Poppinghole Farm Cottages

The facilities of an independent spa and the flexibility of self-catering combine at Poppinghole Farm, in the green surroundings of the High Weald. This leafy part of East Sussex is ripe for a countryside getaway, where bracing walks and visits to grand houses and vineyards can fill your days. Each of the four cottages at Poppinghole Farm would be a fantastic base on its own, but add in the heated indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi and on-site spa, and the place is even more tempting.

There are two cottages sleeping up to six people, one housing four and a cosy one for a couple. All are adults only. Hire the four to accommodate a group of up to 18 for your special occasion and you’ll have the whole place to yourselves. Or book just one for a romantic retreat or a small group getaway. You won’t have to fight for space in the pool or wait your turn to dip in the Jacuzzi because it’s bookable in hourly slots so you have it all to yourselves. Treatments at the spa – The Beehive Retreat – must be booked directly with them.

The cottages, set in a quadrangle with a fountain in the middle, were once part of the working farm. They’ve been well converted but the character is still there in exposed bricks and beams and the country-cottage style throughout. Log burners, butler sinks and oak furniture sit alongside all the mod cons you want from a holiday cottage. Each has an open-plan layout for the lounge, dining room and kitchen; all bedrooms have an en-suite. East Barn and Old Spot have two bedrooms, Saddleback and Tamworth have one – and all bar Tamworth have a sofa bed in the living space to accommodate extra guests.

All the cottages have either a balcony or a patio with outdoor seating – the perfect place for a morning coffee ahead of a relaxing day. For that, you could stay right here or perhaps wander through the surrounding fields and woodland that are typical of this part of Sussex. There are plenty of other places to visit to complement spa and pool days – the National Trust’s Scotney Castle, Rudyard Kipling’s former home at Batemans or perhaps a stroll around the quaint historic towns of Battle, Tenterden or Rye.