We were very happy with the accommodation provided by the Old Stables. Felt quite secluded despite the proprietors being conveniently nearby. Well placed for a number of visits including The Courts (walkable), Great Chalfield (a longer walk - don't use Google's route), Iford Manor, Westwood, Corsham Court, Lacock Abbey and Stourhead.Drawbacks to note (didn't really worry us):- Access is by a long unmade drive with two gates you need to open and close. Could be tricky for a car with very low ground clearance.- TV provided, but the signal was patchy.- WiFi provided, but the broadband connection is very slow by modern urban standards.

The cottage was in an ideal place, it was decorated to a high standard, very warm and cosy. On arrival, there was a lovely food hamper left with some excellent provisions of food. In the morning you could watch the deer walking around the field. There were plenty of places to visit in the surrounding areas. The host gave us the key to the gates and we went for a walk to the "packhorse bridge" through some fields, and walked across to the river Avon, an idyllic setting for a picnic. The public houses in the village provide excellent food, and I can recommend the "Tollgate" for Sunday lunch. We had an excellent time there and will return, thanks Chris and Ian.

Some comfortable outdoor furniture would have improved the experience. Hard wooden furniture needs some cushioning. Some essentials were missing from the kitchen - a salad bowl and servers. We were disturbed by the freezer humming away, empty and using masses of energy as they are extremely inefficient if run this way adding to CO2 in the atmosphere unnecessarily. Rural Retreats could encourage their property owners to be more eco conscious. You could put some recommendations together. This would be a plus point for many customers who value the countryside - it would certainly attract me. Electric car charging points would be a start.

Thank you so much for such a lovely place to stay, The Old Stables. It was great experience. The Old Stables was spacious for a 1 bedroom barn and immaculately clean. The welcome hamper was much appreciated by us after a very long journey, and included everything we needed. The bedroom was a good size with a double bed. The only negative was the double bed was not very comfortable for 2 tall people. However, The bathroom had great water pressure and lovely fluffy white towels. Thank you for a lovely short break.