We are a family of four, two adults, a 7 year old and a 3 year old and this cottage catered for us almost perfectly .
First and foremost the living space on the ground floor is spacious, clean and functional lending itself perfectly to family dining and living. The snug, or TV room, at the front of the property was also a useful space for the kids to sit and watch TV or their iPads while we relaxed in the main living area. Netflix was also a real bonus!
The bedrooms are well appointed without being too cluttered and have adequate lighting and plug sockets (an occasional frustration in holiday cottages) and the bathrooms still feel new and are installed using high quality fittings. The shower in the ensuite on the 2nd floor is a particular highlight.
The garden was small and could do with some work however this wasn't an issue as there is a field with a great kids park in 30 seconds away where we spent a lot of time. There is also tennis courts and table tennis in the field (table tennis bats and balls are provided in a box under the table and we were amazed they were there!)
We did have some concerns about the cottage being adjacent to a pub carpark however these were unfounded. The benefits of this location easily outweighed any negatives, parking was fine and having good beer and food 20 steps away was welcome.
From a wider geographical perspective the location is almost unbeatable on the North Norfolk coast. Burnham Overy Staithe is ideally situated. In addition to having the picturesque estuary at BOS a 5 min walk away, the excellent beaches at Brancaster and Holkham are within a 10min drive travelling either East or West. The beautiful town of Burnham Market is only a 5 min drive inland, and Wells and Hunstanton are easily reachable in either direction on the coastal road. Anyone who enjoys running will also find a number of excellent routes on the doorstep, my favourite being the run up the coastal path to Holkham beach and back which is about 7 miles.
A few suggestions for the cottage itself:
- A BBQ. We've never been to a cottage without a BBQ before and naively assumed there would be one meaning we had lots of BBQ food to cook in the oven!
- Sort the gates out. Both the front gate and back gate were very sticky and need rehanging.
- A better freezer. The small chest freezer under the stairs badly needs defrosting but could also do with being upgraded.
- We found the price high for the size. We didn't need anymore space but we've stayed in equivalent size properties of a comparable standard for significantly less money at a similar time of year.
In conclusion, this is a great cottage that is well appointed with a high standard of fixtures and fittings and some nice touches. It's in an excellent location and if the price was a little more reasonable we'd certainly visit again.