We know you want to be together, but there are times when you need to be apart, so each barn has its own private garden. Get competitive with cricket and croquet, break out the steaks and shish kebabs in the clear country air, and let the kids run wild with a ball on the lawn. You’ll also have access to a brand new indoor pool.
Within the 300 acres of woodland and lawn, nature trails wind their way towards the Malvern Hills. This is the 300-acre garden that mimics the wild expanses of Herefordshire that it touches. You might never leave.
If you do, the nature trails will take you to the foothills of the Malverns and beyond. Take a six-mile hike across the ridge, or a two-mile potter down to the local pub. On your return, get cosy with steamy teas in front of crackling logs.
Spaces here are elegant and uncompromisingly beautiful. Cosy, too. The underfloor heating beneath the parquet tiles sees to that. Not cosy enough? Each barn comes with logs you light yourself. You kick-start the entertainment, too. Cards or charades would work well.
If you really can’t resist the lure of the modern miracle, in each barn there’s free wifi for tapping into, wall-mounted TV with DVDs for delving into, and a Bose stereo for singing along to. Light floods the spaces and layouts are open-plan, so you can chat as you chop up your veg.
The Barns are the ultimate retreat for doing as much or as little as you please. Kick back with a book, stare at the undulating views from the floor-to-ceiling windows, feed family appetites with hearty stews. At Midsummer Barn and Stables, you can get back to basics, while basking in the lap of luxury.
Feed your family and friends hearty stews in the winter and salads in the summer. It’s easy in state-of-the-art kitchens complete with everything including coffee machines, so you can please your inner barista. If there’s a celebration in the offing, our chef can do you something delicious while you sit back and loosen your belts.
Want to get all gastro? Combine hearty cooking with wholesome country walking – wander down to The Inn at Welland, for buffalo mozzarella washed down with a glass or two of high-octane jazz. The Hanley Swan’s a top tip on Trip Advisor and offers a mean plate of Cotswold beef or guinea fowl terrine.
For England’s oldest inn, head to The Porch House at Stow-on-the Wold. Ledbury’s a half-timbered heaven for shopping and when you tire of the arts, crafts and antiques, hop off the cobbles into The Feathers. For tortellini of truffle with a side order of sweeping Severn Valley views, try The Cottage in the Woods in Malvern.
Fine diner? Want to try Michelin-starred eateries that aren’t light years away? Head on down to the Butcher’s Arms in Eldersfield and 5 North Street in Cheltenham, restaurants with sparkling reputations.
Need a top-tier retreat for 12? With two buildings, Midsummer Barn and Stable allows you to be flexible with your family-and-friends configurations. And every one of the six bedrooms is as elegant, sophisticated and homely as the last.
Midsummer Stables comes with four bedrooms and the child-friendly convenience of zip-and-link. The master is a king size with double sinks and a luxury roll-top bath that suggests a longer linger. The first floor has a double bedroom with luxury shower room and there are two doubles on the ground floor.
Midsummer Barn comes with two doubles that can convert to twins in the blink of an eye, thanks to zip-and-link. The spiral staircase and stargazer Velux windows add a touch of pizzazz in Midsummer Barn.
