minutes.
Travelling by plane
Middle Tysoe is within easy reach of the following international airports:
- Heathrow International Airport: 78 miles, approximately 90 minute drive;
- Birmingham International Airport: 35 miles, approximately 45 minute drive.