Burton Farmhouse

The shower was very good, and the compact bathroom was clean. The bed was comfortable too, though its layers were awkward: the top sheet wouldn’t stay tucked over the mattress with the blankets underneath, so I had to remake it each morning. We stayed in the Orchard room in the house. It got quite warm in direct sun, even though it was only about 21°C, so keeping the curtains shut on sunny days might help. The fridge’s cooling motor kept waking us, which light sleepers should know. There was cutlery, crockery and glasses, plus a small amount of washing-up liquid in an old body wash bottle. The welcome note referred to a bar where we could wash dishes, but no one met us on arrival and we only spotted it as we were leaving, behind an unmarked door to the right in the hall/stairs area. Until then, we’d been using the bathroom sink. The large wardrobe was partly unusable because one door was locked, so we put clothes in the shaky two-drawer chest instead. Breakfast used to be offered, but it’s now bed only with self-catering. The location works well for Plymouth, Kingsbridge and Brixham. Devon has lots to enjoy, though after a day out it would be nice to return to a better room. As it stands, ours was just adequate and could be improved.

Breakfast was fresh, with lots to choose from, and there were thoughtful touches around the place. We stayed in the family room, four adults in all, for a wedding in Hope Cove. The room was comfortable, and the farm sits in lovely countryside. As it’s a working farm, there’s the usual activity and noise. It was a shame it wasn’t a little warmer, since we would have liked to eat breakfast outside. Maybe we’ll come back when the weather’s better. Definitely recommend.

The location was really good, and the room had plenty of space. We stayed a couple of nights, but the beds were old and uncomfortable. There wasn’t breakfast, and we couldn’t find anyone to ask about it.

Breakfast was the best part of our stay, and we were greeted warmly when we arrived. But the room’s heating didn’t work. They quickly replaced the electric heater, then we found the TV remote was broken too, and that wasn’t replaced. I didn’t want to leave the heater on overnight, so we had a cold night. After a day of sightseeing, we came back with our two young children and asked if they could have something for dinner, even just a sandwich. We’d been given the impression this might be possible, but the kitchen was closed, so we had to go back out to find food in nearby Kingsbridge. When we returned, the farmhouse was locked. Another guest let us in, after having had to enter through the owners’ entrance himself. We had another cold night. The next morning, to our surprise, the radiators came on, and no one explained why they hadn’t worked earlier. The company was good, but the stay was disappointing. It could have been excellent with very little extra effort. It ended up feeling very average, and I wouldn’t recommend it.