The Birches

Tastefully renovated old farmhouse in a stunning location.

Spacious but cosy. Ideal for walkers with good facilities for boots and drying clothes if necessary. Enjoyed tea on the lawn with the swallows darting overhead. The road to the property is narrow with some blind corners. Very good value for money.

The booking process (via VRBO) was easy, communication from the host was good, too.

We had a query about the electric car charger, and Andrew was immediately on hand to solve it. The car charger itself was a huge bonus for us! The house was immaculate and super-comfortable, and it had everything we needed. We appreciated the stock of wood for those chilly evenings, although the house was always at the perfect temperature. There were 7 of us, and there was plenty of reliable hot water. Location-wise, the house is perfectly positioned yards from the Black Mountains, and in the middle of nowhere. The peace and quiet was just beautiful. The local lanes aren't properly maintained by the council, and are in a terrible state - but perhaps that's why this area's so unspoilt! There's a great local pub (the Bull) which is a 5 minute drive away, and access to Hay is pretty easy. We honestly couldn't fault the place, and we'll probably book again in the future.

The property was in a beautiful setting, comfortable, homely and well equipped.

It has character and quirky features. We all enjoyed and would stay again.

This cottage could be beautiful BUT it needs a thorough clean and needs decoration.

On our first night i had to clean mud of the walls and get rid of cobwebs. The location is lovely we did excellent walks

We had a great stay in this large country farmhouse, just 3.

5 miles from Hay on Wye, located below the iconic Hay Bluff on the Gospel pass between Hay and Craswall. It is clean, warm and comfortable. It has everything you need for a self catering holiday. Andrew, the owner came out promptly in order to sort out TV issues for us: he was friendly and helpful. There are great walks from the property. We would certainly stay here again.

If it wasn’t for the location and the weather we might well have gone home early!

This house needs a deep clean, the smell of fly spray and damp (in places) was overwhelming. There were previous guests towels still on the back of a bedroom door, beard trimmings in the sink and the sofa was incredibly grubby. Cobwebs are abundant. Some redecoration is well overdue. A wobbly Ikea occasional table for a bedside cabinet is a bad substitute. Some maintenance, including PAT testing, and a look at the inventory of the kitchen are needed. We washed nearly every item of equipment that we used. And the frying pan….oh my days! Hot water was an issue towards the end of our stay. The rating of this property is misleading, it is in no way a 4 star holiday home. Sorry! But it’s true. A previous review (which I wish I had spotted prior to making our booking) pointing out some of these issues also alludes to what you will find at The Birches. This old horse has been flogged long enough and now needs some attention.

Stayed in The Birches for 5 nights in July 2025.

Cottage is centuries old but it’s cosy and renovated carefully to keep its history and original design preserved. It’s spacious and in a secluded location, there is no walking trail nearby but plenty attractions available nearby in short drive distance. Cleanliness inside could have been better as there were spider webs in bedrooms and reception room with dust at places. Overall enjoyed our stay and had a breakfast outside in front garden which has table and chairs with impressive views.

Lovely property.

Peaceful surroundings.

Beautiful house let down by condition.

I don't like complaining but for the amount paid I expected more. It was cold and smelled of damp, the underfloor heating never got warm. There was black mould on the walls in the dining room. The sofas were stained and the place needed a deep clean. I guess the previous holidaymakers had a baby as there was food on the high chair. The knives were damaged, plates and pans had been put away dirty. There was no visitors book or the usual load of manuals (unless we didn't find them) and no welcome pack. It was a great location but the house needed some care and attention. I complained to Sykes but got no response.

We had a wonderful stay at The Birches.

Plenty of room for six adults and a toddler, very comfortable and clean with a great range of facilities. The setting was lovely and it was a treat to be somewhere so quiet. The close proximity to Hay-on-Wye allowed us to explore the village and pick up any amenities for the week.

Second stay- love the property, beautiful setting.

Zero communication from owners despite e-mailing and calling about our arrival.

The Birches is a delightful farmhouse in a beautiful spot.

It’s a peaceful ‘home’ to come back to after a day out. The house was very clean, and there were appreciated basics such as soap, washing up liquid, and so on. Kitchen equipment was sufficient, although the knives have seen better days. The furniture was in keeping with the house, but could do with some tlc. Parking was super easy. The route to the house is along a single track lane which wasn’t an issue to us but may be for some. It’s a shame it is a no dog house as we have dogs and usually they come with us on holiday. This time we were attending the Hay Festival so it suited us fine to not have them for once. Overall I would recommend The Birches.

what a fantastic place!

we saw deer as well as a fox and squirrels. a beautiful spacious house. the only thing is that it really needs a thorough cleaning. nice landlord. What is not stated on the site is that at the back of the holiday home, up the hill, there are 2 other holiday homes. So your are not completly alone if its rented.

Great stay very isolated, perfect for being almost snowed in!

Lovely house - spacious amd comfortable. Could do with more toilet paper, as not quite enough to cover the stay, and It's quite way to the shops to stock up. Also the security light is a heavy strobe light that took away from the atmosphere and star gazing. It would be great if it could be turned off by guests.

We spent a lovely Christmas here.

Extended family from 2-66 years were all catered for comfortably with plenty of space for all. Inside the cottage, we loved the really comfortable lounge with plenty of seating and lovely dining room (with extra heater if needed). The kitchen was generally well equipped and good for Christmas cooking. Bedrooms all comfortable and cosy. For what we paid, everything was fine. Outside is a great table tennis table in an old barn ( with a fun slope to add to the game). The cottage is beautifully placed for access to Hay on Wye and nice walks. Only bits of minor feedback are that we needed a knife sharpener that worked and some kindling for the fire. If you’re over 6ft you’ll also need to duck in the kitchen ! Would love to return at some point.

Thanks for a great stay, really enjoyed it.

Everything we needed was available.

Winter stay in the property.

An enjoyable stay. Spacious farm house with good walks from the door. Well equipped house and kitchen and cold storage for good. The main lounge, hall and snug were deliciously warm (after a chilly start) but much of the house was on the cool side. The single Ikea beds were comfortable but the double beds were not and were lumpy and unusable for two of us. Nice quality linen and duvets which were appreciated. The owner quickly responded when we contacted him while staying at the property.

The cottage is remote, but that is clearly explained.

Some of the roads were difficult in the rain. It could have been cleaner. We found quite a few pots and pans were dirty and the rolling pin was covered in blue mould. It was toasty and warm downstairs but none of the radiators in the bedrooms appeared to be working, so upstairs was cold. We pulled the duvets off the double beds to have another layer on the twin beds.. As others have mentioned, the double beds are very uncomfortable. We slept in the twin beds after the first night, as even sleeping on a duvet, the beds were still too uncomfortable to get a good night’s rest. There is a pay phone in the property, so take some change (it doesn’t take the new £1 coins though). There is also a lack of information for appliances, central heating, when to put the rubbish out etc which would have been helpful. Overall we had a quiet stay.

Lovely cottage in beautiful area.

Very comfortable and well equipped, with comfortable beds and spacious living room. It's a little remote but we knew that when booking. Hay on Wye is a 15 minute drive away with lovely eateries and shops. We were well placed for our next stage of Offas Dyke. There is no mobile phone signal but decent wifi so we used WhatsApp for communication. Lack of light pollution makes for some great stargazing at night.

We enjoyed staying at the Birches.

The house was spacious and interesting and it's remote position suited us for a quiet stay, for the views and for walking. Of the three pubs we used, the Bridge Inn at Michaelchurch Escley was our favourite. Booking ahead in the area is needed as is extra travel time to complete journeys safely on the (mainly) single track roads.

Lovely house, has everything you need.

It is well off the beaten track so expect narrow lanes on your journey, but worth it. Comfortable bedrooms, well stocked kitchen, lounge is very welcoming and cosy. Definitely recommended, thank you

A lovely comfortable house, perfect for a week of relaxation.

In the middle of nowhere the peace and quiet was fantastic, only the odd sheep, cow or bird noises. 3.5 mikes to the lovely town of Hay On Wye. The house was an ample size for 8 of us, with lots of different rooms to give us all space. The kitchen was well equipped with everything you would need. I would highly recommend this property.

Absolutely stunning location, beautiful building with period features throughout.

Plenty of space for a large family, we loved the flagstone floors, cider press in the dining room, lovely hot bath for the end of a long day, and comfy beds, oh, and the log burner really brings a warmth of it's own, definitely recommend this place, and the owner was very helpful. One suggestion - make sure you email for the keycode before arrival as this isn't provided in the Sykes information.

It was a really lovely cosy cottage feeling in a rural location, great for walking (although beware of the hilly nature of the location) .

the lounge is a really nice place to chill out if the rain sets in. All facilities were of a good standard and necessary cooking equipment was provided. All in all a lovely stay and would definitely return. Great facility in the car charging point and will be more necessary in the future for all properties. A couple of points, the double bed in the larger bedroom was very lumpy and uncomfortable due I think to the age, my wife did not sleep well due to this. The other bedrooms seem to have more comfortable mattresses. Also beware of the some low door heights. The games room does not fit the expectation, because the floor is on a slope so it’s difficult to play table tennis and that’s about the only game in there, it’s not part of the house but in the shed and is not very inviting.

Beautiful, quiet and well equipped property close to Hay on Wye with great walks from the doorstep.

The accommodation is a renovated old farmhouse, this makes it quirky and atmospheric.

The down side is low doors and steps into many rooms. It's a short drive into town which can be an adventure at times so planning for all your needs . The large dinning room and lounge allows for meals and socialising together which ensures a great holiday.

The peaceful location was just what we all needed.

We spent many happy hours in the garden enjoying the surroundings and fresh air. A perfect holiday in these unsettled times.

Great and spacious house.

Fantastic location. Really really enjoyed our stay.

A weird smell in 3of the bedrooms, but lovely surroundings outside.

Some lovely wildlife.

For this holiday we used my wifes car and left my electric vehicle at home because of the uncertainty of being able to load it.

To my surprise the property had a charging station for an electrical vehicle. It might be an idea to specifically mention this if a property has this facility especially now that more and more people will use an EV.

Very peaceful and comfortable accommodation access can be a bit tricky on single track road but this is clearly stated in the discription and not too much of a problem the views are worth it.

Lovely quaint cottage, had everything you could ask, easy outpost to go or and explore Wales and Herefordshire, very child friendly and good value for money.

Superb location , a really special place !

Will definitely be booking to stay here again

Comfortable,warm house Good to play hide and seek inside and out.

Big yard for younger children to cycle around safely. Wonderful views from house. Would highly recommend.

Yes.

The Wifi in the house is very poor. We read that there is only 1GB a month. There is a possibility to bye extra for 1 pound per GB. But when you rent the cottage at the end of the month no wifi is left. I think Sykes has to mention that in the adds.

A very comfortable farmhouse in a quiet area with stunning countrywide walks all around, yet with the market town of Hay on Wye nearby and Hereford only 20 miles or so away.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Absolutely gorgeous cottage in a very pretty area.

We were provided with everything we needed including bread, milk and butter in the kitchen and an array of snacks in the living room. We had a wonderful time and would definitely come back again.

This is my second time within weeks at The Birches where I recorded two acoustic music CD albums and on this trip I was inspired to write and record on the same day in the cottage with great results.

I started to write a song called "SNOW" and while writing and recording it, the snow actually started to fall and lay outside. That was an amazing experience and very beautiful to see and for me to hear the results. I can't wait to re-book later this year after another song writing trip to Australia. I really hope that this will be a regular thing. The Birches is more than amazing, so quiet and so very inspirational.

It may save owner additional expenses if he goes for unlimited internet allowance.

Many people, nowadays, use internet a lot and the monthly limit can be easily exceeded.

very good cottage, in a lovely location.