The Duck House: Oxfordshire Countryside

The Duck House is a characterful, cosy and quiet self-contained annex. It is set in the beautiful and quaint village of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell. There is easy access to Wallingford, Dorchester, Henley, Oxford and the Cotswolds. An award winning 16th century thatched pub, The Red Lion, is a 10 min walk from the house. 'Island Donkey Sanctuary' and the world famous 'Bach Institute' are also here. In addition, there are many lovely walks around the village, countryside and along the River Thames. The space Please read ALL the following details prior to booking and if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us: The Duck House is situated within 3/4 acre grounds and gardens of a character detached house. The property is located on a private, unmade lane in the very beautiful and ancient village of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell. It was purpose built as a high spec annexe above our double garages and is accessed via an exterior oak staircase. PLEASE NOTE: This property is NOT suitable for babies/children under 5 years (because of the exterior stairs and balcony that lead into home). Please inform us, BEFORE BOOKING, of the age of any children you wish to bring to ensure the accommodation is appropriate for them. Up to two pets are allowed. Please make sure your animals are clean and do not rest on the furniture. Renters are responsible for any additional clean fees that may be incurred from pets. This is a NO SMOKING & NO VAPING property and we respectfully request that you go outside the premises if you choose to do either. There is designated parking right outside The Duck House. Then, you enter through a latched gate and head up the exterior stairs on the right. There is a small balcony, at the top of the stairs, which overlooks our duck pond (wild ducks are known to come for a ‘Holiday’) and has views looking out to the main house, open fields and gardens. There is also a two-seater bistro set to enjoy the views with your morning coffee or watch the sunset with a glass of wine. Upon entering The Duck House (via a charming stable door), you immediately come into the open Lounge/Kitchen area. The lounge has a very large corner settee unit, part of which can be converted into an additional single bed. Please request the use of this upon booking - NOT on arrival (more info about this below). There is a Smart TV with Netflix (you will need your own passcode), BBC Sport, BBC iPlayer, etc, as well as a collection of DVDs and a DVD player. There are also puzzles and games in the drawer of the coffee table. Free WIFI is included. The high quality fitted kitchen has oak worktops, a 5-burner gas hob, electric oven, built in fridge with small freezer shelf and lots of storage. A microwave, kettle, toaster, cafetiere, cutlery, plates, cups, glasses, cooking utensils are provided. There is also a breakfast bar for dining or for use as a workspace, with seating available for three, if required. The separate bedroom consists of a double bed, side tables and built-in wardrobes. The bedroom has two windows – one overlooking the gardens and the other, a unique circular window. There is an ironing board and iron in one of the wardrobes. All bedding is provided. The ensuite bathroom is tastefully fitted and decorated with a wash basin, toilet and full-sized bath with a rain shower. Towels, soap, shampoo, shower gel and toothpaste are provided. The Duck House is centrally heated with radiators in the lounge/kitchen and the bedroom. There is also a large, heated towel rail in the bathroom. Guests also have the use of an area, in the garden at the front of the accommodation, with a large square table and chairs for four (if you have friends visiting). Apart from ducks that may wander around the grounds, you may also see pheasants, Muntjac deer, rabbits, fox and hedgehogs in the gardens. We also have a cat named ‘Ziggy.’ Please note that this is a self-catering property - NOT A BED AND BREAKFAST - but we do provide an initial welcome supply of various teas, coffees (including decaf), hot chocolate, milk, sugar, and granola bars. For stays that are 2 days or longer, we provide scones, butter, jam and fresh fruit. Longer stay guests also have access to a dedicated Laundry Room with a washer, dryer and sink. ** IMPORTANT!** PLEASE NOTIFY US, WELL IN ADVANCE, IF THE SOFA BED IS REQUIRED, preferably in your initial booking message to us. There is an additional charge of £20 per night for use of the sofa bed, no matter how many people are staying. If only two people are staying but you require the sofa bed YOU MUST SELECT THAT THREE PEOPLE ARE STAYING. Then the additional amount is automatically added to your booking. This is due to an anomaly in the Airbnb booking system that does not recognise that if two people are staying, one of them may need to use the sofa bed. If you only select two people staying, we will have to assume that the double bed is shared. If the sofa bed needs to be made up, it will be ready made with a very comfortable single mattress being substituted for the seat squabs. The bed will be covered with a throw so that it can still be used for seating until use. A single duvet and pillows for the sofa bed will be left in the main bedroom until required. Please remove the throw before use. In the console below the tv, there is a large folder of leaflets for local attractions, walking & cycle routes and local eateries. The Duck House is completely self-contained and self-catering. It is accessed through the garden gate from the car parking area. Cars should be parked immediately to the left, upon entering the driveway. We are happy to provide secure storage in our garage for bicycles/ motor bikes. The access stairs to the accommodation are immediately to the right as you go through the garden gate. We would normally have flexible book-in and check-out options however, during busy periods we may have to request 3pm arrivals and 11am departures in order to ready the property for the next visitor. You can leave luggage as early as you like on your day of arrival, regardless of book-in time, if you want to unload your car and go and explore the area before you actually book in. Please contact us to discuss if you have specific requirements regarding times as we will always try to fit in with your needs. Guest access Parking is located to the left of the Double Garage. Go thru the gate, turn to the right and access The Duck House via the stairs on the side of the building.