Mead Barn Holiday Cottages
Welcombe,, Welcombe EX39 6HQ England
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#1 of 1 cottage in Welcombe
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Mead Barn Cottages are set in an AONB close to the North Devon coastline near the Cornish border. Within minutes you can be on the dramatic beach at Welcombe Mouth, popular with surfers, or walk along the South West Coast Path. At Mead Barns there are five cottages, converted from an old barn, sleeping from 2 to 8 people. On site we have a games room with pool table and table tennis, children's play area and tennis court. There is a laundry room with washing machine and tumble dryers. Dogs are welcome in all of our cottages and we are perfect for family seaside holidays, walking, exploring or just rewinding and relaxing.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Electric vehicle charging station
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Beach
Table tennis
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Self-serve laundry
Wifi
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Room features
Kitchenette
Microwave
Refrigerator
Location
Welcombe,, Welcombe EX39 6HQ England
Getting there
Car HireSee all Welcombe car hire
52Reviews1Q+A4Room tips
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This is a gem . A lovely converted barn run by the most delightful couple. It’s surrounded by beautiful plants and trees. A peaceful place to spend your holiday. We have been coming here for years and can thoroughly recommend it.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We recently spent a week at Mead Barn Cottages, staying in the Great Tythe Barn, where we received a lovely warm welcome from the owners Joanna and Martin. The cottage itself was beautiful, with comfortable well furnished rooms, and the downstairs bedroom and wet room were perfect for our elderly father. The outside areas got the best of the sunshine for most of the day and we enjoyed sitting out there with a cold drink and a good book. The cottages are perfectly placed to make the most of the many and varied local walks, whether it is countryside, woodland or coastal it is all within easy reach. We also found it to be a great base for exploring Devon and Cornwall by car with many beautiful beaches and villages nearby. Staying here was so peaceful and relaxing, would highly recommend it to others, and it's just a shame we couldn't stay longer.…
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Date of stay: July 2022
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Room Tip: The downstairs bedroom and wet room makes Great Tythe Barn perfect for family members with...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Myself and 3 friends booked Wheat Barn as part of a water sports based weekend away. We were thoroughly looking forward to this as it was our first trip away after COVID. We arrived at around 2100 on the Friday after travelling 3 hours to get there and were understandably looking forward to the weekend. On first arrival, the accommodation looked lovely. We stayed in the first floor cottage and we were happy with the quality. Straight away we unpacked and got dinner on as it was late. We had to have the front door and windows open due to it being quite hot inside. After dinner we settled down to play a few board games, listen to some music and have a couple of drinks. At 2200 hours, Joanna came round and said she could hear us across the path, most probably due to having the windows and door open. As of this we closed everything and turned the music down then off, continuing to play board games for a couple of hours before going to bed. The next day whilst out, we received a phone call from Joanna saying there had been a complaint made against us from the people below. We were shocked as we felt we had done nothing wrong. The complaint was that we were loud and moving furniture around into the early hours, this completely baffled us! We tried to explain the moving of furniture was probably the fact there was a rather large spider inside that went under the sofa, so we had to move that to get rid of it. Secondly the kitchen table was a fold away table that had to be moved and extended so we could eat, as of this it was moved a couple of times during the evening. Neither was fault of ours at all! The noise complaint again we were shocked, we listened to Joanna when she came around and responded by turning music down then off and just talking at a normal level. There was nothing to say in any welcome pack we could not make noise after 2200 inside, only outside to be courteous, but we never were outside. We tried to explain we felt this was unfair and Joanna replied that the people who complained had stayed before and “weren’t unreasonable people”. This upset us massively, implying that we were unreasonable and just because they had stayed before she’d take their word as gospel. When we asked if she had heard us after 2200 hours, Joanna said she hadn’t! So we asked what she would like to do to resolve this and Joanna said she was happy for us to stay but wanted an extra £200 deposit for ‘damages’ in case we made “too much noise” again and the fact she might have to refund the complainants that night. We were not happy to pay at all as again we felt like we had done nothing wrong and we’d be the same level as before and then lose our £200. We didn’t come on holiday to be silent after darkness and again there was nothing to say noise was to be kept to a minimum inside, or we might not have booked. Joanna alternatively said if we could find somewhere else to stay, she would refund us the rest of the trip. We thought this was the best and tried to find alternative accommodation. Unfortunately trying to find places to stay for the same night and in summer was impossible and nowhere in north Devon was free, so we regrettably decided to come home. We were heartbroken as we travelled 3 hours to stay less than a day and essentially forced to come home. On arrival back to the accommodation, we met with Joanna to talk about refunds etc. We initially invited her in but she said no due to COVID. As of this we talked outside again about how we felt we had done nothing wrong. Shortly after starting, a male appeared across the way, leaning over the fence staring at us. This was Joannas partner. We explained we felt like the accommodation was not listed correctly on Airbnb if she didn’t want noise and it should be made clearer, but Joanna disagreed and said it was listed correctly. During the conversation again we were upset and it was made worse by her partner piping up and saying the odd comment from across the way to try and provoke a response. He had to be told a few times by Joanna to go away which sums it up really. He tried to say we were shouting outside, when we offered initially for her to come in so we could talk inside but she said no. Then we asked her partner to come closer and we could talk better but again he said no…. He then said we were going round in circles and not getting anywhere and said “I thought you were finding somewhere else to stay”, to which replied no we were trying to find somewhere but everywhere is full. To which he replied words similar to “life’s hard, get over it”. This we were disgusted at, this was no way to be spoken to from a host when considering the situation. What an awful way to treat your customers. A few minutes of talking later, we were told we weren’t the sort of people that should be staying here and they wanted us gone. For context, we are 2 couples in late twenties and all key workers. Not a bunch of yobbish 18 year olds wanting a weekend of alcohol. We were amazed, again stating they need to be clear of the sort of people they want to stay here on Airbnb, but yet again this was batted back at us with them insisting it was correct. As of this we packed and left, the money situation was eventually sorted although after a lengthy process. A while later we checked the Airbnb listing and it had changed since we had stayed, showing that it was not listed correctly as we were saying to begin with!! If it was listed as it is now when we booked, we may of thought elsewhere. I don’t want to be all negative, the facilities to the accommodation was good and it was a lovely looking place. However I would not stay there if you are not an older family or elderly people! Also Joanna needs to take the reigns and keep her partner away from any human interaction unless he wants to take some lessons in grace and decorum.…
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Date of stay: November 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Martin Coupe, Owner at Mead Barn Holiday Cottages
Responded 11 Mar 2022
Anna (lead party) came to stay at our property with 3 other adults. There were problems with noise disturbance on the first evening - such that the party could be heard very clearly from inside a detached property on site. Despite Anna and her guests being asked to keep the noise down at 10pm, they continued to cause excessive amounts of noise, including rearranging the furniture in the property, until past midnight causing complaints from neighbouring guests. When approached about this the next day, Anna and her party elected to leave the property after confirming that they were unwilling to keep the noise down after 10pm in the evening for the remainder of their stay. We did state that if they elected to stay we would request the £200 excess cleaning and damages deposit we reserve the right to request from all parties (as detailed in our Terms and Conditions and which the guests were aware of when they booked). Our recollection of this interaction differs greatly from what is detailed here and Anna's review on AirBNB whom the guests booked through makes no comment about any issues with the owners. We agreed, as a gesture of goodwill, to refund what we were paid for the two nights unfulfilled despite being under no obligation by AirBNB to do so. Anna's complaint against us to AirBNB and demand for a full refund was rejected. The timescales involved for Anna to receive the refund were due to AirBNBs refund process. As we have always advertised we are a family-friendly site, located in a quiet and peaceful location in rural Devon and we do ask that guests act with due consideration to others staying at the site which unfortunately Anna and her party were unwilling to do. In the previous 6 years operating our business here, we have not received a complaint about sound insulation as you can see in our other reviews.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We booked two cottages at Mead Barn Cottages - Great Tythe and Rye, for the week beginning 12th April - when lockdown lifted and holidays were allowed again. We stayed in one and my parents in the other. We had never been to Welcombe before and were completely charmed. The beach at Welcombe Mouth is just down the road/a walk across and down the cliffs, and is wilder than we'd expected, with a small National Trust carpark. Just down the coast is Morwenstow, and the Bush Inn - which has a new outdoor seating area and great food. The highlight though was Mead Barn Cottages themselves. Joanna, who owns and runs it with her husband, was totally charming - and gave our 8 year old daughter the highlight of her holiday when she let her spend an hour helping groom her two minature ponies. The cottages themselves felt newly renovated and were well equipped, and the internet was good enough to allow me to do some work remotely. Though all the outdoor space is communal, having Great Tythe and Rye Barns together meant we effectively had the area outside our cottages to ourselves. The kids also enjoyed playing tennis on the tennis court. So all in all - highly recommended and we hope to go again.…
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Date of stay: April 2021
Location
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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A week in a beautiful converted barn in a glorious part of Devon. We brought our two dogs and though we had to socially distance due to covid felt very welcome. The cottage itself was just as described in their advert- though in reality I would say it is even better than expected, it was spotless and we cannot fault it. We had a lovely evening in the local pub and spent the whole week exploring the coastal path into Cornwall, the local countryside and all the surrounding country lanes.
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Date of stay: October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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As an art and culture lover I was delighted to be staying in a cottage once owned by the poet/playwrite Ronald Duncan, in a hamlet where he had entertained some of the twentieth century’s most celebrated figures, such as Benjamin Britten and TS Elliot. One visitor from those heady days – a fabulous maquette of 'Adam' by Jacob Epstein – still stands outside the front door to the Red Cottage. Though, even setting aside these rather niche bonuses, I had a fabulous stay amid the glorious scenery and timeless tranquility of Mead. Everything I wanted, and nothing I didn’t. Huge thanks to my kind and friendly hosts.
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Date of stay: October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We had a fantastic week staying at Mead Barns. The cottage was very clean on arrival and every need was catered for to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable. Real thought has been taken in these difficult times to ensure that everyone staying in one of the cottages will feel clean and secure when arriving and also throughout the stay. The location is also superb as a base to explore the rugged coastline of Devon and Cornwall with Port Isaac, Padstow, Bucks Mill and Woolacombe some of our favourites. It offers quiet country living with opportunities to explore and some fantastic pubs and cream teas on the doorstep.
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Date of stay: September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Stayed for a week with 3 generations and a dog. There was only five of use in the Great Tythe Barn so we had plenty of room. It was spotlessly clean and great accommodation for us with everything we needed. Joanna was very good at communicating with us before our arrival. We walked down to the nearby beach a couple of times but also drove to the bigger sandier beaches near Bude a few times. I would strongly recommend Mead Barn Holiday Cottages. Did not do that much walking but what we did was great.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We had a fantastic time at Mead Barns with our two young children. The cottages were immaculate with everything we needed, the hosts also provided us with a high chair and travel cot for our baby. Joanna and Martin were very friendly and accommodating. The setting is spectacular and we had some lovely walks by the beach, with lots of things to do with young children in the nearby area. Would definitely recommend.
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Date of stay: April 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Martin C, Owner at Mead Barn Holiday Cottages
Responded 11 Jul 2019
Hi Linzi! Thanks for the recommendation! We really appreciate you taking the time to leave us such a positive review and are so pleased that your family enjoyed your stay at Mead Barn Cottages in our quiet little corner of the world. Come visit again one day! Our regards, Martin & Joanna
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We just spent two fabulous nights in Red Cottage which is a real delight. It was spotlessly clean and felt very luxurious with a bathtub to die for in the bedroom! Joanna met us on arrival and was very welcoming. She gave us a tour of the site and advised us how to get to the beach and pointed us in the right direction over the fields to the pub which was a relaxing 15 minutes stroll away. The owners have thought of everything you might need and the added bonus of some fresh scones was a nice treat! The location is perfect with plenty to do on foot from the cottage including Welcombe Mouth Beach which our dog loved and was running around like crazy. We popped to nearby Bude on one of the days which was beautiful and then to Clovelly the following day which was a fantastic place. We really were sorry that our trip couldn't have been longer and are already hoping to be able to return later in the year.…
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Date of stay: May 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Martin C, Owner at Mead Barn Holiday Cottages
Responded 4 Jun 2019
Thank you for such a positive review! It was very nice to meet you and we're pleased you enjoyed your stay :-) ! Look forward hopefully to seeing you again later in the year! Best regards, Joanna & Martin
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandDevonWelcombe
NUMBER OF ROOMS
11
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Frequently Asked Questions about Mead Barn Holiday Cottages
Which popular attractions are close to Mead Barn Holiday Cottages?
Nearby attractions include Hartland Quay (4.4 miles), Hartland Abbey & Gardens (4.6 miles), and Duckpool (4.0 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Mead Barn Holiday Cottages?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and kids activities.
Is parking available at Mead Barn Holiday Cottages?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Mead Barn Holiday Cottages?
Conveniently located restaurants include Rectory Tea Rooms, The Kings Arms, and The London Inn - Bar & Restaurant.
Is Mead Barn Holiday Cottages located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.6 miles away from the centre of Welcombe.
Are pets allowed at Mead Barn Holiday Cottages?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Are there any historical sites close to Mead Barn Holiday Cottages?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Hartland Abbey & Gardens (4.6 miles), Hawker's Hut (2.3 miles), and 1, Hawkers Cottage (1.9 miles).