Castle Combe was an amazing place to visit, stroll the streets, and countryside. It's like stepping back in time. The home was in very good condition and had a nice little wood stove. We had a great stay.
Charming ancient cottage at the heart of one of Englandâs prettiest villages.
The constant huddle of tourists outside taking pictures tells you the youâre in an iconic spot.
Lovely sunny hidden garden a surprise.
Would recommend, never stayed anywhere as pretty.
Our stay at the Porch House in Castle Combe was a delight. The cottage is charming and comfortable, with all the comforts of home. The village was charming and a welcome retreat following day travels to Bath, Avebury, Stonehenge and Oxford. It was like a dream! Highly recommended.
Cute small 15th century village - great location to visit other villages and Bath. Some low ceilings so my 6â5â son had trouble. Rooms are small but cozy. Lacks the convenience of modern lodging but makes up for in charm.
We were a group of 5 women from Canada, mother/daughters, away for a trip to the Cotswolds.Our stay in your delightful characterful cottage in the charming village of CastleCombe was everything we hoped for. The accommodations were clean, comfortable and well equipped for simple meals at home and a nice fireplace for cozy nights at home.The village itself is a travel back in time and had quite a few choices for meals considering the size of the town. The Porch House Cottage's location was picture perfect for the most photographed village in the Cotswolds; right outside our door is the iconic spot! It is well situated for a trip to Bath for the sights there as well as other historic locations and picturesque villages. Our stay was certainly all we hoped for and more. If we are in the Cotswold's again we will certainly be back!
This property and location far exceeded our imagination. It was the highlight of our travels that we will cherish forever. It was hard to leave its perfect charm. I could see renting this again but for a longer duration. We even welcomed the rain, to cozy with a cup of tea and good book next to the fire. Every detail was provided. Thank you .
Wonderful stay in this truly unique property. It's like stepping back in time but with every modern amenity. Beautifully furnished, spotless, and every detail thought of for guests. The picturesque location is perfect with the river right outside. A lovely private garden exists in the rear. Taverns in the village are a must. Dinner at Castle Inn was amazing. Would love to return!
Porch House is a wonderful property in the beautiful village of Castle Combe. The cottage has everything you need for a comfortable stay, as well as a lovely garden. We had a fabulous few days and would highly recommend this as the perfect getaway. The owner made the whole process very easy and gave us some great recommendations for local activities and places to eat. 5 stars!
This Castle Combe house is a delight! Comfortable beds and lots of bathrooms! The kitchen has everything you need and the lounge is comfortable to rest in. There is a lovely backyard if you have a sunny day. There are beautiful walks around the town and in the area as well as a great pub. Afternoon tea at The Manor House was a wonderful experience. Shirley was easy to communicate with and overall a great experience.
Everything was as described. Accomodates 6 people well.
Picturesque location. House is very old, but was maintained and everything functioned. Castle Combe is beautiful, but tiny.
Warning: donât go to the White Hart pub. Owner doesnât care for tourists.
The Cottage was fine, the location was fine, being with friends was excellent. However, the whole weekend was spoilt by there being NO hot water for the whole weekend - very disappointing..
A beautiful cottage in a picturesque location, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay!
One minor comment is that the dishwasher wasn't hugely effective and didn't clean the dishes very well. However, this did not impact our most enjoyable stay! The kitchen was well appointed with everything one would need to make light meals.
Shirley was super and sent a well thought-out and useful list of places to visit in the local area.
We hope to stay with you again!
We live in the USA and were looking for an experience with that English countryside charm... and were delighted with our stay at Porch Cottage!!! Shirley made everything so easy... responding quickly to questions, providing lots of info about Castle Combe with suggestions on activities/outings in the area. Porch Cottage is beautiful.... so much attention to detail, lovely amenities, cozy and comfy.... with a beautiful, private garden. We enjoyed Castle Combe itself... taking lovely walks, meeting the locals and enjoying our meals at the pubs. This was one of our favorite stops on our visit to England :)
Shirleyâs property is in quite a beautiful and picturesque location- as was evidence from the number of people standing outside taking photos through the day! We went on several countryside walks from here and were able to visit the local pub and restaurant just a short distance walking from the house.
The house itself was perfect for our stay. The kitchen was well stocked with items to make nightly dinners and we enjoyed fires in the fireplace whilst playing board games. The bed was very comfortable and the fluffy duvet was like a cloud.
Thanks for a fantastic stay, Shirley!
The property was in a great location. It was clean and well kept with most things provided for. The garage was too tiny for our car but there was parking a short walk away. Shops, restaurants and grocery stores were a short drive away. We were unlucky to get some bad weather during our stay but had taken some games and books with us to pass the time by. We did forget our umbrellas but luckily most of us had waterproof jackets.
On several occasions the temperature dipped to 0 degrees and we had NO heat. There were bugs and spiders on the window sills, towels were sour, televisions didn't work, and the dryer didn't work. No local property management to address issues
Shirley's property is amazing. You feel like you are stepping back over 600 years when entering (in a good way). The house is amazingly well kept, clean as clean can be, and just relaxing the moment you entry. The beds are very comfortable, the kitchen very well equipped, and the setting is perfect. The rear garden is wonderful and a great place to relax with a book and drink. Our three teenagers loved the setting and two of them want to move to Castle Combe. The village itself is wonderful and the people are very welcoming (one point below). Despite being one of the most photographed places in the UK, the flow of traffic and day-trippers was very quiet. There are great food/drink choices in the village and the Manor House Hotel grounds are open to the public unless and event is on. Shirley is a wonderful host and is very cordial and quick to respond. We were supposed to originally have traveled in 2020 but COVID had other plans. She kept in communications with us the whole time as we rebooked. If you are traveling with a car, there are several good parking (free) options. The house comes with a small (as in compact to medium cars only) garage about 30 yards up the street in the converted stables for the Manor House. We had a 7-passenger auto, so we simply parked across the street from the lane on the main street into and out of Castle Combe. Overall, we could not have a better time and will likely book and extended stay the next time we travel to the UK. One word of caution in the village and has nothing to do with Shirley or the property - the proprietors of the White Hart Pub do not seem to be overly fond of tourists and others. But everyone else could not have been nicer and more pleasant during our 4 day stay.
This is the second time we stayed at Porch House in a few years' time. We especially like the location and nearby things to do. We enjoyed dinner in the town and several walks through the countryside from right outside the door.
It was interesting this time around with the experience of the river flooding, which it hasn't done for over 10 years apparently. Our group is pretty easygoing so a little extra water didn't hinder the trip too much and the owner came by to evaluate things. Hope it's all ship shape again in no time!
The owner has enjoyed this beautiful cottage and exploring the surrounding area for many years. Castle-Combe has long been considered one of the prettiest villages in England and our friends who have used the house have loved the history and beauty of Castle-Combe.
Acquired in 2002 Porch House, Castle Combe is a very special place .A roof beam in the house has been dated to have been felled in 1468 so the property in parts is over 550 years old. The Street it stands on has recently been selected as one of the Top 50 streets in the British Isles and features in Melanie Backe-Hansen's book " Historic Streets and Squares" where she claims it is the most photographed street in England. Originally a weavers cottage (see the bobbin hooks in the ceiling in the hall) the house is a great blend of old and new which will transport you back to a earlier time while offering today's modern conveniences. As owners we love it but feel with a 600th anniversary approaching we are simply custodians of this piece of history & look forward to you sharing the same feeling..