2020 was the year of staycations and we definitely made the most of seeing the UK. We were kindly invited to stay at Sandhole cottages located in Cheshire countryside and only 20 minutes away from the historic Roman city of Chester.

In actual fact, the cottages were only half an hour away from our house, and in an area we love to walk our dogs, so we were very excited to visit as the cottages are dog friendly.

There are 4 beautiful grade 2 listed cottages to choose from sleeping between 2-4 people in each cottage with the added bonus of a hot tub outside of each cottage.

We were so lucky to get clear starry nights during our stay and sit out in the fabulous hot tub and stargaze. Stargazing is something I’ve always loved to do so I was in my absolute element! We had the pleasure of staying in the “Hayloft” cottage, but more about that in a minute.

Sandhole cottages are located on a working equestrian center, so perfect for animal lovers. My boys loved walking up and seeing the horses in their stables outside our floor to ceiling windows.

We arrived in the evening to the twinkling lights of the cottages. With being the weekend before Christmas all the cottages had fairy lights hung up making it all feel so cozy! The first thing I noticed upon walking up to our cottage was the floor to ceiling windows and I was intrigued to see the interior of the cottage. 

We were able to let ourselves in using the key lock and code provided prior to arriving. Instantly the cottage felt warm and inviting. 

The table was laid out beautifully with a welcome pack of tea, coffee, biscuits, milk, and a bottle of fizz! Such a lovely touch not to mention the dog’s treat bag! We had two very happy pups! The dogs also each got a dog tag with the cottages address and phone number on in case they wandered off, which my dogs love to do. I thought this was a lovely touch.

We were lucky enough to stay in the “Hayloft” which is the end cottage and actually used to be where the Hay was stored before the conversion, hence the name. 

The Hayloft boasts a large open plan kitchen, dining and living area which are all tastefully decorated to exceptionally high standards.

The kitchen was fully stocked with all the utensils you’ll ever need on a self-catering holiday along with a huge free standing fridge freezer so you can stock up on food and drink so you don’t even need to leave the cottage and why would you with what’s in the backyard.

Upstairs there are two king-size bedrooms set in the eves of the barn. One bedroom which the boys slept in has two single beds which can be pushed together if needed. There are two skylights on either side so the room is flooded with natural light during the day

The master bedroom is simply breathtaking and features a freestanding roll top bath to relax in after a day out exploring the local area. There’s also a large picture window looking out to the countryside.

I know I should say my favourite feature of this room is the roll-top bath but it was actually the skylight situated right over the bed so you can again star gaze. As you can probably guess I love the night sky so seriously fell in love with this cottage! 

The four of us all slept so well in the comfortable beds and it was lovely to sit around the huge family dining table for breakfast and watch the horses from the floor to ceiling window.

It rained the weekend we stayed but we were actually glad (first time ever) as we all cosied up on the sofa and watched Christmas movies all day on Netflix then relaxed in the hot tub! There really is no need to leave this cottage at all!

There really is no need to leave this cottage at all, the large sofa was perfect for the 4 of us to cuddle up on and there are even blankets provided in the F & M basket to make it even cozier!

The gorgeous bathroom boasts Heritage Vintage gold appliances making it modern yet classic at the same time. There is one WC, shower, and heated towel rail in the upstairs bathroom. I especially loved the large gold mirror.

A hot tub for 4!! Sounds good right? Well, it was amazing being in the countryside where you can see all the stars on a clear night and wow were we lucky with the clear skies!

The hot tub connects up to Bluetooth too so you can play music and relax whilst stargazing or look out to the beautiful Cheshire countryside. Hot tubs must be turned off at 9 pm so it’s nice and peaceful for all the residences staying in the neighboring 3 cottages.

Sandhole Cottages is located between the villages of Crowton and Norley. There are many walks to choose from in this beautiful rural area and the welcome pack will help you choose the perfect walk for you. We did one with the boys and dogs but my youngest got tired so we came back and relaxed. There are plenty of local pubs to choose from in the area serving traditional pub grub, again all mentioned in the useful welcome pack we received.

If you are a horse lover you will love this place as there are horses that live on the property and some just in front of the cottages. I didn’t realise and got the fridge of my life walking in at night haha. We loved watching these majestic animals from the cottage. 

Delamere Forest and Marbury country park are a short drive away and two places we visit frequently. They are both great places to take the dogs for a walk or to tire kids out so they go to bed early and you get to relax in the hot tub in peace!! 

Sandhole Cottages are truly the perfect place to relax and unwind. After such a turbulent year it was so refreshing to get away and relax for a few nights. It did us the world of good to get out in the fresh air and unwind.

Address:
Sandhole Cottages & Livery,
Sandhole Farm, Sandhole Lane,
off Marsh Lane, Crowton,
Cheshire CW8 2RL

Phone number: 07425 216035
Website: https://www.sandholecottages.co.uk/

We truly had the perfect stay at Sandhole Cottages. Everything about the cottage was relaxing and welcoming from the second we stepped foot in. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay again and was so impressed with how clean the whole cottage was. There were eco-friendly cleaning products provided so we could wipe down when we got there. We also were instructed to strip our beds and leave towels with used bedding to minimize contact for the cleaners. Everything had been thought about and we felt completely safe in the cottage.

If your looking for a country retreat to relax and forget about the stresses of life then this is the place for you.

Although our stay was hosted all thoughts and views are my own, Thank You to everyone at Sandhole Cottages for having us. We will be back in 2021.