Skip to main content
Apartment

Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester.

Photo gallery for Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester.

Outdoor dining
Nearby Sidlesham Quay
West Wittering beach
Typical Chichester Harbour evening
Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed meetings.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • On the beach
    A rare beachfront property in the area - enjoy direct access to the sand and sea.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 2

Popular amenities

  • On beach
  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Barbecue grill
  • Deck or patio

Explore the area

View in a map
Chichester, ENG
  • Place, Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Chichester Harbour National Landscape
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Place, Chichester Harbour
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Airport, Southampton (SOU)
    ‪73 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester.

The Sail Loft, Highleigh is set within the grounds and adjacent to a meticulously renoved 17th Century Sussex threshing Barn, Sunnybrook Barn, now a family home. The quiet hamlet of Highleigh, just 4 miles south of the historic City of Chichester with its Cathedral and Theatre. Very close are the natural harbours of Chichester and Pagham to enjoy the wildlife and walks or water sports. The beautiful, well known, sandy beaches at West Wittering are just 10 mins drive away, or just walk or cycle from the door to enjoy the wonderful views of the countryside and coast. Goodwood Estate with its many famous motoring and racing events and aero club, is within 5 miles, and the South Downs National Park just to the North of Chichester. The recently established Medmerry Reserve is close by for bird watchers and walkers.

Add dates for prices

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

Exterior
Cosy Bungalow On Private Estate
Bognor Regis
  • Kitchen
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Outdoor space
  • Parking available
9.2 out of 10, Wonderful, (55 reviews)
Cosy Bungalow On Private Estate

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Check out before 11:00 AM
default

Children

Adults only
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Minimum stay May to October 4 nights

Important information

You need to know

Property # 8167529
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
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

About the area

Chichester

Located in Chichester, this apartment is in a rural area and on the beach. South Downs Planetarium and Science Centre and Novium are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include Chichester Market Cross and Chichester Cathedral. West Sands Fun Fair and Lakeside Superbowl are also worth visiting. Power boating and sailing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling and horse riding nearby.
View more Apartments in ChichesterOpens in a new window
Map
Chichester, ENG

What's nearby

  • Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve - 6 min drive - 3.8 km
  • Chichester Harbour National Landscape - 9 min drive - 4.4 km
  • Chichester Harbour - 13 min drive - 5.8 km
  • beach near Seal Bay Resort Waterfront Quays - 13 min drive - 9.7 km
  • Chichester Cathedral - 17 min drive - 11.5 km

Getting around

  • Fishbourne Station - 11 min drive
  • Southampton (SOU) - 45 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Costa Coffee - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Little Monster By The Bay - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Lamb Inn - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪The Lion Inn - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪The Spotted Cow - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester.?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester.?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Lovely studio apartment in grounds of beautiful renovated barn near Chichester. located?

Nestled on the beach, this Chichester apartment building is within 3 mi (5 km) of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, Chichester Golf Club and Chichester Harbour National Landscape. Chichester Harbour is 3 mi (4.8 km) away.

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 38 out of 43 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 43 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 43 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 43 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 43 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Julie H.

Great Stay

Really enjoyable stay .Great stylish accommodation with everything we needed .Friendly helpful hosts . Highly recommend .Hope to return .
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Thank you for your lovely review. Come again any time - see how lovely it is in summer! With best wishes from us all.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Bev W.

Great property perfect for what we needed

Pauline and Anne were lovely and were very helpful and couldn’t do enough for us, property location was perfect for us as we were going to the Goodwood FOS. Wonderful apartment, very clean and tidy in a peaceful setting which was just what we needed. We would definitely stay there again.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Thank you Bev, it was great having you (and your special car). Come back any time, you were great guests.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Peter M.

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

Winter Oasis

This was a delightful property to stay in, with lovely hosts and friendly chickens roaming the garden. It was an excellent barn conversion, cosy and warm in some very cold weather. A good location for Chichester, the Witterings and Selsey as it was a short drive to each.
Stayed 9 nights in Jan 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Jan, 2025
It was great to have to to stay, all the way from Australia. You were the perfect guest. Thank you for choosing us and come back soon! Annie
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Marigold C.

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

Peaceful

What lovely hosts couldn’t be more helpful.Just what we both needed.Lovely local knowledge to help enjoy our stay.Very friendly hens eggs wonderful .
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Jun, 2025
Marigold, thank you. You were great guests, we loved having you and you are obviously welcome here any time.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

ian p.

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

Excellent superb location

Fantastic week stay in a beautiful location, Annie and Chris are the perfect hosts made us very welcome and relaxed. The accommodation is to a very high spec and the bed is very comfortable. Ideal location to explore the area walking biking or car, can recommend the Weald and downland living museum and the historical dockland at Portsmouth. Highly recommend hope to return.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Oct, 2021
Ian, thank you. We loved having you to stay and so glad you got around and saw lots of the sights and brought the sunshine with you too! Come back soon. You left the place absolutely immaculate too. Annie
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gayle S.

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

Idyllic

Beautiful converted sail loft. Everything and more you need for a restful holiday. Picturesque setting. Annie and Chris were lovely hosts and very welcoming. They local knowledge was very helpful and we had an enjoyable few days. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Aug, 2024
It was great to have you to stay, Gayle. Thank you for being such lovely guests.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sue S.

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

Most enjoyable.

This bijou property is ideal for two adults who wish to explore Chichester and the nearby coast. It is well appointed and comfortable. The owners were most kind and helpful, encouraging the use of outside seating in their garden as the weather was hot during out visit. Despite the property being in a converted roof space, there are sufficient windows and doors to keep it cool and although quite close to the owners' own property, there is plenty of privacy. Altogether worth a return visit.
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Samantha M.

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

Most delightful stay

Just got back from a short break at the Sail Loft. It was a lovely place to stay, a real home from home. The loft itself was beautiful, clean, spacious, well equipped and a king size bed to die for... the grounds were kept immaculate and a lovely place to sit in the evening. An ideal base for exploring the local area. Pauline and John were fantastic hosts and gave us some excellent tips on where to go and what to do. They couldn't do enough for us, even meet us in the rain with an umbrella! Thankyou for a wonderful week, we will be back.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 30 Jun, 2021
We were delighted to host Sam and Dan who left the Sail Loft immaculate when they departed.
Archival

8/10 Good

Kate B.

Lovely apartment in peaceful surroundings

The apartment was lovely, modern with character features and finished to an excellent standard. Very quiet location, but only 10 mins to Chichester, which is a lovely small town. We visited Goodwood for the horse racing which was very enjoyable. Also went to West Wittering beach, a nearby beautiful beach although very busy the day we visited. We liked Arundel with its antique shops and nice cafés, pubs etc. The owners of the apartment were very welcoming and helpful but not intrusive. A lovely break and great weather which is always a bonus. ! Phil and Kate Nottingham
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Thank you, Kate. It was great to have you. We're glad you had a good time.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

IAN T.

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

Small gem

Lovely property ideal for 2 people with a great location providing easy access to the many small harbour quays, beaches and local pubs and cafe's. Annie and Chris make you feel very welcome and are available if you have any queries or if you need some local knowledge of the area. The sail loft provides comfortable accommodation with all the little extra's such as tea, coffee, and even a small jug of milk left in the fridge for that much needed arrival refreshment. A bottle of wine, chocolates, and dish of cherry's were a lovely personal touch. There is a lovely maturing garden (that the photos not show) with tables and chairs to sit out when the weather allows.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kay W.

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

Relaxing 4 day break

Just returned from a peaceful 4 night break over our 34th wedding anniversary . The Sail Loft is a modern and comfortable accommodation . We were met by Pauline and shown around. Thank you for the little extras ( grapes / flowers and heart shaped cakes) . We used the garden during the late afternoon which was very relaxing . The area has many places of interest . We went to Arundel Castle - beautiful . Also trips out to Bosham and Dell Quay - both idealic settings to watch water sports and have a beverage or ice cream . We also visited Chichester Cathedral and the Roman Palace at Fishbourne . Both were very interesting and well worth the time . So we packed a lot in our 4 days but didn’t feel exhausted . Thank you The Sail Loft x
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug, 2022
Kay, thank you for your review. We’re so glad you had a good time. Come again soon! Pauline.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robin J.

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

Good place in a great location

It has everything you need for a holiday and is in a good location for exploring this part of the country. Plenty of good coastal walks and pubs with excellent food nearby. Steps up to the accomodation may be a problem for the less agile.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David F.

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

An enjoyable and relaxing break.

We met Pauline and John, were welcomed to the Sail Loft and made to feel very ‘at home’. Unfortunately we did not get to meet with Anne as the timing of our visit didn’t coincide with her being there. We were able to visit Chichester, Bognor Regis, Arundel and Selsey very easily from Highleigh. We were able to do some good walks with use of local maps. A very pleasant stay and would recommend to others. Thank you very much.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Malcolm S.

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

Barn Loft in rural West Sussex

Warm welcoming hosts. Spacious. & comfortable accommodation set in the grounds of the their home. Tea, coffee, milk & cake available on our arrival as well as fresh cut garden flowers all very thoughtful. Hosts available throughout our stay to offer useful information about local places of interest to visit. Property centrally located for Chichester harbour villages and beyond. A lovely relaxing holiday.
Stayed 8 nights in May 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elaine price

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

Lovely place to stay near the coast.

Lovely welcome and recommendations! Great place to stay in the Chichester area, with everything you need including a good shower and comfy large bed. Thank you very much, Elaine and Bob
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Terry D.

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

Excellent, excellent, excellent

Excellent accommodation for 2. Hosts very welcoming and helpful.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Sept, 2021
Terry you were great guests and we loved having you to stay. We hope to see you again soon.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Clive W.

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

Convenient, complete and comfortable.

Carefully converted loft accommodation, felt like home at the end of each day. Pleasant rural setting with good parking. Charming hosts.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew F.

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

A fantastic property a short drive to so many places

A fabulous week away
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Colette S.

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

Excellent

Fantastic 4 night stay at The Sail Loft - perfect in every way - couldn’t fault it. We would definitely stay again.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth H.

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

Excellent place to stay

We really enjoyed our stay at this well equipped and comfortable loft apartment. We had everything we needed. Annie and her extended family were very accommodating and helpful - even down to an offer of shopping for us. We were able to use the washing machine downstairs which was very useful. Annie made us very welcome and nothing was too much trouble for her. Would definitely stay again and would highly recommend this accommodation. Liz and John
Stayed 7 nights in May 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

graham k.

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

Sailing in the Loft

We stayed at The Sail Loft for my wife's birthday and took our bicycles along which were nicely stored in the garage below. A warm and friendly welcome from Chris who showed us round the lovely apartment which proved to be just what we needed for our special weekend. We were also greeted by Annie who gave us great tips and even helped us out with a couple of things on here computer. The apartments is super clean, comfortable and convenient. A very comfortable bed too! We will be back as we loved it so much and want to look more around the local area next time. A big Thank you to Chris and Annie who were the perfect hosts. Graham & Tosca
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 17 May, 2021
Thank you for your lovely review. We loved having you to stay and you were perfect guests and left the place absolutely immaculate. Thank you.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Claire B.

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

Beautiful bolthole

We chose the Sail Loft for our first post-lockdown getaway and weren't disappointed. The setting is beautiful and location ideal for exploring the local area. Anne, Pauline and their husbands were great hosts: communication was spot on and we had a lovely welcome with fresh flowers, fruit and cookies! The property is really well laid out with clever use of space. The kitchen is bijou but very well-equipped for making small meals and it even has a little dishwasher. The bed was comfy and the bathroom nicely done - I would have preferred a hotter shower but I guess temperature is restricted to protect guests. Our hosts were friendly without being intrusive. All in all a great little getaway which recharged our batteries and left us hungry for more minibreaks!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 10 May, 2021
Claire, it was great to meet you both, you were lovely guests. We do hope to see you again soon.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lucy S.

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

Rest and relaxation!

We loved our short stay at the Sail Loft; it was everything we had hoped it would be for rest and relaxation near the sea. Wonderful opportunities for countryside and coastal walks in every direction. Pauline and John gave us a warm welcome on arrival and the chocolate brownies were absolutely delicious! Would definitely love to return.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Trevor H.

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

Sussex Barn

Very nice large studio apartment above a barn. Lovely owners.
Stayed 15 nights in Apr 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dana S.

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

perfection !

would highly recommend anyone to stay here hosts were there when we needed them, and not intrusive or in the way.. a comfortable and enjoyable stay..lovely
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2020

About the host

Hosted by Anne

Host profile image
Our family was lucky enough to purchase this beautiful property in 2015 and will be continuing to provide the Sail Loft, Highleigh as rental accommodation with very few changes. Having grown up in West Wittering we know and love the area and have walked, sailed and ridden in and around Chichester Harbour for over 60 years in an assortment of boats.

Why they chose this property

Highleigh is a peaceful, unspoilt backwater but within close reach of many activities and interesting places to visit.

Languages:

English, French, Italian
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback