“We had a lovely stay at Leafield House and overall would recommend the property, although there are a few areas that could be improved.”
The setting is beautiful and peaceful, making it a great place to relax and switch off. The rural surroundings really added to the enjoyment of our stay and made the property feel like a proper countryside getaway.
The house was clean on the whole, and the bedrooms and bathrooms were all a good size and generally well presented. The kitchen dining area was spacious and comfortably seated all guests, making it ideal for group meals and socialising. The cinema room was absolutely amazing – a ...
The setting is beautiful and peaceful, making it a great place to relax and switch off. The rural surroundings really added to the enjoyment of our stay and made the property feel like a proper countryside getaway.
The house was clean on the whole, and the bedrooms and bathrooms were all a good size and generally well presented. The kitchen dining area was spacious and comfortably seated all guests, making it ideal for group meals and socialising. The cinema room was absolutely amazing – a real highlight of the property and a fantastic space for everyone to sit together and enjoy time as a group.
However, there were some cleanliness and maintenance issues that could be addressed. One bathroom did not have a bin, and unfortunately a used sanitary item was found in a drawer while searching for spare toilet roll. Some kitchen pots and pans were not thoroughly cleaned, with dust and a few dead flies found in cooking dishes and kitchen drawers. The kitchen sink did not drain well and there was no plug that held water, which made washing up more difficult. Additionally, some of the bathrooms did not have hand soap provided.
One bedroom had a broken lampshade, which was quite unpleasant to look at and detracted from the otherwise nice room. In the cinema room, the sofas were noticeably stained, and while blankets had been placed over them, these had clearly seen better days.
The Woodford hot tub is advertised as taking 2–3 hours to heat, but we found it took over 5 hours and wasn’t ready to use on the first night. It would be great if this could be started before guests arrive so it can be enjoyed sooner. Once heated, though, it was a lovely feature.
There was also a kitchen light flickering on and off, which became quite irritating, especially during the darker winter days when lights are on more often. We noticed this issue had already been mentioned in the guest book back in October 2025, so it was disappointing that it hadn’t been resolved.
A hoover would be very helpful for guests, as the short-handled broom provided made it difficult to clean larger floor areas before leaving. Additionally, the lack of flexibility with the checkout time made the final morning feel rushed, especially before a long drive home and having to go elsewhere for breakfast.
Overall, we had a very enjoyable stay in a lovely setting and the property has great potential. With a few improvements and more flexibility around checkout times, we would likely return and could see this becoming an annual visit for us.
We’ll start by saying this upfront — Leafield House is a farmhouse on a working farm, run by real people, and we love a bit of honest banter along with genuine feedback. If you like your holiday reviews dry and corporate, this probably isn’t the place — but if you like a little countryside personality, you’re in the right spot.
We’re pleased you enjoyed the setting, space, and cinema room — all firm favourites with guests who come here to switch off, spread out, and pretend they’re farmers for a few days.
A few points for clarity: all full bathrooms are fitted with bins and soap dispensers. The “missing bin” mentioned relates to the standalone WC on the landing rather than a full bathroom, but it is still checked as part of our routine inspections.
The review was submitted quickly, so we were able to inspect the property before the next clean. No used sanitary item was found; what we did find was a discarded tissue in a drawer. Not ideal — and addressed with our housekeeping team — but not quite the horror story it was described as.
The bedside lamp was fully functional; the lampshade had simply come loose from its Velcro fixing and was easily reattached. This wasn’t present on arrival. During winter check-ins we turn on bedside lamps to create a welcoming glow (because walking into a dark farmhouse is nobody’s idea of cosy) and to spot any potential issues — which would have been sorted straight away if needed.
The kitchen sink was slow to drain due to leaf debris from a recent storm partially blocking the external drain outside the window. Rustic problem, but quickly resolved once spotted. A washing-up bowl is provided beneath the sink, and a plug has been ordered so guests can fill it for washing up without performing acrobatics.
The cinema room sofas are around 18 months old. As velvet, they can show minor spot-cleaning marks where our cleaners have been busy doing exactly that. They’re in good condition, and the throws are provided for comfort and snuggling — not to hide upholstery scandals.
Being on a working farm, we do share the space with wildlife. Occasional flies and other countryside characters may wander in despite thorough cleaning. They haven’t quite mastered guest etiquette yet.
The hot tub is wood-fired and takes 2–3 hours to reach temperature when properly tended. Logs need attention — stoking, managing, a bit of caveman-style fire know-how — it’s not magic, just water and fire. Pre-heating it for arrival isn’t practical or environmentally sensible, especially as some guests may not want to use it straight away, or at all. Once the water is heated, though, it’s a lovely experience for anyone who fancies a soak.
Finally, check-in and check-out: we operate with a six-hour turnaround between departure and arrival to give our team enough time to thoroughly prepare an eight-bedroom farmhouse and gardens. We completely understand the desire to arrive earlier and leave later — who wouldn’t want a lie-in after a week of countryside relaxation? But cramming everything into a shorter window would reduce cleaning time — and probably result in less pleasant surprises than a stray tissue or a minor fly.
Overall, we’re pleased you had an enjoyable stay and found the house well suited to group gatherings. We take pride in Leafield House and will continue to run it as a welcoming, character-filled countryside retreat, full of mud, logs, wildlife, and a touch of personality that makes it feel like home. We’d love to welcome you back — just leave the amateur critic at home next time, and brush up on your fire-tending skills so you can boil like a lobster in no time!
Property Owner