A luxury rural retreat, Barnstaple, perfect for couples and families, set in glorious North Devon

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Overview
Amenities
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Location
Host

Exceptional

2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 41 sq m

Popular amenities

Parking available

Washer

Outdoor space

Kitchen

Fireplace

Explore the area

Barnstaple, Devon

Pannier Market

5 min drive

St Anne's Arts & Community Centre

5 min drive

Queen's Theatre

5 min drive

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1: Master bedroom

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms

Family Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Master bedroom en-suite shower room

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Dining Area

About this property

Courtyard Cottage, a charming countryside cottage that has been renovated from the original farm buildings to provide comfortable accommodation for couples and small families looking for a lovely relaxing break surrounded by stunning unspoilt North Devon countryside. Set just outside Barnstaple, Courtyard Cottage is not far from all the popular local attractions, the North Devon coast and Exmoor National Park. The local area offers many opportunities to enjoy activities such as cycling, walking, and experiencing nearby Woolacombe, Croyde and Saunton.

The cottage boasts a delightful open plan living space, where you can relax on the huge sofa in front of the wood-burning stove, either relaxing with a book or perhaps enjoying a movie on the smart TV in the evenings. Rustle up dinner in the stylishly presented kitchen, well-equipped for a self catering break, and includes appliances such as an induction hob, electric oven, dishwasher, washer/dryer, fridge/freezer and a coffee machine. There is also a pine table that comfortably seats 4.

The two bedrooms are beautifully furnished. There is a master bedroom with a king-sized bed, hand wash basin and an en-suite shower room. It also benefits from direct access onto a terraced area, perfect for an evening drink when the kids are in bed. The second bedroom is a twin room, with two full size single beds. This is serviced by a family bathroom that is fitted with a large walk in shower, wash basin and WC.

Guests staying at Courtyard Cottage are welcome to enjoy the outside space to make the most of the views and surrounding scenery. There is also storage for bikes or surfboards, and a handy outside tap and hose.
Courtyard Cottage is a pet free cottage, as there is nearby livestock in the fields and there is no enclosed garden.

Please also note: although this cottage is arranged on one level, it still may not be suitable for people with mobility problems as there are a number of steps within the property, and slopes to access the cottage.

Property manager

Amanda

Premier Host

Languages

English

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Outdoor space

Parking available

Fireplace

Similar properties

Washer

Outdoor space

Parking available

Microwave

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Barnstaple

Located in Barnstaple, this cottage is in a rural area and near theme parks. The area's natural beauty can be seen at North Devon Coast and Exmoor National Park. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Rock and Rapid Adventures or South Molton Rugby Club. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

View more Cottages in Barnstaple

Barnstaple, Devon

What's nearby

Pannier Market - 5 min drive
Queen's Theatre - 5 min drive
Exmoor Zoo - 21 min drive
Saunton Sands - 26 min drive
Woolacombe Beach - 27 min drive

Getting around

Barnstaple Station - 11 min drive

Restaurants

‪Ebberley Arms - ‬5 min drive
‪Domino's Pizza - ‬5 min drive
‪The Panniers - ‬5 min drive
‪The Green Man - ‬20 min walk
‪The Reform Inn - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is A luxury rural retreat, Barnstaple, perfect for couples and families, set in glorious North Devon pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at A luxury rural retreat, Barnstaple, perfect for couples and families, set in glorious North Devon?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at A luxury rural retreat, Barnstaple, perfect for couples and families, set in glorious North Devon?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is A luxury rural retreat, Barnstaple, perfect for couples and families, set in glorious North Devon located?

Situated in a rural location, this cottage is within 2 miles (3 km) of Queen's Theatre, Pannier Market and St Anne's Arts & Community Centre. Funder Zone is 2.6 mi (4.3 km) away.

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

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10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Rosie H.

15 Sept 2024

What a stunning cottage !

Courtyard Cottage is a beautiful place to stay. The cottage has been lovingly renovated and decorated and is incredibly comfortable in beautiful surroundings. The owners are very welcoming and accommodating. A lovely welcome pack is left for you. Everything about this stay has been well thought through - a beautiful home from home.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mr R A G.

9 Aug 2024

HOLIDAY COTTAGE of the HIGHEST STANDARD

Our first visit to Courtyard Cottage. We were met by our host Mark & Mika who extended to us the warmest and friendliest “meet and greet” every experienced arriving at a holiday cottage. Though only about 10 minutes from Barnstable, Courtyard Cottage offers a secluded and peaceful location with fantastic views over Barnstable. The cottage is extremely well equipped to a very high standard, from the comfy beds, very good quality towels and linen, beautiful ensuite shower rooms and comfortable lounge furniture. The cottage was extremely well presented and immaculately clean. During our late winter break we always found the cottage to be warm and the addition of a log burning stove provided additional heat along with a warm and comforting ambience. From the welcome pack to the installed high end electrical appliances, everything was faultless. It is very obvious that a great deal of attention and detail had been given to ensure that the cottage provides all that is required for what can only be described as a luxury cottage experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday at the Courtyard Cottage, the best cottage we have stayed in, and would not hesitate in recommending or returning.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

7 July 2024

Our ideal holiday home.

Just spent 2 weeks at this lovely cottage. This was our 4th visit so probably not a surprise that we rate it very highly. Decor and fittings are stylish & top quality. Everything has been thought of and provided. Comfortable, warm and spotlessly clean inside - nicely integrated into the surrounding buildings and grounds. Owners are on site if any problems but due to the way the buildings are laid out the cottage gives you lots of privacy. Peace & quiet is what you get as the cottage is quite a long way up the side of the valley with Barnstaple below and nothing but trees above. Great views across the valley and the adjacent garage roof also serves as 1 of the 3 patios and is the best sun trap late afternoon/early evening (especially with a G & T in hand). Barnstaple is a great base for visiting North Devon and the Atlantic Coast of Cornwall and is an interesting place to visit itself with lots of independent shops, cafes and restaurants. Nearby Instow is a must for it's long sandy beach and glorious views across to Appledore.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

23 June 2024

Wonderful

Courtyard Cottage has everything one would need. It is equipped to a very high standard and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. The hosts, Mika and Mark, are very helpful and go out of their way to provide any extra information that you should need. We would definitely stay there again if we are in the area. Overall excellent and definitely recommended.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

18 June 2024

Wonderful stay in an excellent property

We spent a delightful week in this stunning property, which has been so beautifully designed and furnished to an incredibly high standard. The owners live on site and were keen to check we had everything we needed as well as providing some helpful local advice. We had good communication with them from the moment our cottage was booked. Self catering cottages are our regular choice of UK holidays and this has to be in our top 3 places. Gorgeous inside and out with attention to detail everywhere. There is nothing we could even suggest that could have been changed or added. The location is ideal for wonderful coast, gardens and National trust properties. Our idea of heaven. Thank you Mika and Mark for having us.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Terry B.

18 Sept 2023

Lovely cottage in beautiful surroundings

We stayed for a week in this lovely cottage. The kitchen was amazing and had everything you could possibly need. It was light and airy and spotlessly clean. It was very centrally placed for visiting all North Devon has to offer without travelling too far. The owners live next door and were very welcoming, kind and helpful, especially with suggestions of places to visit and eat. We would love to stay again one day.

10/10 Excellent

Terry B.

15 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful cottage

Beautiful cottage in wonderful central location for all North Devon has to offer. The property was immaculate and had everything you could need. The owners live next door and were very friendly and helpful. Would certainly stay again.

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Rainer K.

11 Sept 2023

Great for relaxing holidays, very hospitable owners

Recently renovated cottage with great attention to detail that lacks nothing. Everything is very modern, but comfortably furnished. Very quiet location (approach, however, is in quite poor condition with many potholes), perfectly situated for trips into the North Devon area. Several seating areas outside, which invite you to relax (with a little luck with a view of sheep). The couple who rents the house is very hospitable, we have rarely been received warmer than by the two. Mark always has good excursion tips ready. After our two weeks stay it was really hard for us to have to leave again.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

22 July 2023

The perfect cottage

Our 3rd visit and this time for 10 days so that should tell you a lot. This cottage has it all - : Location - just outside Barnstaple so peace & quiet guaranteed but you can be parked in the centre of town within 5 minutes of leaving. Easy driving distance from Exmoor, North Devon coast and even parts of the North Cornwall coast so plenty to see and do. Cottage - beautifully furnished and well laid out with 3 patios to choose from that means you can always get some sun, 2 bathrooms with rainfall showers, a kitchen that is so well equipped that you wish your kitchen was that good and a comfortable living area with plenty of space to relax. Owners - their house is just next door but other than a visit to welcome you you don't see them although you may get a visit from their dogs looking for someone to pet them.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

30 May 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cosy, stylish and perfectly equipped

Perfect stay, so good we extended by a further week. Thanks Mike and Mica!

Stayed 7 nights in May 2023

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

4 Oct 2022

Second Stay This Year

My daughter and I stayed in Courtyard Cottage earlier this year and I went back for a second stay on my own. I recommend this lovely cottage to anyone seeking peace and quiet with top class accommodation. There is a private patio area and a choice of private seating areas outside and you feel as if you are out in the country yet you are only a short drive into Barnstaple. This is a lovely part of Devon to stay as there is something for everyone including a great choice of country houses and gardens, huge beaches or little bays and harbours. Mika and Mark are very welcoming and offer advice or assistance if needed. I really appreciated the scones with clotted cream and local jam, just what I needed after a long journey. Thank you for another lovely holiday - I would give you 10 stars if I could.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

4 Oct 2022

Second Stay This Year

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

15 Aug 2022

The best cottage we've stayed in (and there have been a lot over the years!)

I would definitely stay here again, we absolutely loved our holiday here and didn't want to leave. Beautifully arranged and decorated cottage in a great location. Breakfast every morning on the terrace outside the main bedroom enjoying the early morning sun, and drinks and dinner on the terrace to the side of the cottage watching the sun go down. Perfect! Thank you to Mika and Mark for being so welcoming, friendly and helpful and for creating such a wonderful place to stay

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

15 Aug 2022

The best cottage we've stayed in (and there have been a lot over the years!)

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

11 July 2022

Beautiful cottage with excellent amenities.

The cottage was in lovely condition, with everything very beautifully coordinated. Beds were very comfy, as was the big sofa. We were made to feel very welcome, with bottles of cider, scones, jam and cream on arrival, and a personal welcome from the owners [ and their friendly dogs!]. There were lots of places around the cottage to sit and enjoy the view and there was a very comprehensive amount of useful information in the folder left for us in the cottage. The little road up to the cottage is quite hard to find, but again, the owners gave very clear instructions on how to get there. There are quite a few steps down to the cottage, so taking luggage etc up and down was a bit awkward, but the quirkiness and lovely surroundings of the place was worth the effort. The provision of tea, coffee, shampoo, soap and shower gel was also appreciated.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

11 July 2022

Beautiful cottage with excellent amenities.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

3 July 2022

Beautiful cottage in a good location

Just returned from a stay in this beautiful cottage. Our hosts Mika and Mark couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. They contacted us before our holiday started and provided very detailed information of what to expect on arrival, what was provided and how everything worked. The cottage was very clean, spacious and light and airy and we felt relaxed the minute we walked in the door. It is obvious that a lot of thought and planning has gone into making this cottage a luxurious yet practical place to stay with everything you could possibly need and more. The location was good too. Just on the outskirts of Barnstaple, which did concern us slightly before we arrived as we usually go for a more rural location but the cottage is up on a hill, surrounded by trees, fields and peace and quiet. We were lucky enough to have tawny owls hooting outside our bedroom window. It was also ideally placed to explore the North Devon coast from and perfect to nip into town for groceries. We really appreciated the lovely welcome pack with lots of Devon goodies. I’m sure we’ll be back for another stay before too long.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

3 July 2022

Beautiful cottage in a good location

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

27 June 2022

Beautifully equipped cottage in peaceful location.

Probably the best of all the cottages we have stayed in - beautifully decorated, equipped with everything that you could want, spotlessly clean and with owners that are around if you need them but invisible when you want privacy. The location is the ultimate in peaceful places, set at the end of a long private drive surrounded by fields and trees. No traffic noise just the bird songs to disturb the peace and yet you can be in the centre of Barnstable within 10 minutes by car. The cottage comes with the best sun-trap patio anywhere - just the place to sit with a long cool drink and soak up the sun and the peace and quiet. It's the sort of place that once discovered entices you back again and again.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

27 June 2022

Beautifully equipped cottage in peaceful location.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

13 June 2022

A wonderful week in North Devon

We spent a week at Courtyard Cottage and found it to be absolutely beautiful - we had a truly fantastic family holiday. It is easily one of the nicest properties we have ever stayed in. We had a very warm welcome from our hosts (fresh scones to kick off the holiday was a real treat) and they were so hospitable and thoughtful throughout, providing us with lots of helpful advice and checking we had all that we needed. The check in was super smooth and the pre holiday info was informative and clear. The cottage itself was perfect for us as a family of four with two young children - it was extremely well equipped and spotlessly clean, with exceptionally comfortable beds and an abundance of outdoor seating areas dotted around, perfect for a read and a glass of wine. Parking was easy. The swing and garden area kept our children happy for hours. The lounge and kitchen area was really spacious and lovely to relax in. Location wise, Courtyard Cottage was fantastic - there were some beautiful beaches within a short drive, loads to do with the kids and some great restaurants (we would also recommend the local fish and chip shop!) It was great to be able to get to popular places quickly and easily, but also to be able to retreat home afterwards to somewhere so peaceful and quiet, with stunning views of the North Devon countryside. Courtyard Cottage is an absolute gem of a holiday cottage - we can't recommend it highly enough and would love to visit again one day.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

13 June 2022

A wonderful week in North Devon

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Zoe A.

24 May 2022

Beautiful Cottage and Location

We stayed for one week in May 2022 and we could not have wished for more. The owners, Mika and Mark were on site to meet us and show us around and they made us feel very welcome. They recommended great places to visit in the area and we went to most of them. The accommodation was lovely with a large double bedroom opening onto a private patio area and a separate room with two single beds. Everythings was clean and tidy. The cottage is up a fairly steep single track lane but not for long then you reach your destination which is just outside Barnstaple. The surrounding gardens are lovely and there are views over Barnstaple to the estuary. We recommend this lovely cottage without hesitation and hope to return soon.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Zoe A.

24 May 2022

Beautiful Cottage and Location

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Gavin M.

14 Sept 2021

A hidden gem

Barnstable is an excellent base for exploring North Devon and Courtyard Cottage couldn't be situated better - a few minutes from the town centre (by car) but completely tucked away up a long private drive, high up on the side of the valley with great views over the town. The cottage is beautifully decorated and equipped and although situated in fairly close proximity to the owner's house and another neighbour it's not difficult to find a secluded spot on 1 of the 3 patios that come with the cottage. The best is the patio above the garage which is equipped with seats and catches the afternoon and evening sun - ideal for a G & T (or 2). The owners are very welcoming and friendly and willing to give advice on visiting local sites, pubs and restaurants but manage to not intrude on your privacy. The beds are comfortable, the bathrooms are sparkling clean and the showers give plenty of hot water when required. The kitchen is fitted with Neff equipment and is well laid out with plenty of all the necessary crockery, cutlery, cooking equipment and lots of nice little touches like a stained glass window that lights up from inside. This is probably the best cottage we have ever stayed in and is certainly high up on our list of places we would like to visit again.