Introduction
A Barn and The Observatory are situated in South Lane in the small rural village of Houghton. The B2139 runs through Houghton and South Lane is a turning in the centre of the village. It is a No Through Road. The entrance to A Barn has a tarmac and gravel driveway 500 yards down South Lane on the Right. The driveway leads to the Guest Parking at the side of the property.
A Barn is a barn conversion. It has straw thatch and timber cladding and offers 3 guest en-suite bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms are on the ground floor and one is on the first floor.
Pre-Arrival
Booking can be made through the website or by telephone/post. The nearest railway station is Amberley 0.7mile away. We can arrange a pick up to and from the station – please ask for details.
Taxis can be pre-booked for service in the local areas – please ask for details.
Car Parking Facilities
Guest parking is at the west side of the property. The surface of the parking area is reinforced artificial grass. The entrance to the front of the property is level. There is an external front entrance bell for attention of the owners who live in Barnyard Cottage next door.
Room Heating & Water Heating
The Barn has electric underfloor room heating under all the ground floor rooms and the Owl & Kite room on the first floor. The water heating is provided by 2 Ecocent Air Source Water Heaters and 1 back up electric immersion heater.
A BARN ACCESS DETAILS
Arrival, Public Areas – Dining area, Mezzanine Lounges, Boot Room, W.C.
Once inside the main barn the open plan kitchen and dining area is level.
The public areas are all in the main barn. The boot room is to the left of the kitchen. It contains a portable oil filled radiator and an electric boot warmer. Up to 2 bicycles can be stored in the boot room overnight if required. There is a W.C. with wash basin adjoining the boot room. The kitchen/dining area and the Rabbit & Hare room are on the ground floor. The carpeted mezzanine lounges on the first floor are accessed via a flight of 12 stairs with a handrail on one side. There are portable air cooling fans on the mezzanines for use in the summer and an oil filled radiator for additional winter heating.
Breakfast
Unless otherwise agreed, the Breakfast Basket option is delivered to the door of your room at an agreed time. Breakfast can be served in the main barn dining area on a table and chairs if preferred. Please confirm this with us when you arrive. There is a complimentary fruit bowl, chocolates and biscuits on arrival in each room. A Non-Smoking policy applies throughout the building and grounds.
We aim to cater for varying dietary requirements – please discuss when making your reservation. Please also advise us of any food allergies you may have.
Bedrooms
All bedrooms have Air Conditioning Units which cool the rooms in summer and can also be used for additional heating to the underfloor electric heating in winter. The instructions for the units are in perspex shelves in the bedrooms with remotes.
The Rabbit and Hare bedroom is off the main barn and is on the same level. This is a compact double bedroom which is limited in space with patio doors leading to an outside seating area with table, 2 chairs and 2 lounger chairs. The room has a drinks refrigerator, tea and coffee facilities, a double bed, a small chest of draws, a wall TV, 2 chairs, a wall clothes rack and wall mirrors/shelves. The En-Suite is limited in space with a W.C., small hand basin, wall mirror with internal shelves and a rain shower/hand shower with inward opening hinged double half width doors.
From the main barn there is 1 step and a landing and a further 3 steps down to the larger ground floor Swan and River bedroom. There is an alternative entrance to this room from the guest parking area. This external access has a small slope or 4 steps with a handrail. The surface is artificial grass. There is an outside seating area with table and 2 chairs, also 2 lounger wooden chairs adjoining the patio doors of the room. There is a king size wooden sleigh bed with bedside tables, a chaise longue, TV, coffee table, drinks refrigerator, tea and coffee facilities, 2 double full length wardrobes with small chests of draws and the sofa in this room opens into a small double bed. The en-suite in this room has a spacious wet room rain shower with hand shower, W.C., basin with wall mirror and internal shelves. There are no hand rails.
From the main barn and through a door there is a flight of 9 stairs with handrails on both sides leading to a landing and the first floor Owl and Kite bedroom. This room is open plan and carpeted except for the tiled en-suite area. There is a free standing double ended bath and separate walk in rain shower with hand shower and a large vanity unit with under cupboards. The W.C. is in a separate room with small hand wash basin. There is a super king bed, 2 lounge chairs, coffee table, drinks refrigerator, tea and coffee facilities, 2 half length wardrobes with small chests of draws, a TV, a dressing table and stool.
There are no special provisions for the disabled in any part of the property. There is wood flooring in all ground floor rooms. All first floor rooms have carpet.
Bathroom, Shower & WC
All bedrooms have en-suite shower room facilities and the first floor room also has a free standing double ended bath.
Additional Information
Emergency evacuation point is in the car park area of the grounds. Fire Alarms and Information for each room adjoining the doors to the bedrooms and north wall of the kitchen. There is a strict non-smoking policy in the property and grounds. The 2 ground floor bedrooms have patio doors and internal doors. The first floor bedroom has an external access at the bottom of the stairs. The 3 main external doors all have internal turn locks to aid an emergency exit. The room patio doors all have keys on the internal side of the doors.
THE OBSERVATORY ACCESS DETAILS
Introduction
The Observatory is situated in the grounds of Barnyard Cottage, 23 South Lane adjoining A Barn, South Lane, in the small rural village of Houghton BN18 9LN. The B2139 runs through Houghton and South Lane is a turning in the centre of the village. It is a No Through Road. The entrance to A Barn has a tarmac and gravel driveway 500 yards down South Lane on the Right. The driveway leads to the Guest Parking at the side of the property.
The Observatory is a detached studio room within a timber clad building with a tiled roof. It is situated in an elevated position in the grounds of A Barn. There are no ‘accessible’ facilities within the building. The space is limited. The toilet, basin and shower in en-suite do not have hand rails.
Pre-Arrival
Booking can be made through the website or by telephone/post. The nearest railway station is Amberley 0.7mile away. We can arrange a pick up to and from the station – please ask for details.
Taxis can be pre-booked for service in the local areas – please ask for details.
Arrival, car parking facilities, accesses to The Observatory
There is one dedicated car parking space with sign for The Observatory in the Guest Parking area adjoining A Barn. From this parking area there is a set of 15 wooden steps landing on an artificial grass path with 1 step and 2 small steps to a level path leading up to a step onto the decking surrounding The Observatory. There is a level access from the decking into the property either via the patio doors or the front door. However, subject to ground conditions, vehicular access may be possible to the field side of the property adjoining The Observatory step to the decking. If guests would prefer this alternative option, please contact and discuss with the owners prior to arrival.
Studio room
There are no special provisions for the disabled in this single story property. There is wood flooring in all the rooms which is level and 2 rugs on the studio floor. There is a seating area with 2 lounge chairs and a table and 2 dining chairs. The bed is King Size with 4 storage draws underneath (2 have spare pillows, linen and a blanket; the other 2 are empty for guests to use). The Kitchenette has emergency fire notice, a fire extinguisher and fire blanket, storage cupboards and draws with cutlery eating/cooking utensils, a free standing under counter fridge with ice box, a microwave oven, a hob, a kettle, a toaster and a washing machine. The kitchen sink has an instant electric cold to hot water tap. There is a storage cupboard at the end of the kitchen area adjoining the en-suite. In this cupboard there is a shelf with the First Aid Kit, a table top ironing board and iron, below is clothes hanging space, a broom/dustpan and brush, steps and patio chair cushions. Adjoining the cupboard at high level is an Air Conditioner and the instructions and remote are in the perspex tray on the south wall adjoining the dining table area. On the kitchen side of the en-suite wall is a clothes hanging rack. External lights are activated on a fob located to the right of the front door on a hook.
En-Suite Shower Room
The room is small. The floor is wooden. The shower has a step access from the wooden floor. The shower has an open access and a hinged deflectable half screen which opens to aid wider access and should be moved back to prevent water escaping to the wooden floor. The shower is not suitable for people with disablilities especially with mobility or sight disabilities. There are no hand rails or other facilities for the disabled. There is a light tube in the ceiling of the room to aid daytime illumination. The en-suite shower is electric, the hand wash basin has a small under counter electric hot water tank with small storage space. Above the basin is a mirror cupboard with internal shelves. There are empty cupboards on the wall above the W.C..
Outside Seating Area
There is a wicker 2 seater bistro set, garden bench and table (parasol in summer) on the level decking.
Additional Information
Emergency evacuation information is on the wall to the internal right of the kitchenette window adjoining the Fire Blanket and Fire Extinguisher.
Contact Telephone Numbers: 01798 839256 / 07947108825 / 07932001292
Email Address: info@southdownsstay.co.uk