We booked Polean when a friend had found it and booked it. The reviews speak for themselves. This is a very well run operation, with a very helpful and friendly feel. The owners are on site, but you can be as isolated or involved as you wish. We have a toddler at just over 2 yrs old, and the Monday-Friday morning animal feeding and activity was a great start to the day.

At this point, we'd give a huge shout of appreciation to Farmer Keith and Lisa for making our little daughter Georgia a very happy little girl. She warmed up over the 2 weeks to the animals and absolutely loved the tractor barrell rides and the pony rides. She had some very special treatment as she was very patient and polite (which of course goes down well). Keith and Lisa are really patient, warn and great with the guests from toddlers to grown ups. Our little one hasn't stopped talking about Noah (the shetland) and Humbug. A hobby in the making...

It is the kind of place that feels very safe, and many children were free range! Some more polite and well behaved than others... but in fairness for older children - there is the opportunity to roam and play in a very safe environment either on the extensive grounds, the playground area and trampoline or in the indoor games room.

For pushchair/ younger legs the only real option to get around is to hop in the car. Looe is a 5-10 minute drive away which has a lot of cute shops, restaurants and cream teas. Polean provide a lot of great information of days out, beaches, walks etc in the reception and the info folders in the barns. They're also more than willing to chat and help!

The lanes on the south side of cornwall can be notoriously narrow and single track with passing places. It takes a little getting used to, but not impossible. Turn the stereo down, crank the windows down and slip into the local pace of life. It makes the lanes a lot easier to deal with.

We stayed in Shires Rest. It's a 3 bed, 2 bathroom barn conversion. Very clean, well equipped and comfortable. Bedrooms are on the ground floor (master with ensuite shower room), a twin and a single bedroom. The bathroom (bath, no shower) is also on the ground. The open plan living room/ dining kitchen upstairs does have low beams, so you do have to learn to weave and bob (but you do learn quickly after a few cracks on the bonce). The woodburning stove is also a great way to relax and give the local scrumpy and pasties an extra ambience. The flat screen digital tv with DVD (and library of titles to borrow) is the other way to spend some relaxing time when the kids have gone to bed. There are also books and board games you can borrow (and even wellies and brollies if needed).

Final nice touch is the fresh eggs the kids get as part of feeding the hens. Really nice yellow yolks. There's also a nice litte treat on arrival.

We're not really dog people, but the owners dogs are very friendly and wil adopt guests if you fuss and feed them! We adopted a little black cat called Tom!

Any grumbles we may have had are completely overshadowed by a very happy holiday glow (daft stuff like the tumble drier being out of action). We're more glass full people, and wouldn't want to put anyone off a really great holiday option. It's a really great place for families. Not a centre parcs, but a very nice and enjoyable enviroment that we will probably return to in a few years when we've added to the brood. (we rarely go back to the same location twice).

p.s. would recommend the pork and cider & lamb and mint sausages from the o'keeffe butchers in Pelynt (3 minute drive, 20 minute walk)...

We stayed in Waggoners cottage which was a lovely two bedroom converted barn. It was furnished beautifully with a classic modern style. The cottage had a flat screen TV, a dvd player and even a dishwasher. Everything was very clean with white bed linen and towels provided. My husband and I went on our first holiday with our 4 month old baby and they kindly provided a travel cot and highchair for us. Each morning Farmer Keith took us round the farm to feed the animals including Lambs, Goats, Pigs and Chickens. Unfortunately Ollie fell asleep before we got to the pony ride. All of the animals were very tame and farmer Keith explained all about their care to the children. Overall we really enjoyed staying at the farm and look forward to going back next summer when Ollie is a bit bigger. Thanks Polean Farm!

This holiday was booked for the February half term instead of our usual trip abroad, (due to the high prices).

I am not normally one for farms, farm animals or dirt, (i'm sure you are getting the picture) but I have to say I had a lovely time.

We stayed for one week in Twinkles cottage and on arrival waiting for us were homemade scones, clotted cream and jam. Milk in the fridge, tea bags, coffee and sugar which was handy to have after a 6 hour journey and until you got to a supermarket.

The cottage was lovely and clean and well equipped. We were lovely and warm on cold nights, especially with the wood burner lit (logs purchased from the farm, 1st basket free) The kitchen/lounge was on the 1st floor giving views of the farm and the court yard area, so handy to watch the children.

The bedrooms were on the ground floor both having en suites. Bath towels were provided as well as all bed linen.

Every morning my son would meet Farmer Keith in the court yard and place the guinea pigs in their day pens, feed the lambs, chickens, goats and collect the eggs which we had for breakfast, yummy. My son also enjoyed the tractor and pony rides as well.

Farmer Keith was the kind of bloke that never seemed to have a bad day!!!. Absolutely brilliant with the children and parents.

Every night we had to get back to put the guinea pigs to bed.

We visited lots of places, Looe, St Ives, Padstow, Newquay, Eden Project, Flambards etc.

Went out most night for meals at local pubs.

I am pleased we went in February as we didn't have the traffic delays, parking issues and attraction queues which you may experience in the summer.

Make sure that you pack plenty of spare clothes for the kids and don't forget your wellies.

Enjoy.

From the moment we arrived at this beautiful cluster of cottages set in the heart of the countryside we knew we were going to have a special holiday. The cottage was cosy and clean (we stayed in Waggoners) and just right for the four of us. Every weekday morning the kids and parents gathered in the courtyard to start the morning animal feeding. Everyone was included, even the tiny tots ( even my 18 month old has now bottle fed lambs, hand fed goats, collected eggs and chased chickens to her heart's content), My 4 year old is very proud of his new found "farming skills" and guinea pig handling! The outdoor play areas and indoor play room were great to keep kids busy and there were even pony rides but nothing topped the tractor "barrell rides"- my son still hasn't stopped talking about it. The location itself is just a couple of miles from Looe, which is a lovely seaside town and has a great sandy beach for kids. I would recommend this to anyone with a young family and will defiinitely be going back next year.