River House - 5* rural retreat, BATH

Enchanting 5-bed RIVER HOUSE with cosy 1- bed COACH HOUSE and 2 acres of garden on the outskirts of Bath in the South Cotswolds SPACE:6 double/twin bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, large farmhouse kitchen & living rooms with log fires & underfloor heating. OUTSIDE: Hot tub & swimming pool; BBQ terrace; fire pit; fishing & garden games. WELCOMES: celebrations; family holidays; small weddings; retreats; team-building (field school); fully-serviced long lets Chef + Housekeeper available, super-fast FTTP The space RIVER HOUSE Welcome to River House. An historic estate is on the southern tip of the Cotswolds, it was once the site of a Carthusian Monastery. This secluded riverside location is only accessible by a no-through road, yet it is just outside the bustling City of Bath. A railway station within walking distance takes you straight to Bath central in under 10 minutes. Longleat Safari Park, Lacock, the Cathedral City of Wells, Cheddar Gorge, Stonehenge and many National Trust properties such as Stourhead are under an hour for day visits. FEATURES: River House reception rooms are perfect for entertaining larger groups, with log burning fires, under floor heating and a very spacious farmhouse kitchen which opens to the garden terraces and conservatory. We offer our guests a serviced Hot Tub (optional extra) and stunning Swimming Pool (May to October). There is an extensive BBQ Terrace with riverside Lawn and Sun Deck with sun-loungers, Summerhouse, a variety of Garden Games (mini-golf, crocquet and the Big 4 in the garden and a pool table indoors) and a large Fire Pit. All the bedrooms are double (with a flexible arrangement so that they can be super-king or twin according to guests' preference). Wifi/Internet is super-fast as River House has its own FTPP optic fibre connection (over 400mbps download, c. 50mbps upload). ACCOMMODATION: RIVER HOUSE BATH sleeps 10-14 in 5 double bedrooms, which can be arranged as super king doubles or twin beds - except Bed 2 which has a fixed single and standard double. Bedrooms are en suite or immediately adjacent to bath or shower rooms. There is a very spacious and well-equipped kitchen with seating, a large conservatory dining room (seating up to 16) and a double-length living room with log-burning fires at each end. A perfect arrangement for mixed-age family groups and friends. Portable beds with proper mattresses and comfortable sofa beds in the larger bedrooms are available for extra guests and children (after 10) and there is a large sofa bed in the Library. THE COACH HOUSE is automatically included with River House for reservations of 12+ guests and sleeps up to 5, but otherwise it may be rented separately (please enquire before booking). It has a large open plan living room/kitchen. There is one very large double bedroom with a super-king double bed, which can also be arranged as a twin, and also a further single bed downstairs in the reception area. There is also a double sofa bed, a portable single bed and a sitting area and desk in the upstairs bedroom. There is a cot and baby bath available for infants. BEDS, PORTABLE BEDS AND COTS In both building combined we have 10 'hotel-style' single beds which can be joined to form 5 super-king doubles. Additionally, one bedroom in River House (Bed 2) has a single and a standard double and downstairs in the Coach House there is one single bed. Three of the larger bedrooms can accommodate portable beds and two have sofa beds and sitting areas. Any guests over the number of 10 in River House, or over 13 in River House and The Coach House combined, will be on sofa beds or portable beds. Infants (under the age of 2 years old at the time of arrival under Airbnb regulations) are free of charge, they sleep in their parents rooms. A portable bed for toddlers, or a cot if still babies. Parents bring their own infant linen, or we can provide our own linen at an extra cost (£25 per infant). We have pure cotton bed linen and towels. CARETAKER, CHEF AND HOUSEKEEPER The Caretaker and Housekeeper live nearby and are available to help guests at any time., including servicing the hot tub, swimming pool and fires. We have a qualified Chef who will be delighted to cater for your dining (8 minimum). Please ask for Chef's extensive 'Friary Tuck' menu if you would like to dine 'at home' in River House, or enjoy a traditional English breakfast. We also offer a vegan menu. TEAM BUILDING & CELEBRATIONS We welcome corporate team-building groups, writers workshops, wellness retreats and film crews. We have a fully-fitted classroom with presentation facilities, super-fast broadband and toilet/shower facilities. We also welcome family celebrations and small weddings requiring in-house catering and have a delightful green striped marquee which can be set up by the river on hard-standing. REVIEW: Paolo Fresia, Social Impact Investor: "We loved out stay at River House for our team offsite the past two years in December. The venue is conveniently located in an idyllic rural location not far from Bath Spa station, and easily reachable from Bristol and Heathrow airports. The rooms are very comfortable and there are plenty of communal areas to hold workshops into. The grounds are stunning and the rare breed animals very cute and entertaining. However, the best thing about the house is the warm welcome of the caretakers Richard and Penny, who also prepare the most delicious meals and have them served right when needed. We can’t recommend River House enough for your corporate retreat!" Chris Warnick, Author: Four of us met up for a writing retreat at this property outside of Bath and loved every minute of it. Richard and Penny were excellent hosts, and they went out of their way to make sure our time on the property was comfortable and easy. We enjoyed one night of Richard's catering so much that we added on more during our trip! Bath was very convenient, but the Friary property was secluded in the nearby countryside in a way that felt peaceful and private. River House itself has a large kitchen with every modern amenity while part of the house dates back several hundred years and adds historic charm in the lounge area. The gardens are amazing, and the pool is brand new. We can't say enough about our enjoyable time on this property! Thanks to River House for a stay we would love to repeat. Guest access GETTING ABOUT RAILWAY There is a scenic railway station in the local village, Freshford, which offers an hourly service to Bath Spa station in under 10 minutes. This is a delightful and scenic way of travelling into the centre of Bath Spa City. You can also get to the historic town of Bradford on Avon in under 10 minutes in the opposite direction. PUB/CAFE A traditional village Pub, well-stocked Community-run Shop/Cafe, and a genuine Sicilian stone-fired pizza oven are all within walking distance. ORNAMENTAL GARDENS The enclosed gardens and terraces of River House extend to over 2 acres and are entirely for the use of residential guests. Private riverbank fishing (in season) extends to several hundred metres along the River Frome. A large hot tub is for the sole use of River House guests, as well as 2 BBQ terraces, a large fire pit, croquet, badminton and clock golf. The swimming pool is available exclusively by prior arrangement 1 - 6pm. Please note that the hot tub is an optional extra and should be paid for in advance so that it is heated for your visit - please ask for details. PRIVATE ACCESS The property is accessed by a no-through Road and there is very little traffic, other than vehicles visiting the property. HOUSEHOLD SHOPPING Several supermarkets will deliver and minibus/taxis provide regular pick-ups. The local village, which is within walking distance, has a community shop, cafe, traditional pub and railway station with direct service in under 10 minutes to Bath Spa - there is a short-cut footpath leading from the property directly to the village. Also, there are several good farm shops selling locally-produced fruit, meat and vegetables, usually with less packaging and often with an organic certification: Hartley Farm Shop, Flourish Farm Shop and White Row are recommended. We also commend Mes Amis in Beckington for its cafe and delicatessen, there is also a Marks & Spencer there. NOISE AND LIGHT RESTRICTIONS River House is in an officially designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a policy of 'Tranquility and Dark Skies' to protect the special flora and fauna of this location. The hamlet is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. For this reason, amplified music and outside lighting (other than for access) are not allowed and use of the hot tub ceases at 7pm. Use of the swimming pool is restricted to 9am-6pm and it is a Quiet Area. No glass or alcoholic drinks, shouting or diving, are allowed in either area. VISITOR AND CONTRACTOR ACCESS Please note that only residential guests, staying in River House accommodation, have access to the property. Visitors and contractors must obtain the express consent of the owners. We do not accept outside service providers or contractors without the permission of the owners who will require sight of their insurance documents. Other things to note LOCAL ACTIVITIES There are a variety of local activities, including our programme of traditional rural skills and private fishing on site. These optional extras are by separate arrangement, subject to the chosen tutor's availability. Other local activities include: clay pigeon shooting; horse riding; falconry; vineyard and brewery trips; beauty and spa treatments; and barges and bicycles for hire at nearby Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet & Avon Canal. **CHILDREN Children especially enjoy staying at River House, but please make sure that they are fully supervised in and outside the grounds, especially when near the river, hot tub or swimming pool.** HOT TUB/POOL The Hot Tub is available from 7am to 7pm. It is in a private courtyard next to the conservatory. It is an optional extra and should be paid for in advance so that it is heated for your visit. Please enquire for details. The Swimming Pool is situated on high ground with a stunning view. It is available for guests' exclusive use from 1 - 6pm (9am - 6pm if you are 12 or more guests, so also taking the Coach House). It is too shallow for diving or jumping and it is a quiet area. Please do not use sun cream before entering the hot tub/pool or use any form of glass in either area. Glass breakage will result in the hot tub having to be emptied and the filters changed for which there is a charge of £250. AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY We are in a designated 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' which has a Cotswold Conservation area policy of 'Tranquility & Dark Skies', so we do ask guests to limit noise outside in the grounds to a conversational level and refrain from using external lighting at night, other than for access to buildings. No music may be played outside, other than by prior agreement during the day, such as hand-held instruments, and should not be amplified. The Fire Pit provides a wonderful way of enjoying the skies at night as well as the sound of owls and other nocturnal creatures in this unique location. Please note that we do not allow dogs in the main house. They are allowed in the Coach House, but must be kept on a lead in the grounds at all times due to domestic fowl roaming freely in the grounds. OUTSIDE SERVICES Please note that we have our own Chef, so we do not usually allow outside caterers. For guests hiring or bringing in their own entertainment or services, this is permitted at the Owner/ Caretaker's discretion and with their specific permission. We always ask for sight of the Contractor's public liability insurance documents, at least one month in advance of our guests' arrival. EV Outside plugs are available to charge electric cars overnight, please note that there is an extra charge for this facility of 70p per Kwh.