Coming soon to Stonehayes Farm in Devon is Julesbrook, a spacious and stylish holiday house for 16 with a hot tub and games room. Julesbrook is a conversion of our 3 smaller holiday cottages – Dippers Rest, Wagtail Corner and Pipits Retreat, so sadly, we’ve now said goodbye to them and work has started on the transformation to a luxury large group holiday house.
We are sad-happy here at Stonehayes Farm right now; very happy and super excited that from May half term we’ll be able to welcome guests to Julesbrook, a fantastic holiday house for 16 with a hot tub and games room. But we're sad that it means we’ve had to close the doors on Dippers Rest, Wagtail Corner and Pipits Retreat forever. We know that so many of our guests have enjoyed holidays in our Devon country cottages and we hope that very happy memories were made, times to look back on fondly.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but we have to go with what’s in demand, and it’s evident that, particularly since the pandemic, large group holidays are increasingly popular. Those dark days made us all realise the importance of family and close friendships, that spending valuable time together is something we shouldn’t take for granted. Instead of saying “We should book a big holiday house and have a few days away together”, people are actually doing it; they’re spending their holidays with friends and family and booking weekends away to celebrate special birthdays, anniversaries and life’s occasions with the people who mean the most to them.
We’ve seen this with Pippinsands, the old thatched farmhouse here at Stonehayes Farm. Sleeping 14 in 6 bedrooms, with a large private garden and hot tub, the house is booked almost every weekend for the next 6 months. So, as a business decision, Julesbrook was the right thing to do.
We are confident that lots of wonderful memories will be made at Julesbrook. With 7 bedrooms, a large games room, a movie room/living room, a light and airy dining room and an enormous kitchen, this is a holiday house for all ages. What works well is that we’ve left the three original staircases so you get your own bedroom and bathroom space upstairs. The huge garden wraps around two sides of the house and has outdoor furniture, a barbecue, and the icing on the cake, a hot tub with spectacular views over unspoilt countryside. This isn’t just any old holiday house, this is something very special, with plenty of space and gorgeous hand-picked interiors; Julesbrook has style and substance, it’s a place to stay and a place to enjoy.
Julesbrook will be the backdrop to many happy large group holidays and peaceful celebrations, we feel sure of that. It’s going to be so perfect for groups of friends, young families and their children, for multi-generational stays, elegant hen weekends in the country, and even self-catering corporate away days. You won’t even need to go anywhere because this is the kind of group accommodation that has plenty to keep you amused; beyond the garden are large private grounds to explore – wander through the woods and down over the meadow to the river for a paddle and a picnic; amble up to Dumpdon Hill to see the bluebells in springtime and views that roll on for miles across the Otter Valley.
And, if there’s more than 16 of you, we still have Siskins Nook here. Dear little Siskins Nook, a gorgeous holiday cottage that sleeps 4 and has room for a cot, so it’s perfect for a young family, for elderly grandparents, or for anyone who likes their own space. It can be booked on its own or as ancillary accommodation for a larger group staying at Julesbrook or Pippinsands.
As work progresses we’ll be adding images of Julesbrook, so you can see how lovely it’s going to look, so keep an eye out for regular updates. In the meantime, if you’re coming to stay at Stonehayes Farm in the next few months, don’t worry about works disturbing your stay, because the alterations are all internal and noise can easily be kept to a minimum.
If you’re excited like we are about Julesbrook and don’t want to miss out on your ideal dates, then now’s the time to book because the calendar is already stacking up. There are a few gaps left for this summer and New Year’s Eve is currently available; if you’re thinking a birthday celebration, you’d be wise to get in quickly! We promise you, Julesbrook is going to be so good! We’re looking forward to welcoming you!