The Detail...

Deep in the Sussex countryside between Etchingham and Ticehurst, The Lodges at New House Farm offer get-away-from-it-all breaks just one hour’s drive from London. Midway between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, these beautifully appointed lodges all enjoy the use of a refurbished barn to relax in, plus a heated outdoor pool and a hot tub with panoramic views of the surrounding area.

New House Farm is now taking bookings for large groups, either to hire out the whole estate, all of the lodges together, or individually, or just the Grade II listed Farmhouse. Any combination is available. There are 15 rooms across the whole estate. This includes the Grade II listed main house at the centre of the estate, with a huge farmhouse kitchen, seven very large bedrooms and multiple bathrooms and en suites.

You would also have use of the 50m, 300 year old converted “Long Barn” with its grand central hall, for your group, and its fully fitted kitchen able to cater for over 50 people, giant feasting tables, an entertainment mezzanine, a pool table and bar billiards table. It is available for your guests as a communal space to relax and dine in at no extra cost, and will be held exclusively for yourselves, and not available for hire to other events.

The lodges can accommodate up to four or six guests, and come in three categories: pool lodges, garden lodges and stable lodges. A pair of each can be found in different locations around the farm.

Both immaculately styled and furnished, the pool lodges, right next to the pool, offer views of the Rother Valley countryside and nearby forest. One lodge covers each floor of the building, with a connecting staircase, and each sleeps between two and four guests. Both feature a large living area with a king-size sofa-bed, a fully fitted kitchen and a master bedroom with roll-top bath – the downstairs one also featuring French doors that lead you straight out to the pool terrace.

The stunning garden lodges overlook the walled gardens, and have a connecting door allowing them to be booked and used by larger groups. The Westside lodge sleeps up to six, and the Eastside lodge up to four. Oak beams and wooden floors give the open-plan living spaces real presence, and there’s direct access to a private courtyard from both lodges. Gorgeous kitchens and bathrooms add to the glamour of the garden lodges.

For the most rural location, choose the stables lodges which can be found on the top edge of private fields and are located next to the giant hot tub. Each with private gardens and a central, shared courtyard, the pair are linked by an internal door. The Northside lodge sleeps six and the Southside four. With large, comfy living areas with wood-burning stoves and stunning views of the valley, the stables lodges make for very special country homes.

In the 300 year-old Long Barn, you can sit by the fireplace, use the billiards and pool tables, or hire the barn for a catered event. The beamed interior with its centrepiece dining table and antique spiral staircase makes a fine venue for entertaining. With much to explore in the beautiful High Weald district, which extends right down to the East Sussex coast, the Lodges at New House Farm make a great base for exploring too.