East Anglia Self Catering cottage, Tawny Owl Barn, Shipdham, sleeps 2

Lots of positives but beware if you value being left in peace
The barn is lovely. Wonderful quiet location, lovely view over fields. Very comfortable bed. The owner is trying to be welcoming, but we found him a little invasive. He insisted on going through every detail of the property, when we would rather have been left in peace to read the instructions (which he was very adamant that we MUST read) and figure things out ourselves. His heavy handed, didactic way of talking about the rules felt unwelcoming. Please presume that your guests are good people who will leave the property in a good state.... rather than treating them like naughty children. Insisting on coming round at 9:30am on the day of our departure to inspect the place was belittling and unnecessary, and further disturbing of the little time we had there. We are both experiencing some difficulties in our life and needed some peace and quiet but every time we stepped out, he wanted to engage in conversation. If you are chatty and sociable, you may really enjoy this, I can see how some people would find him attentive and nice. But he didn't pick up any of our cues about wanting to be left alone and it made our time there a little anxiety inducing. We probably should not have booked somewhere with onsite owners.....but I also think the owner could try and assess which of his guests are eager to chat and which ones are not. In summary, if you are happy to engage and chat frequently with owner, and don't take offence at being spoken to like a child, I can truly recommend it for the lovely accommodation and location. If you prefer to be left alone you might not find this place suitable.
Lou K
2020-08-24

Tawny Owl Barn is an excellent accommodation, with a very knowledgeable owner this made for a relaxing holiday.
Mr Mcdarby
2016-07-30

It was very relaxing, and the owners were available if needed. This was our first holiday away with our dog and the owners gave us some good ideas of where to take the dog for long walks and dog friendly pub/restaurant in the area. It is high quality accommodation with lots of extras to make you feel very welcome.
Mrs Edes
2016-06-11

The owners were very welcoming. The property is well looked after and decorated really nice. The location was perfect for peace and quiet and for travelling around Norfolk. We will definitely recommend the property and Sykes Cottages.
Mrs Lester
2016-05-27

The cottage was cosy and very well equipped, it made the most of the space and the bathroom and shower were surprisingly generous in size too. The surroundings were stunning; at night seeing a blanket of stars and hearing just an owl in the distance is my perfect idea of getting back to basics. The owners were friendly, approachable and keen to offer tips and recommendations on the trip too.
Mrs Jarvis
2016-05-09