This gorgeous dog-friendly cottage is alive with good taste, contemporary styling and unadulterated comfort for up to six guests in three lovely bedrooms.
Step inside and you’ll find rooms drenched in natural daylight. The owners have refurbished this home with first-class workmanship, impeccable detail, clean lines and natural muted colours, creating a comforting and relaxing escape from everyday life.
In the lounge, a classic cast iron wood burner takes centre stage. Gathered around are two large comfy sofas adorned with plush cushions and throws to snuggle under with a hot chocolate when it’s cold outside. This room is meant for lounging, relaxing, chatting and chilling, or catching a film on the widescreen television with Apple TV.
The Pièce de résistance in this lovely abode is the striking kitchen/diner which radiates luxurious simplicity with bucket loads of character. The room’s sizeable social space combines pastel gloss grey units and warm oak floors against crisp white walls. Huge French doors and side windows gaze out to the patio and lush green garden beyond. This is the hub of the home, where guests gravitate to mingle on breakfast stools to plan the day’s adventure. In the evenings, gather family and friends to the dining table which sits under a lantern roof for long dinners with a bottle of wine. Keen cooks will love the quality mod-cons of the cottage’s bespoke kitchen, which includes an induction five ring hob, integrated electric oven, combination microwave and Nespresso coffee machine. There’s also a wall-hung TV with Apple TV and lounging chairs, creating an extra room for children to hang out, or grab a glass of your favourite tipple and chill in a little haven of relaxation.
Past the cloakroom with washing machine and tumble dryer to stairs which lead to three beautifully styled bedrooms. The master ensuite bedroom flaunts a super king size bed under a vaulted ceiling. Walls and furnishings are in soft chalky neutrals, creating a calm, restful oasis for plenty of lie-ins and late night films on the Smart TV.
The good size family bathroom with shower over bath, hand basin, heated towel rail and WC serves the remaining bedrooms. The second bedroom is equally as spacious as the master, painted in the same muted palette of natural hues. The room can be configured as a 6ft double or for two 3ft single beds. There’s a smart TV in this room as well, offering families, couples and friends plenty of space to retreat for some downtime.
Stairs to the second floor lead to bedroom 3, decorated to calm the senses in coastal shades of the sand and sea. White painted metal beds, crisp white cotton bedding and carefully chosen soft furnishings create a homely retreat with a nautical vista of the marina’s yacht masts in the distance.
Outside is a spacious terrace with a charcoal barbeque and dining furniture decked with cushions to enjoy some al fresco dining. Or sneak out with a coffee in hand while others sleep and sit in the sun with birdsong to keep you company. The rest of the garden is laid to lawn with zones for sunbathing and dappled shade under the trees.
Lymington is a great base for a New Forest holiday that’s also close to the coast. Sanderlings location is a leisurely saunter to Lymington’s elegant Georgian high street, packed with independent shops, historic pubs, funky cafes and outstanding restaurants. The town is bursting with history with tales of smuggling and folklore from bygone years. Head down the cobbled street to Lymington Quay and grab an ice cream while you watch fishermen and sailors tinkering. From here you can take a day trip to the Isle of Wight, whizz around the bay on a speed boat, or catch some mackerel for tea from a fishing trip. When the days are warm and sunny, take a dip in the oldest seawater baths in the UK at Lymington Sea Water Baths. The gigantic pool holds 1.7 million gallons of seawater, providing a popular haunt for locals and visitors.
Bring your bikes to Sanderlings, as this is a great area for cycling and there’s bike storage in the garden. Peddle 3 miles west past Key Haven Nature Reserve to Milford on Sea. Spend an old fashioned day on the beach where brightly painted beach huts line the pebble shore, which is great for swimming. If you fancy breaking the day with a walk, head along the pebble spit to King Henry VIII’s coast fortress Hurst Castle and take in the impressive views across to the Isle of Wight.
Venture north of Lymington a few miles and you’re in open forest. Don some sturdy shoes and explore the full beauty of the New Forest National Park. There are hundreds of tracks and trails as well as designated gravel routes for cycling and prams. You’ll pass the famous New Forest ponies along the way, as well as lots of vibrant wildlife for which this area is so well known.
Attractions in this part of the New Forest are plentiful. Petrol heads and history lovers will enjoy a day out at Beaulieu to see the National Motor Museum, Palace House and Abbey. Exbury Gardens is another must for its dazzling landscapes, floral displays and narrow gauge steam train in the 200-acre estate. No trip to the New Forest with young children is complete without a day at Paultons Park – Home of Peppa Pig World, voted #1 Theme Park in the UK by TripAdvisor. Another favourite for children is Longdown Activity Farm for indoor and outdoor play areas, as well as a very popular petting corner where children are allowed to bottle feed kid goats and calves.
If location and comfort are key to your dream holiday, then Sanderlings ticks all the boxes. For more information, photos and Sanderling’s availability click here.