The Old School house is a stylish and luxurious period cottage in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Located 10 mins from the historic town of Henley-on-Thames in the village of Highmoor, just 1 hr from London and 30 mins from Oxford. Newly renovated to the highest standard, it boasts wonderful facilities: superbly equipped kitchen, 5 star bedding, beautifully appointed bathrooms, spacious entertaining space, stunning art collection. A charming local pub within 100 metres.
This beautifully renovated property mixes contemporary art with decorative antiques and vintage items to present a stylish and homely interior.
Parking: Strictly two cars outside of the house and additional cars to be parked in carpark of the Rising Sun pub
Entrance Hall: Small entrance hall with rustic French earthenware ceramics and a large coat cupboard.
Sitting room: Very spacious with twin sofas to comfortably seat 8/9 guests. There is no terrestrial TV (renters should bring their Smart TV logins for Netflix), music dock and a working fireplace (logs provided).
Dining Room: Long refrectory table to seat 10. Separate larder off dining room with drinks fridge.
Study: Sofa (which converts to sofa bed), TV, desk with a lovely view onto the garden through French windows. This cosy room can double up as a study, children's playroom/ TV room or become the perfect bedroom for a guest.
Utility Room: Fully equipped with washing machine, tumble dryer, ironing board, iron, clothes horse. All newly purchased.
Downstairs loo
Kitchen: Fully equipped to the highest standard with electric Aga, microwave, oven, Nespresso machine, electric whisk, scales, all manner of pans, casserole dishes, serving platters and baking equipment.
Breakfast room: off the kitchen there is a table that seats 8 for casual dining
Master bedroom: King bed and plenty of wardrobe space, beautiful en suite bathroom
Bedroom 2: The trunk room has lots of character with antique trunks as bedside tables, leather bound books, leather club chair and an ensuite bathroom.
Bedroom 3: Bunk room
Bedroom 4: This room has a French vibe with a beautiful French bed and tapestry fabric on the upholstered chair.
The bunk room and bedroom 4 share the family shower room which has a stunning double sized shower.
This is an independent property rented for self catering in its entirety so all areas are available to guests.
Check out: Please note that there is a linen charge of £55 to left in cash in the envelope provided on departure. The front door key is to be returned to the key safe on departure not to be left within the house. Bins must be taken out and rubbish properly segregated.
Any problems and the host will be available to answer your queries throughout your stay.
On the doorstep:
The Rising Sun is a charming local pub less than 100 metres away. The Crooked Billet in Stoke Row is very atmospheric and provides a more gastronomic menu.
There is a lovely interiors shop called Life in Nettlebed and a coffee shop / deli called the Field Kitchen which will also takes orders for outside catering.
As an area of outstanding natural beauty and there are some wonderful walks all around. It is also the perfect topography for keen cyclists.
10 minutes away: Boats of all sizes and canoes can be hired from Hobbs of Henley or simply walk along the tow paths to enjoy the river. The River and Rowing Museum in Henley is also worth a visit and has an interesting exhibition programme.
For those looking for entertainment for young children, Stonor Park has a wonderful adventure playground.
Shopping: There is a Tesco superstore and Waitrose in Henley.
There are also lovely local shops in both Henley and 25 minutes away in Marlow with Reading just 20 minutes away and Bicester Village Retail Park only 35 minutes away for the really keen shopper.
You will find a train station in Henley-on-Thames which is 10 minutes drive away. For faster more frequent trains see Reading (15 mins), Maidenhead (25 mins) and High Wycombe (25 mins).
Chiltern cars provide a good local taxi service.
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Please report any damage or breakages before checkout.
The property is beautifully decorated so please look after it as if it were your own.
Rubbish; Recycling, landfill and food waste needs to be segregated in appropriate bins. Please empty bins and fridge before you leave.
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
About the area
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is home to this holiday home. Broad Street Mall and Oracle are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Thames River and Chiltern Hills. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Henley Cricket Club or Madejski Stadium.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - 56 min drive - 66.7 km
Getting around
Henley-on-Thames Station - 10 min drive
Farnborough (FAB) - 65 min drive
Restaurants
Bird In Hand - 10 min drive
The Unicorn - 5 min drive
The Butchers Arms - 6 min drive
GAIL's Bakery - 9 min drive
The Packhorse - 10 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Stylish Country Cottage, Henley, Oxfordshire pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows pets (limit 1 total).
How much does it cost to stay at Stylish Country Cottage, Henley, Oxfordshire?
As of 12 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Stylish Country Cottage, Henley, Oxfordshire on 25 Apr 2026 start from AU$1,096, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Stylish Country Cottage, Henley, Oxfordshire?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Stylish Country Cottage, Henley, Oxfordshire?
Check-in begins at 3:30 PM.
What time is check-out at Stylish Country Cottage, Henley, Oxfordshire?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Stylish Country Cottage, Henley, Oxfordshire located?
Situated in Henley-on-Thames, this holiday home is 2.2 mi (3.6 km) from Chiltern Hills and within 6 miles (10 km) of Badgemore Park and Henley Leisure Centre. Weekend Warriors Paintball and Caversham Golf Club are also within 9 miles (15 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
This was our 3rd year staying at this property and it never disappoints. House and garden are beautiful and Sarah provides a seamless check in process. We will definitely be back.
This was our second year staying at The Old School House and once again we had a wonderful stay. House is well taken care of with lovely furnishings and we love the area. The Rising Sun pub down the road is an absolutely wonderful local spot!
We’ve already booked again for next year!
We stayed in a lovely property - clean, functioning, very pleasant and tasteful. It allowed us to share some great family times, and take advantage of the many things to see and do around Henley.
Highly recommended.
We hugely enjoyed our stay over new year. The property is even better than it looks in the pictures, and is very well equipped. The location is peaceful and easy to find, with lots of walking available in the area, with the pub next door an added bonus. Very comfortable beds and huge rooms made this a great place to stay as a group. Would highly recommend.
Verified traveller
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Jan 2025
Thank you for your lovely review, we are so pleased you enjoyed your stay. Happy New Year!
This location was great for our purpose of attending a family wedding nearby. The house provided spaces to congregate when we wanted or to spread out into separate spaces. Easy access to Oxford and many great eating opportunities.
We loved our stay at the Old School House. It is such a beautiful property and a perfect size for a family. We didn't have to go far to have fun. Trips to Henley and Marlow were magnificent. Thank you Sarah.
Lovely home with many period features. Good garden for playing in. Bedrooms were excellent with quality bedding. Plenty space for us all to relax and chill on our week's stay.
We have just enjoyed the most wonderful week with three generations of family staying here. This house is in a perfect location to enjoy country England, but having the convenience of Oxford, Reading, Windsor an easy commute gave us plenty to do. Thank you Sarah for being a wonderful host!
With gorgeous Chiltern walks from the door, and a pub 50 yards away, this is the perfect country retreat and only an hour from West London....why go further?
3 generations of family plus dog stayed over the Christmas period and the house was perfect for our needs and we loved the Christmas tree! Plenty of space for all, clean, beautifully decorated in character to the house, en-suites appreciated, loved having the fire on after woodland walks from the door. Great location easy for accessing Henley and local National Trust properties and we managed a lovely meal at the pub too. Would definitely return - thank you for a fabulous stay!
Sam R.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 30 Dec 2023
Sam, Glad you had a lovely time and thank you for being such great guests. Sarah
This was an incredible property! It was tucked away and had enough space, including space where each one of my colleagues could step away and have separate meetings during our time. The garden was lovely. The short walk to Rising Suns pub was a great and delicious convenience to us. The cleanliness and the decorations of the property led to invigorating conversations with my colleagues. And even the extra little touches such as the different connector wires to the TV for displaying from the laptop with genius! Would highly recommend!
The property was really lovely, well presented, clean and had everything we needed for our long weekend stay. The only thing that I couldn't understand was that there wasn't a door on the third bedroom, the description of the property states that the bathroom was to be shared by the third and fourth bedrooms so I couldn't quite understand why the door wasn't put on the bedroom as there was no privacy? The other two bedrooms had en-suites so it didn't affect them. Maybe a review of that layout needs to be addressed, but apart from that there were no other issues.
The School House was a perfect property for our visit. We live in the States having moved from the Henley area back in 1981. It has been our intention to bring our grandchildren here, once they were old enough, to discover their roots. We stayed the entire month of March and was able to rotate granddaughters from the States and family members from other parts of England into the house. The house felt like home, it is spacious, clean and very accommodating. Sarah is an email away and answered any questions we had promptly and professionally. There are many great walks from the house, the local pub is a 30 second walk with many more great pubs and restaurants close by. The fast train from Reading gets you into Paddington in less than 30 minutes. We are returning for the month of August with our grandsons and are greatly looking forward to another stay.
House is beautiful luxury bed coverings everything you could want
Great pub next door, very peaceful location yet only 10 minute drive to Henley
Woul definitely stay again if in location
We had a family get together at the house following our first visit 14 months previously. We found the house well prepared this year without the minor issues faced before. The space and facilities worked well for us. It feels as though one is deep in the country while being a manageable distance from a small town, in this case Henley. We will probably not be able to return as the two grandchildren will have outgrown the shared bedroom and it’s bunk beds.
House was just as the pictures showed - beautiful and fully equipped. Beds were extremely comfortable and the views out the windows were gorgeous. There is an excellent neighborhood pub - The Rising Sun - just down the road (very easy walking distance) with excellent food and very friendly staff. We rented a car and were able to do alot of sightseeing in the surrounding area and Cotswolds, returning every night for dinner at our local pub with no complaints! Can't wait to return and stay here again!
Beautiful home for a family or friends get together
This property definitely has a wow factor on arrival! A gorgeous house, beautifully decorated, exceptionally clean, and well equipped. Lovely big spaces for large family groups or friends to gather and enjoy quality time together - the two large seating areas are particularly helpful. The host, Sarah, was always great at responding to questions and very accommodating. Friendly local pub a stone throw from the property but in no way 'too close' or noisy etc. Great food at the pub too and a good selection for different diets. Some nice country-side/woodland walks straight from the doorstep. My only negative to highlight (which is in no way associated with the property itself) is that while we were there it became apparent that the field directly in front of the property is a meeting point for a local organised hunt group (horseback with dogs). Anyone who has deep reservations against hunts might like to be aware of this.
Once again, the property itself and host Sarah were brilliant and the house is beautiful, spacious, warm, and welcoming.
Wow! That’s what we said when we walked into the house. The house was so spacious and had everything you needed. The beds were extremely comfy. It’s situated in a perfect location. Rising Sun pub literally round the corner which served great food and drinks. Huge woods behind where the dogs loved to run! Plenty of places to walk to via the woods or roads. Fantastic holiday, would highly recommend and would love to go back to explore more of the area.
We had a great holiday in this lovely house. Everything we needed was here and we loved it. Comfortable beds, lovely and clean, can’t say anything negative at all. Hope to return one day.
Liz H.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
About the host
Hosted by Sarah Percy-Davis
We moved to this stunning area 5 years ago from London and no regrets. We love the fact that the area is so rural yet we do not feel isolated with good shops and restaurants easily accessible to London and Oxford.
Having left a demanding job in the art world in search of a better work/life balance, I have now set up on my own art consultancy called Hollandridge Group and work largely from home.
I manage this beautiful property on behalf of a friend and it was a pleasure to furnish it to such a high spec.
I look forward to meeting you!
Why they chose this property
The perfect country cottage get away for family groups or friends, just an hour from London. Stunning walks, lovely pubs, beautifully renovated and newly decorated with bags of character! 10 minutes from Henley-on-Thames.
What makes this property unique
Period property, traditional brick and art collection and furnished with a mix of antique and modern. Situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty!
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests