The cottage layout
The cottage offers spacious accommodation for a short break, week or longer holiday for all; extended families – parents, children of all ages, grandparents; or couples and small groups. The internal layout has a ground floor bedroom with adjoining bathroom and three double upstairs bedrooms with two shower rooms (one en-suite).
The layout with the kitchen, dining hall and formal snug in the old part of the cottage with the large upstairs sitting room located in the newer part of the cottage allows for comfortable multi family or generation holidays with space and privacy for everyone. The newer wing of the cottage (ground floor bedroom, bathroom and upstairs sitting room) can even be shut off from the rest of the cottage to provide a peaceful private suite at night.
Wi-fi
There is full fibre superfast broadband at the cottage.
EV Charger
There is a 7KW EV charger on the drive for electric cars. You will need to bring your own Type 2 cable. Payment (by credit card) is via scanning a QR code.
Smaller parties
There is a discount for smaller parties (up to four people). Only two bedrooms will be made up. Please speak to Toad Hall Cottages for more details.
Dog friendly
Up to 5 house trained dogs over 12 months in age are welcome. Treats, bowls, balls and the all essential 'poo' bags are provided.
We politely request that dogs are kept out of the bedrooms and off the furniture. However if your dog is used to sitting on the sofa or sleeping on your bed please bring your own clean throws to protect the furniture and bed linen.
Child friendly
Children's cutlery, plates & bowls, a travel cot, highchair, stairgates, age related games and toys, and books are provided.
Outside, for use in the garden and at the beach, there are buckets & spades, crabbing & fishing nets and garden/beach games.
Appliances
Double electric oven
Induction hob
Rayburn*
2 under counter Fridges
Microwave
Dishwasher
Coffee Machine
Washing machine
Tumble drier
Freezer
Iron
Two smart TVs
Four Bluetooth speakers
Radio/CD player
Barbecue (charcoal)
* The rayburn is turned off from April to October
Entertainment
For the adults and older children, we have included a selection of board games and books including local guides and maps, two smart TVs, Bluetooth speakers, a pool table, a table tennis table and chess table. For those who love cooking or for a fun rainy day activity with young children essential baking equipment is provided (kept in the utility room).
Smoking
Smoking (including vaping) is expressly forbidden in the cottage.
Heating
The cottage benefits from central heating, two wood burners, one electric 'wood burner' and during the cooler months, the kitchen rayburn.
What is included in the price?
All bed linen and towels (1 bath and 1 hand towel per person plus bath/shower mats). Please bring your own beach towels.
All electricity and oil although we politely request you switch lights and heaters off when you are going out or not using a room.
An initial basket of logs and kindling (enough for 2 fires)
A hairdryer in each bedroom
Hand wash and Shower gel
Kitchen Essentials – dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, cleaning cloth, tea towels, oven gloves
Utility room Essentials - laundry powder
Check in/out
Check in time is 4pm and check out time is 10am.
Supermarket deliveries
Access to Hansel is difficult for larger vehicles as there are no easy turning places in the hamlet (cars, including large SUVs are fine). If you want easy supermarket shopping we suggest using click and collect or even better treating yourselves at one of the excellent local farm shops.
Gardener
The grounds are maintained by our gardener and her team. They will knock on the door to let you know if they are working in the garden so you are not alarmed by their presence.
What else do you need to know?
The hamlet of Hansel is reached down a mile of single track lane with limited passing places. It is in a beautiful secluded valley with an abundance of wildlife but the access may be daunting for those not used to the Devon lanes. The road only accesses a handful of properties so it is very quiet and you are very unlucky if you meet someone and have to reverse any distance.
The cottage's own drive has a narrow and steep access. Cars and large SUVs will be able to navigate it but larger vans will not. Once on the level area there is parking and turning space for up to three cars. There is no other parking or turning in the hamlet itself but there is a large gravel/mud layby about 200 metres up the hill that could be used.
The cottage has a private water supply from a spring in a nearby field. The only drinking water is from the kitchen tap as this is filtered and monitored.
Our access statement which describes the cottage and grounds in terms of accessibility is available here.