Because Bruern is luxury self-catering, you are not expected to entirely provide for yourself on your first night, so when you arrive, there are essentials like milk, butter, eggs and sausages waiting for you, along with a few little luxuries like champagne, homemade cakes and local artisan cheese.
Twice National Winners of VisitBritain’s England for Excellence Award for Luxury Self-Catering, and current holders of EnjoyEngland’s Gold Award for quality, these holiday cottages set a new benchmark for self-catering when Judy Astor first started converting the properties in 1992, at that time comprising eight of the properties holding VisitBritain’s top-grade awards for luxury self-catering, out of just 132 in the whole of the UK.
Bruern Cottages offer the comfort and attention to detail of a good hotel, combined with the privacy, independence and space of the home, amidst the civilized ease and style of English Country House living. However, there are four things that really set Bruern apart from other luxury holiday rentals.
Weir House, set in its own pretty garden, is the biggest and most beautiful of all our cottages.
In fact, it’s so big, with five en-suite bedrooms, a games room, a drawing room and a dining room, as well as a big kitchen that the word cottage is a bit of a misnomer. That said, if it does count as one of our “cottages”, it has to be considered one of the most glamorous luxury holiday cottages in the UK.
The private drive to Weir House is flanked by yew hedges and leads to a formal graveled forecourt with box hedges and topiary, and a huge magnolia growing up over the front door.
There is a flagged entrance hall with stairs leading up to a galleried landing lit by a round oeil de boeuf window and a large hall lantern. There’s a much-loved rocking horse, a doll’s house in a little alcove in the hall, and under the stairs, the children’s den, with dressing-up clothes and a puppet theatre. Two windows look out onto the croquet lawn, and a door on the left opens into the dining room, which has a ten-foot antique pine-topped table and a massive sideboard.
Bruern Holiday Cottages are a children’s paradise, even in the context of luxury self-catering. Old hands who’ve come here before are tearing through the walled garden to the play cabin, the climbing frame, the adventure playground and the Wendy house before their parents have even got the luggage out of the boot of the car.
The Wendy house is every child’s dream. It has two stories, with a canopied bed upstairs and a dresser, table, chairs and all the wherewithal for doll’s tea downstairs. There are window boxes, curtains and a cushion on the window seat – the best perch for visiting adults.
The play cabin next door is even more popular with parents. It is large, heated and has a comfortable sofa where they can read while their offspring investigate the dressing-up box (choice of nurse, soldier, fairy, witch, cowboy, Dalmatian, etc.), doll’s house, Brio railway, books, garage, farm toys and Noah’s Ark or do some creative crayoning on the easel. It’s a perfect spot to while away an afternoon when it’s raining. Otherwise, they can rush around playing football, or using any of the pedal tractors, dumper trucks or push cars. There are also child-sized croquet sets, cricket sets and tennis racquets.
The only luxury holiday cottages in the UK to be featured in Tatler’s “101 Best Spas”, the facilities at Bruern provide the perfect setting to relax in, with an indoor heated pool whose patio doors open onto a beautiful Italianate garden, with sun loungers on the terrace. Those eager to keep fit can take advantage of the gym, while those less keen can relax at the spa and have a treatment with one of our therapists.
Gym:
Those looking to keep up with their regular exercise regime can make use of the on-site gym facilities. Equipment includes; running machine, power plate, exercise balls, rowing machine, cross trainer, cables, free weights and an exercise bike.
Pool:
The indoor pool is heated and provides the ultimate relaxation zone with its poolside loungers and patio doors open on to a private garden with seating – perfect for a spot of lunch. For the children, we provide various floats and water equipment, as well as swim nappies for the little ones. Our changing rooms are fully equipped with hairdryers and baby changing tables.
Spa:
In our treatment rooms, we aim to create a calming and relaxing environment, designed to help guests unwind with soft music and beautifully scented oil burners.
