Essentials
Cleaning
Our housekeepers will clean and prepare the cottage prior to your stay. The property is then yours to enjoy and the housekeeper will not return during your stay unless a problem arises.
Linen
All beds have duvets and will be made up with white linen for your arrival. Extra blankets will be available. Two hypo-allergenic pillows are provided in each cottage. One hand towel and one bath towel per person per week is provided. Extra hand towels will be provided where there is a lavatory separate from bath or shower rooms and in the kitchen. Sufficient tea towels will be provided in the kitchen. Towels are not provided for swimming or beach use. We regret that linen is not provided for cots.
Heating and Lighting
All electricity, gas and oil are included during your stay. We do ask that you respect the use of these services.
Fuel for Fires
An open fire is an important part of a holiday in the country, particularly in the cooler months. The availability of an open fire or a multi-fuel or wood-burning stove is shown in our brochure / website. Where one is provided, you will find matches, firelighters and sufficient wood or coal for the start of your stay. Information will be provided in the cottage on where to purchase additional supplies.
Refuse and Recycling
Most of our cottages are located at the heart of an English Heritage property and as such, often only trade refuse collections are available to us. If recycling facilities are available on site, the housekeeper will explain where these are. Where there are no recycling facilities at the property, details of the nearest recycling centre will be provided.
Provisions and Supplies
On arrival there will be a welcome hamper that will include tea, coffee, milk, bread, eggs, orange juice, marmalade or jam, cheese and a bottle of wine. Where possible goods will be of local origin. A selection of English Heritage toiletries will be available including hand soap, shower or bath gel and body lotion. Cleaning materials and toilet paper will also be provided.
Special Occasions
If you are making a holiday booking for a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary, please let us know at the time of booking. We have a range of gifts that can be waiting for you in your holiday cottage, as a part of your celebration. You can place an order through our reservation staff when making a booking. We will do our very best to fulfil your request but this does not form part of our contract with you.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed in English Heritage holiday cottages. If you smoke outside in the garden you are asked to dispose of used cigarette stubs carefully.
Guests with Disabilities
All Housekeepers will be trained in the Welcome All programme. If you have special requirements please discuss these with our reservation staff before making a booking, so we can do our best to meet them.
Dogs
A maximum of 2 well behaved dogs are allowed at properties where indicated. There is a charge of £25 per week/short break per dog. Please notify our reservations staff at the time of booking that you will be bringing your dog/s with you. No other pets or animals are permitted in English Heritage holiday cottages.
Access and Location
One of the many attractions of staying in an English Heritage holiday cottage is their outstanding location and architectural interest. This can mean that access is varied and may at times be over unmade roads, or that the interiors designed for another age, are more irregular than modern buildings. For instance stairs may be steeper or ceilings lower. We try to make any such points clear in our brochures and on our website. But if you have any particular concerns in these areas, please discuss them before booking. Extreme winter weather could make some of our cottages difficult to reach. In these rare circumstances we will do our best to notify you in advance.
Telephones / Messages
All cottages are supplied with a telephone for incoming calls and emergency calls. If you plan to use your mobile telephone please check signal strength with our reservation staff. Our Housekeepers cannot receive or deliver messages to you during your stay as most do not live on site.
English Heritage Property Visits
Where possible and subject to staff availability, guests will be offered a brief introduction to the English Heritage site on which they are staying. This will cover the key points of interest and a brief historical background. Guests and English Heritage members have free access to sites during opening hours.
Events
Special events or hospitality functions which are open to the public are held at many English Heritage properties throughout the year. Depending on the location of your holiday cottage, they will have more or less impact on your stay. We will always do our very best to tell you about any event during your stay at the time of booking. If an event is scheduled after you have made your booking, and it will impact on your holiday, we will notify you and give you the option to cancel without charge. All guests staying at a cottage whilst an English Heritage public event is taking place will be given a discounted or complimentary ticket during their stay.
Cancellation or Curtailment
Having to cancel or curtail your holiday can be very distressing. We do not offer insurance cover as a part of our cottage rental programme but can refer you to English Heritage’s insurance partner, Ecclesiastical Insurance or call 0845 777 3322.
Country Life
Some English Heritage holiday cottages are in very rural areas where sounds created by the rural economy such as harvesting or haymaking, or by animals can sometimes be heard, and at certain times late into the evening or early in the morning. Insects and pests can be a nuisance at some times of year and even the best housekeeping standards may not be able to totally eradicate these.
