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Manager: Felicity Ausden
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Overview
Description
Sansome House Cottage has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and is set up to feel like a home from home, not a standard holiday let.We do not accept bookings with pets, nor with children under five, for safety reasons. Children of five and over are very welcome. In the winter, when short breaks are available a 4th night is sometimes half price. We rarely have short breaks in the summer but it sometimes happens when people book more than a week that we have a gap to fill. Please enquire. Note, for October breaks, these cannot start on the 14, 15 or 16th October.
Sansome House Cottage is furnished in the style of small English country house rather than sleek, modern minimalist grey. It is a blend of antique and modern and has all the comforts you would expect, and it has a particularly well-equipped country-style kitchen. The aim is to provide a home from home in our lovely village setting so if you do want to spend time in, then you are happy and comfortable with books to read, TV to watch and board games to play; and, of course, the essential WIFI on hand.
The cottage is quietly situated in a courtyard (covered by CCTV) in the village of Limington, perfectly placed for for a Cotswold holiday combined with exploring Shakespeare country being at the northern end of the Cotswolds but less than 8 miles from Stratford up Avon. It is great for walkers who will be spoilt for walks all around, both hill and flat walking in the immediate area and within easy driving distance to explore more beautiful places around. The popular haunts of Chipping Campden, Moreton in Marsh and Stow on the Wold, Chipping Norton and Broadway are all under 15 miles away, as well as multiple small and pretty villages like Limington Within 5 minutes walk is an excellent shop (opens early for freshly baked croissants) and café in village as well as two wonderful dining pubs – the Red Lion and the Howard Arms, both widely praised by our guests. The Howard Arms has won multiple awards and the Red Lion sells a particularly good beer – Old Hooky.
Ilmington itself, voted in the Sunday Times, one best villages to live in the UK, is hidden away from the tourist hot spots and gets little outside traffic, being frequented mostly by cyclists and walkers who enjoy the surrounding hills – the Ilimington Downs for the pretty scenery and the amazing views from the top. The highest point in Warwickshire (for we lie on the Warwickshire/Gloucestershire border on the Warwickshire side although this site lists us as in Glos.) is easy walking distance. If you want to walk to Hidcote Manor Gardens, that is a 3 mile hike or a few minute’s drive. Multiple lovely walks can be taken from the doorstep. The Oxfordshire and Worcestershire borders are both less than 15 miles away.
Most stays are Saturday to Saturday, 7 night bookings. Short stays in part of October and November to February excluding the Christmas/New Year period. There are NO extra fees from this site or from me on top of the rate quoted as I pay them a subscription and they don't take commission from either you or me. Daily rate is quoted but in most instances 7 nights are the minimum.
Sansome House Cottage is a conversion of an early to mid-1700's farm building which lies opposite our own house, the original honey coloured Cotswold stone farmhouse, across a courtyard. It has its own small, secluded garden at the side and I try to fill the courtyard with flowers in pots all year round and have multiple vases of flowers inside to greet you. We have a young Whitebeam on the central lawn as the cherry tree in the photo sadly died.
Entrance Hall
There is a small antique table which could be used for romantic dining for two (candles provided although fire regulations makes these electronic). A door off leads to
Cloakroom/Shower room
Monsoon shower + loo and basin. A heated towel rail - central heating in winter, electric in summer.
Kitchen
Up two shallow steps from the hall. A rustic style kitchen. There is a large pine table with six chairs and this is the main dining space. If I haven’t provided the piece of equipment you need, just ask to borrow mine but most people remark how well-equipped it is. It has all the things you might expect like microwave, washing machine (tumble drier elsewhere) fridge freezer, smoothie maker, food processor and four different ways of making coffee – filter, Nespresso, Bialetti type and jug type. There is a small larder off the kitchen. Leading from the kitchen through double patio doors is
The Garden
Garden furniture for those warm days and a simple BBQ on wheels (kept in the garage). The garden is small with a paved area for the table and parasol and a little lawn surrounded by well stocked flower beds and plants in pots including a selection of cooking herbs.
The Drawing room
Antique Persian rugs lie on a wooden floor. There are two comfortable sofas and an armchair, grouped around an open fireplace which burns logs. The fire is laid ready for a match and a small basket of logs is provided. A 43” HD TV. Books and board games. Multiple leaflets and information on the area including walks and cycle rides.
Stairs
14 steps which are a bit steeper than standard lead up from hall. At the top bit there is a rope handrail (rope handrail one side and wooden banister on the other for the rest) so this may be unsuitable for those a bit unsteady on stairs and one of the reasons I don't take toddlers..
Twin Bedroom
A sunny room in the mornings as it faces East. This has two full sized single beds. (They do not join to make one double and do not have raised footboards to bother the long people).
Bathroom
Lying between the two bedrooms. This has a bath, with grip handles, a basin and loo. No shower here.
Double Bedroom
A comfortable room with a small sofa, TV and a small dressing room off (with a hand basin). The bed is a super king base made up with two mattresses in the Austrian style so could be used by two close friends as well as a couple as you have separate duvets – the latter popular with some couples as it removes the possibility of duvet stealing in the night! Sheets are cotton. Duvets and pillows are feathers and down or synthetic down type (I had to buy double for Covid quarantining so you can now request synthetic if you have a feather allergy, although there still will be some feathers in soft furnishings - I can remove all the added ones if requested but not what is an integral part of a sofa.)
As I have quite a lot of guests flying in from abroad I provide basic starter supplies (or more) of household items like soap, shower gel, loo paper, foil, clingfilm, tea, coffee, oil, salt, herbs etc. If you finish something, just replace it. You are greeted on arrival with a tray of afternoon tea in the form of freshly baked bread, biscuits and homemade jam.
Note that mobile reception is poor in Ilimington (although fine in the cottage if you are with a provider with WIFI boost) .
Bedroom Details
Bedroom 1
1 x Super King Bed
two matresses on a super king base made up with separate duvets.
Bedroom 2
2 x Single Beds
These are separate single beds which do not fit together.
12 Reviews
Leave ReviewVery happy to have found this lovely cottage and thoughtful host
By Karen H on 23-Apr-2025We’ve just returned from a wonderful stay at Sansome Cottage—our first time there, and certainly not our last. From the moment we arrived, the cottage felt warm, welcoming, and exactly as described. It quickly became a home from home, with everything we needed thoughtfully provided. It was clear that the owner had taken care to anticipate what guests might need, which made settling in effortless.The cottage itself was very comfortable—we spent relaxed evenings playing games, watching some of the videos, and enjoying the books available. It truly felt like a space to unwind and reconnect away from the busyness of everyday life.The location was perfect: within easy driving distance of Chipping Campden, Broadway, beautiful National Trust gardens, and some fantastic pubs and restaurants. There were also plenty of lovely walks in the surrounding area. Arriving back to the pretty courtyard each day felt like returning to our own little sanctuary.What really set this stay apart, though, was Felicity, the host. She is such a kind and thoughtful person—welcoming us with delicious treats and fresh flowers placed throughout the cottage. She even invited us to take part in a surprise Easter egg hunt on Sunday, which was a lovely and unexpected touch that made the stay even more special.Thank you so much, Felicity, for having us. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!
Beautiful Cotswold Cottage in a Charming Village
By Ruth T on 14-Apr-2022Sansome Cottage is very comfortable and has everything you need for a relaxing stay. It is in a charming area of the Cotswolds with many walks from the village and further afield. There are many gardens and attractions to visit within a short distance drive. The owners are very helpful and have provided plenty of useful information to ensure you have a very good stay.The cottage has its own private sunny garden which is a bonus. Website: VRBO Owner's Response: We are still finding new walks after over 40 years in the area! But the ones from the doorstep are the best! We are spoilt for choice - flat (towards Armscote and Blackwell) or hilly. Great that you enjoyed your stay - that makes us very happy!
Cotswolds Perfection
By Alison A on 24-Jul-2022The house is just lovely: comfortable, cozy but not claustrophobic, and full of thoughtful touches like a picnic hamper. The private garden is beautiful and the perfect place to relax. Felicity, the hostess, is so generous! (Thank you for the delicious homemade bread and jam (and home-grown cucumber) waiting for us on arrival.) Throughout our stay, Felicity was ready with suggestions, but never intrusive. The village is also amazing, with a local shop with exceptional quality items, two amazing pubs, plus a beautiful church with hidden sculptures of mice (we had great fun finding them all). Website: VRBO Owner's Response: I am so glad these guests enjoyed their stay and in particular the village which has been repeatedly picked out in polls as one of the best villages in England to live (shhh! we want to keep this secret, just between us!) and of course that applies to stays here too. Look up for more on Ilmington on greatbritishlife site. We hope Alison and family will maybe manage to get back here sometime to sample another slice of what the local area has to offer
New Year get away
By Jennifer C on 08-Jan-2025The property was great, a well stocked cottage which was lovely and warm and very welcoming… the open fire was a real treat. Felicity left a fresh baked loaf, butter, jam, flapjacks, milk and a bottle of champagne for New Years Eve which was a lovely thought.The village is also lovely, with two pubs a few minutes away and a community shop. The walks are fantastic and we felt it was a great rural location but near enough to explore the Cotswolds easily. Response: Delighted that these guests enjoyed their winter experience in Ilmington. If you like the village, the walks, the cottage, in Winter, then you will love it in the Summer. (or Spring, or Autumn...!) Website: VRBO and Houfy
Sansome Cottage: Englische Landidylle zum rundum Wohlfühlen
By Susanne S on 14-Sep-2024England wie aus dem Bilderbuch: Ilmington ist ein idyllisches Dorf mit bildschönen Häusern und Gärten, umgeben von herrlicher Landschaft. Es gibt zwei gemütliche Pubs und einen Dorfladen, dessen Angebot die Fahrt zum Supermarkt überflüssig macht. Sansome Cottage ist das Sahnehäubchen auf dieser Torte und das liegt eindeutig an Gastgeberin Felicity, die sowohl das Cottage als auch ihre Gäste mit Warmherzigkeit und Großzügigkeit umfängt. Zum Empfang ist die Teetafel in der großen Wohnküche mit frischgebackenem Brot, Gebäck und Himbeermarmelade einladend gedeckt, Blumensträuße stehen in allen Räumen und alles strahlt Behaglichkeit und Gemütlichkeit aus. Die perfekte Ausstattung des Hauses wird komplettiert durch einen hübschen Garten mit Terrasse, Liegewiese und Gartenmöbeln. Auch während des Aufenthaltes ist Felicity für ihre Gäste da und verwöhnt sie mit selbstgezogenem Obst und Gemüse. Das kleine Juwel Sansome Cottage ist eine Reise wert, unbedingt ausprobieren und genießen! Website: VRBO Owner's Response: Ich freue mich sehr, dass diese lieben Gäste ihren Besuch genossen haben. Es war uns eine Freude, sie zu beherbergen. Ich hoffe, dass wir sie eines Tages wieder treffen.
Wonderful
By Shabbir on 17-Jul-2025It was wonderful arrangement we love it love to visit again in future Airbnb